Results

We received 81 successful check-ins with the following characteristics

• 62 distinct amateur radio operators checked in at least once.

• Check ins came from 14 different states, the most distant being Alaska

• 28 of the messages were originated over a VHF radio connection (relatively short range between the transmitting station and the Winlink Gateway station)

• 30 were originated over an HF radio connection (up to hundreds of miles from the transmitter to the Gateway)

• 20 were originated over the internet (not via radio)

• ALL messages were received at W0EQU and all outgoing traffic sent over a VHF link to a local Gateway.

A map detailing all messages is available at Exercise Participant Map 

Additional Activities

• We also activated no-notice VHF FM voice networks on 3 of the local FM repeaters to evaluate the ability of the Red Cross station to act as net controller using those repeaters.  The repeaters activated include the K0USA repeater in North Omaha, the W0WVV repeater in Bellevue, and the N0WKF repeater in Glenwood Iowa.  Local operators checked in to all 3 of the nets.  

• A special test was conducted with Jerry Davis, KA4QVH in Cleveland, GA using VARA HF Peer-to-Peer.  This mode allows passing WinLink traffic directly from 1 station to another over HF radio, with no internet anywhere in the picture.  This would be used in the event of a widespread internet outage.  We were successful passing messages directly to each other over a distance of 808 miles.