[GA ARES] Katrina - Missed Signals

[Paul Pescitelli]

John,

The point here is that the internet is what survived. IP connectivity
and the optional software that can be utilized is what survived, and
what was first to be recovered in certain areas.

WinLink, while a great solution, does not provide last mile
connectivity as the rest of the world tends to relate.  For the
industry standard definition for last mile I would reference Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_mile.   Enhanced Services (plural)
is usually the context.

WinLink (telpac) may provides a packet to email bridge, nothing more
and nothing less. The winlink system in general is purely an email
solution expanded to take advantage of RF paths.

I do agree that for long range communications the Pactor 3 modem is a
great option, I wish I could afford one of the ethernet versions.

73 - Paul


On 2/17/06, John Kraus KC4ZGQ <DIGITAL_COMMS_GA at cox.net> wrote:
>
> From: Paul Pescitelli <dx.k4uj at gmail.com>
>  To: Ares at gaares.org
>  Subject: [GA ARES] Katrina - Missed Signals
>
>  http://www.govexec.com/features/0206-01/0206-01s2.htm
>
>  Yet another recap from Katrina in reference to Emergency
>  Communications. It does validate a lot of basic networking principles.
>  Interesting to note that the internet is the only service that worked
>  and how Ray Negin communicated with the rest of the world for days via
>  the internet.
>
>  --
>  73 - Paul    K4UJ / FS, KP2, KP4, PJ6, PJ7,VP2E, ZF2UJ
>
>  Thanks for posting this Paul,
>
>  This article is a concrete example of why I settled on Winlink 2000 as the
> entry point for building a robust statewide data network.
>
>  Any functional internet connection can be used with Winlink. It was
> deliberately designed that way.  This is the basis of the Winlink concept of
> the "Last Mile".  Winlink recognizes the fact that the internet can be by
> far the most robust backbone available.  So far in most recent disasters the
> internet has remained a viable resource and in most cases could have been
> accessed using low cost VHF radio / TNC's.  One ham with a 2 meter radio
> 1200baud TNC and a laptop preloaded with Telpac could have established a
> large area coverage Point of Presence and extended that internet capability
> over a much wider area than actually was covered.
>
>  This is the reason I think every ARES member needs to have Airmail and
> Telpac on their computer and must know how to use them.
>
>  Yes there are many other technologies that can use the internet but one
> thread has emerged and that is that when these things happen the coverage is
> often spotty and can slow considerably.
>
>  Winlink 2000 has three very real advantages over standard packet
> applications.
>
>  The built in compression for text based documents including MS Word and
> Excel maximizes throughput on slow links.
>
>  It does not require a ham to be on both ends of the connection.
>
>  Its robust backbone system for delivering traffic already exists and
> features redundant mirror servers that are geographically separated in
> hardened secure facilities.  It exists now.  It does not need to built only
> tapped.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  73 de John Kraus KC4ZGQ
>  Georgia DEC for Digital Communications
>  DIGITAL_COMMS_GA at COX.NET
>
>
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>