[amsat-bb] RE: ARES and Satellites

[Roy <rdwelch@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Up until the loss of UO-22 the Satgate System was capable of handling 
packet traffic of a welfare notice capability as long as there was a 
Satgate station within packet routing range of the emergency area.  During 
Hurricane Andrew, the Florida Satgate accepted health and Welfare messages 
into and out of the Miami area.  My Satgate is arranged for full automated 
operation.  I do not have to be in the shack handling traffic.  Anyone 
capable of routing messages through the terrestrial packet network to me 
had their messages automatically routed via UO-22 to Florida, and messages 
routed back the same way.  I was called  by the local people here in the 
St. Louis area asking if there was a way I could handle their packet 
traffic.  It took 10 minutes to tell them the format for routing traffic to 
me using the REQSAT function in my FBB packet BBS.

-- 
73, Roy -- W0SL

E-Mail: rdwelch@swbell.net
Home Page: http://home.swbell.net/rdwelch


Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2003 09:48:13 -0400
From: "Ronald Nutter" <rnutter@networkref.com>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: ARES and Satellites

We have both made good points but we will have to agree to disagree.  A fair
number of the folks in my ARES groups are tech class, so they dont have HF
gear to take with them.  My intent in starting this thread was to get the
point across that Satellites for use in an ARES situation are an option -
not necessarily a good one but an option.

Ron


Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2003 01:11:48 -0000
From: "Steve" <ai7w@comcast.net>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: ARES and Satellites

I agree that under some conditions amateur satellites could be
used for emergency communications. But as a practical matter, they
aren't a good fit for real emergency communications for the following
reason.
Most real emergency call-outs (as opposed to exercises) are for
long periods of time and require communications 24hr/7days over the
emergency period.
  a) All amateur satellites are available for a limited time each
     day.
  b) Satellite operations require skilled personnel at both ends of
     the link. Assuming 24hr operation with two stations running 8
     hour shifts, you'd need at least 6 trained operators.
  c) Because of the specialized skills and equipment required for
     amateur satellite communications, it would be difficult to train
     average ARES members and difficult to keep their skills current.

In emergency communications the KISS principle is the first rule. You
want everything simple enough that any ARES member that shows up can
do the job (hence the reason that ARES is 'married to their HT's').


BTW: the idea that HF would be un-usable is erroneous. Even in the
poorest band conditions, it's possible to relay messages via HF (using
ground wave propagation if necessary) any time of the day or night.
The fact that HF stations are so common in the amateur community makes
this possible.


Steve .. AI7W
ai7w@arrl.net

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