THANKS TO KG4FEY & KF4LIP FOR EQUIPMENT DONATION

By Tom Nolan, KD4MWO

FLA-SEDAN received a most generous donation of radios and a TNC from a deceased NOFARS member, Bob Bridger, KG4FEY.  Thanks to Bill Young KF4LIP for arranging the donation

The equipment that Bob has given to FLA-SEDAN will help with the lighting season this year. It is really a great thing as Bill Young KG4LIP said to me, "all equipment we do not use should go to a place that can use it."

When your radio is old and you replace it, please donate it to an organization that will put it to good use. We do NOT need fancy equipment, just radios that work on 2 meters.

FLA-SEDAN does not receive any grants.  It depends on hams in Florida to keep it up and running. So if you have outdated 2-meter radios or power supplies, please bring these to a NOFARS meeting and present to Billy Williams, N4UF.

Or you can e-mail me and I will come to you.

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EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR SEDAN

Florida SEDAN needs spare VHF rigs and accessories such as TNCs and power supplies. This gear is placed at relay points (nodes) to connect emergency operation centers and relief agency HQ into a backup system which uses Amateur Radio. If you can help with a donation or a good deal on your used gear, contact SEDAN Coordinator Tom Nolan, KD4MWO TNolan1013@aol.com

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SOUTHEASTERN EMERGENCY DIGITAL ASSN. NETWORK REPORT

By Tom Nolan, KD4MWO

SEDAN installed a new SEDANode in Daytona Beach, the alias is DBCH. This node has been long in coming due to tower improvements that had to be done before we could install our antenna. The install was completed at the W E S H tower at 230 foot using Andrews 7/8 inch hardline and a Comet GP-9 antenna. The radio is a Icom V- 8000 and reports seem to be very good from this new SEDAN site.  This DBCH SEDANode site has sparked a new interest in packet in the Daytona Beach area. Not to mention all us Harley riders who spend Bike Week and Biketoberfest in Daytona. Now we can take our portable packet units and work our friends across the state of Fla.  

Each lighting season seems to take out at least three node sites throughout the state of Fla. We use polyphasers and ground the hardline with straps up and down the hardline.  SEDAN is in desperate need for 50 watt radios and power supplies; we can offer a fair price. We have 60 sites up throughout Florida and continue to install new sites every few months. There is a map on the http://www.fla-sedan.com web site that you can view and see how the state is being covered.

The Red Cross in Jacksonville ran a Mass Casualty Incident a few months back using SEDAN hardware in Jacksonville, Lake City and Gainesville. They used portable packet units on site and connected back to the NE Florida Red Cross in Jax. The NE Fla Red Cross sent messages to the State Warning Point in Tallahassee via SEDAN. The drill worked very well and showed how lengthy messages could be sent on SEDAN. Many hams have forgotten how good simple packet works since they have gone to the internet. The beautiful thing about FLA-SEDAN is each node site has backup power so when the electric goes away, we shine.

SEDAN uses X1J4 The NET Eprom Nodes and does not rely on a phone line. With the Net X1J4, you are able to use the TALK function that is great for multiple roundtable conversations on each node.   If you have a TNC in the closet, take it out and get on SEDAN in Duval and surrounding counties so we can start having a packet net again. The hams in Orlando have a weekly net that draws 15 hams to packet for a great countywide net. The Orlando group also has a regional mailbox on SEDAN, so that hams can send and receive messages from their packet friends around the state. If you are on SEDAN and want to use the regional SEDAN mailbox, just connect to ORL, type "C" and it will automatically connect you to the mailbox system.

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INFORMATION ABOUT SEDAN

While most Amateur Radio operators use VOICE to communicate, a growing number have connected their computers to their VHF ham radio to exchange information using a wireless network of digital repeaters and storage systems.

One such system is the Southeastern Emergency Digital Association Network (SEDAN). Using 43 digital repeaters installed throughout Florida, data can be transferred quickly and efficiently.

SEDAN is managed by NOFARS member Tom Nolan, KD4MWO and has access to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Tallahassee and the National Hurricane Center in Miami.. Many city and county emergency offices also have SEDAN equipment.

SEDAN operates on 145.77 MHz.

For more info on SEDAN, contact Tom via TNolan1013@aol.com or check the Florida SEDAN web site.

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SEDAN LINK TO NHC COMPLETED

The east coast path for the Southeast Emergency Digital Assn. Network (SEDAN) was completed in mid November with installation of a digital relay point in Stuart.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami can now be reached through SEDAN which covers much of Florida as well as other Southeast states.

The Stuart relay point or "node" was installed by Bryon, KG4LYN; Bret, KG4LQV; Mac, KD4GPJ; and Tom, KD4MWO. It uses a 260 foot tower. The site and feedline were donated by the Martin County Radio Department.

Some coverage to NHC previously was available. The Stuart link makes connections faster and more reliable. A future node will be established in Titusville to speed up data transfer even more.

SEDAN operates on 145.77 MHz. It is used by many county and city Emergency Operations Centers to send and receive messages during activations.

Those interested in digital communications and public service are invited to use SEDAN. See the SEDAN web site for more details http://www.fla-sedan.com.

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                    W4JAX DIGITAL SYSTEM

Sponsored by the First Coast Amateur Digital Association (FiCADA), the W4JAX packet system operates on 145.01 MHz. The W4JAX system is accessible throughout Northeast Florida and includes an Internet link and a BBS.