US Packet Network

US Packet Net

USPN Mission Statement

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The terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 and subsequent events have highlighted the need for more advanced, more comprehensive amateur radio emergency communications. Hams have enjoyed increased cooperation and respect from many government agencies and officials in the wake of 9-11, including a special message of praise and encouragement to U.S. amateurs from president George W. Bush.

At the same time, significant advances have been made in the equipment and software availble to digital amateur radio networkers, making it possible to build network we could only dream about in years past. Amateurs not only have a clear mandate to develop our capability to provide communications in times of emergency or disaster, but we also have the means to do so in a meaningful fashion.

Packet radio (in conjunction with other digital modes) has enormous potential to provide fast, accurate emergency/disaster communications. With the recent resurge of interest, several of our large-scale VHF/UHF networks have begun to expand and upgrade, and new packet networks are again springing up around the nation.

By building and developing independent, amateur radio network that does not depend upon standard, non-ham methods of communicating such as the Internet, amateurs arrainge to be there when they are needed the very most - when traditional methods of communication have broken down or become overloaded during the course of an emergency. Our mandate is to provide independent, alternate emergency communications and only networked amateur radio is relevant to that purpose.

Soon, we can reasonably expect to begin tying our regional networks together into a cohesive, national digital communications network, completely seperate and independent, through the participation of thousands of American hams. It is a large, ongoing task, not something we can expect to "finish", as our networks must not only grow, they must also be maintained and upgraded as we go along.

Now is the time for amateur packet radio networkers to share information, get to know each other and work together more closely than they ever have before. We will be addressing a challenge, answering to a mandate and having a good deal of fun while we are at it. It is this spirit within the hobby that USPN is here to facilitate. We dedicate our efforts to the many amateurs who participate in this fine aspect of amateur radio, and to the people of the United States of America.

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If you are a packet radio networker, node-op, SYSOP or even if you are just curious about how to get the packet net going in your area, then USPN is especially for you. Make yourself at home there, say howdy and get to know everybody.

You can join in one one of the discussion topics in the FORUM, or use our CHAT for more personal, less formal discussion. By pooling our knowlege, we can progress more rapidly and by getting to know other networkers, we can develop working relationships that will be of great importance when linking our systems together for a cohesive, independent United States Packet Network.


US Packet Net

Charles Brabham,  N5PVL

 

Ok I just got into packet with a borrowed TNC and my yause 1500m mobile but in my are of oregon (beaverton) it seams that packet is use full the only stuff that is there is APRS stuff I am currently looking at some IRLP stuff that might help a lot

 

heard of SEDAN?
heres the link to the florida portion but its supposed to span the entire east coast.

http://www.geocities.com/floridasedan/

73
robert cruz
ke4mcl
miami fl node

 

Greetings, Mike. I'm also in Beaverton and I'm just getting started in Packet radio. There is a lot of information about it at ARES/RACES Oregon Packet Information

Hope to hear you on the air sometime.

 

I agree with the comments about the usefulness of packet radio.

I lived in Norman, Oklahoma, for several years, and hams in Oklahoma City developed a special packet software to aid the Red Cross in disaster situations. This development came after the OKC bombing. It offered a degree of security and, best of all, it prevented misunderstandings due to dialects and other regional idioms.

Now I live in Joplin, Missouri. Here it's hard to find ANY packet activity at all. There are APRS operators, and that's what I do these days. Even worse, it appears that the APRS and packet operators do not get along very well, dampening efforts to coordinate any type of contingency plan. The good news, however, is that Missouri ARES has unveiled a state-wide plan, modeled after the Arkansas ARES that has some promise for an emergency packet network.

The only information that I can find about the MO plan is at http://www.qsl.net/kb0hnr/ . Does anyone know about the status of this plan? I'd like to participate in both modes, for it helps to have a back-up should one fail.

