With Varying Frequency - Amateur Radio Ponderings

The D-Star system has both interested me and left me wondering since Icom brought it to the USA several years ago.

 The discussion at Jeff KE9V’s “CQ Calling” Blog D-Star Rising Article & Comments pointed out:

• With only a computer dongle for a non-Icom option it appears that no other manufacturer sees enough market to launch a D-Star enabled product line.
• While promoted as an open standard, we should be clear that D-Star is like Pactor II & Pactor III  (another closed single-source product) in that it is based on a closed proprietary CODEC.
• Advanced Multi-Band Excitation (AMBE) is a very powerful proprietary speech coding standard developed by Digital Voice Systems, Inc. as a commercial product.
• D-Star with the AMBE Licensing adds $150/$250 per radio unit - though the exact $ for DVS is a secret.
• Though promoted as one system Icom’s D-Star implementation is a set of various Digital Voice and Digital Data systems on several different bands.  The capabilities and through-put vastly differs between the various implementations on each of the bands.
• A D-Star user and D-Star systems are subject to complete denial of D-Star service through any of several layers of software administrative control.  No other amateur radio system is so completely at risk of being taken down by either a technical problem or deliberate action.
• With much of the CODEC being licensed and not open for examination, D-Star is at its base level a “black box,”  making Amateur lead user improvements difficult.  This is much like building a new car that uses a special fuel only available from one manufacturer who won’t disclose what the fuel is.  

Other serious limitations are mentioned in the D-Star Rising article & comments, and in my previous D-Star posts (searcg box is on the right side of the webpage for this blog).

More simply the limitations of the D-Star system eliminates it from being a single sole configuration for the communication tasks.

A worthwhile experiment, but not one ready to replace other Emcomm options.

73

Steve
K9ZW

D-Star Rising by Jeff Davis KE9V

added June 30th:  D-Star Experiment Ended on Jeff KE9V’s assessment that D-Star is a Disaster.

Can an Emcomm Leader or Volunteer serve two or more “masters” effectively?

Is dual-hatting simply that, being qualified & roster-listed for multiple tasks, or is it an unresolvable conflict?

As a follow on to Emcomm Promises and Practicality, my previous Emcomm articles and recent discussions at various forums (eHam being one), the magnitude of the questioning of multi-hatting is very evident.

While admirable to be qualified and roster-listed for numerous Emcomm & EmGov roles, does it do the served agency, the Emcomm/EmGov group and the volunteer a deep disservice to have such deeply divided commitments?

In actually multi-tasking testing the usual claim is each similar intensity added task divides the resource into two 50% segments, each which loose about 30% further efficiency.  The result is a 35% or roughly 1/3rd accomplishment measured on the accomplishment axis of any one task.

Add another equal task and each task gets something like 1/8th accomplishment.

Pile on more and the numbers tend to reflect the “overload melt-down” we’ve all seen in people who take on too much.

Should we be applying the same sort of idea by “weighting” volunteers by the number of Emcomm/EmGov hats they wear?

What if the assignments are not equal?  Whether just timing by being called for another task first, or prioritization based on skills (EMT, Physician, Volunteer Fire Fighter, Reserve Police, Military Reservist), the Emcomm task we’re focused on may find its people unavailable.

What about dual-hatters who are ARES/RACES roster-listed, but are also active members of the Emergency components of the served agencies?  How do we account for their limitations?

Applied in reverse, it goes to suggest that needed roster resources need to be some number of times greater than the expected Emcomm tasking requirements.  The exact multiplier would depend on the local tendency to dual/multi-hat.

All ongoing tasks for a leader, to identify the force/strength reduction from dual-hats.  

73

Steve
K9ZW

The recent horrid weather in the upper Midwest has brought to many people’s attention the stark reality that many Emcomm groups may be promising more than they can deliver.

Numerous county EC/RO slots are empty.

