Category Archives: ARES

Amateur Radio Emergency Service

Mobile AREDN Mesh Networking

It’s been a while since I’ve written anything – lots going on, both radio and non-radio related, and I don’t have the time to write as much as I’d like to. So I thought I’d take a few minutes to talk more about Mesh Networking, the AREDN, and operating mobile. It appears that the primary developers… Read more »

Ontario Distracted Driving Legislation and Amateur Radio

Below is a letter I sent out to every RAC affiliated club in Ontario, as well as to the 4 Ontario Section Managers. Amateur Radio Operators in Ontario are currently exempt from the distracted driving elements of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, but that exemption is due to expire on January 1, 2018. As the… Read more »

HF Automatic Link Establishment (ALE)

Automatic Link Establishment, or ALE for short, has become a worldwide standard for initiating HF communications between two or more points. In short, you program a radio with the channels you have access to, and that radio scans and “sounds” periodically establishing knowledge of other radios similarly scanning and sounding to create a network. At… Read more »

High-Speed Networking in Amateur Radio

There are many, many digital communication modes used within Amateur Radio. One of the most popular modes back in the 1990’s was Packet Radio. 1200bps (or 9600bps if you could afford the gear) links to VHF/UHF BBS’ and gateways, 300bps HF links between stations, the odd satellite or space station link – wow it was… Read more »

Are Amateur Radio-Based Emergency Communications Still Relevant?

There are many long-standing arguments within the Amateur Radio Community, and I’d have to say this one probably sits in the Top 10. It’s one of those things that every ham has a strong opinion on, from “we are the be all and end all of disaster communications planning” down to “hams who show up to… Read more »