NEWINGTON, CT, Mar 2, 2006--After a thorough study of security and connectivity issues, the Army Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) has launched the final phase of implementing Winlink 2000 with Airmail as a system-wide communication tool. A global MARS-Winlink 2000 network is expected to be in service by this summer. Winlink 2000 Network Administrator Steve Waterman, K4CJX/AAR4WU, a member of the Winlink Development Team, is the MARS team leader.
"Army MARS identified a real need to provide digital
messaging to complement the existing voice and digital systems," said Waterman,
who also served on the ARRL Ad Hoc Committee on Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES)
Communications. "It becomes a critical need as the demand for more and
more capacity approaches, and there's a tremendous amount of interoperability
built in."
In announcing the network, MARS Eastern Area Coordinator Grant Hays, WB6OTS/AAA9E, said Winlink 2000 will provide rapid and reliable interconnection among government entities served by MARS and the broad range of local and regional agencies accessed by Amateur Radio generally. "Winlink 2000 has the capability to automatically establish alternative communication routes utilizing its large number of participating Amateur Radio stations," MARS said in its news release announcing the network.
Waterman said the amount of redundancy built into the
system is really substantial. "Among other things, where appropriate, Internet
accessibility will take the load off the limited number of frequencies
available for the MARS service," he observed.
 Steve Waterman, K4CJX/AAR4WU, at his station in Nashville, Tennessee. |
For seven years, Winlink 2000 has supported emergency communication worldwide. During the catastrophic 2005 hurricane season, Amateur Radio operators provided indispensable communication backup when conventional telecommunication systems failed. In the wake of the earthquake and tsunamis that hit South Asia in late 2004, Amateur Radio operators with Winlink 2000 capability--many of them maritime--found Winlink 2000 to be especially helpful for handling emergency communication.
Amateur Radio organizations already embracing the technology include ARES, the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES)--a FEMA auxiliary--and many civil agencies. In past emergencies, these organizations have informally linked with MARS through members whose stations participate in multiple systems.
With the addition of Winlink 2000 with Airmail,
Hays said, the different networks will continue to operate separately and
independently, and the new software will automatically move messages among them
as needed. "It will also switch traffic to the Internet where available and
appropriate to bridge any radio gaps or to deliver addressed e-mail," he said.
 Mainly for use with HF PACTOR, Airmail is a messaging program specifically designed for connection to an HF radio Winlink 2000 participating station. The Airmail screen is very similar in appearance to the Microsoft Outlook e-mail client. |
Army MARS has long operated its own MARS Message Center System (MMCS), which uses HF radio to deliver messages throughout the US and to overseas military installations. "Before the advent of e-mail, keeping servicemen and their families and friends in touch was a major function," said the Army MARS release. "Disaster readiness has overtaken that function in the last decade and continues to expand."
Hays says the Winlink 2000 with Airmail network augmentation is one of two innovative technology projects currently under way in Army MARS. In conjunction with Air Force and Navy-Marine Corps MARS, members are also testing an advanced Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) implementation. "This is the HF radio technology already widely used by military units and government agencies for moving traffic in large volume," he explains, noting that MARS volunteers developed the software. "Winlink 2000 and ALE can work in tandem to speed delivery of messages," Hays said.
Since MARS members operate on military frequencies, only MARS members will be able to directly access the MARS Winlink 2000 system, Hays said. Messages to and from the amateur participants outside MARS would be interchanged automatically at designated Participating Mailbox Operation (PMBO) stations.
"While only designated members are authorized to use ALE, all MARS members may use the Winlink 2000 system after registering their call signs and passwords at one of the MARS participating stations," Hays explained. "Four Winlink 2000 participating stations were fully operational for the start of system testing. Others will be added as needed."
Early versions of Winlink and its predecessor Aplink have a long history in MARS going back to the early 1980s. Communication security concerns delayed adoption of the advanced Winlink 2000 facility until recently when it was further investigated and understood, Hays recounted.
More recently, the Winlink Development Team and its participating station system operators have also been active with the ARRL in providing a national emergency digital network system for the Amateur Service.
Working with Waterman on the MARS-Winlink 2000 project are Paul Drothler, WO4U/AAA4TN, Laurence Collins, K7DMB/AAA9NV, Don Nutt, N6TDM/AAR7JG, and John Scoggin, W3JKS/AAA9AC. Scoggin is the MARS National Automation Coordinator. Drothler and Collins are state MARS Directors and Nutt is a National Coordinator for SHARES, the Shared HF Resources network linking federal agencies including MARS. All are experienced engineers.
A radio amateur since 1955, Waterman joined the original Winlink Development Team in 1986. In 1998 he participated in the decision to wrap store-and-forward e-mail connectivity into early Winlink versions. Other members of that group were Victor Poor, W5SMM, the team leader and the person who conceived Aplink and Winlink; Rick Muething, KN6KB, Hans Kessler, N8PGR, Ed Galipeau, WA1LRL, Lee Inman, K0QED, and Tom Lafleur, KA6IQA. They also assisted in the MARS project.
Army MARS has some 2500 Amateur Radio operators specially
trained and licensed for military communication. The Air Force and Navy-Marine
Corps field similar volunteer teams. Their shared mission is providing
emergency communication to the US Department of Defense and other government
departments and agencies.
