Echolink Saves a life

Date of incident 12-29-05
Date of artical 12-30-05

As I sat in front of my computer with echolink on and connected to The Missing Lynk System a messege comes across that a fellow ham needs help. G4WDI was suffering from a heart attack right at his home while talking on the radio. WA4VWV was chatting with James when it happened and this is an email that was sent to me directly from Steve, WA4VWV:

"James...you sounded like things were not going well...and then I
got the text message that simply said "HELP"

We rallied the troops and had the paramedics dispatched to your QTH. Hope you didn't mind that friends of yours was concerned, but when I get a message that says "HELP" then be assured that I will gather every resource available to make sure it happens.

It took several folks on MissLynk to assist and gents from Indiana, Arizona and Washington were directly involved and the entire network went quiet until we were sure that assistance was on the way. Geez, talk about the spirit and intent of amateur radio. We all anxiously await positive news!

Let me know what you can, when you can. Take care and be well!

73 de Steve, WA4VWV"

Also sent in another email was an update:

"Let the record show that our good gang did, in fact, save a life. The British Army Air Corps responded and found him damned near flatlined, fired up a chopper and flew him off. Apparently he was on O2, along with CPR during the flight.

A rush trip to the ER of his local hospital brought him around and about 4:15 this AM I got the word that all is once again well. Hey guys...let's face the reality of last night. Were it not for the "system" and some heroic reactions, we might have had a Silent Key on our hands. By all means, this should be an Amateur Radio Newsline item. What a classic example of our hobby, with several people involved, quite actually saving a life of a fellow ham in a whole different part of the world. Geez, am I proud of our collective efforts! Thanks to all involved! This not to pump sunshine up our skirts, but an acknowledgement of a job well done!

73 de WA4VWV"

Just goes to show, doesn't matter what you use as a tool as long as it's for the greater good.

 

How do you send text messages via Echolink? Is this a new thing?

 

It is so refreshing to hear GOOD NEWS for a change! Thank you for your report.

73 de VA3WIN-Jim Omemee, Ontario CANADA

 

Well, I guess they don't have 911 there.

 

Well first of all you can send text messeges to another Echolink user via the text box in the lower right hand corner, (no disrespect meant on that my wife asked the same thing). Second here is another email sent that was an update:

"Just had a LD call from the UK about James, G4WDI. He's being released from the hospital and things seem stable for the moment. He will have 24/7 in-home nursing care for awhile and frankly folks...had it not been for a super combined effort of the entire MissLynk & TIPS network, he wouldn't be with us.

What a way to start the New Year, with the response of the amateur community to quite literally save a life of a fellow ham! I talked to several members of his family this morning, and they wanted to make a donation on his behalf. I absolutely refused that, and simply expressed our pride in having been of service.

Great job, gang. This is a ham radio story you can tell the grandkids about! HOORAY FOR THE HAM SPIRIT!

73 de Steve, WA4VWV"

 

I am happy for Jim's outcome also but I don't understand; what or where is the Amateur Radio aspect?   What band is 'echolink'...HF, VHF, all or none of the above? I wonder if such a grand thing has ever happened on Yahoo Messenger, MS Messenger or some other computer service that has nothing to do with (ham) radio communications and we just haven't heard about it?

 

There is a text box on the "PC client" version of EchoLink that allows two computer users to exchange comments via text message....

For instance, I as an RF link operator, might be driving down the road with my mobile rig, ragchewing through a repeater or simplex link with someone who has accessed the repeater with their PC. This person might not have access to a repeater in their QTH, which neccessitates using the PC to use EchoLink. During our QSO, another PC user might link to the same repeater and join our converstation. While I, as a mobile user, don't have access to the computer functions of EchoLink, the two PC users can not only communicate via phone, but they can also exchange text messages to one another. Thus, the text capabilities of EchoLink.

MANY will point out that a PC to PC link is not ham radio, and I will always 100% agree with that. Personally, I don't care for sitting in front of my computer to use EchoLink. That is why I set up a simplex node. By far, the greatest number of users access EchoLink with a radio through a repeater or soundcard interface, but some people... older hams without radio capabilities, hams who live in restricted communities, handicapped people who can't erect towers, and younger hams just entering the hobby, some of these folks enjoy using the PC capabilities of EchoLink.

...Thus, the primary criticisms from those who don't like it. They say it isn't real radio. And as I said, I agree with the PC to PC aspect not being radio, but who cares? I don't think I've ever heard a PC user ask for a signal report, and I don't think there is any dillusions that they need to. Anyway, that is the explanation for the text box.

To the MissLynk folks, hats off to you!!
It is good to see another example of how people who think outside the box can get things done when the chips are down.

 

There is a window in the lower right corner of EchoLink that allows you to send text messages "Off the air" between users who are connected via EchoLink.

This is one reason many people think that ExhoLInk is nothing more than a glorified Instant Messenger with voice capabilities. There is one major exception... it also and primarily interfaces your audio with radio links and repeaters so you also go out over the air at the node you are connected to.

I for one think EchoLink is yet another useful aspect of Amateur Radio. Its not a replacement, but just another tool to use. As we see, this can be beneficial!

Hooray for EchoLink and Amateur Radio. A life saved is well worth it!

Perhaps they do have some sort of 911 system there, but I am not familiar with how emergency services work in Great Britan. Think of it this way... perhaps it came on suddenly while he was using EchoLink and was unable to make it to a phone in time. Either way... kudos for those who assisted in saving his life!

 

I agree in this case it was not Amateur Radio saving a life.. the Article title was well thought out and correct.. It Stated echolink saved a Life. Very True. It was NOT amateur radio saving a life.. but VoIP using two computers connected solely by a telephone.. ie Instant Messanger type system.
But it is good to hear that "IT" (Echolink) saved a fellow Amateur Radio Operators life..
I sure wish it had been Ham Radio.. But we cannot have everything...

