Amateur Radio Newsline 1/13/25 PACKET RADIO NETWORK LOOKING TO EXPAND SKEETER/ANCHOR: As packet radio gains wider usage among hams involved in emergency communications, one East Coast network is looking to add more nodes to deepen its reach. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us what's planned. ANDY: Using mostly NVIS-range links, the Packet Radio RF Forwarding Network, or TPRFN, connects standalone nodes and VHF/UHF packet networks to HF bands. The result is efficient, low-bandwidth communication valued for its simple infrastructure and reliability as well as its interoperability with email, internet gateways and SMS. Radios, modems and simple hardware form its backbone. In the US, the network reaches as far south as Florida and as far north as Maine. Operators are now hoping to create an NVIS-link between Maine and NY and another one between Florida and Virginia. Just as important is its goal of adding more nodes, especially those connecting the East Coast to any states farther west. At present there is only one node west of the region and that is in Wisconsin. According to the website, the network also needs more nodes in the northeastern US. All of this planning comes as the operators prepare for their first net of the new year, which will take place on Sunday the 19th of January at 00:00 UTC. Additional details can be found on their website at tprfn dot net (tprfn.net) As the website notes, the ultimate goal is to [quote] “provide valuable digital communications without the need for the Internet.” [Endquote] This is Andy Morrison K9AWM. (QRZ.COM, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY, THE PACKET RADIO RF FORWARDING NETWORK)
Amateur Radio Newsline
JAN 2025 UPDATE With the news this weekend of Matt KA1VSC shutting down and Tony K1AJD moving to GA and will be down for a few months leaves a hole in the NE. KA1VSC is my forwarding partner for the NE via AREDN and K1AJD is a HUB Station for the TPRFN Network. I personally would prefer an additional TPRFN Hub station in NH or MA as a forwarding partner. Once these two stations shut down, that will leave KP3FT in NY and W1DTX in Northern Maine as the remaining TPRFN Hubs north of me in the Philly area. KP3FT and I can connect to W1DTX but he is way outside the NVIS range for both of us and connections can be marginal at times . Initially we need a forwarding partner with paths to the following regions: VT.USA.NOAM MA.USA.NOAM NH.USA.NOAM RI.USA.NOAM CT.USA.NOAM Please let me know if you can handle any of these areas so I can change my HA routes before KA1VSC shuts down. As always TPRFN continues to reach out looking for additional HUB stations around the country. If you have an interest please feel free to reach out to any of the other Hub stations sysops, click here for the current list. Please be looking for some information to come out from TPRFN on a "Grid Down" exercise that we would like to run this summer sometime, using all the modes currently available on the network: Packet Winlink APRS If you would like to assist with the planning of this exercise please let me know? Finally in our changing world with both governments, weather & aging infrastructure having an established EMCOMM RF network is more important than ever. If you are involved with EMCOMM's in any capacity and would like to expand your capabilities, again please feel free to reach out to any of our Hub stations for additional info or support. The TPRFN Network would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year & God Bless!
JAN 2025 UPDATE
December update on The Packet Radio HF Forwarding Network. From the aftermath of Hurricane Helene we need to evaluate what happened in NC and see how the Armature Radio community can provide additional support for these affected areas in the future. It seems that we may be seeing more of these intense storms in the US and we should be better prepared. TPRFN Network continues to look for additional Hubs Stations around the country to better provide the boots on the ground portable stations access to our supported digital services. TPRFN Network can currently provide the following list of services and modes on all our advertised frequencies as shown on our website www.tprfn.net. 1. Packet Radio Nodes & Bulletin Board service (VARA HF, ARDOP) 2. Hybrid Winlink RMS service (VARA HF, ARDOP) 3. APRS SMS & Email service (this portion is still under construction) (it is available for testing using 300bd HF @1500 offset, via N3MEL-6) 4. NTS Message forwarding with direct HF links to the DTN Network (VARA HF, ARDOP & Winlink) 5. As a backup we can provide an AREDN Mesh Tunnel for those of you that would like to be part of the network but don't have a reliable RF path to any of our current Network Hub Station. If being a 24/7 Hub Station is not for you, we are also looking for additional part time Polling Stations. Info about these stations can be found on the website. For more info TPRFN can be contacted using any of the following: Website contact form: https://www.tprfn.net/contact-us Packet Radio: n3mel@n3mel.#epa.pa.usa.noam Winlink: tprfn@winlink.org APRS: message N3MEL-6 JS8CALL Group: @tprfn (find us on 40m in the evenings starting @ 0200 UTC TPRFN provides digital EMCOMM access not boots on the ground personnel, see AuxComUSA (https://www.auxcommusa.org/) for ground support. For those interested in EMCOMM's please consider joining our network in any capacity you can, it would be greatly appreciated.
DEC 24 UPDATE
