ARES CF-33 Field Dashboard

Offline Electron dashboard for the Toughbook CF-33 that organizes ARES field software, mission packs, PACE plans and operator logs, with no cloud and no auto-transmit.

Status

In progress

Category

Radio and Emergency Comms

Started

TBD

Last updated

2026-10-26

Release

Release details

Version

0.1.0

Platform

Windows 11 on Panasonic Toughbook CF-33

Stack

Electron, React, TypeScript, Vite

Packaging

Electron Builder (NSIS installer)

Storage

Local JSON only

Network

None required; web links open only when clicked

Built with

OpenAI Codex

Source: Project README and package.json (repository not public)

Goal

When an activation starts, every tool an ARES operator needs should be one tap away on the field laptop, and it should work with no internet. “Done” means one touch-friendly screen that launches the radio, Winlink, APRS, mesh, GPS, weather, ICS forms and documentation tools, shows which ones are installed and which are missing, and keeps the mission context (plan, PACE matrix, hardware staging and operator log) in one place.

Constraints

• Hardware: Panasonic Toughbook CF-33 on Windows 11, used with gloves and in sunlight, so the interface is touch-first with light, dark and high-contrast modes.
• Offline: no cloud dependency, no telemetry, no account and no paid service. External web resources are labeled as links.
• Safety: the dashboard never transmits on amateur radio, never keys PTT, never schedules or bridges traffic, and never switches vehicle lighting on its own.
• Non-destructive: setup actions create missing folders and starter files only. They never delete or overwrite existing files.

Architecture

Electron main process ─► local JSON settings (Windows user profile)
        │                     │
        │                     └─► import / export backup
        ▼
React renderer (touch UI)
  ├─ Launcher catalog ─► checks each target: Ready · Missing · Link · System
  ├─ Mission Ops ─► mission packs · PACE matrix · hardware staging · operator log
  ├─ Field checklists ─► local progress
  └─ System status ─► COM / USB serial ports · battery · network · clock

New default launchers merge into existing settings by a stable ID, so an update never wipes the operator’s custom paths.

Mission Ops

Mission Ops is the deployment cockpit for degraded environments. It keeps the current activation context in one place:

• Mission packs: Duval ARES activation, degraded or offline communications, and weather or hurricane watch operations.
• PACE communications matrix: primary, alternate, contingency and emergency paths across voice, Winlink, APRS, mesh, weather and documentation fallbacks.
• Hardware staging: critical computer, radio, power, digital, GPS, storage and paper-binder assets.
• Operator log: status, decisions, issues, safety notes and field observations, stored locally.
• Mission gap summary: uses the same Ready, Missing, Link and System logic as the launcher, so a missing tool shows up as a mission gap.

Mission Ops is only for planning and logging. It does not transmit radio traffic, bridge services, schedule messages or control vehicle hardware.

Launcher modules

The 109 launchers are grouped into 22 modules, with field communications at the top and maintenance and recovery lower down:

Field operations	Support and maintenance
ARES / Field Communications	Network / Wi-Fi Diagnostics
Packet / APRS	USB Device History
Mesh / LoRa / AREDN	Windows Control Panel / Maintenance
GPS / GNSS Tools	System Health
Weather / Hazards	PDF / Documents / Field Files
ICS Forms / Field Documentation	Storage Cleanup
TAK / Field Situational Awareness	Secure Credentials
Radio Programming	Media / ISO / Recovery
Emergency Management	Evidence / Video
SDR / Monitoring	Developer / Cloud Tools
Maps / Situational Awareness	Vehicle Systems

The search box filters by title, module, tags or description. Quick filters cover Ready, Missing, Link, System, ARES, Network, Mesh, GPS, Weather, Emergency, ICS and Recovery.

Local data

Settings are stored as JSON in the app’s data folder for the Windows account. They include the operator profile, mission packs and the active mission, PACE plan rows, hardware staging inventory, operator log entries, launcher paths and metadata, folder paths, COM port notes, checklist progress and hardware profile flags. The Backup / Recovery screen exports or imports all of it as one JSON file.

Parts list

Part	SKU	Price paid	Key specs	Source	Status
Panasonic Toughbook CF-33	TBD	TBD	Windows 11, touchscreen	TBD	Installed
Radio and digital-mode software (Winlink, VarAC, APRS, mesh tools)	TBD	TBD	Launched by the dashboard, not bundled	TBD	TBD

Configuration

• Launcher types: program, folder, document, template folder, URL, Windows system command or settings URI, and explicit local command.
• Settings editor: every launcher path, folder, link and command can be changed in the app and is saved locally.
• Field kit folders: a one-click action builds the standard field kit folder tree (radio programming, Winlink, ICS forms, maps, manuals, mission packs, PACE plans, inventory, offline binder, logs, recovery and more) and adds CSV starters for the PACE matrix, hardware inventory, operator log and tactical call sign roster, only when they do not already exist.
• Helper scripts (PowerShell): a dashboard health audit, an offline software manual library builder, and a controlled installer for the field kit software.

Build steps

1. npm install
2. npm run dev for development, or double-click Launch Dashboard.cmd to run it like a field app.
3. npm run build for a production build.
4. npm run build:win to produce the Windows installer.

Testing and verification

Area	Status
Dashboard health audit (2026-05-20, on the CF-33)	109 launchers, 52 folders, 8 checklists, 3 mission packs, 6 PACE rows and 11 hardware assets in the catalog. No duplicate launchers, no missing launchers, no path mismatches and no mission reference issues. 207 offline PDFs in the kit, none invalid.
Type check (npm run typecheck)	Not yet reported here
Windows installer build	Script exists; a tested installer has not been published
Automated UI tests	None yet

Unverified

The audit numbers above come from the dashboard’s own health report on the field laptop. They were not re-run for this page.

Safety notes

• The dashboard is a planning, launching and logging surface only. All radio traffic stays a direct operator action in the radio software itself.
• Vehicle lighting is reachable only through an explicit launcher that opens the Vehicle Light Controller, which keeps its own visible ALL OFF control.
• Any future action that writes to hardware should require confirmation and a local log entry.

Lessons learned

• Showing Ready or Missing next to every launcher turns the dashboard into a readiness check. A missing tool is found at home, not at the incident.
• Merging new defaults by stable ID is what makes it safe to keep improving the catalog on a laptop that is already configured.

Open items

• Publish screenshots with no personal paths or call sign rosters visible.
• Run and publish a type check and installer build result for the next release.
• Decide whether the repository will be public.

Changelog

1. 2026-10-26

   Project page published.

   Rollback: Revert the commit that added this page.