©2009 HFLINK

Global ALE High Frequency Network

for Emergency Communicationspresented by: Bonnie Crystal, VR2 / KQ6XA

in the Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference

GAREC-2009Tokyo, Japan

“Emergency Communications across Borders”

©2009 HFLINK

International amateur radio network of HF operators using ALE Primary purpose:

“To provide a standard interoperable HF platform for International Emergency / Disaster Relief Communications”

Continuous 24-7-365 service since founding in June 2007 Open net: Any ham operator may use it at any time for normal

amateur purposes when there is no emergency traffic

What is the Global ALE High Frequency Network? (HFN)

©2009 HFLINK

What makes HF emergency communication viable?

“For HF emergency communication to be taken seriously, it must be able to make the call or send a message without prior notice, at any

time of the day or night.”

– Bonnie Crystal KQ6XA, HFN International ALE Coordinator Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference

at GAREC-2007 in Huntsville, AL, USA

©2009 HFLINK

How is HFN different from traditional HF nets?

Higher reliability… Available at any time of day or night No “Net Control Stations”… Open instant access for any operator. No Schedules… ALE has made schedules obsolete Scans HF 80-40-30-20-17-15-12-10 metres every 10 seconds for calls Stations maintain net contact 24-7 via hourly station ID signals Provides callsign direct selective calling or group calling Enables calling for Text QSO or SSB Voice QSO Provides HF text email service Maintains real-time activity log on the HFLINK.NET web server Provides Emergency Alarm System Uses a global standard low cost digital system

©2009 HFLINK

Whatis ALE?

©2009 HFLINK

ALE is “Automatic Link Establishment”

1. HF digital selective calling system

2. Scans HF frequencies for calls

3. The international standard for initiating and maintaining HF communications.

4. Developed into a flexible “Ham Friendly” automatic, semi-automatic, or manual system, avoiding problems commonly associated with other automatic digital systems.

©2009 HFLINK

ALE Signal is Efficient

Weak signal communications good for QRP, portable, or mobile Bit rate and symbol rate is optimum for scanning and signaling Short transmission time (10-20 seconds) is good for fast frequency sharing

©2009 HFLINK

ALE Narrowband Signal

Narrowband Signal ~2kHz is compatible with SSB and digital modes Emission type F1B, F1D, (or J3D) is legal for hams in all countries Selective calling (SELCALL) feature of ALE in the SSB bands Digital texting feature of ALE in the Data / RTTY bands

©2009 HFLINK

ALE: The HF Global Standard

Non-Proprietary Standard, open for all users and manufacturers Recognised in “ITU Recommendation ITU-R F.1110-3 for

Adaptive Radio Systems for Frequencies Below About 30 MHz” Originally developed as government standards “FED STD 1045

and MIL-STD 188-144A” and then adopted by many organisations Amateur Radio Standard: Ham Friendly ALE adapted by HFN Recognised as the HF Industry Standard, most major HF radio

manufacturers are now producing embedded ALE transceivers See “ITU Handbook: Frequency-adaptive communication

systems and networks in the MF/HF bands”

©2009 HFLINK

ALE Standard Technical DetailsBased on common global standards

Non-Proprietary. FED-1045 or MIL-STD 188-141A (also see ITU-R F.1110-3 )

Bandwidth ~2kHz

FSK Emission Type Narrowband F1B, F1D, (or J3D) 8FSK - single tone shifted between 8 frequencies (FSK same as RTTY)

Audio Shift Frequencies 750Hz to 2500Hz (250Hz tone spacing)

Symbol Rate (baud) 125 Symbols Per Second

Speed (raw bit rate) Basic 375 Bits Per Second

Decode sensitivity - 4dB SNR

Compatible with Amateur SSB Transceivers with no special ALC requirements

©2009 HFLINK

One operator can be ready for communication constantly on 10 bands and many nets using ALE with HFN

©2009 HFLINK

IARU Region 1 HFN Pilot Station Coverage Map 2007-2009

IARU Region 1: Europe, MiddleEast, Africa Email, Reporting, and Emergency Alarm System

