[Trlog] Computers at an Expedition

[Paul Erickson]

Computers at an expedition

Having recently been responsible for the computer network of a 
dxpedition,(my first) I thought I would try to pass along a few things I 
learned in the process in an effort to help anyone else who might find 
themselves in a similar position/situation.

Make sure you have the necessary hardware. This means one computer for 
each station, a MINIMUM of one backup to replace one of the station 
computers. Plus your own separate machine for maintenance and other 
related tasks. Guard your own machine intently. If everything goes well, 
it will have been unnecessary, but if things start going wrong, it will 
be essential.

Make sure you have backup keying and computer interfaces, cables etc.

Make sure you have not only the responsibility, but the authority to 
make the sorts of decisions necessary to make the network function 
properly. For example, say the original plan was for a Multi Two 
operation, then with the above formula you would have (at least) four 
computers. If is decided to expand to a multi-multi, with four
stations, pressing your backup and maintenance computers into primary 
service, while you may get lucky, your are greatly increasing the 
possibilities of disaster.

You must have the authority to scale the operation to the available 
resources. Avoid the temptation of being too accommodating, and trying 
to "make it work" with sub optimal resources. While you may get lucky, 
again, the potential for difficulty goes up exponentially with each new 
station you add to the system.

Have a person to back you up. Depending on the size of the operation. 
Having someone else who is up to speed on the issues, can be extremely 
helpful. Having an informed sounding board to help troubleshoot problems 
can take a great deal of stress off the individual.

Every sys admin knows that, the computer system, more than any other, 
(with the exception of power distribution network) has the greatest 
potential for negative impact on the total operation. If things go well, 
you will be unnoticed. If things start to go badly, what should have 
been a dream opportunity, can quickly turn into  a nightmare, with you 
as the centre of attention. Among other reasons you are the one most 
closely associated with, what some consider, the most important product
of the operation, the log.

Beware of the consequences of seemingly trivial changes. For example, 
something as simple as changing the message after each q can come to 
haunt you. I had tried the network/computers we intended to use, in a cw 
contest way ahead of the expedition. As usual, the software was 
configured to send our call after each q. Everything worked fine. 
However, for the expedition, in order to speed  up the ability to handle 
the pileups, it was decided to reduce the sent message to "tu" and to 
identify at regular intervals. What happened was, with the original
setup, the computer had the opportunity to complete it's disk io after 
each q while the call was being sent, when the change took place, that 
built in delay was removed, and the computer did not have the chance to 
keep up, when q rates were two to three times faster than anything we 
had encountered before. It took me a while to figure that one out. 
Fortunately the software we were using allowed the possibility of
eliminating some different disk read/writes thus allowing us to get back 
up to speed. Note that from the beginning we were using "smartdrv" to 
speed up disk i/o.

I also recommend external keyboards, if you are using laptops, if 
shipping space allows. However, be cautious of programmable keyboards in 
an RF rich environment such as an expedition where the constant changing 
of feed lines etc., can increase the number of relevant variables well 
beyond the possibility of control. Also, don't assume because computers 
are available where you are going, that the available hardware will be 
usable. Anyone who knows the difference between the qwerty and French 
keyboards, will know what I mean.

I hope these and the additional comments of others will put you in a 
better position for success. If there is anything I can do to help you 
in your preparation, please don't hesitate to let me know. And if in the 
midst of your operation, after you have done your due diligence, and 
things start going wrong, and you are starting to pull your hair out 
trying to figure out what has gone wrong and how to fix it, KNOW that 
some of us out here, know and truly understand what you are going 
through, and really appreciate all your efforts to make things work.
-- 
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cheers, Paul - VA7NT - email: va7nt at telus.net

"Those who hear not the music, think the dancers mad."