Ian & Stuart's Australian Mac: Not for Sale/Another.not.for.sale (Australia).iso/fade into you/access/Indonesian Connections/Indonesia-packet-radio-project

Internet Message Format | 1994-05-25 | 7KB

From bit.listserv.devel-l Sat Jul 31 17:33:47 1993
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.devel-l
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 14:04:45 +0500
Reply-To: Khursh Ahmed <[e-mail]>
Sender: Technology Transfer in International Development
              <[e-mail]>
From: Khursh Ahmed <[e-mail]>
Subject: Indonesia packet radio project
Status: RO

I mentioned a very successful installation of a local Packet Radio Network
in Indonesia recently (I also mentioned that it does not YET connect to
Internet).  I have had a number of messages for further information.  I
decided to type the original article from the newsletter; it is not very
technical but provides an overview of the set up.  Further information
*may* be available from the author.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=

 From the newsletter "PRIORITAS KESEHATAN - Health Priorities",
 March 1991.  Published by Fakultas Kedokteran, Universitas Gadjah
 Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Teknologi Telekomunikasi - The Technology of Telecommunications
by Tri Kuntoro Priyambodo.


The Need for Communication

The ability to control information in this era of information
globalization and revolution is the key to successful strategy
identification and decision making.  Therefore, data and information
management endeavors in any activity will always gain priority
consideration.  The need for a functional information system becomes
even more obvious in an undertaking that attempts to monitor and
control the health of communities, such as in the Early Warning System
of the Department of Health.

The Gadjah Mada and McMaster Universities took the initiative to lay
the groundwork for an electronic health data communication network
experiment in Central Java, Indonesia.  Basically the network consists
of a system of computers interconnected by radios.  Each unit can
communicate with the other units.  One computer assumes the role of
center or host and the others act as terminals or nodes.

The computers of a network can be interconnected by direct cables (if
the distances are small), telephones or radios.  In the last two ASCII or
binary characters are converted into sounds of a certain frequency
before being sent through telephone lines or radio-transmitters.  Radios
were chosen for this experiment because they can cover very large
areas, especially isolated areas which do not have automatic
telephones.

At the moment 1 center and 7 nodes were set up (see Figure 1). Each
node consists of 1 computer and 1 communication unit.  A 40 mega
byte hard disk is installed in every computer for storing data and
programs.  A transmitter, a receiver and an antenna make up the
communication unit.  The computer is connected to the communication
unit by a modem, which converts computer characters (binary) to
sound when sending messages and transforms sound to computer
characters when receiving information.

Figure 1 - Health Information Electronic Telecommunication Network
(Please note, all stations are inter-connected, shown by connecting
lines in the original diagram)


                    Provincial
                   Health Office
                   (Central Java)


  District                                     Sub-district
Health Office                                 Health Centre
(Mageland)                                     (Delanggu)

                      Computer Centre
                  Gadjah Mada University
                           GMU

CEBU                                            District
GMU                                           Health Office
                                               (Wonogiri)

        GOME                         Medical Records
        GMU                         Sardjito Teaching
                                        Hospital


The host and nodes possess similar hardware.  However, because the
host must serve all other nodes some of its characteristics need special
consideration. Among others, the host must have the capacity to retain
data from all nodes that are meant for collective use.  Therefore, a
sizable hard disk is required.  At the moment a 300 Mega bytes disk is
in place.  Furthermore, its communication gear must have the power to
adequately reach all nodes.  This requires a transmitter that has the
ability to reach distant places and to distribute messages equally to all
directions.

Nodes can be interconnected directly, using other nodes as digital
repeaters, or indirectly, as an extension of other terminal nodes.  The
first method is applied if there are no communication obstacles
between the two communicating nodes.  The second approach is
exercised if the connection between the two nodes is unsatisfactory.
The host is often used as repeater due to its equal transmission to all
directions.

Every node is furnished with special software to facilitate the
interconnections between two nodes.  Through this software users of
two nodes can communicate as well as exchange data.  However, for
data exchange operators need to be present at the nodes because the
sending and receiving of data are accomplished manually.

A preferable method of communication is via the host, which is
equipped with a software specifically designed for serving the nodes.
The sending of data can be performed without the assistance of other
users.

Development of the Present Network

The present system can be further improved.  Among others, by
utilizing the host not only as a data depository but also as a data
processing center.  This will save time because data is transferred only
in one direction, i.e., from node to host.  An additional advantage is
that only one high capacity computer is required (i.e. the host) for high
speed information processing.  This means that the large software
reside only in the host.  In other words, each node simply needs a
program for sending data to and receiving processed data from the
host.  Another more important advantage of this new communication
method is there will be no more data duplication.  In addition, the
consistency of data will always be maintained.

Obviously, the shortcoming of this approach lies in the very fact that
the whole system is overly dependent on the host.  A breakdown of the
host any one time may paralyze the whole system.

Summing up...

The health information electronic telecommunication network is a
reasonably reliable infrastructure for a health information system.  This
network is very useful for communication of distant places that do not
have automatic telephones.

(Mr. Tri Kuntoro Priyambodo, MSc is a staff member of the Computer
Centre, Gadjah Mada University.  Another person who is very
knowledgeable about the system, and a ham radio operator, is Dr.
Winardi, Dept. of Obstetrics/Gynecology, GMU).

While Mr. Priyambodo and Dr. Winardi do not have access to Internet,
you may be able to send messages through [e-mail]
with a request to pass the message on.


*********************************************************************
Khursh Ahmed Ph.D.                    Internet: [e-mail]
Faculty of Health Sciences, HSC-2D5   Voice:    [phone]  x2443
McMaster University,                  Fax:      [phone]
Hamilton ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada