|
| |
Winlink 2000 Report
What follows is a
Progress Report for 2005 by the Winlink Development Team. It also discusses the
prospects for the future and acknowledges the contributions made by Australian
radio amateurs. AussieWinlink has highlighted important topics in
red.
QUOTE
2005 was quite a year for Winlink 2000. The Winlink
2000 development group is most appreciative to all those involved for their
dedication and valuable input. Additional expertise and resources have been
added to the core group, greatly broadening the scope and reliability of the
system. Together, we are all building a premier Amateur radio digital network,
and we should all be proud of our collective accomplishment. Here is a glimpse
of what took place during 2005, and what we expect for the future.
The Network:
- As requested by the ARRL and as promised by the
Winlink development team, there now is a completely new network topology in
place, which should virtually eliminate network downtime. Specifically, the move
from the concept of a Central Server with a standby backup, using an MS ACCESS
database, to a totally mirrored, redundant Common Message Server (CMS) system,
now using a more powerful and diverse MYSQL database, has been implemented. Year
2005 will end with two fully operational, mirror image Common Message Servers.
The PMBOs now continuously alternately seek all CMS systems should one of the
servers become inoperative or its Internet path interrupted.
A third Common Message Server is now being prepared in
Perth, Australia, for implementation during the first quarter of 2006, and it is
anticipated that a fourth such system will be located in Europe shortly
thereafter. Even with its two current redundant
CMSs, the system uses only a small fraction of its total capability.
- Implementation of very powerful Common Message Server tools, which will allow
direct administrative control, and information extraction, from all CMSs from a
remote computer anywhere there is a working Internet.
- Message batching as an attachment was added to the tactical address schema for
messages without e-mail addresses. The ARRL NTS leadership has made
recommendations about how to use this facility, and is in the process of working
toward getting the organization in tune with their wishes.
The need for the distribution of non-email addressed
messages was brought into the limelight during the Tsunami disaster, and with
the recent domestic hurricane disasters. Manual
distribution of such messages is a tough nut to crack, especially when there is
little local coordination or agreement between the Amateur communities and their
agencies. Hopefully, many lessons were learned and positive steps are being
taken to rectify problem areas. Regardless, the facility now exists for
end-point distribution of such non-email addressed messages .
- The PMBO has evolved into a hubbing Mail box server for both long distance and
"last mile" coverage anytime the Internet fails, but especially, during a
disaster. When connected to the Internet, these Radio Message Server PMBOs,
communicate directly to any operational CMS whenever a message is pending in
either direction.
- There is now a robust suite of client programs, including Paclink AGW and
Telpac, which will allow community EmComm
(Emergency Communications)
groups to offer
great benefit to their served agencies and the community at large. Airmail has
been enhanced and is in the process of further enhancement.
- A stand-alone WEB server now resides in a caged harden site, which has greatly
enhanced the Winlink 2000 WEB site, WEB Access, and a secure FTP server .
- The first Winlink 2000 program to contain a completely automatic download
feature has been successfully implemented with Paclink AGW and Paclink
PostOffice. The plan is to complete this auto-download feature to all Winlink
2000 modules during 2006. This is accomplished with an out-only, high range TCP
port opening, which is favored by agencies hosting these modules.
- Real-time Status and versatile Google maps have been added to show the current
status of the entire network and its major components:
www.winlink.org/status.
A password protection is available for the EmComm PMBO
view. Current status information is available as a text-based Catalog item
downloadable by all radio users.
- In addition to the APRS mapping system, Position Reporting directly from the
Winlink 2000 system is now available:
www.winlink.org/positions/PosReports.aspx.
- The PMBO replacement, called the "Radio Message Server"
or RMS, is being coded in several different varieties, which will make
deployment much easier for those who have an interest in becoming a part of the
network. At the request of the ARRL and others, we will deploy manual "local and
remote" control operator initiated HF polling should the Internet be lost by the
Radio Message Server type containing its own database. Completion of the Radio
Message Server suite is planned for 2006.
- The new APRSLink:
www.winlink.org/aprslink.htm has been thoroughly
tested and implemented with a formal announcement pending, shortly. This short
text-based messaging system ties APRS, worldwide, directly into the Winlink 2000
e-mail system for short message e-mail deployment to and from the APRS messaging
system.
- The LINUX platform has entered the Winlink 2000 arena this year. There is
currently an operational Telpac gateway available and a client program being
coded on the LINUX platform. These efforts are not part of the Winlink
Development Team's direct efforts, but the team is ready to assist and encourage
those who wish to code client modules for the system.
The Environment:
- The WL2KEmComm Reflector, which was conceived by one
of our ARES users, has grown from approximately 400 to over 1050 members thus
far this year. This reflector is there to assist those Amateurs who are
interested in deploying Winlink 2000 for EmComm. The WL2KEmComm Reflector
continues to expand, offering explanation, presentation, planning,
configuration, and implementation assistance to its members. To join, visit:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wl2kemcomm/.
