The Way forward for Emcomm – The KØNR Radio Website

Right here comes Starlink!

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

There are two vital know-how disruptions displaying up in North Carolina: satellite-based web (Starlink) and mobile-phone-to-satellite (SMS) textual content messaging. Starlink is having a major affect throughout this incident, whereas cell phone satellite tv for pc messaging continues to be rising. Steve N8GNJ has some worthy ideas on these matters in Zero Retires 173. Though I’ve served in lots of ARES/RACES deployments over time, I don’t take into account myself an professional on this space. I’d recognize feedback from Emcomm people who’ve spent extra time interested by this.

Varieties 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 data and sources. 3) long-range comms (past 50 miles) to attach with distant household, mates, and sources.

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 occurring rather a lot in North Carolina. Calmly licensed VHF/UHF radios resembling FRS and GMRS can be utilized to interchange your cell phone. Assume: eager to name your neighbor 3 miles away to see if they’re OK or can present one thing you want. (I’ve a couple of FRS/GMRS radios in my stash to share with neighbors. See TIDRadio TD-H3) VHF/UHF ham radio is, in fact, 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 might know whether or not the freeway is open to the place you wish to drive.
3. Lengthy-Vary Comms: Traditionally, this has been carried out by HF ham radio and lots of emergency site visitors continues to be dealt with this fashion. The shift that’s occurring is that organising 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 through ham radio to letting a non-licensed particular person merely get Wi-Fi entry to their electronic mail or textual content messaging app. Hams are doing this, however many unlicensed techie people have arrange these techniques and freely shared them with the general public.

Cellular Satellite tv for pc Messaging

Varied suppliers now provide a fundamental textual content messaging functionality utilizing smartphones speaking to satellites. At this time, this functionality is commonly restricted to emergencies (“SOS”), and it’s comparatively gradual. With time, this functionality will definitely enhance, and fundamental 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 embrace voice comms, however within the close to time period, it’s in all probability simply text-based.

Evan K2EJT gives some helpful ideas primarily based on his expertise right here on this video. Nonetheless, he doesn’t handle 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 industrial sats) could be very helpful and can play an vital emcomm position, however it doesn’t cowl all the communication wants throughout incidents resembling hurricanes, blizzards, wildfires, earthquakes, and so on. Equally, Cellular Satellite tv for pc communications shall be an awesome 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 strategy to take this under consideration.

These are my ideas. What do you assume?

73 Bob K0NR

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