From the Mouths of Babes ...

The NTSB notes problems with merely buying stuff and writing plans.

"The National Transportation Safety Board is calling on [the Commonwealth of Massachusetts] to improve emergency communications following their investigation into the Merrimack Valley disaster last year.  ... 'Massachusetts does have a communications strategic plan for emergency responders. However this plan is only for the upgrading of the communication system. No guidance is provided on how to coordinate and implement a plan for emergency responders to effectively communicate during a multi-jurisdictional event.'"

Encouraging developments in the Caribbean:

U.S.-Caribbean Resilience Partnership

"Now, therefore, the United States and aforementioned nations of the Caribbean hereby launch the new “U.S.-Caribbean Resilience Partnership” to strengthen resilience within the Caribbean region on key issues of shared interest, and in furtherance thereof, intend as follow:

   "To streamline early warning response networks and formalize communication channels; ........."

Cyber threats prompt return of radio for ship navigation

Reuters: The risk of cyber attacks targeting ships' satellite navigation is pushing nations to delve back through history and develop back-up systems with roots in World War Two radio technology.

ETSI Readies Report on First MCPTT Plugtest

ETSI Readies Report on First MCPTT Plugtest

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) in coming days plans to release a report summarizing results from the first mission-critical push to talk (MCPTT) Plugtests event held June 19 – 23. The report will follow preliminary data from the interoperability test sessions for mission-critical Long Term Evolution (LTE) equipment.

OODA in the Machine: Telecom discovers Col. John Boyd

ETSI Experiential Networked Intelligence group elects leaders during kick off meeting: "The purpose of the group is to define a Context Aware System using Artificial Intelligence (AI) based on the “observe-orient-decide-act” control model. This enables the system to adjust offered services based on changes in user needs, environmental conditions and business goals.

"Dr. Raymond Forbes explained: 'The purpose of the group is to improve operators' experience regarding network deployment and operation, by using AI techniques.' "

Deus ex Machina: AI, the Wizard Hat, and the Future of Humanity

And this in the Save Us From Ourselves Department -

Neuralink and the Brain's Magical Future - Wait But Why:
"Not only is Elon’s new venture—Neuralink—the same type of deal, but six weeks after first learning about the company, I’m convinced that it somehow manages to eclipse Tesla and SpaceX in both the boldness of its engineering undertaking and the grandeur of its mission. The other two companies aim to redefine what future humans will do—Neuralink wants to redefine what future humans will be."

Power to the Edge - Command...Control...in the Information Age

AN EDGE APPROACH TO INTEROPERABILITY

"An approach to interoperability with power to the edge characteristics promises to make interoperability a more tractable problem because the move to a post and smart pull approach frees us from the tyranny of [information exchange requirements]."

Public Safety Advocate: Opting In or Out? � ANDREWSEYBOLD.com

HELP WANTED:  More Andy Seybolds.



Public Safety Advocate: Opting In or Out? � ANDREWSEYBOLD.com

Metcalfe's Law is Wrong - IEEE Spectrum

Considerations in why shared systems in public safety communications are valuable - and why there may be limiting factors, including combining systems of unequal size.  Next stop:  SNR and value being drowned in the noise.



Metcalfe's Law is Wrong - IEEE Spectrum

Euro effort demos secure, interoperable communications -- Defense Systems

Euro effort demos secure, interoperable communications -- Defense Systems

Montana Highway Patrol helps county pay for unused, unwanted tower

Montana Highway Patrol helps county pay for unused, unwanted tower | The Glendive Ranger Review: Although they have not yet rid themselves of the communication tower near Fallon, Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Mary Jo Gehnert said Dawson County has found help paying the bills from Montana Highway Patrol. The tower was erected in 2007 on Bureau of Land Management land with Homeland Security funds from the Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program.
However, by 2011 Interoperability Montana was running out of administrative and operations funding and on June 30, 2011 IM dissolved. When IM dissolved, approximately $10 million in grant awards, projects and contracts were abandoned.
“When the IM project went defunct, all of the expenses fell back on to Dawson County,” Gehnert said.

