[WARC] [Fwd: [hfdec] Winlink Can Be Reliable in Emergencies]
Len Litvan
Litvan at acegroup.cc
Thu Dec 13 20:29:43 GMT 2007
I received th e-mail below from another group today. I know essentially
nothing about Winlink--except that it seems to be disliked by a lot of hams.
What is the story on Winlink?
Is there a place for Winlink in club emergency communications planning?
Len KC0RSX
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [hfdec] Winlink Can Be Reliable in Emergencies
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:16:35 -0800 (PST)
From: Mark Thompson <wb9qzb at yahoo.com>
Reply-To: hfdec at yahoogroups.com
To: wl2kemcomm at yahoogroups.com, digitalradio at yahoogroups.com,
hfdec at yahoogroups.com, ARESv at yahoogroups.com
CC: illinoisdigitalham at yahoogroups.com, DigitalModes at yahoogroups.com,
CIARESMAG at yahoogroups.com, SWANI at yahoogroups.com,
Northern_IL_SKYWARN at yahoogroups.com
Winlink Can Be Reliable in Emergencies
With the storms in the Pacific Northwest dying down, throughout it all,
Amateur Radio operators were there to help. After a visit on December 4
to the Oregon town of Vernonia, Governor Ted Kulongoski said, "I'm going
to tell you who the heroes were from the very beginning of this...the
ham radio operators. These people just came in and actually provided a
tremendous communication link to us." The Oregon Office of Emergency
Management said the radio operators were tireless in their efforts to
keep the systems connected. When even state police had difficulty
reaching some of their own troops, ham radio worked, setting up networks
so emergency officials could communicate and relaying lists of supplies
needed in stricken areas.
One of the modes used in Oregon during the storms was Winlink. According
to ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD,
"Winlink is an Internet-to-Radio digital network using HF or VHF
components allowing amateurs to send and receive e-mail from any
location in the world. This network can also handle file attachments,
such as documents and images. To the end user, there is little or no
difference in sending and receiving a message whether it's done directly
through the Internet or through the Winlink system."
When Oregon's State Office of Emergency Management was activated on
December 3, hams over the course of the next four days used Winlink to
pass message traffic. According to Marion County ARES Emergency
Coordinator Dean Davis, N7XG, "The Winlink system performed perfectly,
and the ARES team at the OEM were able to pass approximately 200
messages into and out of the State of Oregon Emergency Operations
Center. The only mode of communications was the Winlink system for
several Oregon counties for the first two days of the storm."
Davis continued: "What we proved during this event is that Winlink is a
perfect system for Emergency services. It is not a single point to point
system subject to failure, but rather a large network of computers
linked together that is the building blocks of Winlink."
Back in 2006, Amateur Radio volunteers involved with the International
Health Service (IHS) in Honduras said Winlink has become key to
effective communication. "Without Winlink, our communications
effectiveness would be lessened considerably, and some of the service
our teams provide would not occur," said Lor Kutchins, W3QA/HR8, while
serving in Uhi. The IHS each year provides medical examinations, surgery
and dental services to more than 3000 Hondurans, most having access only
to IHS health care during the group's annual visits.
"Winlink radio e-mail is serving the International Health Service very
well in this operation," Kutchins added. He said IHS deployed
medical/dental, surgical, and eye care teams in various communities,
most equipped with VHF-FM or HF portable gear. IHS teams travel each
February to remote villages with little or no communication or
transportation infrastructure. "We make our own infrastructure with what
we bring," Kutchins reports, "So, as well as being a truly practical
effort to bring health care to populations that otherwise do not get it,
this is a terrific exercise in disaster relief or EmComm in general."
Before radio e-mail, all traffic was handled in lengthy voice nets three
times each day, he said. "Now our nets are 10 minute affairs in which we
highlight the urgent and important traffic for follow-up, besides
exchanging pleasantries."
Winlink also played a role when hurricanes Rita and Katrina came ashore.
Officials in Harris County (Houston, Texas) requested that ARES provide
reports of traffic volume on major highways leading into the county.
"The procedure to accomplish this was developed by District Emergency
Coordinator Ken Mitchell, KD2KW, and sent via Winlink to the North and
South Texas Section Managers for e-mail distribution to ARRL members,"
former ARRL South Texas Emergency Coordinator Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, said.
"Winlink proved highly useful at the Harris County EOC, even though
there was reliable Internet and e-mail."
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