This was posted in the winlink programs group. The mesh network was 1800x faster than 1200 bps packet, 199x faster than 9600 bps packet, and 144x faster than VARA FM. Chris VE3NRT AJ7C and I did some throughput testing (He did the heavy lifting; I just crunched the numbers). I think you'll find this illuminating. Throughput sending a 94.4 KByte message: 1200 BAUD PACKET WINLINK (direct; no digipeats) = .4 kbps (400 bps) 9600 BAUD PACKET WINLINK (direct; no digipeats) = 3.7 kbps VARA FM WINLINK (direct; no digipeats) = 5.1 kbps TELNET POST OFFICE (AREDN MESH NETWORK - three network hops) = 737.4k kbps Orv W6BI

I picked this up from the SEC-ARES Google group from Barry KB1PA. Before clear text was required, in a Multi agency incident, one responder called dispatch, which was all patched together for interagency coordination, and told dispatch he was code 101 (which for that agency meant he was going on a 10 minute “bio” break). One of the other agencies personnel heard code 101 (for that agency it meant “officer down”), and they all started to respond to the last known location of the original officer post-haste for support. Fortunately no one was injured (maybe some pride was hurt). We should always keep in mind that the object of communications is to communicate. Q-codes (designed for amateur radio Morse code operators), "10" codes, and all but the most universally accepted acronyms are to be avoided in voice communications. So "What's your QTH?" is not only incorrect (in Morse code communications it's simply QTH?) and out-of-place in voice communications, it communicates no more information than "Where are you?". When dealing with municipal emergency services, Maidenhead Grid Locations (e.g. FN03gx) are of course useless, and latitude/longitude and even descriptions like "200 metres north of the intersection of Bathurst and Aurora Heights Drive" will slow things down. That last examples is real. There was a motor vehicle accident near my home with (thankfully minor) personal injuries and I ended up calling 911 describing the location relative to the nearest intersection. The 911 operator wouldn't acknowledge the location until I gave her the address. I didn't know it and had find the sign before emergency services were dispatched. So unless you know them personally, don't assume that the person receiving the message has knowledge of any of the abbreviations or jargon that you've picked up along the way. If you do useit, make sure you use it properly. The exception would be the phonetic alphabet. To my knowledge in Canada the standard phonetic alphabet is used universally in public service and worldwide in aviation. I've noticed that it has been adopted by customer service agents in many companies as well.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network is based on open-source software that runs on off the shelf hardware. Compared to the MESH networking we experimented with several years ago it has some great advantages, especially with the hardware capabilities. Some of the advantages over HSMM-MESH I see are. A choice of 4 amateur radio bands 900MHz, 2.4GHz, 3GHz, 5.8GHz Ability to run in amateur-only segments of the bands free of creating and receiving QRM from Wi-Fi networks Built-in PoE (Power over Ethernet). So only 1 cable required. Ruggedized hardware for mast-mounting. At these frequencies, good coaxial cable is very expensive. Mounting the entire device on the mast and powered over a single inexpensive Ethernet cable is a great advantage. Ability to leverage old satellite dishes. Some models are designed to be mounted where you'd normally put the LNA provided high gain for low cost (some units is saw were $39 US). The limitation, of course, is that these units are mostly line-of-sight (LoS). The MESH network (automatic relay between nodes) overcomes some of this limitation but point-to-point connections that are LoS are needed. This would generally mean mounting in a high location clear of obstructions. This video clearly explains the technology, limitations, design considerations and use cases. At only 17m it's worth watching and food for thought. If anyone is interested in experimenting with the technology let me know. Chris

I received this invitation through the Winlink-Programs-Group (Google group) and just registered successfully. It looks useful to me. First-come first-served. Chris VE3NRT Due to extremely high interest, we have scheduled a second session of our webinar entitled “Introduction to Radio Relay International and the International traffic system” to take place on Tuesday, October 13 from 1:00-PM to 3:30-PM EDT (1700Z to 1930Z). The class covers the structure of the traffic system, its international affiliates, and the structure and topology of the manual mode net system, the Digital Traffic Network (DTN), and the Winlink-RRI Radiogram transfer process. Also included is an introduction to the radiogram and radiogram-ICS213 message formats including an explanation of the various components incorporated in their associated network management data. A general overview of RRI management philosophy and RRI emergency response functions are also included. Training certificates will be issued for RRI Training Class TR-002. The class is limited to 100 people. Register soon, as the first class filled up in just a few hours. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3738890799943554318 James Wades

