Jim, and everyone else,
I am the Radio Tech for Clackamas County, Oregon and I KNOW the problems that
the Hams have getting Digital communications going to and from a disaster scene!
My experience with the ARES units in Oregon and our local County OEM is that
the equipment that they, the "Government", buys for ARES use STAYS with and FOR
ARES use!
We have a VERY, VERY proactive EC in our District and trust me when I say
that the County Goverments and the State OEM keep their hands off the Hams!
After all, Hams are VOLUNTEERS and it wouldn't take much for the Hams to back
off and let the State and County Governments to flounder and get a very BAD
reputation!
No, this money that our Governor has given the State OEM for this project is
legit!
Our Amateur Radio community has impressed him on more than one occassion and
he's serious!
Rod
KC7CJO
Clackamas County Electronic Services, Radio Shop
jgorman01 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Does this ever increasing number of government agencies doing this
scare the bejeebers out of anybody. That is, the government buying
permanent infrastructure and someday wanting a return on investment,
like using it to augment regular communications?
Jim
WA0LYK
--- In digitalradio@yahoogroups.com, Jack Chomley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> At 07:35 PM 1/9/2008, you wrote:
>
>
>
> >
> >Oregon Governor Allocates $250,000 for Digital Communications Network
> >
> >
> >
> >The State of Oregon's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) received
> >$250,000 from Governor Ted Kulongoski's Strategic Reserve Fund to
> >further develop and enhance a statewide Amateur Radio digital
> >communications network, announced ARRL Oregon Section Manager Bonnie
> >Altus, AB7ZQ.
> >
> >
> >
> >"This network, the Oregon ARES Digital Network
> >(<http://ares.csepp.net/d3web/OADN.pdf>OADN),
> >http://ares.csepp.net/d3web/OADN.pdf already uses a combination of
> >different radio equipment and spectrum segments, computers and the
> >Internet to provide a robust backup communications system in times
> >of disaster. With its enhancements, all Oregon counties will be able
> >to communicate with the state OEM," she said. "In December, this
> >system proved its usefulness in the storms and floods by utilizing
> ><http://www.winlink.org/>Winlink http://www.winlink.org/ stations in
> >Lincoln and Clatsop Counties to communicate with OEM. Early in that
> >activation, the OEM's Amateur Radio Unit found they were not able to
> >keep up with maintaining a complete log of communications when using
> >voice communications, but Winlink activities maintained an automatic
> >log for them."
> >
> >
> >
> >According to Altus, the primary purpose of the OADN is to provide
> >back-up digital communications capabilities between county Emergency
> >Operations Centers and Oregon Emergency Management and other state
> >agencies in Salem, in the event that normal communications systems
> >fail in an emergency.
> >
> >
> >
> >During the December storms, Amateur Radio operators were there to
> >help. After a visit to one of the severely affected towns, Governor
> >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." Oregon's OEM 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."
> >
> >
> >
> >Through an Intergovernmental Agreement between the individual county
> >Emergency Mangers and Oregon's Office of Emergency Management,
> >ARES/RACES groups in each county will be responsible for
> >installation, maintenance and operation the network.
>
>
> Mmmmm........looks like enough money to "buy" some dedicated
> commercial frequencies, to move WinLink off the Ham bands :-)
>
> 73s
>
> Jack VK4JRC
>
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