Page 1 TECEPKET Version 1. 3 3/1/92 PACKET [Category: TEC] PACKET RECOMMENDED FOR EVERY EOC ATTENTION: All OES Agencies. Packet radio by Amateur radio has proven its value and benefit to emergency operations at all government levels. In response to frequent queries from local governments, State OES does recommend that local governments procure packet radio equipment for its EOC and offices. Transportable packet has also proven its value in comm vans, mobile, and briefcase units. A basic packet station to support OES operations must include a computer, a packet Terminal Node Controller, a two-way radio, a printer and an appropriate antenna system. A disc drive accessory is recommended but not mandatory. Please direct any questions to your OES Region Communications Coordinator. RB86 -41 EMERGENCY PACKET COMMUNICATIONS When you are asked to set up a temporary packet station to provide communications for an emergency or drill, two computers should be used. If you don't, you will probably be caught in the middle of a message flow log jam that can be almost as bad as no communications at all. The reason is that you can't write messages to disc and receive traffic at the same time. Example: Amateur Radio station N6ZZZ-1 may be your regular packet radio terminal at your EOC. When incident communications are initiated, set up your second packet terminal as, say, N6ZZZ- 2. In this manner N6ZZZ-1 is used only to receive traffic; it should go to both the computer's log and its associated printer. Meanwhile, terminal #2 is transmitting traffic from N6ZZZ-2. Another computer should be used for writing the outgoing traffic to discs "off line." This can be done by any employee or volunteer with fast typing skills. No radio license is required. The discs are then given to the Amateur radio operator for transmission. All of the received messages have to go to a printer, of course. The outgoing message discs are cycled back and forth between the radio operators and the disc writer. Never, please, never send messages from a keyboard in real time. This can hold up the entire system by preventing other stations from moving traffic in the shortest possible time. Accuracy and speed are the attributes that elevated Amateur radio from a nice-to-have emergency communications resource to must- have in many jurisdictions. The goal in state level RACES, for example, is to maintain an exchange of the maximum amount of letter perfect traffic in the least transmission time per message. Until the advent of packet in California, for example, no Amateur Radio mode met this need. State and county emergency operating centers everywhere should install one or more packet radio terminals. It is recommended that a voice frequency be established between the various packet radio terminals for use used as a coordination or "order wire" channel. This can be most useful in solving technical problems quickly and for giving quick replies to some packet messages. Just because a message was received by packet does not mean that it is chiseled in stone that a reply must also be by packet. Whereas it may be deemed appropriate that a written (packet) reply be made for the record, a voice radio reply will be faster and more appreciated -- the written reply can follow later. RB 75-89 & 76-89 RACES PACKET RADIO TERMINAL by Keith Crandall, K6QIF HQ RACES Technical Advisor We have been asked from time to time for a specification for obtaining, adding or upgrading of packet radio stations for government sites and civil defense/emergency services fixed locations. This report is divided into a narrative and a minimum specification in lay terms. No endorsement of any make or manufacturer is intended; where such does appear it reflects that with which we have had satisfactory experience. NARRATIVE The world tells us that Packet Radio is already two-thirds complete when we have a two meter radio and a terminal or a computer. That is true but it is not really the complete way to go. It makes more sense to do it right the first time. The RF part of the system should be a radio that will reject extraneous signals and have good sensitivity on the frequencies you are to use. A good example is the Kenwood TS-2550 transceiver. It has a clean receiver and transmitter and has a fast switching time between transmit and receive. Next would be a good TNC (Terminal Node Controller). The AEA model PK-232 does this very well. It gives you all the modes (6) and good basic operation. Another model is the KAM by Kantronics. You must run the complete system with a good data terminal or computer. (We call them what they are -- data communications terminals --- particularly where jurisdictions have prohibitions against or governing the procurement of computers for common workplace applications.) We have had good experience with the TDK-1000, an IBM clone, obtainable in the Sacramento area. The unit is unique in that it has a special setup: two serial ports, 10 meg speed, 1 Meg RAM, 20 meg hard disc, and both 3-1/2 inch and 5-1/4 inch floppy disc drives for data I/O. A good power supply system should be chosen with a backup A.C. supply (UPS) and battery good for a sufficient period of time until the standby power can be on line. For this reason we use a Tripp-Lite model SB-400 for the A.C. power and 4 each 40 Amp- Hour gel cell batteries in parallel to obtain 160 Amp duty cycle. MINIMUM SPECIFICATIONS The following are the minimum requirements for a data terminal for Emergency Services/Civil Defense packet radio communications: SYSTEM:Baby AT case, 200 watt power supply, mother board XT turbo 12 MHz with 8 slots, and 1 Meg memory installed. DOS: Disc Operating System shall be 3.2 or later. LED/SWITCHES: LED indicators for HD and other accessory switches for keyboard and turbo. I/O CARD: Mono-multi I/O board with the following: 2 ea. serial ports marked COMM-1 and COMM-2. 