The NBEMS development team is pleased to announce the availability of a Windows NBEMS software suite for beta testing.
The NarrowBand Emergency Messaging System (NBEMS) for Windows is a suite of software programs designed for point-to-point, fast, error-free, emergency messaging up to or over 100 miles distant, and takes up a very minimum of space on the ham bands, leaving more space for all other ham activites. The system is designed primarily for use on the two-meter band, or on HF with NVIS antennas, where there is a minimum of fading (QSB) to slow down message transfers. Two meters has the advantage that distances long enough to span disaster areas of up to 100 miles can be dependably covered with small, portable antennas. In hilly regions, if two meters is not workable over the distances required, NVIS antennas on HF can be employed instead, but are not nearly as portable. The system uses the computer soundcard as the modem and, other than a simple interface connection between the computer and transceiver, no additional hardware is needed. Composing and sending emergency messages on NBEMS utilizes the same Outlook Express, Outlook, or Windows Mail, email program used for Internet email, and is no more difficult than sending an email over the Internet. Messages just go over the radio instead, when the Internet, phone service, or repeater system is not locally reachable in an emergency. PSK63, PSK125, or PSK250 is used to modulate either two-meter SSB, or HF SSB transmitters, using horizontally polarized antennas for greatest range. Two meters is unique in that the propagation is more constant than on the lower bands from 6 meters on down, range is greater, and absorption less, than on the lowest UHF band, 70 cm, so much wider modes, that handle QSB by continuing to work far below the noise level, are not needed. This point-to-point system does not utilize repeaters, or email robots, for message forwarding. All forwarding is always done by stations manned by live operators on both ends, who can comfirm that a frequency is clear locally, negotiate a QSY if necessary to avoid causing interference, and confirm delivery of a message by the intended recipient. The system depends upon a multitude of radio amateurs providing the traditional public service function, similar to the way they always have, and gives more hams a chance to help out with emergency communications without requiring a large hardware investment. The software can also be used for daily casual communications on PSK31, PSK63, RTTY, or MFSK16 and is capable of sending flawless, high resolution, passport photo-sized color images, in less than 10 minutes over any path that can sustain PSK250 without excessive repeats. All the members on this digitalradio reflector are invited to participate in the beta test of the NBEMS. The NBEMS suite can be downloaded for beta testing from: http://w1hkj.com/NBEMS/ . Please give the system a try and send comments and bug reports to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Happy New Year to you all! The NBEMS Development Team Skip, KH6TY Dave, W1HKJ
