[amsat-bb] Re: Email via Satellite Simulated Emergency Test

[Robert Bruninga]

> Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] Email via Satellite Simulated
Emergency Test
> 
> I can see this would be very handy in a ham rich 
> environment where the down linked message would 
> likely to be received. This is great for
> Europe and N. America. Places like Asia, Australia, 
> Africa and Oceania are less likely to have much 
> success getting the word out since no one
> in the footprint would be listening.

Yes, but all it takes is one ground station in an entire country
to link it up.  Also PCSAT has a little-used save-and-dump mode
for such cases... But the keys are unpublished, because the
save-and-dump mode should be reserved for only those remote
areas...  

But PCSAT is only a demo.  We hope that other schools and
satellite builders will always include a 145.825 digipeater for
this kind of mimimal essential communications.

Bob, Wb4APR
> 
> Kenneth - N5VHO
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org 
> [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On
> Behalf Of Robert Bruninga
> Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 4:02 PM
> To: 'Amsat-BB'
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Email via Satellite Simulated Emergency
Test
> 
> The value of sending an Email via APRS Satellite in an
emergency
> is that it is a set-and-forget outward bound communcations
mode.
> Perfect for real emergencies.
> 
> You don't need anything but a 2m radio and a TNC.  No special
> software.  No special hardware, no satellite predictions, and
no
> time consuming operating.
> 
> Just set the Email message in your TNC beacon, turn it on, and
> then return to all the emergency tasks at hand.  Think
Katrina.
> You wanted to report your status, but had no time for the
tedium
> of "operating" to find a means to get your traffic out.  There
> was just too much else to do...
> 
> In real emergencies, those affected have far too much else to
do
> than to try to make a satellite contact to report back their
> location and status.  But using an APRS beacon allows you to
set
> up your outgoing message (or email), with no knowledge
required
> about satellite pass times.  Sooner or later an APRS satellite
> will pass over your location and your beacon and EMAIL will
get
> in without any effort on your part.
> 
> Your emergency health and welfare email will not only get
> relayed by the satellite to a SATgate, but should then be
> automatically emailed to the intended recepient.  You did not
> need any special software, no satellite predictions, no
special
> hardware other than a TNC and 2m radio.
> 
> This is the ideal first-response health-and-welfare-status
> reporting mechanism.  Put your beacon on the air and then do
all
> the rest of the emregency work you have to do, and do not get
> burdened with having to sit and "operate" to try to get your
> message out. 
> 
> The Satellite Simulated Emergency Test web page shows you how
to
> use any TNC to set up your outgoing EMAIL...
> 
> http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/sset.html
> 
> Try it with your old TNC.  Anyone can do it.  But the format
> must be correct for the packet that you place in your
BECONTEXT:
> 
> BT :EMAIL    :email at address.com your_message_goes_here...
> 
> Where 4 spaces are required after the word EMAIL and then the
> "email at address.com" must be the intended recepient.
> 
> Its only one line.  But in an emergency, ONE LINE is
> exceptionally valuable, and has a great chance of getting
> through.
> 
> Not only will it get delivered (if the infrastructure works)
but
> you can also just check the downlink yourself to see if it got
> through on:
> 
> http://pcsat.aprs.org
> 
> Try it this week while PCSAT is working!
> 
> Bob, WB4APR
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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