J C Alexander, K5DMI

 

Hello
From kc2ayg Guy
I was the main ncs for the NYC RACES 911 WTC
Now I was under stricked guide lines
first
3 days no phone lines
no cell phones
no nextels or next telphone as we say

no phone number or addresses were to be given out over the air

yes packet did help
but like every other tool in my bag of tricks
you need to know how and when to use it

I ran the net from my home in the bronx
where it was quiet "very important"
if you were some place were it there was alot
of noise you would not here the week station
even with head phones

another great mode was to use psk 31
qrp low power mode 50 mw
from the bronx to downtown brooklyn
no one knew we were even there
strike one up for ham radio   hehe

besides I had phone radios dsl food and everything
else I needed most important my station
shore power gen batty back up & ups on all computers
plus hight looking over manhattan and a straght path
down to ground zero

working with red cross and the arrl sec tom carubba ka2d
where packet was the most helping tool was
ka2d would e-mail me the list of hams that would be going into the red cross to then to the shelters
then I would copy and paste into packet window
where it would be recived by red cross
to see witch hams that would be comming in for there shift
for that reason packet kept alot of unnessery traffic of the main net

thanks kc2ayg

 

I stay away from packet because I think that packet now days is seriously outdated. Compared to the internet it is too slow and relatively difficult to setup by someone new to computers and ham radio. Packet radio needs some serious influx of better technology. If packet radio were to offer higher speeds of information transfer allowing detailed emergency information to be transfered it would be much more exciting to get involved in. With higher speeds hams would get on the bandwagon and enjoy packet as a higher bandwidth digital tool.


I am not sure of the FCC laws governing Packet baud rates but maybe we need to get the FCC to realize that ham radio VHF/UHF packet development is being slowed by restrictive regulations. I know some people encourage development in the 2.4GHZ band but that band currently is only suitable for point-to-point digital communications.

This is my gripe. Sam, in Colo. Springs. Colorado.

17year young-ham
AD6XS
HAm radio Website <> http://www.transworldradio.8m.com

 

First, I substantially agree with the article by N5PVL. Terrorism has obviously proved to be a substantial problem and amateurs are certainly posed to play a key part in its resolution. Radios and communication therewith is certainly what we are about.
But, second, let us not forget that we do need radio equipment in order to be able to play said key part in the first place. We are now at the point where we can no longer afford to buy radio equipment because of the economic disaster that we are now all paying for. I voted for Bush. But his fiscal mismanagement has been more destructiveof of this economy than even the terrorist attacks on NYC. Proof of this fact is inherent in the reality that the stock market has now plunged to a level that is LOWER than that which occurred as a result of the utter decimation of two of the largest buildings in the world. I am concerned that if this government continues its current policies of "understanding corporate responsibilities" even to the point of winking at corporate chicanery, blinking at demands of reforming same, and nodding to the military and big energy, very few of us will be able to buy any equipment that would be of any value should the unfortunate event of another terrorist attack again come to pass. Just my two cents worth-- edit it as you wish... 73 de
-Radioweenie-

 

Beef up Ham emergency communications? You're kidding right? In 1997 when the ham radio rules were revised, the term "Emergency Communications" and "To provide emergancy communications" were left out of the definition of ham radio by the FCC and is no longer even one of the functions of Ham Radio. But hey, that's according to the FCC, what do those guys know right? In the biggest emergency this nation ever faced, World War II ham radio was banned just 5 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor and remained illegal for the duration of the war. You'd think they'd have used hams as coast spotters or something, but the government dose not share the same view of importance of Ham radio as most of you (us) do. When a ham shows up at an emergency with his little HT these days and asks if he can help, the majority of the time the answer will be: "sure, you can help...stand over there and stay out of the way of the people who are actually trained and get paid for handling this." Guys it's only a hobby, wake up. This isn't the 30's or 40's anymore. They actual need for ham radio operators for in todays modern civillization is pretty much nill. I spent 25 years in the military doing the "REAL THING" and to read your article is almost laughable. If you really want to serve your country then get off that radio of yours and go down to your local recuiter and sign up. And if you're REALY serious, give up some ham bands for use in national security. But don't think some guy with a pocket protector and a ham radio is going to make any differance what so ever. Back away from the radio...you are losing touch with the real world.

 

To KD7RHE:

I was one of the hams who did emergency communications in NYC for the Red Cross after 9/11. I helped get food for pdisplaced people at 2 shelters and handled traffic between city government agencies at OEM. Sure felt real to me.

KB1FLR, Rick

 

I've a got a Topic "True Stories - Packet Radio in Emergencies" going at the USPN Forum. If you have a true story about emergency packet radio communications, I'd like to hear it there.

Also, in the USPN Library, the article "Doing Our Part for America" by Richard Card, KD4JKX of the SEDAN network bears directly on this issue, and is good reading.

US Packet Net  web site.

