AmRRON AIB and NBEMS

 

Founded in 2011, the American Redoubt Radio Operators Network (AmRRON) https://amrron.com/ began as a radio communications network to share information and coordinate in response to disasters in the Pacific Northwest.  By 2013 members joined from over half of the other states in the US.  The American Preparedness Radio Network (TAPRN) on the east coast merged with AmRRON in 2013. By 2014, AmRRON/TAPRN consisted of members from every state, and now consists of members in CANADA, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Japan and elsewhere.

AmRRON's on-the-air activities and focus on grid-down communication provides an opportunity for operators to practice and enhance their radio skills. You don't have to be an AmRRON member to monitor their bulletins and participate in their radio nets.

AIB Monday 

The AmRRON Intelligence Brief (AIB, or ‘Intel Brief’) is a weekly (every Monday) distribution of real-world intelligence compiled from open intelligence (OSINT) sources. https://amrron.com/2025/06/23/white-paper-reposting-amrron-intelligence-brief/

Every Monday...

FLMSG @ 2000z 14.110 MHz MFSK-32 (900 on wf)

FLAMP @ 2010z 14.110 MHz  MFSK-32 (900 on wf) xmit of .k2s file

FLMSG @2020z 7.110 MHz MFSK-32 (900 on wf)

FLAMP @2030z 7.110 MHz  MFSK-32 (900 on wf) xmit of .k2s file

This is good practice for using FLDigi https://sourceforge.net/projects/fldigi/ either as part of your regular radio communications set-up, or as demonstrated in this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeNA754J7CY, with just a SW receiver and the software downloaded to your phone or tablet. 

 

Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System (NBEMS) 

The Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System (NBEMS) is an Open Source software suite that allows amateur radio operators to reliably send and receive data using nearly any computer (Windows, Mac, and Linux) and any analog radio without requiring a dedicated digital infrastructure or specialized modem hardware. NBEMS works on both VHF/UHF FM and on HF.

The System uses Fldigi, the Fast Light Digital modem application, a free, open-source program which allows an ordinary computer's sound card to be used as a simple two-way data modem.

MT63 can be used over FM radio, specifically in the form of MT63-2K Long interleave, which is considered the standard for VHF FM operations due to its speed and robust error correction. This mode is effective for local communications on 2m and 70cm bands, both in simplex and repeater configurations, and is recommended for detailed situation reports and database transmissions. It is particularly useful under poor RF conditions and is forgiving of sound card tuning and calibration when used on FM. The mode is supported by software like fldigi and has been adopted by organizations such as the ARRL for emergency communications. However, using MT63 over FM does not provide any advantage over voice communication in terms of weak signal performance, as FM receivers detect signals based on amplitude rather than phase or frequency shifts. 

Other modes used over FM include 8PSK1000F and 8PSK500F, which are reported to work well on VHF/UHF FM, especially when audio deviation is kept within limits (e.g., 1.8 kHz at 1500 Hz). These modes are faster than MT63-2KL and are used in emergency communications for efficient message transfer. DomX88 is another mode noted for its speed and reliability with acoustic coupling, performing well on both simplex and repeater links (DomX88" refers to the DominoEX mode with a speed setting of 88).