Winlink Can Be Reliable in Emergencies
With the storms in the Pacific Northwest dying down, throughout it all, Amateur
Radio operators were there to help. After a visit on December 4 to the Oregon
town of Vernonia, Governor Ted Kulongoski said, "I'm going to tell you who the
heroes were from the very beginning of this...the ham radio operators. These
people just came in and actually provided a tremendous communication link to
us." The Oregon Office of Emergency Management said the radio operators were
tireless in their efforts to keep the systems connected. When even state police
had difficulty reaching some of their own troops, ham radio worked, setting up
networks so emergency officials could communicate and relaying lists of
supplies needed in stricken areas.
One of the modes used in Oregon during the storms was Winlink. According to
ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, "Winlink
is an Internet-to-Radio digital network using HF or VHF components allowing
amateurs to send and receive e-mail from any location in the world. This
network can also handle file attachments, such as documents and images. To the
end user, there is little or no difference in sending and receiving a message
whether it's done directly through the Internet or through the Winlink system."
When Oregon's State Office of Emergency Management was activated on December 3,
hams over the course of the next four days used Winlink to pass message
traffic. According to Marion County ARES Emergency Coordinator Dean Davis,
N7XG, "The Winlink system performed perfectly, and the ARES team at the OEM
were able to pass approximately 200 messages into and out of the State of
Oregon Emergency Operations Center. The only mode of communications was the
Winlink system for several Oregon counties for the first two days of the
storm."
Davis continued: "What we proved during this event is that Winlink is a perfect
system for Emergency services. It is not a single point to point system subject
to failure, but rather a large network of computers linked together that is the
building blocks of Winlink."
Back in 2006, Amateur Radio volunteers involved with the International Health
Service (IHS) in Honduras said Winlink has become key to effective
communication. "Without Winlink, our communications effectiveness would be
lessened considerably, and some of the service our teams provide would not
occur," said Lor Kutchins, W3QA/HR8, while serving in Uhi. The IHS each year
provides medical examinations, surgery and dental services to more than 3000
Hondurans, most having access only to IHS health care during the group's annual
visits.
"Winlink radio e-mail is serving the International Health Service very well in
this operation," Kutchins added. He said IHS deployed medical/dental, surgical,
and eye care teams in various communities, most equipped with VHF-FM or HF
portable gear. IHS teams travel each February to remote villages with little or
no communication or transportation infrastructure. "We make our own
infrastructure with what we bring," Kutchins reports, "So, as well as being a
truly practical effort to bring health care to populations that otherwise do
not get it, this is a terrific exercise in disaster relief or EmComm in
general." Before radio e-mail, all traffic was handled in lengthy voice nets
three times each day, he said. "Now our nets are 10 minute affairs in which we
highlight the urgent and important traffic for follow-up, besides exchanging
pleasantries."
Winlink also played a role when hurricanes Rita and Katrina came ashore.
Officials in Harris County (Houston, Texas) requested that ARES provide reports
of traffic volume on major highways leading into the county. "The procedure to
accomplish this was developed by District Emergency Coordinator Ken Mitchell,
KD2KW, and sent via Winlink to the North and South Texas Section Managers for
e-mail distribution to ARRL members," former ARRL South Texas Emergency
Coordinator Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, said. "Winlink proved highly useful at the
Harris County EOC, even though there was reliable Internet and e-mail."
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