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NBEMS for Emergency Communications

NBEMS for Emergency Communications. Dan N0PI, Scott ARES Asst. EC Bob W0NFE, Scott ARES Asst EC www.scottares.org. Accurate, Rapid Communications. Agenda. Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS What NBEMS can and cannot do for you Components of a NBEMS system How to set up a NBEMS system

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NBEMS for Emergency Communications

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  1. NBEMS for Emergency Communications Dan N0PI, Scott ARES Asst. EC Bob W0NFE, Scott ARES Asst EC www.scottares.org

  2. Accurate, Rapid Communications

  3. Agenda • Why Digital ECOMS • What is NBEMS • What NBEMS can and cannot do for you • Components of a NBEMS system • How to set up a NBEMS system • How to use NBEMS • Practice time

  4. Why Digital ECOMS • Think back to your last public service event, drill, or deployment. • You probably passed a lot of traffic best suited for voice communications but... • What if you had been asked to pass • Roster of evacuees • Required prescription medications • Directions to a disaster scene

  5. Why Digital ECOMS • The needs of our Served Agencies have changed. • They still need voice communications but... • There's an increasing need for data communications. • We need to be able to provide more than just voice communications from a ham with an HT.

  6. Agenda • Why Digital ECOMS • What is NBEMS • What NBEMS can and cannot do for you • Components of a NBEMS system • How to set up a NBEMS system • How to use NBEMS • Practice time

  7. What is NBEMS • Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System • Consists of four programs: • Fldigi – Fast Light Digital modem application • Flmsg – easily send ICS forms and Radiogram • Flwrap – Wrap a file with a checksum • Flarq – Fast Light Automatic Repeat Request • Can download from www.w1hkj.com • Runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac. • Released under GNU Public License, so it is completely FREE.

  8. NBEMS Homepage

  9. NBEMS Downloads

  10. NBEMS Downloads

  11. NBEMS philosophy • Keep it cheap. • Keep it simple. • Use Open Source software. • Don't depend upon infrastructure. • Make it fun to use between drills and disasters. • Any computer, any radio.

  12. Using NBEMS in your net. • Auxiliary method to handle formal traffic. • Voice used for basic check-in’s etc • Traffic passed by digital – Same or different channel • Much faster than Voice. • Number / letter sequences are 100% accurate. • All message are save to hard drive. • Bulletins broadcast to all station • All Digital net • Mix of keyboard to keyboard and formal traffic sent via forms.

  13. Agenda • Why Digital ECOMS • What is NBEMS • What NBEMS can and cannot do for you • Components of a NBEMS system • How to set up you NBEMS system • How to Use NBEMS • Practice time

  14. What NBEMS can do for you • Fast accurate method to provide • Keyboard to Keyboard communications • Send, save, and print standard ARRL, ICS, Red Cross, and generic forms (new forms added regularly) • Typical ARRL radiogram takes ~40 seconds to send • Data is verified via checksum • Can broadcast messages, one to many • Supports unattended reception of messages • Not encrypted, but general scanning public will hear noise. • Will work when voice is marginal.

  15. What NBEMS will not do for you • It is not a store and forward system like e-mail • Each station in the system must have an operator • Receive message will be stored on local hard drive. • No built in connection to the internet • It will not move large amounts of data • 2 K bytes, or 1 type written page is a practical limit. • Over this size and likelihood of an error increases, causing a checksum failure. Have to resend message. • Flarq could handle larger files, up to 8K or more, butrequires practice and more training to use.

  16. Agenda • Why Digital ECOMS • What is NBEMS • What NBEMS can and cannot do for you • Components of a NBEMS system • How to set up you NBEMS system • How to Use NBEMS • Practice time

  17. Components of NBEMS system Flwrap Flmsg Flarq Software on Computer Fldigi Sound Card Interface Hardware connection Computer to Radio Radio and Antenna

  18. Components of NBEMS systemBottom Up - Radio Any voice capable radio will work FM, SSB, even AM if you want.

  19. Components of NBEMS systemBottom Up – Radio Interface • Signal Link USB – Just needs USB Port • Rig Blaster – USB and audio ports • March 2011 QST, Page 34 - Audio Ports Only • Anything hardwired is better, but • Audio coupling (Caveman) does work, and can be used.

