TO:    ALL WOOD COUNTY ARES MEMBERS  (OFFICIAL)
       ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE  (INFORMATION)
FROM:  KEN HARRIS WA8LLM ARRL DISTRICT 3
EMERGENCY COORDINATOR WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INC.

WOOD COUNTY ARES BULLETIN NR 20.18      DATE: May 3, 2020
SUBJECT: WHAT IS HSMM ?

HSMM stands for High Speed MultiMedia.  HSMM is another mode of digital communication networks that can be built and used for Amateur Radio.  HSMM can be operated on the frequency bands of 2.4 and 5 GHz.  HSMM networks can use commercial off-the-shelf equipment.  HSMM can be used to support public service agencies in times of disasters when additional communications are needed. HSMM can also be used to link repeaters together.  They can be used to place webcams for security at remote sites.  HSMM can also be connected to the World Wide Internet system.  Basically HSMM can do just about anything the regular Internet can do.

There are a few restrictions that HSMM needs to be aware of. Part 97 of the FCC Rules and Regulations applies to HSMM.  As with any other transmitters operated by Amateur Radio, the equipment operated on HSMM frequencies need to identify at least every 10 minutes.  Because the frequencies being used for HSMM are shared with other Internet and WiFi type of equipment, the network needs to built to restrict all non-Amateur Radio licensed people from using the system.  Because the FCC Rules says that Amateurs cannot use encryption, the security built into the commercial off-the-shelf equipment can't be used.

Amateurs who are computer experts have written, and built, their own HSMM programs.  Some of the commercial off-the-shelf equipment can be re-programed with these Amateur Radio programs. The Amateur Radio HSMM programs are written and built to abide by the FCC Rules and Regulations.

Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV