Let's try to kill the silent Amateur Radio Killer out there!! (Part 1)

Image:  Global Internet Outage (Click on image for larger view.) 

I am sure that you can think of a few silent amateur radio "killers" out there that can and will cause some serious damage to amateur radio.  In this series regarding this topic, I will discuss a few that in my opinion is slowly but surely effecting amateur radio in South Africa and maybe other parts of the world.   Now this is not going to be a ranting- or I know all session.  In  providing this series of articles I hope that we can "turn the ship around before it sinks."  Many of you will be of the opinion that what I am discussing here is not amateur radio.  In short - Each approach has its own place and each provides enjoyment and fulfillment for me.  I hear this from time to time, either posed as a sincere question or as a loaded comment deriding those who use so called not amateur radio equipment or software.

As radio amateurs, we adapt technologies and adopt methods from other fields. Some of us are theorists and some are pragmatists. All of us find something to enjoy in amateur radio.  This opinion that categorize what is amateur radio and what is not, is after all just and opinion.  I invite those opinionists to rather join in on the fun than wasting you breath on trivial fruitless opinions.

Now lets get back to the topic.

The first "killer" in this series we need to take notice of is the Internet Outage Killer: 

With amateur radio already woven widely into the Internet, one can only image how this will effect amateur radio should we have a complete Internet Blackout in South Africa.  Now I know many IT fundi's are of the opinion that the Internet will not completely blackout in South Africa.  Be as it may a prolonged outage will cause carnage to many amateur radio- and other systems.  Locally we are experiencing more and more Internet outages.  These outages are definitely on the increase and it does not matter what access system or service provider you are using.  Will it get even worse?  Your guess is as good as mine.  I personally think that red lights are flickering and we DO NEED a backup Internet plan or system in amateur radio.  Starlink was my backup plan but we all know by now that Starlink in South Africa will not be implemented under the current dispensation.  This is not only detrimental to amateur radio but also to the country and its citizens.  I hear you talk about other satellite internet providers will be available.  I am not even going to comment on alternative providers other than to say that they are light-years away from competing and beating the Starlink Service.  In my lifetime left on this earth they will never be competitive.

Now how can we implement a backup Internet service in Amateur Radio when the real Internet fails?

Now this is a difficult question and will also be a difficult solution if it was not for radio amateurs who invented AREDN (Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network). Explaining what AREDN is and do will keep me and you busy for several days.  However HERE is a short explanation.  Having implemented the first AREDN network in Mossel Bay, South Africa in the early 2000 when it was still known as HSMM (High-Speed Multi Media radio) resulted in a very useful replacement for the Internet if there is a blackout or outage.  In my humble opinion you can use AREDN the "same way" as the Internet.  You do however need a large extensive network (not required) to use AREDN to it's full potential. With regular firmware updates and the adding of new hardware to AREDN you will have a very robust high speed multi media radio network in amateur radio to serve your community or amateur radio groups in your area during times of need.

AREDN was designed to be used without any Internet connection, however you can add and Internet connection to the network if you so wish.

I will in future topics provide more information about the Mossel Bay AREDN Network.  

Below is a few articles I wrote some time ago about AREDN

•  Mossel Bay ZS1I AREDN Mesh Network Flowchart/Diagram now available
•  ZS1I GRHub (AllStar/Echolink Node) Network now linked to the ZS1I 5.8 Ghz AREDN Network in Mossel Bay (Part 1)
•  Revisited: Mossel Bay AREDN 5.8 and 2.4 Ghz Mesh Network once again active!! (Part 1)

I am convinced that the Internet Outage Killer can successfully be killed by using AREDN in amateur radio.  Linking other amateur radio equipment, firmware, software, radios, repeaters, nodes etc. to AREDN will result in creating a very usable and versatile network when there is no real Internet available.  One other benefit if the Internet returns, all systems will still be up and running without having to run around switching and rebooting systems.

I trust that the new generation of radio amateurs and also the older generation of radio amateurs will start to install and implement AREDN Networks in their communities and towns.  

We do need as many AREDN networks as possible in amateur radio in South Africa, otherwise the Internet Outage Killer will kill various amateur radio systems, networks etc. in the future in South Africa, especially seeing that the authorities will not currently allow Starlink access in South Africa. 

Who is currently running an AREDN Network in South Africa?  Tell us about your network by clicking HERE.  

