When replying on my phone I forgot that this list doesn't reply to the
list by default heh.

To summarize a few replies.

Yes I'm fully aware of packet network fragility. When the wind blows
funny around here we tend to lose most of the regional wide coverage
digis.  This is why I'm integrating NBEMS into the tool set for the
local RACES groups.

NBEMS however cannot connect to a database, it is not networking.
Packet allows for fully networked applications to be on the other end
of the connection.  We need this functionality...when it's working, to
run a database that tracks shelter and hospital check ins.

We tend to use FBB messages for sending bulletins about road closings,
power outages, flooding etc.  This allows the messages to just stay on
FBB for whenever the field stations can connect and read them.  This
persistence is a convenience of packet that NBEMS doesn't equal.

However, a LOT of traffic is much better and more easily and
conveniently handled with NBEMS.  As an augmentation, and the ultimate
fall back until you go back to voice traffic, NBEMS is great.

NBEMS could in theory send a CSV of people in a given shelter, that
list being maintained by the shelter op.  The difference then is they
need to be centralized, sorted, collated and any time the OIC wants a
head count total we would need to reconfirm the lists from each
shelter, combine, sort etc again.  With a database, each change is
made "live" into the database and whenever you dump it, it is the
current status.

A very minor hurricane activation back in August had three very large
high schools filled with people.  Thankfully that wasn't my region
here or it would have been close to 5,000 people I would have had to
track.  Our packet system if functioning would handle that.  NBEMS in
CSV files would never cut it for that.

I prefer msg traffic to run over NBEMS, but packet can do things that
a one-way msg form cannot.  Until NBEMS can "Find where John Smith is
located?" we will also need to keep packet around.

-- 
73  de Chris -- KC2RGW
KC2RGW@W2LI.#NNJ.NJ.USA.NOAM
------------------------------------------------------------
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