  20. Components of NBEMS systemBottom Up - Fldigi

  21. Components of NBEMS systemBottom Up - Fldigi • Provides the basic digital communications for the NBEMS system • Supports keyboard to keyboard communication like many sound card programs. • Has special hooks to connect to the other components. • Supports many modes of communications • We will focus on two, MT63-2K and Olivia 16/500

  22. Components of NBEMS systemBottom Up - Flmsg • Rapidly and Accurately formats and transmits information. • 8 Formats • ICS Forms • HICS • MARS • IARU • Radiogram • Red Cross • Generic (e-mail) • Blank

  23. Agenda • Why Digital ECOMS • What is NBEMS • What NBEMS can and cannot do for you • Components of a NBEMS system • How to set up a NBEMS system • How to use NBEMS • Practice time

  24. Basic Fldigi Set-up Operating Mode MT63 – 2000 Olivia If you have a decent FM voice channels start with MT63-2000 When MT63-2000 fail, switch to Olivia 16/500 When Olivia fails, no communications.

  25. Configuration Options Basic Set-up Operator Waterfall Modems Rig Control Sound Card IDs

  26. Operator Callsign Tactical Callsign Location As determined by the situation. Always SAVE!

  27. Waterfall Check the three ‘cursor’ options Check “Always show audio frequencies” Always SAVE!

  28. Modems - MT63 Check interleave and tone All stations in the net need to have the top two button the same for this mode to work. Always SAVE!

  29. Sound Card Select the correct audio port for your computer. Volume control on computer, recording controls Select Mic option Adjust for a ‘speckled’ waterfall Speaker – adjust for transmit signal Always SAVE!

  30. Rig Control If using hardwire PTT Check Use Serial Port Select COM port Configure RTS or DTS Initialize to test operation Initialize and Save after changing

  31. IDs Reed-Solomon ID DO NOT select “Reception disables detector” Pre-Signal Tone may vary depending on specific delay time in your equipment Always SAVE!

  32. Text Capture Always SAVE! Under configuration , Misc, Text I/O. Make sure “Enable” “Open Message Folder” and “Auto with flmsg” is selected. Verify flmsg file location

  33. Agenda • Why Digital ECOMS • What is NBEMS • What NBEMS can and cannot do for you • Components of a NBEMS system • How to set up a NBEMS system • How to use NBEMS • Practice time

  34. Fldigi Verify communications with keyboard to keyboard Ctrl-T to Transmit Ctrl-R to Receive OrUse the T/R button

  35. Flmsg Rapidly and Accurately formats and transmits information. 8 Formats ICS Forms HICS MARS Radiogram Red Cross Generic (e-mail) DnD Blank

  36. Flmsg set-up Date format Time format Callsign Serial Number Words per line (5)

  37. ICS 213 Form

  38. ARRL Radiogram Calculate Check Today Pick ARRL Message

  39. WRAP your message Sending your message is easy as selecting: File Wrap AutoSend The message immediately moves to FLDIGI and is transmitted

  40. Received Traffic Received messages are stored within the NBEMS.files folder WRAP files are associated with flmsg for viewing Messages sorted by date/time stamp

  41. IC 213 HTML Delivery

  42. ARRL Radiogram Delivery

  43. Agenda • Why Digital ECOMS • What is NBEMS • What NBEMS can and cannot do for you • Components of a NBEMS system • How to use a NBEMS • How to set up a NBEMS system • Practice time

  44. Things to Watch Tx & Rx IDs Op Mode Squelch - off

  45. Additional Information This presentation is available at www.ScottARES.org from the Member Resources page. Questions?

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