Email Robots are coming to RTTY and CW!

Albert, I don't suppose I am bothered so much by personal email over ham radio, except for non-radio related material. There's the problem, not only the judgment of what's related and what is not, but also the ability for outsiders to discern such traffic at all.

This is a different scenario than our permitted use of "autopatch" on FM repeaters. Those were the days, before cellular, when anyone could hear a call made and determine if one was ordering pizza, passing word about an auto wreck, or calling home.

That's not easily possible with an automated digital message system using robots to convey email from the internet over ham radio as a telemetry stream.

Perhaps a push toward the Official Observer program would allow them to monitor such traffic as disinterested third parties, out of concern and in keeping with the self-policing nature of the hobby.

But since I don't subscribe to the ARRL such a request from me would probably be ignored.

Others?

Paul/VJB

 

Paul that would be a great idea except for one fact, SCS will not release their pactor III code so that folks can experiment with it. You must buy their modem if you want to do P II or III.

 

I have asked my ARRL director, if there were plans to provide Pactor II/III capable devices to members of the OO program.

I was told it wasn't in the budget.

 

Go figure. They want to use a mode that is not easily policed and then do not want to provide a way to police it. Makes me wonder if they have something to hide.

 

If the Winlink Email robot network is in violation of Section 97.113 (a)(5),

§97.113 Prohibited transmissions.

(a) No amateur station shall transmit:

(1) Communications specifically prohibited elsewhere in this Part;
(2) Communications for hire or for material compensation, direct or indirect, paid or promised, except as otherwise provided in these rules;

(3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer. Amateur operators may, however, notify other amateur operators of the availability for sale or trade of apparatus normally used in an amateur station, provided that such activity is not conducted on a regular basis;

(4) Music using a phone emission except as specifically provided elsewhere in this section; communications intended to facilitate a criminal act; messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except as otherwise provided herein; obscene or indecent words or language; or false or deceptive messages, signals or identification;

(5) Communications, on a regular basis, which could reasonably be furnished alternatively through other radio services. ,

why don't one of you just file an official complaint with the FCC and request an acknowledgement? I am sure there is an effective way to do this. The regulations are already there. It only takes a convincing argument, perhaps quoting the Winlink site regarding 150,000 Emails a month, and asking why the regulations are not being enforced if you think you have a case.

If action is not taken, this discussion will never end! What Winlink does is either OK or it is not. Isn't it time to find out?

 

Albert,

Thanks. Here is the link http://home.roadrunner.com/~mdmiller7/arrl_alt/MarkPetition.pdf

pay close attention to paragraph 5 where I state:

The FCC received this petition on March 27th, but have not assigned an RM number.
73,
Mark N5RFX

 

Link for the search impaired  

 

FYI, in New Orleans after Katrina, my SAT phone and SAT terminal link worked great on second day after the storm.

 

Don't be surprised if terrorists are using WinLink. Source of equipment is vast, knowledge to work it is readily available. Use of pirate callsigns. Plenty of bands to choose from.

Jack VK4JRC

 

Apparenlty Larry didn't know that.

 

You know now that you mention that, that could be a reason why amateur radio was shut down in Iraq. Maybe the terrorists were using winlink to get around the monitoring that was probably going on the cell phones and other means.

 

In point of fact, the highly limited sub-bands where >500 Hz is permitted are NOT sufficient to support ANY level of meaningful disaster response.

I am not talking wholly about Winlink, although that is the "invented Satan" used as the lightening rod by those who seek to destroy ham radio. I am talking about losing the ability to use a MODERN communication method on the ham bands.

I would also point out that the primary opponent of Winlink has HIS OWN E-MAIL SYSTEM ON THE HAM BANDS. If Winlink is wrong (which I fervently deny), why is that one not also wrong ? Why is there no outrage about HIS system ? (Answer: It isn't Winlink.) (His system has almost ZERO usefulness...)

There are no "weasel words", and nobody has circumvented ANY rules. The Winlink system, packet, and BBS are all "semi-automatic", and all are covered under Part 97. (And FCC was involved from day one, so the "it's illegal" nonsense is just that -- pure nonsense.)

In point of fact, the Winlink system has gone "above and beyond" to allow FCC, law enforcement, and/or rescue agencies (Coast Guard primarily) to access messages when needed.

 

Wait a minute, aren't such limitations suspended in times of disaster?

 

Why are you guys so inanely focused on the EOC ? Do you actually believe that having an EOC provides EMCOMM ?

What happens when the EOC is flattened ? What happens when a tanker full of Propane explodes right next to it ? What happens when a truck full of Polyvinyl Chloride catches fire a couple of blocks away -- or next door ?

Those of us with EXPERIENCE in the field can tell you that these things CAN and DO happen.

What happens when the Governor, Lt Gov, Speaker, and everyone down the "food chain" cannot get to the state EOC (and/or the city leadeship cannot get to the city EOC)-- and have no communications to the EOC ?

Folks, those people DO NOT live there ! There is a skeleton staff at most EOC outside of normal business hours. There is NO "senior executive staff" in the EOC a 0200. THAT is reality.

NOW, how are you going to conduct your operations ?

Even if the EOC is intact, and everyone got to their posts (figure an hour, minimum), TO WHOM are they going to be talking ?

If I lose ALL of my EOC (the State of Texas has a primary, 2 geographically separated alternates, and several regional ones), I can create a COMMUNICATIONS CENTER / OPERATIONS COMMAND POST just about anywhere that has phones, faxes, and internet connectivity -- including in a vacant warehouse or in my Mobile Command Post. (In fact, in my article, I talked about using the Mobile Command Post as a SUBSTITUTE for the HQ/EOC.)

What I cannot "instantly" fix is lack of INFORMATION from the field. That is the MOST IMPORTANT part of EMCOMM, and THAT is where ham radio shines.

For that reason, any Emergency Manager worries one HECK of a lot more about the FIELD communications than about the EOC. He/she HAS (or had BETTER have) a plan for alternate EOC operation. Without communications from the EYES IN THE FIELD to tell the SCOPE and MAGNITUDE of the problem, and to tell them WHAT is needed WHERE and WHEN, the EOC is basically just a useless bunch of people gathered around some nice equipment.

The LAST place I want my coordinating EOC to be is INSIDE the disaster area. I don't care if it is 100, 200, 300, or 500 miles away. As long as it can communicate with the "eyes on the ground" in the disaster area, safely house my Executive Branch, effectively communicate with ANYBODY who may be needed, and handle the volume of traffic; I could care less where it is or what it looks like.

If you want to believe the silly notion that ANY level of government actually CAN provide the resources needed EVERYWHERE they are needed WHEN they are needed, you need some serious reality checking. If you believe that ANY government or ANY person can somehow know WHAT is needed ANYWHERE in a disaster area without being told by someone who is actually THERE, you are simply delusional beyond repair.

 

Every Winlink user is thoroughly vetted BEFORE messages are allowed, and every message is subject to scrutiny.

This is just more "Oh they might" utter nonsense...