Digital EmComm

EmComOct 3Oct 3

Harry BloomHarry BloomAssistant SEC WP

w3yj@w3yj@

©2009 Harry Bl

m with NBEMS

mm East3 20093 2009

mberg W3YJmberg W3YJPA ARRL Section

@arrl.net@arrl.net

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Why Digital EmCoWhy Digital EmCo

Thi k b k t l tThink back to your last pudeployment.You probably passed a loYou probably passed a lo

voice communications butWhat if you had been askWhat if you had been askRoster of evacueesRequired prescription meRequired prescription meDirections to a disaster sc

©2009 Harry Bl

omm?omm?

bli i t d illublic service event, drill, or

ot of traffic best suited forot of traffic best suited for ...

ked to passked to pass

edicationsedicationscene

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Why Digital EmCoWhy Digital EmCo

The needs of our Served AThey still need voice comThere's an increasing neeWe need to be able to procommunications from a h

©2009 Harry Bl

omm?omm?

Agencies have changed.g gmmunications but...ed for data communications.ovide more than just voice ham with an HT.

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What is NBEMS?What is NBEMS?

Narrow Band Emergencyg yConsists of three programfldigi – Fast Light Digitalg g gflarq – Fast Light Automawrap – embed a checksumCan download from http:/Runs on Windows (XP anR l d d GNU P bReleased under GNU Pub

completely FREE.

©2009 Harry Bl

y Messaging Systemy g g yms:l modem applicationppatic Repeat Requestm in a file //www.w1hkj.com/nd Vista), Linux, and Mac.bli Li iblic License, so is

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NBEMS philosophNBEMS philosoph

Keep it cheap.K it i lKeep it simple.Use Open Source softwaDon't depend upon infraDon t depend upon infraMake it fun to use betweAny computer any radiAny computer, any radi

©2009 Harry Bl

hyhy

are.astructureastructure.een drills and disasters.oo.

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FldigiFldigi

©2009 Harry Blloomberg W3YJ

How it worksHow it works

fldigi uses your computerd d d di it l i land decode digital signals

All work is done by your external TNCexternal TNC.Audio from your computradio's mike input for tranradio s mike input for tranAudio from your radio gomike or line-in for decodimike or line in for decodiDon't need an extremely polder machines work just

©2009 Harry Bl

j

r's sound card to generate s.computer, don't need an

er speakers go into your nsmissionnsmission.oes into your computer's ing.ing.powerful new computer, t fine.loomberg W3YJ

Interfacing with coInterfacing with co

M t i t fMany ways to interface wRigblasterSignaLinkSignaLinkBut, if necessary, hold radspeaker andspeaker and...Hold radio speaker up to In an emergency, don't reIn an emergency, don t reinterface.

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omputeromputer

ith twith computer.

dio mike up to computer

computer mike!eally need hardwiredeally need hardwired

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Acoustic InterfaceAcoustic Interface

Easiest way to interface rHold radio mike up to compHold radio speaker up to You do PTT manually.yWorks especially well wiReal gamesaver during emAllows you to easily sendHams can participate whoi t finterface.MT63 is sufficiently robunoise even in a noisy EO

©2009 Harry Blnoise, even in a noisy EO

ee

radio to computer is to...mputer speakers.p pcomputer mike.

ith VHF/UHF FM.mergencies.d data using any radio.o do not have a soundcard

ust to deal with background OC

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Typical RigblasterTypical Rigblaster

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r nomic setupr nomic setup

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Signalink USBSignalink USB

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Configuring fldigiConfiguring fldigi

fi fGo to Configure -> DefauEnter your personal info.Al fi d dAlso configure soundcardmodems. The linked image cannot be displayed. The file may have been moved, renamed, or deleted. Verify that the link points to the correct file and location.

©2009 Harry Bl

lults menu

d di i t f dd, radio interface, and

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Soundcard CalibraSoundcard Calibra

If possible, calibrate yourE i ll fEspecially necessary for nCan use fldigi WWV mod

©2009 Harry Bl

ationation

r soundcard.b d HF dnarrowband HF modes.

de or CheckSR.exe.

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ModesModes

L t f d tLots of modes, most popuMT63 (500, 1000, 2000)MFSKMFSKDominoEXOliviaOliviaPSK 125Popular PSK31 OK for mPopular PSK31 OK for mcontacts, but has no error

©2009 Harry Bl

lular ones are...

making non-emcommmaking non emcomm r correction.

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MT63 – King of EmMT63 – King of Em

MT63-2000 great choice F t l th 2 i tFast – less than 2 min to sData redundancy in time Used by MARSUsed by MARS.Very resistant to noise – csignal and still copysignal and still copy.Works well with holding in noisy environments.in noisy environments.Used in most recent Allegrepeater.

©2009 Harry Bl

p

mComm modesmComm modes

for FM EmComm.d 2kb t t filsend 2kb text file.

and in frequency.

can lose up to 25% of

mike up to speaker, even

gheny County SET over

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MT63-2000 WaterfMT63-2000 Waterf

64 tones sent at same timSignal width is 2000 HzC t f i 1500Center frequency is 1500Sounds like a giant buzzs

©2009 Harry Bl

fallfall

me

H Hzsaw

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Important MT63 coImportant MT63 coThe linked image cannot be displayed. The file may have been moved, renamed, or deleted. Verify that the link points to the correct file and location.