Some counties have low rosters, specially if those listed who have other primary emergency roles (EMS, Volunteer Fire, First Responders, Served Agency Leadership roles) are deleted. 

In some cases it would not be possible to get enough people off the roster to man all of the Emcomm sites even briefly if needed simultaneously.

If required for a several day period it would be only possible with heavy mutual aid support.

Or would these Emcomm groups try and draw from local amateurs their not on their Emcomm rosters or lists?

Would these not listed amateurs accept the challenge by setting aside their ongoing objections to the current direction of Emcomm they may hold, or would they hold out “for terms?”

Perhaps more realistic is blend somewhere between these two stances.

But the cold hard fact remains - the simple truth that many Emcomm Groups may have a real tough time to meet their served agency expectations, much less provide any reserve for when the emergency gets worse.

73

Steve
K9ZW

This article is a repost from February 2007. The issues still have not been resolved with the Emcomm community and face the Radio Amateur.

The original article with comments is at:

http://k9zw.wordpress.com/2007/02/22/going-armed-during-radio-emcomm-activations-cowboy-or-wiseman/
——————————————————————–

PLEASE NOTE THAT LAWS & THE AGREEMENTS YOU SIGN SHOULD BE RESPECTED. THIS ARTICLE IS A DISCUSSION POINT AND IS NOT ADVICE OR ENCOURAGEMENT TO DO ANYTHING MORE THAN PERSONALLY THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN RESPECT TO YOUR PERSONAL SITUATION & TRAINING.

WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO GO UNARMED OR ARMED IS YOUR DECISION ALONE.

A quick look through most Emcomm (Emergency Communication) MOA/MOU (Memorandum of Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding) with served agencies didn’t find an answer to a question a group of Radio Amateurs on-line were recently discussing.

Is it the done thing to go armed when responding to an Emcomm call out?

Reviews of the on-line MOA/MOU didn’t discern a documented official stance - actually no mention of Firearms, Mace, Weapons or Self-Defense could be found. The issue simply is never addressed.

The decision to go armed or not is not just personal security against violence issue, but displaced hungry/diseased aminals could well be an issue.

Though unless duely authorized by the government, an Emcomm volunteer may NOT be a law enforcement person legally. This can affect your options for self-defense choices.

Usually though a Served Agency expects that an Emcomm responder will be able to take care of themselves.

In other words, the served agency expects that Emcomm (ARES / RACES / Skywarn / REACT and so on) volunteers will not by design knowningly become additional victims during the call out.

If you are a dual-hat - such as a dual ARES/RACES & Red Cross volunteer, you may have compromised your self-defense options by the agreement with the secondary “convience membership.”

The exact type of personal protection a situation calls for will greatly vary with the type of call out, the ability of the volunteer and the foreseeable needs.

Where an urban situation where an Emcomm volunteer is being assigned to a stable community with the maximum foreseeable risk being problems with stray dogs and displaced vermin, a personal MACE or teargas dispenser may be more than enough.

For a responder who will be dealing with a remote area of woodland, perhaps as part of a search & rescue, where the wildlife includes significant dangers (Wolves & Bears) something serious in the way of a rifle may be considered a bare minimum of protection.

The pros & cons will be covered in a future article here at “With Varying Frequency - Amateur Radio Ponderings”

Whether to go Armed or Unarmed is a Personal Decision no matter what Emcomm Leaders say, specially if there is no mention in the operating MOA/MOU or SOPs. It is YOUR life as a volunteer on the line.73

Steve
K9ZW

Just out on Amateur Reflectors is this request:

Colombian Earthquake Frequencies + New Quake off Guatemala:

From the CQ Newsroom…

CQ Public Service Editor Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO, relays the following information from the International Radio Emergency Support Coalition (IRESC), via G4HPE:

———–
The following frequencies are in use by amateur radio rescue teams following the 5.5 magnitude earthquake in Colombia:

7077 kHz
7085 kHz
7140 kHz

PLEASE keep these frequencies clear to allow the emergency support to continue.

