In a message dated 9/27/2005 2:15:11 PM Eastern Standard Time, dick@pobox.com writes:

My son sent me this URL. It was written by a ham and discusses software defined radios (SDRs) and the severe limitations of DHS's current communications infrastructure.

"FEMA & Open Communication Systems ~ by Dr. Frank Brickle" http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20050916105216639

73 - Dick, W9GIG

Interesting article, Dick. Those guys are good friends of ours already, especially Bob McGwyer (or however his name is spelled). They went with us to an FCC meeting that Paul Rinaldo set up, to present to FCC the accomplishments of the Amateur Service in SDR development. It was an exceptionally impressive presentation, though of course the OET people at FCC were yawning, except for Mike Marcus, who was going to great lengths to establish that he knew more about SDRs than did Bob (which clearly was not the case). As to the horrible state of DHS/FEMA communications due to "lack of SDRs" (which is apparently a euphemism these days for "lack of interoperability") there is a fascinating discussion thread on the NPSTC remailer about how interoperability, whether it is provided by SDRs or otherwise, is not as much of an issue in disaster relief communications as is basic Public Safety operability, and that less needs to be invested in Public Safety interop hardware ( interop channels, they say, already being available in most PS bands, VHF and UHF, 800 and 700 MHz) and more in hardening of PS systems and more technical and operational training. The NPSTC guys agree that when repeater-based PS systems fail in a disaster, both basic operability and interoperability go down at the same time. SDR technology is no different. I think the NPSTC guys are right; the reason we do so well in disasters, and provide interop communications of our own, is that we have operability and they don't. Chris W3KD