Recent Severe Weather caused Power- Internet- and Amateur Radio Communication Outages in the Western and Southern Cape

Image:  Not long afterwards and this vehicle was swept away by the water.  - Gourits River, between Mossel Bay and Albertinia

The Western Cape in South Africa experienced two severe weather outbreaks recently that caused thousands of Rands of damage to property and infrastructure.  Unfortunately 4 people lost their lives during these storms.  These severe weather events is no strange phenomena and has occurred in the past.  Today I do not want to discuss severe weather but rather power- and internet outages that effects general- and radio communications during such events.

Severe weather had an effect on analog as well as digital radio communications during these two events as observed by the editor of this article.  The cause of amateur radio communication outages need to be investigated urgently and steps taken if there is any indication that some of the outages could have been prevented.

What worked and did not work?

Worked flawlessly even during power- and internet outages:

• AREDN Mossel Bay =  An Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network is a high speed data network built with Amateur Radio Operators and Emergency Communications Infrastructure in mind. Linked to the ZS1I Mossel Bay Network.
• 49355 ZS1I AllStar HUB Node, Mossel Bay linked to a 2m VHF Simplex Radio Setup on 145.550 Mhz. Also linked to the AREDN Network.
• ZS1I DMR Bridge Node, Mossel Bay linked to the ZS1I AllStar HUB Node and the ZS1I DMR Repeater.  Also linked to the AREDN Network.
• ZS1I DMR Digital Repeater, Mossel Bay - Linked to the AREDN Network. 

Did not work as a result of power- and internet outages:

• All Echolink Nodes (Links and Repeaters) connected to analog repeaters and radios.  Even private users of Echolink was offline and did not work.
• Several repeaters in the Western / Southern Cape Area.  As this might be sensitive to some I will not mentioned the repeaters that was down during and after the severe events.  Information that I obtained revealed that some repeaters died due to power outages as backup batteries ran flat.  I am not talking of only one repeater here!
• Several amateur radio stations (HF, VHF, UHF) were off the air due to the fact that they had no backup battery- or generator power when the power failed. 
• APRS Internet Gateways and some APRS Stations - No Internet or Power.
• Echolink- and MMDVM Servers - Locally and Internationally - No Internet and Power failures.

Did work but propagation conditions were bad due to solar activity:

• HF Radio Communications - During the past two weeks solar activity featured several M-class flares, including a significant M5.8 event on May 10, accompanied by a fast Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). A massive Earth-facing coronal hole also unleashed high-speed solar winds, which recently triggered G1 (Minor) to G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storms.  Contact was possible at times but conditions were very bad.  Not sure if it would have suffice for emergency communications.

As the title indicates there are many silent amateur radio killers out there lurking to kill systems and networks and not only during severe weather events.   I hear you say but amateur radio is just a hobby and I am not involved in emergency radio communications.  Be as it may you might have been one of the lucky one's this time around that was not effected by the severe weather event. However there were quite a few radio amateurs that could not pick up on their regular afternoon nets and skeds as a result of the outages.  Even the radio amateurs up country that experienced no severe weather indicated that they were "cut-off " from the Western- and Southern Cape and left in the cold.

What needs to happen to prevent systems from going down during severe weather events.  Well one cannot curb outages to the full but you can alleviate the effect up to 80% if you take the necessary actions/precautions prior to the severe weather event.  Unfortunately I can write 100's of essays explaining how this can be done but as far as I am concerned this will be a waist of time.  Ever since the Devastating Fires in Knysna in 2017 nothing wide spread has been done relating to emergency communications  in the Southern Cape Area except on an individual basis. 

Image:  Violent gale-force winds that battered the Garden Route on May 11, 2026 caused catastrophic damage to the historic George Golf Club, uprooting an incredible 263 trees across the 120-year-old golf course. 

Be as it may it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to test my amateur radio equipment during severe weather events to see what is working and what can be improved.  Nothing more satisfying when my systems and networks is fully functional during severe weather and other emergency events.  No and this is not to brag.  It serves as a barometer of how effectively I can run such systems and networks.

Will I make changes to systems and networks after this past events.  Definitely!  I already started to change and improve my networks with the necessary and noticeable improvements.  Having said that there is still a few silent amateur radio killers out there lurking ..... and they will kill more systems and networks if the necessary changes are not made.  In the next article I will look at one of the deadliest killers that is killing digital radio networks even if there is no power- or internet outages.  However I have a few ideas how this can be solved.  Provisional tests look very promising!

Finally:  I enjoy having a Plan A, B and C for most eventualities.  I hate when incidents happen that result in communication outages.  Some just except their "fate" which in many cases are preventable in amateur radio.  Maybe  I am just old school but life has taught  me  a few lessons.  One of the most important ones being prepared as best one can for any eventuality.  After all it effects my family, friends and the community.  Are you prepared and is it important to you to prevent communication outages during any eventuality?