Suggested Digital Messaging Strategy for Emcomm Events

by Don Felgenhauer K7BFL

November 7, 2018

1.    At the beginning of an Emcomm event a "Digital Command" station will be designated.   See http://www.felge.us/digitalcommand.html.

2. Encourage every "local" EMCOMM operator who has email capability to participate, regardless of email service (gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Winlink, Garmin inReach, SatPhone, etc.).   All non peer-to-peer messages sent by EMCOMM stations should be cc to Digital Command.   Pertinent messages received by EMCOMM stations should be Forwarded to Digital Command.

3.   Each participant must notify (and update when changed) Digital Command of participant's Contact information; location; purpose; capabilities (protocols, Bands); message maximum size accepted; primary Band, RMS, and protocol to be used.

4.   A participant should use (limited by equipment considerations) the message transfer method (Telnet, pactor 3, VARA, ARDOP, WINMOR, packet, etc) with the highest available "bytes/minute" transfer rate.

5.    Use of email type servers (including winlink.org) is preferred to using "peer-to-peer".      Unless otherwise agreed, peer-to-peer message transfers will be coordinated via a voice net.

6. Frequency use should be coordinated a manner which will tend to maximize the data throughput rate of all participants. A measure of "success" would be that all Digital messaging stations were always able to have a good Connect to a RMS, without delay caused by other stations using that RMS.   See Q20200 of the Winlink FAQ.

7. A Connection attempt should occur only on a frequency not currently being used.