Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System Emergency Radio Communications NBEMS & RMS Express Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System & Winlink 2000 For Emergency Radio Communications George Blakeslee N1GB Eric Lougee KB1OKX

Agenda What is Digital Communication Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS Configure FLdigi Configure FLmsg Configure FLamp Configure Soundcard Set Radio Power Levels Macros & Modes & Instances

Agenda What is Digital Communication Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS Configure FLdigi Configure FLmsg Configure FLamp Configure Soundcard Set Radio Power Levels Macros & Modes & Instances

What is Digital Communication ANY information that can be digitized can be sent via a digital mode. Some data is just too big to reasonably send via sound card digital modes (Video, MP3, big pictures) etc. We will be focusing on smaller file types: text, spreadsheets in .csv format, small pictures.

What is Digital Communication Best Used for: Specific directions / instructions. Long lists of information. Difficult to spell names. Prescriptions. Etc.

What is Digital Communication Best NOT USED for: Short, tactical messages. Quick exchanges of simple information. Simple status updates. Station call-ups – basic Net operation.

What is Digital Communication Flmsg Flamp Software on Computer Fldigi Sound Card Interface Hardware connection Computer to Radio Radio and Antenna

What is Digital Communication Signal Link USB – Just needs USB Port Rig Blaster – USB and audio ports March 2011 QST, Page 34 - Audio Ports Only Anything hardwired is better, but Audio coupling does work, and can be used.

Agenda What is Digital Communication Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS Configure FLdigi Configure FLmsg Configure FLamp Configure Soundcard Set Radio Power Levels Macros & Modes & Instances

Why Digital ECOMS Accurate, Rapid Communications

Why Digital ECOMS Think back to your last public service event, drill, or deployment. You probably passed a lot of traffic best suited for voice communications but... What if you had been asked to pass: Roster of evacuees Required prescription medications Directions to a disaster scene

Why Digital ECOMS The needs of our Served Agencies have changed. They still need voice communications but... There's an increasing need for data communications. We need to be able to provide more than just voice communications from a ham with an HT.

Agenda What is Digital Communication Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS Configure FLdigi Configure FLmsg Configure FLamp Configure Soundcard Set Radio Power Levels Macros & Modes & Instances

What is NBEMS Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System Consists of program suite: Fldigi – Fast Light Digital modem application Flwrap – Wrap a file with a checksum Flmsg – easily send ICS forms and Radiogram Flamp – sends files in blocks Can download from www.w1hkj.com Runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac. Released under GNU Public License, so it is completely FREE.

What is NBEMS Prerequisites for NBEMS Operations: FLDIGI, FLWRAP, FLMSG and FLAMP downloaded and installed A basic understanding of your computer Operating System (OS) Ability to create file folders and move files 15

What is NBEMS Download and Install FLDIGI, FLMSG and FLAMP from www.w1hkj.com/download.html 16

SET UP EQUIPMENT Connect the interface and computer to the radio

Agenda What is Digital Communication Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS Configure FLdigi Configure FLmsg Configure FLamp Configure Soundcard Set Radio Power Levels Macros & Modes & Instances

Configure FLdigi Double click on your FLdigi icon 19

Configure FLdigi Optional Configuration Wizard 20

Configure FLdigi Operator Info 21

Configure FLdigi Audio Device 22

Configure FLdigi Rig Control 23

Configure FLdigi Operating Display 24

Configure FLdigi UI – User Interface 25

Configure FLdigi Waterfall 26

Configure FLdigi RxID 27

Configure FLdigi Misc - NBEMS: FLmsg auto-unwrap 28

Configure FLdigi Misc - NBEMS: FLmsg auto-unwrap 29

Configure FLdigi Misc - NBEMS: FLmsg auto-unwrap 30

Configure FLdigi Misc - ‘Sweet Spot’ 31

Configure FLdigi Autostart 32

Configure FLdigi IO – Enable ARQ 33

Agenda What is Digital Communication Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS Configure FLdigi Configure FLmsg Configure FLamp Configure Soundcard Set Radio Power Levels Macros & Modes & Instances

Configure FLmsg Personal Data 35

Configure FLmsg Date – Time Format 36

Configure FLmsg File Names 37

Configure FLmsg Radiogram 38

Configure FLmsg Sync Modem with FLdigi 39

Configure FLmsg Standard Forms 40

Agenda What is Digital Communication Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS Configure FLdigi Configure FLmsg Configure FLamp Configure Soundcard Set Radio Power Levels Macros & Modes & Instances

Configure FLamp Sync & Repeater Timing 42

Agenda What is Digital Communication Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS Configure FLdigi Configure FLmsg Configure FLamp Configure Soundcard Set Radio Power Levels Macros & Modes & Instances

Configure Soundcard Computer Sound Controls 44

Set Radio Power Level Tune Fldigi. Adjust Level and Soundcard TX control for 50% power output with min. ALC 45

Agenda What is Digital Communication Why Digital ECOMS What is NBEMS Configure FLdigi Configure FLmsg Configure FLamp Configure Soundcard Set Radio Power Levels Macros & Modes & Instances

Fldigi operation Macros 47

Fldigi operation Macros 48

Fldigi operation Modes 49

Fldigi operation Modes Mode WPM BW (Hz) Primary Use(s) PSK125 150 320 HF/VHF ‘live’ keyboard * PSK 4x125R 330 475 HF/VHF file transfer mode PSK 3x250R 660 950 HF/VHF file transfer mode * PSK 5x250R 1100 1650 VHF file transfer mode Olivia 8/500 30 500 HF keyboard mode MT63-1000 100 1000 HF file transfer mode MT63-2000 200 2000 VHF file transfer mode Thor1x50 150 900 HF Keyboard mode * * NH Digital Net & HARP 50

Configure FLdigi Modem – MT63 51

Configure FLdigi Modem - Thor 52

Configure FLdigi Modem - Olivia 53

Fldigi operation Multiple Installations (Instances) Each Fldigi version is installed in its own Program folder: 54

Fldigi operation Multiple Installations (Instances) FLdigi puts the configuration files - fldigi.files - in C: \Users\[your-login-name]\fldigi.files 55

Fldigi operation Multiple Installations (Instances) Can change location by adding Command Line Switches to desktop shortcut --config-dir “DIRECTORY” Look for configuration files in “DIRECTORY” Directory is: “C: \Users\your-login-name\fldigi-instance-name.files” Mine is: “C\Users\GB\fldigi-NHDN.files” 56

CREDITS Help Sheets, Power Points and other files: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paNBEMS/files Info and Downloads: www.w1hkj.com http://www.scares.arrl-nh.org/pdf_files/fldigi%20basics.pdf http://www.ground-tech.com/fldigi_setup1.htm http://www.wacomarc.org/documents/FLDIGI_Setup.pdf http://ns81.webmasters.com/*w3hzu.org/addon/w3hzu.com/pdfdocs/FLDIGI_config.pdf http://www.navymars.org/central/reg4/FL/FLNMCMARS/digital/Articles/Automatically_Display_Incoming_Messages_with_Fldigi_and_Flmsg.pdf www.myworldpage.net/files/fldigisetup.ppt www.scottares.org/NBEMS%20Software/flamp2.0.pdf http://www.scottares.org/NBEMS.htm