- The ARRL ARESCOM committee and BoD objectives for the
network topology have been met completely, and with the assistance of those
experienced in EmComm, additional features are now being coded to make Winlink
2000 much less Internet dependent, and more robust where emergency situations
demand. Last year, the Winlink Development Team, through the former ARRL ARESCOM
committee agreed to keep source code with the ARRL per the BoD minutes.
- There are now 22 Emergency only hubbing PMBOs, many residing in hardened sites
such as County EOCs, all sitting idle until needed for periodic testing
(exercises) or emergencies.
- Public PMBO deployment is continuing to be optimized to the Worldwide user
community during the low sunspot cycle period. This process will continue,
with the deployment of a Public PMBO in the Philippines
this January.
Activity:
- The aftermaths from the Tsunami disaster, the failure
of INTELSAT 804, the four hurricanes that played havoc with Florida and the
Caribbean, and the current domestic Katrina/Rita disasters continue to
illustrate the importance of Amateur radio's ability to deploy digital
communications during emergencies. The US Coast
Guard, the United Nations, NOAA, remote missionaries, Health organizations,
governments with remote Research facilities, and other government and civil
agencies, worldwide, continue to use Winlink 2000 when other means of
communications are not available. We are very proud to be able contribute in
making Amateur radio a useful tool for emergency communications for these and
other agencies when the need is there. It will be the responsibility of the
Winlink development team to continue to provide easier to deploy modules for the
EmComm community as we move forward into 2006. In fact, In addition to the
self-updating facility for Winlink 2000 modules, at his own initiative, one of
our PMBO SYSOPs has started a successful on-line class to make the deployment of
Winlink 2000 client programs in the EmComm environment better understood. The
ARRL continues their direct involvement in assisting and publicizing their
commitment to digital communications in general and Winlink 2000 in particular.
We look forward to working with the ARRL through the ADNMT committee set up by
their BoD for this purpose.
- Winlink 2000 now consists of over 8,400 Amateur radio users. This is almost a
25 percent increase during 2005. Worldwide, there are now over 217 active
VHF/UHF Telpac gateways in the Winlink 2000 network, 22 active EmComm PMBOs, 50
active Public PMBOs, and approximately 98,000 e-mail recipients, who, for the
most part, only know of Amateur radio because of the Winlink 2000 service. This
has certainly helped the Amateur community gain recognition, especially during
emergencies, and has brought many into the Amateur service.
The Future:
As SSB was viewed in the days when the AM mode reigned
supreme, any digital communications greater than interactive typing speeds has
been viewed by some as an intrusion. Much misinformation has been spread around
on the public reflectors, causing much misunderstanding and confusion. However,
with the current ARRL proposed band plan now before the FCC, perhaps there will
be a chance for further entry of a younger and more progressive mindset to enter
the Amateur service. As it is now with other communications services, and most
likely in the future of Amateur radio, there will be "wired" and "wireless .
"What is really excellent is that the proposed ARRL band plan allows for those
who wish to preserve their current operating modes, but it also allows for new
and enabling technologies to be explored, developed and implemented on the
Amateur bands.
In its Order from RM-10740, 11/2004, the FCC plainly states, "As an initial
matter, we note that one of the purposes of the amateur service is to contribute
to the advancement of the radio art.[1] We believe that amateur radio operators
using amateur service spectrum to develop new communications systems are using
the service in a manner that is consistent with the basis and purpose of the
amateur service. We also believe that our Rules should not be an impediment to
amateur radio operator’s development of new or improved communication systems.
In this regard, we note that the reason amateur radio operators currently may
not transmit communications that combine image emission types and data emission
types on HF frequency segments where data emissions are authorized is not a
technical reason, but rather is because our Rules do not authorize stations to
transmit both image and data emission types on any HF frequency segments.[2] We
also note that amateur radio operators apparently have developed communication
systems and technologies that transmit both image and data emission types, and
that they are using these systems for communicating.
For this reason, we are persuaded that our Rules are not
in harmony with current emission and operating practices, and that our Rules may
be impeding amateur radio operators in advancing the radio art."
In this same Order, they continue by making the following
remarks regarding formal regulation, "Voluntary band planning allows amateur
stations that desire to pursue different operating activities to pursue these
activities by dividing or segmenting the amateur service spectrum. Voluntary
band planning also allows the amateur service community the flexibility to
‘reallocate’ the amateur service spectrum among operating interests as new
operating interests and technologies emerge or operating interests and
technologies fall into disfavor."