Happy New Year...

Lets try to have positive posts .. the Auther did not try to title it Amateur Radio VIA Echolink Saves life.. OR Echolink via Amateur Radio saves life.. he titled it correctly...

And only stated in the article the following... "In the spirit of Amateur Radio.. "

We all have our opinions.. I have mine.. And I wish we were more seperated from the internet... But it does allow hams a place to congregate and have fun...

To each his own... I prefer radio... Some prefer the Internet, some prefer both... Who are we to tell them how to enjoy their free time..

73 Jerry N9LYA

 

Amateur Radio has always been a tool for experimentation and leading edge technology. Lets not forget that many aspects of commercial communication began its life in Amateur Radio!

So you dont like EchoLink. To each his own. It interfaces with Amateur Radio and therefore is an aspect of Amateur Radio.

You can say that PSK31 or SSTV isnt real amateur radio because you use a computer to send pictures or messages. Well.. you can do that easier and with better quality over the internet, so how is that really Amateur Radio? (This IS NOT my view, but simply an example using the "EchoLink is not Amateur Radio" thinking)

It is an aspect, a mode, a tool. Just remember that everyone told Christopher Columbus the earth was flat! Im glad he didnt listen.

Same goes for EchoLink. EchoLink is thinking outside the box, an essential process that allows for the advancement of communications.

Perhaps its not the best mode to involve Amateur Radio in the traditional sense, but tradition never invented anything. It was the forward thinkers, the outide the box people, the people who ask "What else can we do!"

Put it this way... would you say "Why do we need to invent the automobile when my horse gets me back and forth to the store just fine"

 

I am sure kc8ycz will expand on this, but I'll put in my 2 cents...I hope you don't mind, Mr. Rapson. Do you go be Reginald or Reggie?

First off, you already know the answers about EchoLink, but here it is, real slow, so everyone gets it...

EchoLink can be used on any band or any frequency that amateur radio license permits, HF, VHF, UHF, SHF. The very nature of HF is great self propogation via ionosphere, so very few amateurs connect EchoLink to HF. I have seen some links for SWL, but the transmit is disabled. I have also seen some HF licensed hams interface their HF rig, as a control operator, to allow licensed PC users to access their HF rig, just for the fun of it. But 99% of the EchoLink RF nodes are 2meter/6meter/or 70cm. So, you ask what band is EchoLink...it can be whatever band or frequency the control operator wishes.

Now, WE ALL know that a text message over the system isn't radio. Nobody would make that claim. But guess what, if a bunch of people are ragchewing, some from radios, some from PCs, or whatever, and the guy on the PC end has a health trauma, and all he can get out is HELP....what difference does it make if it was a PC text message? If the emergency is brought to the attention of somebody, and that person happens to be a ham, and that information can be transmitted via radio, and phone calls can be made, what the hell difference does it make? A like was saved by amateur radio operators, plain and simple. Sure, the same kind of thing has most certainly happened with AOL, Yahoo, ICQ, whatever, and it wasn't much different, but, so has the case that an amateur might be PMing through Yahoo, happen to get an emergency text, turns on his radio, and makes a call for help. What is the difference? The point is, amateur radio operators, participating in an EchoLink net, which includes RF repeaters and simplex links, got an emergency message and acted on it, with good results.

Is this something to nitpick and be critical of?

 

Excellent excellent excellent comment!

You hit the nail on the head there. This should not be a renewed argument on the validity of EchoLink.

It is simply Amateurs helping (and saving) each other. In this case it happened to be using EchoLink.

 

Well Said.. I have heard about Hams Saving lives using a CellPhone.. Not much glory in that, from an RF Stand Point... But it was a Ham Saving a life.. That has to count for something... And I am sure both the Ham and the Person whose life was saved.. Were glowing with Glory...

I am not Pro echolink... I have used it.. (I prefer Radios.. But lets not attack each other over it...) It helped me stay in contact with a friend who was elderly and near death.. We conversed until he was SK... or in this case SPC.. But posting the post the way it was posted... Should not be damned by Hams that Hate echolink...  Come on its that time of year we should all try to get along.. Be glad a life was saved..

When was the last time you saved a life as a Ham or a fellow human being...Do Non-Hams not save lives every day??

Remember life is too short... To spend it all here on QRZ fighting and arguing... If One group likes echolink and another does not... How much do you think one side cares what the other side thinks???

Smile...

happy New year.


73 Jerry N9LYA

 

I'm happy that the guy is okay, regardless of who helped him or how he was helped. His life and safety are the most important issue in this dialog.

However, I would like to state that although I certainly prefer RF communication, Echolink does have its place and purpose among Amateur Radio. I look at it as another digital tool. I know several Storm Watcher groups who use it to reliably conduct training sessions. Although the training sessions are primarily RF via local 2m and 70cm repeaters, folks from all over the US (and world) can participate via an Echolink connection. In this way, folks who live in areas without adequately trained Storm Watcher instructors can still get instruction and advice. This is just one example out of many where Echolink has a positive impact on Amateur Radio.

73, Jack, ke5fem

 

I wonder how much faster the responce would have been if he had called direct himself, or had used an autodialer preprogrammed with a request for emergency help? I am sure they have such, but he might have had his phone tried up for the internet connection. People with health problems should look to solve the problems with getting help, before they start doing other things.
I am a ham, a member of a local VFD, and our group often saves lives, but we get little or no fanfare about it. We don't need it, and that is not our purpose. IMHO, echolink and other such items are just an extension of the internet, not true ham radio.