Emergency Communications in Collin County, Texas
 NØRQ / Winlink 2000 VHF

The Collin County ARES organization here in North Texas is an active and very well-organized group of hams committed to providing reliable emergency communications to served agencies.  See the CCARES web site for details.

The McKinney Amateur Radio Club (MARC, W5MRC) is one of the two major clubs supporting CCARES.  MARC has a fine communications trailer (Communications Support Unit).  The Plano Amateur Radio Klub (PARK, K5PRK) is also a great group of local hams.

Winlink has been adapted by the ARRL (details) and many ARES (and RACES) groups.  It serves as a fine "last mile" means of digital communications.

(On a side note, there are concerns about interference from Winlink stations on HF.  I share those concerns to some degree.  My personal involvement with Winlink is VHF-only.)

Good Winlink notes/instructions/links:

Collin County ARES (look for Winlink section -- lots of notes and instructions, some specific to my county)
Winlink.org  the main site for Winlink info, software, etc.
Winlink Yahoo Group (register and read the messages, and note the Files section has lots of good doc)

My setup:

Details/pictures:

For TELPAC, I run a Yaesu FT-2500M (though I might switch it to a GE MVS) and a Kantronics TNC on an older PC with WinXP and Packet Engine Pro:


For PACLINK, I run a GE MVS (old commercial) radio with a small 2m magmount, a Kantronics KPC-3 TNC, an Astron SS-18, and a modern Dell laptop with Packet Engine Pro; the big red thing on the left is the large gelcell, and on top of the battery is an Astro Flight Super Whattmeter, all using Anderson PowerPoles, of course.  Included in the box are instructions, misc tools, spare parts, 12vDC extensions, serial cable extensions, etc.  Everything fits inside the cheapie B&D toolbox, except the big battery, the LMR-400 coax extensions, and the 2m vertical and support poles (in case the 2m magmount is insufficient):

 

73, Dave, N0RQ

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