Charles,  N5PVL

 

Go to Part 97.1 "Basis and purpose of The Amature Radio Service." Do you see emerengy communications listed anywhere? How are you going to stop a terrorist with a ham radio, throw it at them as they run by? The only thing that's going to happen is you're going to get in the way with and/or interfear with those who are actually trained for that mission. Like I said, go to your recuiter and sign up. They will be happy to put a gun in your hand and point you in the right direction. But what you suggest in your artical could harm more than it could help. Hey, maybe you get some other the other hobbies involved to. Sure, maybe you could get the Radio Control plane crowd to whip up some molitov cocktails to drop on Saddam. Or get the Lionel Train groupies to carry some frieght cars of poison gas. Come on man, did you even think before you wrote all that bull? Nice photo though.

 

To KD7RHE( I think that's it),
                                       Hey Chris, your comments indicate to me you  might well have been an officer when on active duty.  Is that the case?  Did you not have communications personnel working under you?  Being that you're a recent technician class operator, you may not be aware of the ongoing role of amateur Radio in emergencies and disasters not only in the United states but throughout the world.  Also, you may not be aware of the large quantity of prior military as well as current military Amateur Radio Operators.  I'm curious, Chris, when you left the service, what was your grade?  And what MOS did you work (if you worked)?  In South Florida, I know of many Amateur Radio Operators who are in fact law enforcement officers.  I suppose they're not qualified to deal with terrorism either huh?  Chris, I'm just trying to get the point across that alot of these folks have a lot more background than you givre us credit for.  I, for example am prior law enforcement and prior military and this hobby enables me, although disabled, to still contribute to my community and have a bit of fun from time to time.  So please, don't be flaming folks in a hobby that you're supposed to be enjoying and making friends in.  I think you'll find in the long run that we're a bunch of good folks.  And you might actually find some of us are better prepared and connected than you think!!   73.    Keith.

 

KD7RHE: Shamey wamey on you!!! The very idea!! You are SO-O-O unkind and SO-O-O inse-e-e-nsit-i-ive! You are NOT being a good politician, KD7RHE!! You are not patting everyone on their pointy little heads!! So maybe you were in the army. If so you wore a uniform. Well we also happen to like to wear OUR uniforms!! For example when the occasion of a natural (or unnatural) disaster arises I like to go out and "do it" for amateur radio. I don my orange monkey suit and shiny black brogans with blousing rubbers and walk around briskly with my 2m handy dandy with a long antenna on it. I love to arrive on the scene with a flair. My black Ford has four huge antennae on it that just shouts out "R-A-D-I-O!!" It makes me VERY proud. It makes me a part of "the group". And I consider your unkind belittling remarks an affront not only on my own dignity but upon the dignity ALL amateurs EVERYWHERE, KD7RHE!! So if you don't like our support of amateur radio, then go throw your tiradinous flames on Channel 19. Tayun Fower?

 

I'm not trying to flame folks, I'm really not. Heck, I love Ham radio. I'm on the air some 8 to 10 hours a day. It's just that some folks lose prospective. Sure, 30/20 years ago CAP, MARS and Ham Emergency Services had a place in this world. An important place. But it's a different world now and folks need to stop living in the past and just move on. 25 years ago we used to have MARS operators doing phone patches for us on board warships and it was great. A wonderful thing. But these days every ship has the internet (yes even 1,000 miles off shore) and phone patches are a thing of the past. Same with CAP. Every law enforcement agency these days has their own air support in spads and nobody even thinks of calling on CAP. My local CAP has 4 planes in my area (that my tax dollars are paying for)...they've been called on once in the past two years, and showed up after it (the reason they were called out) was all over with. CAP has turned into nothing more than a poor mans flying club and the funds for it should be pulled from the national budget. I'm not trying to FLAME anybody, or burst anyones bubble but these are just the facts. Yo...if you're a Ham and into the Emerency Service thing than fine, great. But if you're own government shared your veiws they would allow a whole lot more than just one hour a week for Races. If they shared your point of view RACES would be the MAIN thing you heard on the freqs. I just think you're waisting a lot of time for a service that is no longer needed, and for the most part made fun of by professionals who actually do that for a living. In sted of trying to play John Wayne (and that's all it really is...playing, trying to be something that you're not) why not spend your time in a more possitive, useful way like helping the homeless or the hungery. There are thousands of underfed children in this nation. Try to find a way to help THEM by using your ham radio. That's the only way you're going to impress anyone. Not by trying to play John Wayne.