Hams in Chester County ARES RACES have a new mission from their served agency, Chester County Department of Emergency Services. Besides their traditional role of backing up voice telecommunications, they also are taking seriously the new role of providing backup to the internet, and all its services--especially email.
So, several years ago we began to build upon what we had, a packet radio network that was little-used, with some promising new technologies. With the outstanding support of Chester County DES, we are well along in building an infrastructure that is redundant, robust, and flexible. We can connect to it using Winlink HF Pactor, Packet, HSMM, and D-Star to transport email, voice, and pictures around the county and the region, and to and from the internet, without local connections and commercial wireline or wireless services.
Until I get another, more technical and complete web site built on this subject with diagrams and explanations, here are a few photos of some of the sites and the equipment we use, and some of our terrific CCAR teams.
The Chester County Data Network
The Backbone is made with our “Gray Boxes”
Each contains: Ethernet switch, power circuits...
...two 900 MHz high-speed data link radios...
...and a Linux router with two WiFi APs.
The AvaLAN AW900 smart radio.
First round of testing.
Everything checks out.
Pre-installation and more testing.
Final preparation of the Bucktown “Gray Box”
Last checks. Lor W3QA and Steve W3AHL.
Cat5 cable for 48VDC power and connectivity.
The satellite nears low-earth orbit.
To the top. At Bucktown, it’s 265’AGL.
Similar boxes are on three other towers.
2.4 & 5.8 GHz HSMM, with a 900 MHz repeater.
28 miles away in Pocopson #2 goes up.
Connected to the net are two D-Star repeater sites.
The one in Pocopson is on 2M, 70cm, and 23cm,
Limerick W3AHL relay. HSMM to D-Star DD.
Limerick NPS exercise. KB3MNL on FM voice.
Spring City relay. D-Star DD to 900 MHz.
The 900MHz link’s other end at Spring City.
D-Star DD station in E. Vincent (W3AHR)
W. Vincent phone op AG3T
The portable station set up at W. Vincent.