1 ea. printer port marked PRINTER. Floppy disc drive controller with the RT-clock on this board. DRIVES: Shall be capable of three drives; 5-1/4, 3-1/2, or HD. It shall be delivered: (1) 5-1/4 inch, (2) 3-1/2 inch, and (3) 30 Meg HD marked "A", "B", and "C" respectively. KEYBOARD: Model 5160 or equivalent. MONITOR: Casper GM-1266 or better. PRINTER: Star NX-1000 or better. CABLES:All cables required to make this an operating system. RB 93-89 through 95-89 [Comments December 1991: Experience since this date indicates any type computer will function well on Packet. Also, by this date it is possible to take files from PC to other computers, such as the MAC, so compatibility is no longer much of a problem. The specified equipment may well be out of date. If it is important to have uniformity in an EOC it may be well to purchase the same type of computers unless you actually in person verify translation ability and complexity. A compatible word processing computer to match can be quite vital, in that it can handle message preparation on disc and the disc provided the sending operator to upload at intervals. This frees up the pressure on the on-the-network operator.] PACKET RADIO DEMONSTRATIONS Synopsis: A guide for those demonstrating packet radio communications to government agencies and others. State OES often calls for local support in demonstrating packet to government officials. These pointers can help achieve a flawless demonstration. The success or failure of any demonstration is determined in the first few minutes. The interest and attention span of non- technical observers is typically very short. Observers are interested only in seeing the end product and benefits. We should give these to them in the shortest possible time. Limit the demonstration time to 5-10 minutes of productive reception of packet traffic. Sending traffic from the demonstration is of little dynamic interest -- receiving traffic is! Assure that everything works before demonstrating it -- or don't demonstrate it at all. A successful demo can be made by communicating from the demonstration site to (a) a nearby packet station previously prepared for the demo or (b) a previously prepared nearby (not more than one digi away) packet bulletin board. Previous preparation entails writing two or three messages in advance. These messages must then be pre-positioned at the (a) offsite packet station or (b) in the packet bulletin board or mailbox. Message content: Messages tailored to the specific event are always more effective. At least one message should be at least 30 lines to more effectively demonstrate real time transmission time. Use local place, agency and people's names in your demo traffic. Including the name(s) of politicians and the person(s) influential in the budget process can be quite effective if done properly. Design disaster exercise messages to reflect a plausible incident in your area, but be sure to preface and end the message with the word "DRILL". If your local OES, Fire or other agency uses a SITREP (situation report) or status report form, obtain it in advance and draft your demo message around it. It is very important to write the message in their language and on topics they are familiar with -- not in unfamiliar terms. The same is true of forms and formats; always use those of your agency and not those of ARRL or any others if they conflict. The potential users of your packet will be favorably impressed by reading messages with which they can relate. Use your own equipment and never equipment of others for the first time, otherwise Murphy's Law is sure to strike. Always use a printer. Tear off and hand hard copy to the officials. Pre-survey the site if possible. The most common oversight is insufficient coaxial cable to enable you to place your antenna where it will work best. A hundred feet is recommended. Avoid planning to or offering to connect with State OES Headquarters station W6HIR-1. Why? First, in a real incident you may be communicating with a county or your State OES Regional office but not the Sacramento Headquarters. Second, State OES HQ will not be manned after-hours when most demos are made. A side comment is that we have heard a complaint or two from packet operators unhappy with having to dismantle their home packet station to relocate it to a demo site. They might be reminded that the emergency need for packet communications is seldom if ever at home, but rather in the field. This is true of most RACES/ARES communications; the operators and their equipment are invariably needed anywhere but at home. A number of Amateurs think about the need for portable operation and go so far as to put together a portable station, and the forget a few basic items to include. We all think about VHF operating with a small two meter rig, complete with batteries and magnetic mount antenna. But what about the ground plane when you do not have a metal surface to mount the antenna on or near? Build 4 radials that are a quarter wavelength for the band concerned out of coat hangers, welding rods or spare antenna rods, and place them in an X pattern under the mag mount to provide a minimal ground plane. When planning portable HF stations, remember a ground rod and a solid connection. Your tuner and your antenna wants to see a counterpoise. Also remember to carry some warning tape for your radials and guys that are located where people may walk into them. A trip to your local lumber store will yield vinyl survey tape in a number of colors including yellow and orange to warn people of the hazard. Tie 6 to 8 inch pieces of the tape to your radiator or guys at eye level and every 12 to 18 inches downward from there. RB-022-025 MGT, ORGANIZATION PART 1B: GETTING EMERGENCY MANAGERS TOGETHER contains additional information on Packet that will be of interest. FOOTNOTE TO BULLETINS-BY-TOPIC This material is the result of the interest of people from many areas around the country. Their ideas, questions and suggestions were then put into these bulletin formats by Stanly Harter, KH6GBX, State Races Coordinator, Office of Emergency Services, 2800 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, California 95832 between l985 and l992. Input and comments are welcomed by mail or packet radio to W6HIR @ WA6NWE.#NOCAL.CA [Telephone 916-427-4281.]