ARRL Digital Communications Study under way

The ARRL Ad-Hoc Committee on Amateur Radio Emergency
Service - ARES - Communications (ARESCOM) is seeking the assistance of the amateur community in documenting what digital communications systems now are in use today on the VHF and UHF bands. While the majority of digital
communication is via packet, there are many different packet systems in use, and they are interconnected using a variety of methods.

The ARRL Board of Directors resolved at its July 2004 meeting to encourage the deployment of e-mail via Amateur Radio - "as exemplified by Winlink 2000" - to meet the needs of served agencies and others involved in providing disaster communications.

ARESCOM now wants to gather input on systems already in place. "We are seeking input from packet System Administrators, not individual users, as we need information on how the packet nodes are linked and what connectivity methods the packet systems use with systems outside their
coverage area," said ARRL Ad-hoc ARESCOM Committee Chair Dick Mondro, W8FQT. The committee plans to wrap up data collection December 31.

The study seeks detailed information on current packet infrastructure, and one person may respond on behalf of several system operators if they all approve. "We simply ask that the names and call signs of all involved be listed," Mondro said.

To participate download the on-line form
http://www.arrl.org/digtest/TestSurvey.pdfor
http://www.arrl.org/digtest/testSurvey.doc.
After providing all applicable information, submit the survey form via e-mail dcti@arrl.org; or via surface mail to ARRL, DCTI Study, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.

Those interested in sharing comments and ideas are invited to subscribe to the DCTI Reflector. For more information,
visit the ARRL Digital Communications Study Web page.

Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The American Radio Relay League

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