TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
ALL NON-WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WOOD COUNTY BULLETIN NR 14.51 DATE: December 21, 2014
SUBJECT: WHAT WAS FINDER?
For those who have never been operated the digital Amateur Radio mode called Packet Radio, you might not be interested in FINDER. But, for those Amateurs who do operate Packet, you may or not have heard of FINDER. FINDER is the name of the original Amateur Radio, computer database system that was used to keep track of workers, victims, and equipment during disasters.
An upgraded system was later called ARES/Data. The ARES/data system did the same job, but had a few additional functions. ARES/Data was a database that was operated over Amateur radio, but could be used by other services if they want to purchase the rights to use it.
ARES/Data used a dictated Terminal NODE Control, better known as a TNC which is similar to a phone line modem, except it is connected to a radio. ARES/Data also had a dictated computer connected to the TNC. The reason the system was called FINDER was the fact that callsigns and ALIASs that are used with Packet Radio can't be any longer than six charters. Since FINDER was the original name of the database system it was a way of identifying the ARES/Data database system.
The ARES/Data system had five fields where information could be entered when a Packet Radio operator was connected to the database. But, only four of the fields could be used to search for information that had been entered into each file. When the Wood County FINDER system was setup, the Fields were: 1 (Last Name), 2 (First Name, Middle Initial), 3 a (Classification Code) and 4 a (Location). The 5th Field was used to place additional remarks that might be helpful in identifying victims, emergency workers, equipment, etc. The 5th field could not be searched, it's was just for additional information.
The reason a description of the ARES/Data (FINDER) system is in the past tenses and it no longer exists. The Finder system was a program that was written in Computer DOS (Disk Operating System) language, and needs a computer that runs on DOS, and a speed of about 50 mbps. Finding a computer that runs that slow is almost impossible.
Work and ideas are underway to put together another database system that uses a Windows based Computer, which can be interfaced with a Packet Radio and TNC. When that happens, the FINDER system will be back in operation.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV