The NBEMS development team is pleased
to announce the update to the Windows NBEMS software suite. Many
thanks to all of the beta testers who spent many on-air hours testing
the ARQ process. All of your reports of bugs, quirks and missing
features have been incorporated into this version. This is still
beta software.
Download the latest Installation Zip file here :
NBEMS Setup Archive - 1.3.0A
If you previously downloaded previous versions of NBEMS you have two ways to upgrade to the new test suite
- Uninstall the previous version (no data files will be lost) and then download and install 1.3.0, or
- Download the following two zipped executables and copy them to
the NBEMS program directory (c:\Progam Files\NBEMS\) overwriting the
existing flarq.exe and vbdigi.exe files.
For most users it will be easier to uninstall the old suite and install the new one.
This version
IS NOT compatible
with previous versions. Please read through the
flarq help
for new information on using this ARQ application. If you are
testing with another amateur station be sure that both of you are using
flarq-3.2.
On line help is under development with the latest html and pdf files
available here. These have been updated to the 1.3.0 suite:
Click here to view the
Change Log.
Unzip and then run the "setup" program. If the setup
program reports that a dll or ocx on your system is newer than the
install program select the option to retain your old file.
The NarrowBand Emergency Messaging System (NBEMS) for Windows is a suite of
software programs designed for point-to-point, fast, error-free, emergency
messaging up to or over 100 miles distant, and takes up a very minimum of
space on the ham bands, leaving more space for all other ham activites.
The system is designed primarily for use on the two-meter band, or on HF
with NVIS antennas, where there is a minimum of fading (QSB) to slow down
message transfers. Two meters has the advantage that distances long enough
to span disaster areas of up to 100 miles can be dependably done with small,
portable antennas. In hilly regions, if two meters is not workable over the
distances required, NVIS antennas on HF can be employed instead, but are not
nearly as portable.
The system uses the computer soundcard as the modem and, other than a simple
interface connection between the computer and transceiver, no additional
hardware is needed.
It is consists of the following applications that are packaged into a single NBEMS program suite:
| vbdigi-1.3.0 |
MS Windows digital modem program for W98, W2K, XP and VISTA |
| flarq-3.2.1 |
Automated Repeat reQuest (ARQ) program that interfaces to vbdigi |
| fl_logbook-2.5 |
logbook program that accepts "saves" from vbdigi and exports ADIF if needed |
Composing and sending emergency messages on NBEMS utilizes the same Outlook
Express, Outlook, Windows Mail or Thunderbird email program used for Internet email,
and is no more difficult than sending an email over the Internet. Messages
just go over the radio instead, when the Internet or phone service is not
reachable in an emergency.
PSK63, PSK125, or PSK250 is used to modulate two-meter SSB, or HF SSB
transmitters, using horizontally polarized antennas for greatest range. Two
meters is unique in that the propagation is more constant than on the lower
bands from 6 meters on down, and range is greater, and absorption less, than
on the lowest UHF band, 70 cm, so much wider modes, that handle QSB by
continuing to work far below the noise level, are not needed.
This point-to-point system does not utilize repeaters, or email robots, for
message forwarding. All forwarding is always done by stations manned by live
operators on both ends, who can comfirm that a frequency is clear locally,
negotiate a QSY if necessary, and confirm delivery of a message by the
intended recipient. The system depends upon a multitude of radio amateurs
providing the traditional public service function, similar to the way they
always have, and gives more hams a chance to help out with emergency
communications without requiring a large hardware investment.
NBEMS is not intended for net communications, because only one station
at a time can be connected and controlled by flarq. Nets can be
conducted using VBdigi alone, and net control can suggest that two
stations move to an adjacent frequency, have one beacon, the other
connect, and then pass traffic using the error-free ARQ protocol
provided by flarq. If already connected to a station using flarq, net
control can use Plain Talk to communicate with that station (without
ARQ)
Flarq's "Plain Talk" facility can be used for either station in a
connection to communicate with the other (on a non-ARQ basis) without
breaking the connection or traffic transfer. For example, if there are
too many repeated data blocks, one station might suggest that a slower
PSK speed be used, or the transfer stopped and started over.
"Plain Talk" can also be used for casual, non-emergency, "semi-duplex",
QSO's by one station sending a beacon on a clear frequency, and another
station connecting, but neither sending any messages. Instead, both
stations can talk to each other using "Plain Talk" in a manner similar
to Internet chat, but without any error correction. If the connection
quality is high enough to use the faster PSK speeds, it is possible to
have quick exchanges that more closely resemble normal conversation
than regular simplex communications do. However, while connected,
emails, text files, binary files, or pictures can still be sent at any
time. A color portrait, the size of a passport photograph, can be
transferred in under 10 minutes (without any errors, and without
excessive repeated data blocks), using PSK250 or PSK125, if the path
quality is good enough.
VBdigi can also be used for daily casual communications on PSK31,
PSK63, RTTY, or MFSK16. The higher baud rates of PSK125 and
PSK250 are not particularly useful for keyboard to keyboard qso's.