[HamWAN PSDR] 44.x.x.x HamWAN network at Paine

[Bob]

Bill,
Kirkland Emergency Communications Team took delivery of 10 ID-1s, a ID-RP2C
Controller and a ID-R3 Data Module in 2010.  The intent was to link our
EOC-Radio Room with our 7 remotes sites and two portable units with a high
speed data network.  However we did not develop functional requirement
specifications and we did not do any preliminary feasibility testing before
equipment order was placed.
I spent two years attempting to develop a working network.  Below are some
of my findings.
1.	The radio to radio path has to be line of sight or via a good
reliable reflector.  The best tool that I found to determine if a viable
path exists is Radio Mobile.    I did a number of field tests, ID-1 to ID-1
and ID-1 to the K7LWH DD node on the Lincoln Tower in Belleview.  In all
tests where the terrain extended into the direct path a connection could not
be established.  Our only fixed location in Kirkland with K7LWH DD node is
the city hall.  We have only on fire station that could see the antenna on
the City Hall.  With the new construction I am not sure if it is currently a
good path.  
2.	ID-1 to ID-1 DD mode is simplex.  A 1MB image takes about 2.5
minutes to transfer.  
3.	I am not sure of what the through put would be for a DD Gateway
(K7KFD) 2, 3 or 4 ID-1's were connected at the same time and passing files.
4.	I was told by ICOM, a few years ago, that the ID-1s could not be
meshed.  If the firmware could be reprogrammed to be compatible with
Broadband-Hamnet, many of us may be willing to take the ID-1 off the shelf
and get them on the air.
5.	There are groups that have established links using ID-1s back to
back but I determined that our group did not have the human recourse to
establish and maintain a  reliable link in a disaster at this time.

I for one would like to see an ID-1 networking "cookbook" if one is ever
written.   John Haze K7VE  was a recourse the rest was through trial and
error.  I am willing to share my rough notes (they are rough) with anyone
that may be interested.  

In the mean time I am looking to HamWAN and Broadband-Hamnet to handle high
speed data transfer in Kirkland. 

Bob Morrisson KE7JL
Kirkland Emergency Communications Team

-----Original Message-----
From: PSDR [mailto:psdr-bounces at hamwan.org] On Behalf Of Bill Vodall
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 5:37 PM
To: Puget Sound Data Ring
Subject: Re: [HamWAN PSDR] 44.x.x.x HamWAN network at Paine

> So, you may wonder, why do I want to even screw around with the ID-1 
> radios in DD-mode?  Because there are so few of them, and I have one 
> on the air, and the SnoCo DEM has one on the air.

Another local EmComm group has 7 ID-1's that, AFAIK, aren't yet being used.
Some of the folks there that I've talked to have mentioned propagation
issues as the primary impediment.

I bet they'd be very happy to have a cookbook process in place where they
could get on and connect with a node like Paine Field or set up one of their
own.

73
Bill, WA7NWP

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