The terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 and subsequent events have highlighted the need for advanced, comprehensive amateur radio emergency communications. Hams have enjoyed increased cooperation and respect from many government agencies and officials in the wake of 9-11, including a special message of praise and encouragement to U.S. amateurs from president George W. Bush.
At the same time, significant advances have been made in the equipment and software availble to digital amateur radio networkers, making it possible to build network we could only dream about in years past. Amateurs not only have a clear mandate to develop our capability to provide communications in times of emergency or disaster, but we also have the means to do so in a meaningful fashion.
Packet radio (in conjunction with other digital modes) has enormous potential to provide fast, accurate emergency/disaster communications. With the recent resurge of interest, several of our large-scale VHF/UHF networks have begun to expand and upgrade, and new packet networks are again springing up around the nation.
By building and developing independent, amateur radio network that does not depend upon standard, non-ham methods of communicating such as the Internet, amateurs arrainge to be there when they are needed the very most - when traditional methods of communication have broken down or become overloaded during the course of an emergency. Our mandate is to provide independent, alternate emergency communications and networked amateur packet radio is especially relevant to that purpose.
Soon, we can reasonably expect to begin tying our regional networks together into a cohesive, national digital communications network, completely seperate and independent, through the participation of thousands of American hams. It is a large, ongoing task, not something we can expect to "finish", as our networks must not only grow, they must also be maintained and upgraded as we go along.
Now is the time for amateur packet radio networkers to share information, get to know each other and work together more closely than they ever have before. We will be addressing a challenge, answering to a mandate and having a good deal of fun while we are at it. It is this spirit within the hobby that USPacket is here to facilitate. We dedicate our efforts to the many amateurs who participate in this fine aspect of amateur radio, and to the people of the United States of America.