B t t 64 bit i tBe sure to set 64 bit interProvides extra data redunBoth stations must have s

©2009 Harry BlBoth stations must have s

onfigurationonfiguration

lrleave.ndancy.same interleave settingloomberg W3YJsame interleave setting.

HF modesHF modes

Preferred HF mode is OliOli i i t f HOlivia is great for poor HWill get through when noCan make contacts belowCan make contacts belowWe use 8/500 when possibandwidthbandwidth.When conditions are poortones in a 500 Hz bandwitones in a 500 Hz bandwi16/500 is slower, but willFine article in Dec 2008 Q

©2009 Harry Bl

Q

ivia.HF ditiHF conditions.o other mode will.w noise floor!w noise floor!ible – 8 tones in a 500 Hz

r, we go to 16/500 – 16 idth.idth.l get through.QST by WB8ROL.loomberg W3YJ

Q y

Olivia waterfallOlivia waterfall

S h f Oli i 16/Screenshot of Olivia 16/

Unmistakable sound...lik

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/ 00 i l i f ll/500 signal in waterfall

ke a flute!

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HF TipsHF Tips

A few things to remembeAlways use upper sidebany ppand 80M.Don't overdrive your audyDisable speech compressother audio processing.Adjust mike gain so that ADigital modes are 100% dRTTYRTTY so...50 watts is plenty!Don't need high power fo

©2009 Harry BlDon t need high power fo

er for HF operation.nd (USB), even on 40M ( ),

io.or, noise blanker, and all

ALC just moves a little.duty cycle like CW or

or digital modes anywayloomberg W3YJ

or digital modes anyway.

flarqflarq

Fast Lightning Automaticg gProvides handshaking onAble to send binary files.Can provide 100% assurathrough.

©2009 Harry Bl

c Reqeust.q top of fldigi.

ance that message got

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flarq screenshotflarq screenshot

©2009 Harry Blloomberg W3YJ

flarq tradeoffsflarq tradeoffs

If we can provide 100% gflarq all the time?flarq all the time?Adds considerable overhePotential for lots of resenPotential for lots of resenMT63 has shown itself toRarely need to send binarRarely need to send binar

©2009 Harry Bl

guarantee, why not use

ead.nds over poor pathnds over poor path.o be sufficiently robust.ry file, use text instead.ry file, use text instead.

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Data verification wData verification w

ll b 1Wrap allows you to be 1was received accurately.Ch k i i t d iChecksum is inserted inReceiving station compu

incoming file andincoming file and...If the two checksums ar

received without errorreceived without error.Allows multiple stations

data 100%.data 100%.Great for bulletins like s

reports, road closures, list©2009 Harry Bl

p , ,

with Wrapwith Wrap

100%100% sure your message

t filnto a file.utes the checksum on the

e identical, the file was

s to receive and confirm

situation updates, weather ts of contact info.loomberg W3YJ

Wrap - exampleWrap - example

This is an example of a “wThis is an example of a w

[WRAP:beg][WRAP:crlf][WRAP:fn example.Here's what happens when we wrap s

N t th WRAP b dNote the WRAP beg andAlso note the checksumEasy to import wrappedEasy to import wrappedtransmit window.

©2009 Harry Bl

wrapped” file:wrapped file:

txt]This is an example of a wrapped file.something.[WRAP:chksum B71E][WRAP:end]

d d d li itd end delimitersm, it's B71E.d file just drag into fldigid file...just drag into fldigi

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Wrapping dataWrapping data

To “Wrap” data, just draWrap program's iconp p g

©2009 Harry Bl

ag and drop a file onto the

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Configure fldigi toConfigure fldigi toSet the Fldigi configurationSet the Fldigi configurationwill be automatically extra

©2009 Harry Bl

o extract datao extract datan setting and Wrapped datan setting and Wrapped data

acted!

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Verify extracted WVerify extracted W

Can cut-and paste data fGo to File->Show Confifolder.Can either drag resultingg gverify and extract data (File associate Wrap withjust double click!

©2009 Harry Bl

Wrapped filesWrapped files

from received window or...fig menu and enter wrap g p

g files over Wrap icon to g ppreferred) or...h .wrap file extension and

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Next stepsNext steps

Our strength is the abilityactivities into powerful empSo, download NBEMS, aIf you're ready for your dprepared for emergency tBe active, and on the dayi ht t hright at home.

©2009 Harry Bl

y to turn fun amateur mcomm tools.

and make lots of contacts!daily hamming, you're more than you think.y you're needed, you'll feel

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ResourcesResources

SwpaNBEMS group organKB3FXI

htt // NBEMShttp://wpaNBEMS.org

ARRL's HF Digital HandARRL s HF Digital Hand

©2009 Harry Bl

i d b l bnized by Dave Kleber

dbookdbook

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ResourcesResources

W1HJK (author of fldgi)htt // 1hkj /http://www.w1hkj.com/MT63 pagehttp://www qsl net/zl1bpuhttp://www.qsl.net/zl1bpuMT63 Wikipedia pagehttp://en wikipedia org/whttp://en.wikipedia.org/wWPA Section Digital Em

http://www.wpaares.org/echttp://www.wpaares.org/ecAugust 2009 QST – page

Public Service Column©2009 Harry Bl

u/MT63/MT63 htmu/MT63/MT63.htm

wiki/MT63wiki/MT63mcomm Standards

com.htmlcom.htmles 73-74

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