I'm creating this topic to answer questions people have asked frequently, not so frequently, or perhaps not at all, to explain terms used in ham radio that may not be familiar to new or even experienced hams. One of the barriers to enjoying the hobby is not understanding the arcane lingo we often use. A secondary purpose of this topic is to encourage people to use plain English instead of jargon whenever practical to have clear communication, which, after all, is what this hobby is about. QSL?

I need an enclosure for some home-brew station equipment and have some space in my equipment rack. So I'm wondering if anyone has any junk equipment lying around that is 2U (or 1U) and not more than about 15" deep for a standard 19" rack. I'm trying to keep the number of loose boxes in the station down to reasonable levels. 73, Chris

I received an email from Nooelec in Newmarket who thought someone in the club might be interested in a full-time position. Here's the description & contact info.. We are currently looking for a SDR enthusiast to join our team as an SDR Specialist. The incumbent will have the opportunity to expand Nooelec’s social media presence, assist customers and users with their SDR applications, and aid in the development of new RF products. The role will be based in our Canadian location in Newmarket, Ontario. Job Title: Software Defined Radio (SDR) Specialist Reports to: Operations Manager Job Type: Full time, permanent Start Date: As soon as possible Job Description: The Software Defined Radio (SDR) Specialist will be responsible for a variety of tasks aimed at enhancing Nooelec’s brand recognition and public persona, including but not limited to: engagement with individual customers and the wider SDR community, management of social media accounts, conducting market research, working internally with various teams to advocate for consumer interests and achieve corporate goals. Responsibilities: ● Provides a face to the Nooelec brand, increasing social media engagement and brand recognition. ● Manages Nooelec’s social media presence with the goal of increasing traffic to our pages. ● Creates engaging social media posts, videos, contests, etc. ● Solicits, monitors and tracks customer feedback. ● Provides support to sales and customer service teams. ● Assists with research and development of new products, with an emphasis on known customer interests in specific devices/bands/applications. ● Works in conjunction with the engineering, management, and production groups to develop specifications, assembly processes and test plans. ● Tests and identifies issues with designs and prototypes in conjunction with mechanical and software teams as needed. ● Tests returned product and documents failure rates and causes. ● Works with the customer support team to resolve complex technical support cases specific to particular customers and/or applications, as well as product recommendations. ● Develops support pages to educate customers on setting up popular SDR applications. ● Works closely with software and firmware development teams for applicable projects. ● Provides timely production support and problem resolution. Qualifications: ● Must have SDR experience; ● Strong presence within online SDR communities; ● Eagerness to connect with other SDR hobbyists and expand the community; ● Knowledgeable and familiar with multiple types of SDRs, SDR accessories, and SDR software packages; ● Experience with multiple SDR applications; ● Ability to troubleshoot, diagnose and provide technical support for customers; ● Problem-solving capabilities; ● Creative, out-of-the-box thinker who can generate ideas and inspire others Danielle Brayne Administrative Assistant T: 1 (888) OLD-ELEC Nooelec Inc. (Canada)

The nice thing about digital radio standards is that there's so many to choose from. We have D-STAR, DMR, Fusion, all using various proprietary codecs and digital communication protocols. There's also the open source CODEC2 by David Rowe, VK5DGR, which works very well but seems limited to a cult following on HF. Anyway, as there were no posts in the D-STAR section I'll kick it off by asking who has D-STAR capability. This is what I have. 1. IC-7100 in the car, D-STAR from 160m to 70cm. 2. A club IC-80AD handheld for 2m and 70cm 3. A NW Digital Radio USB dongle to connect a computer to the D-STAR network 73, Chris VE3NRT