Walter Video

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Walter Video
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Amateur Radio Communications How they can help
YOU, when All Else Fails!

• Wisconsin ARES/RACES
• Jim Markstrom, KB9MMA
• EC Racine County

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What is Amateur Radio?
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What makes HAM Radio possible?

• The U.S. Congress and the FCC make this possible
  by several rule makings
  
• One rule makings is via the FCC - the Code of
  Federal Regulations Title 47, Chapter I, part 97
  defines the radio rules, and and the methods for
  becoming licensed.

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What do amateur Radio operators do?

• In its day to day existence, amateur radio is a
  hobby. How in depth a hobby depends on each
  operator's personal interests.
  
• Certain voluntary operators, serve a emergency
  communications role during emergencies, natural
  disasters, and man-made disasters.
  
• This responsibility of public service is
  attributed to why maintaining a Amateur Radio
  License in the United States has no fee or tax to
  the licensee.

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What are the major Amateur Radio emergency
organizations?

• ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) is an ARRL
  (Amateur Radio Relay League) sponsored
  organization. Public service communication has
  been a traditional responsibility of the Amateur
  Radio Service since 1913.

• RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) was
  founded 1952 as an update to the FCC regulation
  of the Amateur Radio Service. FEMA (Federal
  Emergency Management Agency) provides planning
  guidance and technical assistance for
  establishing a RACES
• In WI, BOTH are considered the same organization

Many agencies which have an active part in
disaster recovery operations have amateur radio
operators embedded in their operations or have
part of their disaster plan covering how to
incorporate amateur radio operators if normal
communications channels fail or become
overloaded.
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What do Amateur Radio operators do during and
after disasters?

• Amateur Radio operators set up and operate
  organized communication networks locally for
  governmental and emergency officials. This
  includes non-commercial communication for private
  citizens affected by the disaster.
• Amateur Radio operators are most likely to be
  active after disasters that damage regular lines
  of communications due to power outages and
  destruction of telephone, cellular and other
  infrastructure-dependent systems.

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Is Amateur Radio recognized as a resource by
national relief organizations?

• Many national organizations have formal
  agreements with the Amateur Radio Emergency
  Service (ARES) and other Amateur Radio groups
  including
• Department of Homeland Security -- Citizen Corps
  
  
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• National Communications System
• American Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• National Weather Service
• Association of Public Safety Communications
  Officials
  
• Etc

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How do Amateur Radio operators help local
officials?

• Many radio amateurs are active as communications
  volunteers with local public safety
  organizations. In addition, in some disasters,
  radio frequencies are not coordinated among
  relief officials and Amateur Radio operators step
  in to coordinate communication when radio towers
  and other elements in the communications
  infrastructure are damaged.
• This is a big interoperability gap that goes
  unmet without ARES/RACES.
  
• We act as communications Glue for agencies.

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Radio 101 Voice communications
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• Using e-mail is universal.
• Minimum training required.
• Large amounts of data/information may be
  exchanged, accurately
  
• Detailed damage or status reports.
• Detailed work assignments shift changes.
• Lists of equipment and supplies needed.
• Graphic or text-based Medical information.
• Anything else that may be handled routinely by
  e-mail.
  
• Every transfer is a permanently stored record.
• Data/information is secure from casual monitoring.

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Example Typical message flow in an actual
flooding disaster.

• EOC to Shelter (ICS-213 requests, sitreps, etc).
• EOC to Voice Net control
• EOC to EC
• EC to District AEC
• EC to SEC, ASEC
• Internal Agency requests
• EC requesting help, and juggling schedules.
• EC to Volunteer center
• Station to station high content traffic.
• Red Cross to EOC
• Sending Pictures from the field
• Sending Weather reports from the field.
• Shelter information

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Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS)
networks.

• APRS Networks can be setup at a moments notice
  No other infrastructure needed.
  
• Examples were setup on separate packet channels
  from other infrastructure.
  
• Provide instant information to a disaster
• Like EMAIL, everyone understands GPS and Icons!

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The Great Midwest Relay (GMR)

• Tracking status of resources (Patients -runners)
  using APRS technology!

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The entire course of GMR
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Utilizing WX overlay with UI-VIEW

• This is an example of NWS Radar imaging
  underlayed with zoomable street level detail and
  APRS information!
  
• It can even send Severe WX warnings on digital
  local LAN frequency..

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APRS instant messaging!

• Good tactical real time tactical tool.
• Works with APRSLINK! (rudimentary winlink gateway
  tool)
  
• Converse with other stations without tying up
  voice.
  
• Has 100 error correction and ack of receipt.

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ARES provides scalable, reliable, infrastructure
independent voice data networks!

• APRS RF
• APRS RF APRS instant messaging.
• Dynamic allocation of communication, and digital
  tracking!

• Net controls
• Combine voice and Data communications
• Fixed and Portable/Digipeaters

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Racine Triathlon Integrated Command Example
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Now it is time to get a
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How to start?

• Relax, this may seem overwhelming today.
• Contact your local EC, or State ARES/RACES
  representative.
  
• Discuss your local needs and prioritys.
• Experiment
• Plan
• Practice
• Involve us!
• Integrate your plans with EM and other
  organizations.

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Informational links

• http//wi-aresraces.org
• http//www.rcares.org
• http//www.winlink.org

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73 (bestQuestions and open forum for rest of
the time.If you enjoyed this presentation the
next step is to a more technical workshop locally.
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Appendix for more technical detail.
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Racines Local Data Plan146.610, 145.530,
446.100(9600)Future 70cm , 1.2 GHz (Dstar),
(HSMM) 2.4 GHz links.
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Paclink, with in a served agency, either behind
or in front of a router and/or firewall.
Outlook Express User Interface
Outlook Express User Interface
Mobile Paclink
All it takes is one computer, TNC or Soundcard,
the Paclink program and an antenna!
Multi-channel VHF/UHF Packet
Airmail HF
All it takes is one Laptop, a Transceiver, TNC,
the Airmail program and an antenna!
Telpac
Telnet
Local Radio Message Server
Central Server