These are unsettling times. This week the US Government announced to the
public that our infrastructure in very vulnerable to being disrupted or
disabled by bad actors on the internet.
In the past the ARRL has asked US amateur operators to assist the DOD via
the MARS operators to collect information relating to the current status of
infrastructure in their counties during exercises. With the information
provided by the amateur community the MARS operators consolidate the data
into County Status Messages that are forwarded to a DOD gateway via HF
radio. The DOD can then pass the information on to FEMA, DHS and relief
responders.
The collection of data from ham operators in an environment where
commercial power is disrupted would probably limit the transmit power that
would be used and make the best signal from QRP very weak signals.
The simple inclusion in a FT8 message of an "AIW" representing " All is
Well" being voluntary attached to a CQ or a 73, in a normal contact, would
allow stations monitoring the normal traffic channels to collect the
contact station call sign, cross-reference it to location and input that
into a County Status Message. This without adding any additional congestion.
Even in a Bad Day Scenario, knowing where infrastructure is functional is
very useful; allowing authorities to prioritize efforts to obtain
information from non-reported locations or were to stage relief efforts.
Is it possible to provide a feature where this could be supported?
Paul Dukette
AC2FH
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