This clearly places some additional responsibility on the Amateur community, but
really, it is already there. For Winlink 2000 on HF, a great majority of its
domestic operations are crammed into the very narrow auto forward sub-bands even
when it is not always illegal to move them out, It shares these narrow segments
as a "local and remote control" operation with various fully "automatic" non
Winlink operations. The small portion outside these sub-bands that operate a
more narrow Pactor mode, operate between the voluntary RTTY, PSK, and CW
portions of the HF bands. Domestically, the current part 97 rules allow such
"local and remote control" "data" operations all the way to the bottom of the
bands, but each service has worked out its own spots, voluntarily. How do we
know? Winlink 2000 has never received a citation
from the FCC or any other government agency regarding anything it has done. It
has, in fact, been encouraged to continue to expand. Even Australia has moved
into the current century, now allowing Internet connectivity, and had written to
the WDT prior to the rule change, encouraging its operations in their country.
With the move toward automatic signal detection
techniques, such data transfer systems will most likely will never have issues.
Frankly, even now and in the US, the current voluntary arrangements are actually
working, and even to the extent that RTTY, CW stations are literally "forgiven
by mutual agreement" during contests for their intrusions into other voluntary
areas. However, with the proposed band plan initiated by the ARRL, much more
progress may be made, and with much less conflict. Fact is, faster data
communications are going to happen, and such local and remote control or
"semi-automatic" operations consists of any operation that is greater than
typing speeds. This does not mean that new developments will take place at the
expense of those who wish to deploy past and current technology, but what it
does mean is that with separation by bandwidth, it will not be necessary for a
modern communications system that utilizes state-of-the-art error control coding
such as pulse shaped OFDM, which to date yields the best spectral efficiency on
HF today, to compete in the same spectrum with a relatively primitive, uncoded,
single-carrier DBPSK system without ARQ. Each will have its own place and space,
and each may shrink or expand, dependent on its popularity at the time.
How does Winlink 2000 fit into this schema, domestically? As long as there is a
commitment to allow new technologies to expand, Winlink 2000 will continue its
quest for higher efficiency operations. This, really is not a Winlink issue, but
one that has an effect on all digital communications, be they voice, image or
data, and the future of how our Amateur service will be perceived. No one knows
what the future will hold, but as the FCC clearly states, with current and
future blocked opportunities due to their current hardcode regulatory
environment, such progress is currently " impeded the radio art," and if left in
place, will make future developments impractical.
Thanks to all those who have contributed in making Winlink 2000 a premier
communications methodology for Amateur radio.
Steve, k4cjx
UNQUOTE
AussieWinlink's
primary interest has been and still is to promote amateur radio in Australia.
With its strategic location, progress in Australia will benefit more than half
of the Southern hemisphere. With the enlightened attitude of the Australia
Communications and Media Authority and the Wireless Institute of Australia the
door has now been opened for encouraging and expanding amateur radio in
Australia, that is, NOT ONLY for the acquisition of technical skills and
experimentation with new communication modes BUT ALSO for the provision of public
service during national and international disaster and emergency relief
operations. As was seen during the Asian tsunami, Australian radio amateurs made
a significant contribution to voice and digital communications. The fact that Australia
has been selected to now host one of the four
worldwide Winlink Common Message Servers (CMS), is an acknowledgement of Australian
expertise, reliability and acceptance.
As can be seen from the Winlink Report for 2005, there
have been two major advances: (1) migration from a topography that
initially relied upon a
single Central Mail Box Office to the new Common Message System dispersed around the world.
It shows that the Winlink founders have now internationalized the system. As
explained in the report, this change was to mitigate against potential partial Internet failure; and
(2) that Winlink has been accepted and has
implemented the capabilities for emergency communications
in the USA.
AussieWinlink has
long since urged that Australian emergency communication authorities, as well
as, the Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network (WICEN) take emergency
communications more seriously and prepare for its mobilization. It is
understood that Australian first responders are reluctant to, what they think is,
surrender of their communication responsibilities. This position perhaps is
based on a misunderstanding. Winlink and the Australian Radio Amateurs who could
assist during emergencies would not substitute for but be a back up to official
communications. The other factor that does not appear to be understood is that
Winlink is not a substitute for voice communications. Winlink passes on
text-based messages, such as, email, reports, list of names and graphics that cannot be
successfully, if at all, be communicated by voice communications.
Australian Local,
State and Federal authorities have nothing to loose, and potentially a lot to
gain, from investigating how and why Winlink has been embraced in the US for
emergency communications. No one needs to be reminded about the catastrophic
failures of both public and official communication systems during 9/11, and
following hurricanes;
bushfires; earthquakes and the Asian tsunami. It is AussieWinlink's wish that during
2006, Australia will address the Winlink option for emergency communication backup more
seriously.
AussieWinlink
28 December 2005
|
