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AREDN moves from OLSR to Babel — what it means for the five-county mesh
AREDN's 2025 transition from the OLSR routing protocol to Babel is the biggest change to the network in years — and it matters for how the JFMDNA mesh grows.
JS8Call: keyboard-to-keyboard messaging built on FT8
FT8's modem is great for contacts, but JS8Call adds free-text messaging, relay, and store-and-forward — which matters a lot for emergency traffic.
Winlink: radio email and formal message handling
How Winlink moves email and formal traffic over HF and VHF/UHF radio links when the internet is down, and what a real activation actually looks like.
What you can actually run on an AREDN mesh node
AREDN is sold as "IP over amateur radio" — but what does that mean in practice? A rundown of the services worth deploying on a mesh during an EmComm activation.
JFMDNA and the five-county AREDN mesh buildout
The Jim Fisher Memorial Digital Network Association is building out a regional AREDN mesh network centered on Montgomery County — here's what they're doing and why it matters for EmComm.
Warminster Amateur Radio Club (K3DN): nets, meetings, and the hamfest
A rundown of the Warminster Amateur Radio Club's repeater, weekly nets, and meeting schedule for anyone local who hasn't checked in yet.
Phil-Mont’s DENn net: a weekly digital education net worth checking into
The Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club runs a standing weekly net specifically focused on digital modes — exactly the kind of regular practice that makes a difference when it actually matters.
NVIS antennas: the EmComm case for low and horizontal
For regional EmComm traffic — 50 to 300 miles — a properly low dipole often outperforms a taller antenna, because of how NVIS propagation actually works.
Field Day 2026: go-kit and digital station plan
Building out a battery-powered digital station for Field Day, with an eye toward what would actually deploy for a real activation — not just a contest weekend.
Parks on the Air as low-stakes EmComm practice
POTA looks like a casual operating award program, but every activation is also a rehearsal for deploying a portable station fast, under real-world conditions.