Frequencies provided from Oscar HK6PRO, Emergency Dispatcher and Firefighter - IRESC member in Colombia.
————

In addition, the IRESC website reports today (5/27) that, according to the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck just off the coast of Guatelmala this morning at 11:28 UTC. This is confirmed by the US Geological Survey’s Earthquake Center. As this is posted, this has not yet been reported by the mainstream media, and there are no reports yet of amatgeur frequencies in use there.

All amateurs should keep the above frequencies clear (as well as the Chinese earthquake emergency frequencies, 7.050, 7.060 and 7.240 MHz, which were still in use at last report), and listen for any distress calls out of Guatemala.

Though I will personally keep clear of these and listen for any aid requests, one wonders if this is a bit of over-reaction given the reports of “a damaged church” and very limited serious damage?

Is the clear channel request “crying Wolf” or a sensible precaution?

Hard call to make, but certainly we can all do our part to help!  I know I will!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Bernie W3UR asked that this be spread quickly. Our thoughts & prayers are with the Burma & China disaster victims.

73
Steve
K9ZW

================
The following email was received from BD5RV/4, Michael, giving details of
the Amateur Radio activities in China hours after the earth quake hit.
73
Bernie, W3UR

Strong earthquake hits China, all ham radio operators stand by
PLEASE HELP TO SPREAD THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE

Strong earthquake hits China, all ham radio operators stand by

A Magnitude 7.8 earthquake hits Sichuan, China on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 06:28:04 UTC. Casualties and loss unknown up to now. According to Chinese Radio Sports Association, 14.270Mhz, 7.050 and 7.060 Mhz are preserved for amatuer radio emergency service in the rescue. Please spread this message as far as you can and keep the frequencies clean for emergency use. Thank you.

——————–
Yesterday, 05:57 PM
BG8AAS from Chengdu, Sichuan reported that local UHF repeater survived
in the disaster. It keeps functioning from the 1st minute and more
than 200 local radio hams are now on that repeater. A group of hams
from Chengdu has headed for Wenchuan, the center of the quake, trying
to setup emergency communication services there.

BA8AB, also from Chengdu, Sichuan, is active on the 40m emergency
frequency. Up to now, no further information available from the center
zone of the quake. There are a few radio amatuers there, but all of
the communications have been cut out, including amatuer radio.
————————-
Yesterday, 06:58 PM
Update

According to BG8AAS, local UHF repeater in Chengdu keeps busy running
after the quake. It helps to direct social vehicles to transport the
wounded from Dujiangyan, Beichuan, and other regions. Another UHF
repeater also starts its working in Mianyan, supported by generators.
However, they are going to face a shortage of gas.

Damage in Chengdu remains in the lowest level, but the situation is
very very bad in the counties around. A few towns are said to be
destroyed completely. More than 7000 died in the town of Beichuan.
Casualties in several other towns are still unknown and not counted in
the published numbers.

It is a long and sad day.
———————–
Today, 08:31 AM
Your attention please! 14.270Mhz is now reserved for ARES in 5.12
earth quake in Sichuan, China. Please help to keep this frequency
clear.

A group of radio amateurs is now transmitting from Wenchuan, the
center of quake. Its signal is reported to be very weak. They tried to
keep communication with BY8AA in Chengdu, seeking for all resources
needed. During a contact finished a few minutes ago, they were asking
for raincoats, water, tents, and outdoor living facilities.

PLEASE HELP TO FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL RELEVANT FORUMS, MAILING LISTS, AND NEWS RESOURCES. MEANWHILE, KEEP THE ABOVE FREQUENCY CLEAN FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION.

–
Michael Chen, BD5RV/4
Email:michael.bd5rv@gmail.com
MSN: bd5rv@jsdxc.org
Skype: michael-bd5rv