ARRL Michigan Section Digital Radio Group (DRG)

DRG Meeting at Red Cross 1800 Grand River Lansing, MI

Meeting began at 1000

In attendance, 
WA8EFK Dale  - SM Michigan 
N8MG   Marty - SEC Michigan
WA1LRL Ed    - Assistant Director Great Lakes Division ? Digital Communications
WB8TKL Jay   - District 2 Primary
K8CQF  Joe   - STM Michigan
K8SN   Sam   - District 6 Secondary
WZ8N   Rick  - District 7 Secondary
WA8RLI Red   - District 7 Primary
N8AVR  Brian - District 3 Primary
N8LRF  Ray   - District 6 Primary
WB8I   Don   - District 6 
KA8E   Glenn - District 2 Secondary
N8CML  Ron   - District 5 Secondary
KC8TLJ Chuck - District 3 Secondary
WB8SIW Jim   - District 5 Primary
KC8VAB Jon   - District 1 Primary

Not in Attendance,
N8EXV  Val   - ASM/ARPSC
WB8WJV Roger - ASM/Administration
KA8IXC Skip  - District 8 Primary


 A poll, nominations and vote was held at the beginning of the meeting to establish three key
 positions within the DRG. The vote yielded the following:

   Chairman - WB8TKL Jay
   Vice Chairman - KC8TLJ Chuck 
   Recording Sect. - N8MG Marty

Notes:
 o Reporting structure to Dale.
 o Need PIO once we get settled.
 o Use of email for all communications within the group avoid Yahoo Groups or some such! 
   (Jay will set up an exploder DRG@nuge.com this will allow all in the DRG to communicate in a
    private manner and globally without having to list each member on an email.

Goals will be dynamic
	A) serve the user base (Served Agencies) address needs of the agencies
	B) Develop Metrics to assess when goals are reached or how we are in the process.
 o Working together to get thru differences of opinion.
 o Sub-groups may be needed to develop specific activities or agendas
 o Meeting Venues move across the state to meet the needs of all in the group transportation
   and attendance wise.
 o Meet Quarterly at the beginning and adjust as needs expand or contract
 o Software should be as simple as possible.
 o Make sure that we are high profile as much as possible to the rest of the state and Packet
   already in place within the state.

Need input from the rest of the state infrastructure to make sure that we are able as much as
possible to meet the needs of all involved.
 o Develop a Point of Presence for Central data storage and dissemination.
 o Avoid as much as possible the ?Politics? (remain ?Neutral? as much as possible) involved in
   demanding. We should strive to highly recommend and encourage the proper use of whatever network
   we design.
 o Training issues will be important as there is some misconceptions about Packet that need to be
   addressed especially with some of the newer Hams.
 o Interoperability is the Key whether it be MSYS, JNOS, WinLink, etc.
 o Training will be a continuing item throughout the layout, implementation and continuing usage of
   this system whatever it may become.
 o Issues with crashes and un-authorized usage on a network need to be address and possibly can be
   with the FCC backing of Repeater Owner Responsibilities and how they transfer to Digi-peaters.
 o Multi-Layered is the recommended way to go. The reason being that we need to mimic Internet
   Protocols in a way. Each county should be on its own separate frequency so that all traffic within
   the county is self-contained and does not contribute to problems in another county. There then
   should be another layer/gateway to a District or Region Layer or Backbone to link counties in
   larger groups but only allow outbound or inbound message and not all traffic.
 o First item of importance is to get all counties to get active on Packet in some form.
 o Second item is the need for coordinating frequencies such that one county does not hear or see
   another county except thru the backbone. 
 o Training - possibly we should enroll the ASM for Training Lyle AB8CB to facilitate the training
   of people throughout the state.
 o Frequency Coordination - do we need a coordinating body and what rights do we have in doing this?
   MIARC does not have any opinion as to digital communications. Do we want to take the
   responsibility to do this coordination.
 o Coordination should take into consideration the General usage and the emergency Network usage as
   well as other types or nodes of operation to allow peaceful co-existance in the spectrum
 o Mapping of the existing network or known Digital stations for comprehensive understanding of what
   we have currently in order to determine where we are or might go in the near and long-term future.
      a)Speeds
      b)Frequencies
      c)Calls
      d)Area of coverage
 o Timetable - open at this point as we get more information and make better determinations of needs
 o Possible access to a master database with each DRG member having limited access to only the
   specific information updates in order to keep the database as current as possible
 o Each County or District should determine it?s own specific needs and standardize if possible the
   software in usage.
 o Access WB8TKL?s web site (http://www.nuge.com/~wb8tkl) to find further information on digital.
   JNOS in particular. Also to access some of the information from the out-of-publish book
   "NOS Intro - TCP/IP over Packet Radio" by Ian Wade G3NRW ISBN 1-897649-00-2
 o Telnet - wa1lrl.no-ip.com or ampr.nuge.com. For access on each of these Hamgates where accounts
   have been setup for DRG Representatives. Telnet to the above address/es then log in with your
   callsign and your first name as the password (lowercase letters please). 
 o Standardization of SSID?s to make things somewhat intuitive 
 o Number systems for SSID?s how do we fit in nodes based on official or un-official  systems.
   -1 was a personal BBS, -2 was ?