©2009 HFLINK

IARU Region 2 HFN Pilot Station Coverage Map 2007-2009

IARU Region 2: North America, South America Email, Reporting, and Emergency Alarm System

©2009 HFLINK

IARU Region 3 HFN Pilot Station Coverage Map 2007-2009

IARU Region 3: Asia, Pacific, Australia Email, Reporting, and Emergency Alarm System

©2009 HFLINK

HFN Primary DATA Frequencies Direct CallingText, EmailEmergency

3596.0 3617.0 7040.5 7102.0 10145.5 14109.0 18106.0 21096.0 24926.0 28146.0

Region 2&3 Region 1 Region 1 Region 2 Global Global Global Global Global Global

kHz USB IARU Regions

©2009 HFLINK

ALE HF Ham Band Scanning Cycle

80m

40m

30m

20m

17m

15m

12m

10m

Each HF ham band is scanned on receive, every 8 seconds, constantly.

©2009 HFLINK

HFN Network Activity Log on HFLINK.NET

Stations report: Time, Frequency, Callsigns, Messages, Signal Quality Messages may be text or Emergency Alarms

©2009 HFLINK

HFN Emergency Alarm Keywords

KEYWORD ALARM TYPE AND DISPLAY

MAYDAY Urgent Distress CallHFN911 Urgent Emergency CallHFN112 Urgent Emergency CallHFN999 Urgent Emergency CallHFNMEDICAL Priority Medical Comms RequestHFNRELIEF Priority Disaster Relief Comms RequestHFNEMCOMM Priority Emcomm Support RequestHFNPHONE Priority Emcomm Phone Patch RequestHFNSET Routine Simulated Emergency Test HFNTEST HFN Alarm System Test: No Emergency(*NOTE) *Other keywords may be added as needed

©2009 HFLINK

HFN Emergency Alarm System HFLINK.NET

Alarms on received keywords from any station Relays the alarm to all operators in the network

©2009 HFLINK

ALE Hardware and Software

Most hams use free software (PCALE or MultiPSK) on a PC computer with an HF amateur radio SSB transceiver.

Same computer interface as PSK31 and other Digi modes

Hams also use commercial grade HF radios with built-in ALE... a computer is not needed with these “embedded ALE” radios.

Embedded ALE radios are available from many manufacturers, including: Mobat, Harris, Codan, R&S, Icom, Kenwood, etc.

Base antennas: Multiband or broadband, dipoles and verticals

Mobiles: Vertical whips with ATU antenna tuners

©2009 HFLINK

Typical Ham Radio ALE Station

ALE station: low cost of entry Common PC computer PCALE software Normal SSB ham transceiver Multi-band antenna or ATU

©2009 HFLINK

Embedded ALE Transceivers

©2009 HFLINK

Sending a text message in the Global HF Network using an embedded ALE Transceiver1. Enter message 2. Enter callsign 3. Send4. Receive verification

©2009 HFLINK

Global ALE SSB Voice Emergency / Disaster Relief Frequencies

3791.0 7065.0 7185.5 10145.5 14346.0 18117.5 21437.5 24932.0 28312.5 kHz USB

©2009 HFLINK

Map of Typical Locations of HFN Users 2007-2008

Map shows user trends over timeframe 2007-2008 for HFN network server logs.

Network users tend to be typically within the HFN Pilot Stations service coverage areas for regional HF propagation, in all the IARU regions.

With additional stations in all IARU regions and countries, the network can expand to cover the world with 90% service

©2009 HFLINK

Global ALE High Frequency Network

for Emergency Communicationspresented in Tokyo to the GAREC-2009

Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference

by Bonnie Crystal, VR2 / KQ6XA

“Emergency Communications across Borders”

More information: Amateur Radio ALE HF Network: HFLINK.NET

ALE Automatic Link Establishment: HFLINK.COM

©2009 HFLINK

Questions & Answers