On The Air Net Training and Support for

Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System Emergency Radio

Communications Operations Operational since 2008!

NBEMS Basic for PEMA/ACS Operations

Monitoring/Copying NBEMS Messages and

Files

Prerequisites for Monitoring NBEMS Operations:Current versions of FLDIGI, FLMSG and FLAMP downloaded, installed and configuredDownload NBEMS apps at www.w1hkj.comFollow the directions in : NBEMS_Basic_Setup_Config_PEMA_ACS_2013.ppt which is available on paNBEMS Yahoo Group, or email kb3fxi@yahoo.comA computer with a working sound card and microphone (internal or plug in)An analog HF and/or VHF/UHF receiver

Open the FLDIGI application(appearance can vary with different config settings)

With proper radio speaker levels and computer mic levels, you should see the waterfall react to received audio.

Note: If the waterfall appears all black, and does not respond to received audio, check your computer sound card settings for “mic”, “record” or “receive” to make sure you are set to the proper mic input and that the mic is not muted.

FLDIGI sound card settings are under Configure, Sound Card, Devices. Make sure you have the proper sound card selected for “Capture”.

The waterfall, which appears below the blue text box of FLDIGI, provides a visual representation of the received audio from the RF signal.

The horizontal shows the audio bandpass of your receiver on any given RF frequency. The vertical representation is in time, with the previously received audio at the bottom and the most recently received audio at the top. Color is our third indicator representing the strength of the received signal.... black being no signal, blue being light, yellow being moderate and red (which usually indicates too high of a level) being very strong.

Basic FLDIGI settings for monitoring NBEMS traffic and receiving files.

The key settings for unattended monitoring of NBEMS traffic are the RSID (RxID) and the mode detect settings of RSID.

RSID is an 8 tone digital burst mode identifier that is transmitted prior to the actual mode being transmitted (if RSID is initiated by the sending station). FLDIGI can be configured to detect the mode being received and automatically switch to the proper mode and to the proper spot in the received audio bandpass on the waterfall.

For more detailed information on the FLDIGI RSID settings, refer to the PEMA/ACS Basic setup and configuration instructions in: NBEMS_Basic_Setup_Config_PEMA_ACS_2013.ppt

For unattended monitoring of NBEMS traffic, set FLDIGI to automatically detect RSID by checking the “RxID” box toward the upper right hand corner of the FLDIGI screen.

Determine whether you want to detect RSID in the entire passband or only on the monitoring spot you select on the waterfall.

Many HF and VHF/UHF nets have predetermined transceiver dial frequencies combined with specified spots for the center waterfall frequency. For these instances, it is recommended to set RSID to only detect at the spot set on the waterfall for monitoring.

However, there may be instances where we may want to monitor the entire bandpass of a certain dial frequency such as on VHF/UHF nets that may switch to very wide/fast modes that require a shift from our standard 1500 Hz center spot to 2000 Hz center waterfall.

Note:

Be sure to always click “Save” then “Close” to save any changes made in the FLDIGI configuration windows.

The settings for “search entire passband” can be found under FLDIGI, Configure, ID as shown in the graphic below.

Select the RSID modes you want to monitor...Click on the ID Tab, duplicate the following settings then click on “receive modes”

Select the RSID modes you want to monitor...Click on “clear all” then select only the modes you want to have FLDIGI auto detect, then click close.

Key modes for NBEMS are Olivia, MT63, Thor and the PSKR Multi-Carrier modes.

When your selections are complete, click close in the mode selection window then click “Save” and “Close” in the ID/RsID window.

Software Squelch Settings

FLDIGI squelch is not a signal strength squelch. It is a confidence level squelch. Check the SQL button to activate and adjust the slide to set the confidence level just above the point where it eliminates random characters from appearing in the yellow received text window of FLDIGI.

Select your spot on the waterfall...

Move your mouse pointer to the center spot on the waterfall of which you want to monitor then left click on that spot. Use the left and right arrows to fine tune the exact spot on the waterfall according to the audio frequency figures displayed between the arrows.

Assuming that you have followed the previous power point for the basic installation, setup and configuration of the NBEMS programs, you should now be ready to receive NBEMS text, FLMSG form-based messages and FLAMP file transfers.

FLDIGI, when properly configured, will automatically display any received FLMSG form-based messages on your desktop with no human intervention necessary at the receiving stations. FLMSG does not need to be opened and running to automatically “pop up” the received messages.

FLAMP, on the other hand, does need to be open and running in the background to automatically receive FLAMP file transfers. More information on FLAMP can be found at the following page on the w1hkj.com website:

http://www.w1hkj.com/flamp-help/index.html

Info and Downloads:www.w1hkj.comhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/paNBEMS

Instructional Videos:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paNBEMS/links

Help Sheets, Power Points and other files:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paNBEMS/files

Need additional help?Email: KB3FXI@yahoo.com

or join the paNBEMS Yahoo Group email list at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paNBEMS/

Thank You!

Please keep in mind that all you need to get started is a computer with a working sound card and microphone (internal or plug in).

Check your local NBEMS schedules and start out by just monitoring… then check in and send some files and messages!

Email: KB3FXI@yahoo.comJoin the paNBEMS Yahoo Group email list at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paNBEMS/