• ARRL Utah Section Expanding Emergency Communication Capabilities

    From ARRL de WD1CKS@VERT/WLARB to QST on Thursday, September 12, 2024 13:49:34
    09/12/2024

    A new and faster way to communicate during emergencies is being planned by the
    Utah Section of the ARRL¨ Amateur Radio Emergency Service¨ (ARES¨) group, which
    serves Salt Lake County, the most populous area in Utah.

    ARRL Utah Section Public Information Coordinator Scott Rosenbush, K7HSR, said
    that discussion and planning for mesh networks using AREDN[1] (Amateur Radio
    Emergency Data Network) technology is on the drawing board.

    A recent meeting and presentation by Brett Pruitt, K7BDP, Utah Section
    Emergency Coordinator, was attended by a large group of ARES amateur radio
    operators. More than a dozen Salt Lake County hams have already invested in
    AREDN technology with an interest in helping to create and support an emergency
    mesh network in the county. Southern Utah ARES groups have already created a
    five-county mesh network that can be used for emergency communications.

    "We hope to ultimately connect to STARLINK[2] and run the mesh network over
    that," said Pruitt. "On November 2, we will have an exercise with hospitals in
    the northern and southern Utah ARES groups using the regular internet. After
    that, if STARLINK is more readily available, we will run the drill again
    without the internet to fully test the new technology." Pruitt said the goal is
    to have everything working by early 2025.

    "The needs of participating agencies have evolved to require more than analog
    voice and low-speed data modes," said Rosenbush. High-speed mesh networks using
    AREDN software will allow amateur radio to play a larger role in supporting
    these agencies in emergencies."

    The Utah Section is working to extend this technology, said Rosenbush. "Our
    hope is to bring this technology to other parts of the state to increase the
    communications capability and value of amateur radio to partner agencies."


    [1] https://www.arednmesh.org/#:~:text=New20Production20Available.20production20version

    [2] https://www.starlink.com/
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