Many of these are 'legacy' uses and some are new assignments.  These are not cast in stone but are
supplied here as a suggested guideline.

    SSID        PURPOSE
  ========= ===============
  none (-0) home stations
    -1      home station personal mailboxes (usually TNC-based)
    -2      gateways
    -3      full-service BBS's (those that forward mail/bulletins)
    -4      network nodes (having two or more radio ports that 
            perform routing functions via TCP/IP, netROM, etc.)
            (Can be combined with BBS's that also perform routing)
    -5      console/keyboard -or- printer 
    -6      conference bridges
    -7      cross-band digipeaters
    -8      cross-band digipeaters
    -9      mobile / modats
   -10      WL2K
   -11      - unassigned -
   -12      - unassigned -
   -13      - unassigned -
   -14      - unassigned ?
   -15     (often used as a downlink address when exiting the far end of a network connection)



 o Counties could possibly use the state or Contesting (State QSO Party) convention of a four-digit
   mnemonics?
 o Hierarchy of message forwarding form one level to another


Summary:

Initially, we as the DRG should at all times during the coming Quarter until the next meeting, make
every effort to encourage all counties throughout Michigan to get some sort of Packet station up and 
working on any frequency in the Packet recognized spectrum. 

Already established Packet Stations should be polled to determine what frequencies are being used, 
speed and coverage so that we can develop a database for further coordination in the future. 

Think about the handout and these items Networking, Frequency Coordination, Operational Standards, 
and Training. The last four items are possible committees and members of the DRG should think about 
and consider if they can sit on one or more of these in the future.

Publications, PIO active in making as much information as possible. PIO for group still to be 
announced (Recording Secretaries suggestion is to utilize  the State PIO much as we thought of 
using the ASM for Training to handle training goals.

Next Meeting - June 4 IRA Swap and MIARC Meeting Hudsonville, MI

Meeting ended 1302


Addendum - From the notes on the board that Joe Turner, K8CQF compiled.

Goals:
1.Needs of Served Agencies
2.Metrics
3.Serve Members back home
4.Output

System Concepts:
1.Coverage Issues
2.Frequency Coordination
3.Tech Specs
 
Constitution of Group:
1.Chair
2.Vice Chair
3.Recording Secretary
4.PIO

Presence
Politics
Training
Funding

Linkages/Meetings
1.Quarterly Meeting

Link/Communicate/Coordinate
1.State Wide Infrastructure
2.County Infrastructure
3.Coordinate with adjacent
   A.States
   B.Fed Agencies
   C.NTS/National Digital Plan
   D.State Agencies
4.Standardization

Major Goals
1.Reliable System
2.Coverage Issues
3.Frequency Coordination
4.Tech Specs
5.Recruitment
6.Continuity ? Membership
7.Open Lines of Communication
8.Academic Work

DRG@NUGE.COM

Frequency Issues
BBS DX Clusters
Layering
Recommend Frequency?
Network Deployment
Foundation Operators
Funding
Plan
Execute
Reward

Training ? Role of Committee
1.Participate/Lead
2.ASM ? Training
3.District Level Training
4.Metrics
   A.Monitor Use
   B.Grant Writing
5.Connect to FCC & Served Agencies
6.Reuse

Frequency Coordination
1.MARC ? Doesn?t want to coordinate Packet
2.Does Digital Committee want to coordinate?
3.There is a need for General Use Packet Frequency

Summary Document
Definitions /Terms
Existing Activities
Guidance/Rules Now
Future Needs
Goals
Time Table

Outcomes from this meeting
1.Frequency List
2.Provide it to Public
3.Map showing:
   a.Most Reliable connections
   b.Speed
4.Sample Infrastructure Design
5.Reading List



Respectfully corrected and added all comments I have received via E-Mail and otherwise.
March 20, 2005.
MGM, N8MG Recording Secretary DRG