Enhancing National Preparedness to Space-Weather Events | whitehouse.gov

Enhancing National Preparedness to Space-Weather Events | whitehouse.gov: The strategy plans to deal with communications operability and interoperability - "Ensure the capability and interoperability of communications systems during extreme space-weather events: Effective communications systems are essential to gaining and maintaining situational awareness and ensuring unity of effort in response and recovery operations. The effects of space weather on communications systems occur at different timescales and at varying degrees within a single event, depending on the system and the characteristics and duration of the event. Government and private-sector stakeholders need guidance that allows them to maintain communications capabilities (including interoperability) during an extreme space-weather event."

Philippines, Pacific militaries train in post-disaster communication | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

Philippines, Pacific militaries train in post-disaster communication: Military representatives from 21 Asia-Pacific nations including the Philippines met in Manila to discuss how to restore communication channels destroyed in disaster situations.

The meeting, part of the United States-led Exercise Pacific Endeavor 2015, hosted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines provided an opportunity for the partner-nations to enhance communication interoperability and learn about the latest trends in satellite technology, broadband global access networks (BGAN) and mobile Internet capabilities.

Ethiopian, Djiboutian militaries broaden communication, intelligence system skills at CJTF-HOA | Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa

Ethiopian, Djiboutian militaries broaden communication, intelligence system skills at CJTF-HOA | Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa: Having a quick and effective means of communicating complex tasks is a critical component to any military force of sufficient size and complexity.

What began with runners conveying messages by foot to commanders in the field, and signalers waving flags to coordinate troop movements is now performed with sophisticated telecommunication systems and computers.

Aiding the military forces serving in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to effectively communicate is the U.S. Africa Command Data Sharing Network (ADSN). Recently, intelligence and communications personnel from the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and Djiboutian Armed Forces (FAD) visited Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa to work alongside U.S. intelligence and communication specialists here.

Cognitive Networked HF

The radio system bringing connectivity to the toughest environments in the world | ZDNet: The technology behind the system combines traditional high frequency (HF) terrestrial radio technology with modern cognitive and software-defined technologies. The latter is key, as it replaces typical hardware components (such as mixers and amplifiers) with software, enabling it to work even in the most demanding environments.

Homeland Security Today: DHS Needs to Improve Grant Guidance for Public Safety Communications Equipment, IG Says

Homeland Security Today: DHS Needs to Improve Grant Guidance for Public Safety Communications Equipment, IG Says: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) isn’t providing specific requirements in its grant guidance to grantees for acquiring interoperable emergency communications equipment, according to a new DHS Inspector General (IG) audit report.



Quack, quack, quack.  As if the quality of "interoperability" was readily observable.  SAFECOM grant guidance has been issued with each program for years.

Baltimore Wasn't Fully Prepared for Riot, Mayor Says

Baltimore Wasn't Fully Prepared for Riot, Mayor Says: The Baltimore Sun reported Monday that the emails and other documents show that communications within government broke down during the riots of April 27, as officials desperate for information exchanged rumors and subordinates questioned city leaders.

Homeland Security Today: Bill to Improve Interoperable Emergency Communications for First Responders Passed by House

Homeland Security Today: Bill to Improve Interoperable Emergency Communications for First Responders Passed by House: The State Wide Interoperable Communications Enhancement Act, or SWIC Enhancement Act (HR 2206), passed by the House would require states to have a Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC) or to delegate activities related to achieving interoperability to other individuals.

Homeland Security Today: NEW - Unlocking Interoperability: What It Means for Next-Generation Public Safety Communications

Homeland Security Today: NEW - Unlocking Interoperability: What It Means for Next-Generation Public Safety Communications - Robert Stack: You can’t go 60 seconds in a conversation about public safety communications without someone using the word “interoperability.” Plus, the number of interpretations—and misinterpretations—of what “interoperability" actually means is directly related to the number of participants in the conversation. That’s because “interoperability” means something different to the many facets in the industry.