The Way forward for Emcomm – The KØNR Radio Website

Right here comes Starlink!

I’ve been studying a lot of stories from the areas affected by the 2 main hurricanes (Helene and Milton). The North Carolina expertise is especially attention-grabbing as a result of individuals have skilled the lack of communication and electrical service for a number of weeks. I can think about this identical factor taking place in different elements of the nation, together with my space. As one instance, learn the on-the-ground catastrophe report from Thomas/K4SWL.

There are two essential expertise disruptions displaying up in North Carolina: satellite-based web (Starlink) and mobile-phone-to-satellite (SMS) textual content messaging. Starlink is having a major impression throughout this incident, whereas cell phone satellite tv for pc messaging continues to be rising. Steve N8GNJ has some worthy ideas on these subjects in Zero Retires 173. Though I’ve served in lots of ARES/RACES deployments through the years, I don’t think about myself an professional on this space. I’d respect feedback from Emcomm people who’ve spent extra time enthusiastic about this.

Sorts of Emergency Communication

Most related emergency comms lump into 1) short-range comms (< 5 miles) between household, mates, and neighbors. 2) medium-range comms (50 miles) to acquire info and assets. 3) long-range comms (past 50 miles) to attach with distant household, mates, and assets.

1. Brief-Vary Comms: That is the kind of communication that’s properly served by cell phones, besides when the cell networks are down. That is taking place so much in North Carolina. Flippantly licensed VHF/UHF radios equivalent to FRS and GMRS can be utilized to interchange your cell phone. Suppose: desirous to name your neighbor 3 miles away to see if they’re OK or can present one thing you want. (I’ve just a few FRS/GMRS radios in my stash to share with neighbors. See TIDRadio TD-H3) VHF/UHF ham radio is, after all, even higher for this, besides the events concerned have to be licensed. (OK, you possibly can function unlicensed in a real emergency, however that has different points. See The Talisman Radio.)
2. Medium-Vary Comms: This can be a nice match for VHF/UHF ham radio utilizing repeaters or highly-capable base stations. GMRS repeaters may serve this want. These communications will sometimes be about situational consciousness and useful resource availability within the surrounding space. For instance, somebody on the native ham repeater could know whether or not the freeway is open to the place you need to drive.
3. Lengthy-Vary Comms: Traditionally, this has been completed by HF ham radio and plenty of emergency site visitors continues to be dealt with this fashion. The shift that’s taking place is that establishing a Starlink earth station feeding a neighborhood WiFi community can assist lots of people in a really efficient method.  Evaluate passing a proper piece of health-and-welfare site visitors by way of ham radio to letting a non-licensed individual merely get Wi-Fi entry to their e mail or textual content messaging app. Hams are doing this, however many unlicensed techie people have arrange these methods and freely shared them with the general public.

Cell Satellite tv for pc Messaging

Numerous suppliers now provide a primary textual content messaging functionality utilizing smartphones speaking to satellites. As we speak, this functionality is commonly restricted to emergencies (“SOS”), and it’s comparatively gradual. With time, this functionality will definitely enhance, and primary satellite tv for pc texting will grow to be ubiquitous on smartphones. This shall be nice for checking in with distant mates and households, however it will not be that helpful for Brief Vary and Medium Vary comms. Sometime, it would embody voice comms, however within the close to time period, it’s in all probability simply text-based.

Evan K2EJT gives some helpful ideas based mostly on his expertise right here on this video. Nevertheless, he doesn’t tackle the Starlink functionality.

Abstract

Whereas a lot of the general public appreciates the usefulness of ham radio throughout emergencies, I’m already listening to questions like “Doesn’t Starlink cowl this want?” My view is that Starlink (and comparable business sats) could be very helpful and can play an essential emcomm function, however it doesn’t cowl all the communication wants throughout incidents equivalent to hurricanes, blizzards, wildfires, earthquakes, and so forth. Equally, Cell Satellite tv for pc communications shall be a fantastic assist throughout emergencies sooner or later however will in all probability not cowl each want. Emcomm people (ARES and RACES) might want to adapt their method to take this into consideration.

These are my ideas. What do you suppose?

73 Bob K0NR

Associated posts