The AARC home page has been updated with plans for the December
meeting.

--Mike, nw3v
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

********************************************
            The ARES E-Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
********************************************

November 21, 2018

Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE <k1ce@...>

In This Issue:

IN THIS ISSUE

- Hurricane Michael: Northern Florida ARES Groups Begin to File After
Action Reports
- Hurricane Michael: American Red Cross Thanks Radio Amateurs
- How to Send E-mail to a Disaster Area via WINLINK
- Southern New Jersey ARES Team Supports Search for Missing Man
- FEMA Releases 2018 National Preparedness Report
- Driver Rescued Thanks to Alert Badger Weather Net Members
- News Media Covers Amateurs' Hurricane Michael Involvement
- Ham Radio Assists in Rescue of Missing Mariner
- K1CE For a Final: HDSCS, the End of an Era of Extraordinary Service

California Fires Responses

(11/13/18) From Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, ARRL News Desk (summarized) --
Amateur Radio volunteers have been active on several fronts as
wildfires raged in large sections of California.

Camp Fire

In Butte County, northern California, the Camp Fire caused multiple
shelters to be opened to evacuees, with five Sacramento Valley ARES
<http://sacvalleyares.org/> groups involved in communications support
between the Red Cross Disaster Operations Center (DOC) and the
shelters.In addition to supporting the shelters, ARES members were also
tasked by Red Cross to shadow Red Cross delivery vehicles to provide
communications in the mountain areas to the shelters.

ARES voice, WINLINK, and email were used to pass shelter counts and
tactical messages between the shelter and the Red Cross Disaster
Operations Center and Cal Office of Emergency Services. The Red Cross
supported ARES at the shelters with hot spots and backup radios.

Working 12-hour shifts, Sacramento Valley Section District Emergency
Coordinator 3 Michael Joseph, KK6GZB, staffed the Red Cross radio
station as net control for the DOC, passing messages and tracking ARES
personnel. Sacramento ARES members have been pitching in as needed.
Joseph also has been coordinating ARES deployments as needed.

Visit the ARRL Sacramento Valley Section Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/ARRLSacramentoValley/> page or Twitter
account <https://twitter.com/ARRL_SV> for more information. -- Thanks
to Section Emergency Coordinator Greg Kruckewit, KG6SJT

Woolsey Fire

The Woolsey Fire swept through the westernmost portion of Los Angeles
County and the easternmost area of Ventura County in the ARRL Santa
Barbara Section. "Governmental radio systems used by fire and sheriff
held up," said Los Angeles Section Manager Diana Feinberg, AI6DF.
"Evacuees went to areas where cell phone service was generally
available." She said Los Angeles ARES (ARES LAX
<http://www.areslax.org/>) was not activated because no county
hospitals were in the affected area and no hospital outside the fire
zone was in danger of losing communication. A team of ARES LAX
operators organized by LAX-Northwest District Emergency Coordinator
Roozy Moabery, W1EH, did perform logistics work at a major drop-off
site in the San Fernando Valley for evacuee supplies.

On the air for the Woolsey Fire, both the Los Angeles County Disaster
Communications Service (DCS) -- Amateur Radio volunteers overseen by
the Sheriff's Department -- and the City of Los Angeles Fire Department
Auxiliary Communication Service (ACS) operated nets and monitored their
respective frequencies. "The DCS group at Lost Hills Sheriff Station
covers most of the Los Angeles County areas affected by the Woolsey
Fire and communicated with organized amateurs in the cities of
Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills, Malibu, Westlake Village, and
unincorporated mountain areas when not affected by respective mandatory
evacuation orders," Feinberg said. "The City of Los Angeles' ACS group
was involved when the city's West Hills neighborhood in the San
Fernando Valley became the fire's northeastern front, forcing about
half the West Hills community to evacuate."

Feinberg said ACS members have also been involved with delivering food
and water supplies to LAFD firefighters and performing fire patrols.
American Red Cross volunteers are reported to be using Amateur Radio in
connection with some of their fire response activities, Feinberg
reported.

Click here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/amateur-radio-volunteers-at-the-ready-for-cal
ifornia-fire-duty>for
full story.

And here is an 11/19/18 update: Repeaters, Amateur TV Play
Communication Role in California Fire Emergency
<http://www.arrl.org/news/repeaters-amateur-tv-play-communication-role-
in-california-fire-emergency>

ARES Briefs, Links

Maritime Mobile Service Network Operators Assist Vessel with Ill Crew
Member
<http://www.arrl.org/news/maritime-mobile-service-network-operators-ass
ist-vessel-with-ill-crew-member>
(11/14/18); Eastern Massachusetts SEC Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Receives Blue
Hills Observatory Outstanding Service Award
<http://www.arrl.org/news/eastern-massachusetts-sec-rob-macedo-kd1cy-re
ceives-blue-hills-observatory-outstanding-service-award>
(11/12/18); Oregon ARES Drill Scenario to Simulate Double Virus and
Hypothetical Terrorist Attack
<http://www.arrl.org/news/oregon-ares-drill-scenario-to-simulate-double
-virus-and-hypothetical-terrorist-attack>
(11/08/18)

Key References

See the ARRL 2018 Hurricanes Page <http://www.arrl.org/2018-Hurricanes>
for Information Resources, ARRL News, Media Hits, and Donations to Ham
Aid.

ARES Annual/Monthly Reports
<http://www.arrl.org/ares-annual-monthly-reports> can be found here,
organized by date, with a link to download a PDF of the full report.

Archives of the ARRL ARES E-Letter <http://www.arrl.org/ares-el> going
back to the original issue (September 2005) are available for download.

ARRL Emergency Coordinators may register their ARES group here
<http://www.arrl.org/ares-group-id-request-form> for a group ID.

______

==> HURRICANE MICHAEL: NORTHERN FLORIDA ARES GROUPS BEGIN TO FILE AFTER
ACTION REPORTS

Last month, Hurricane Michael slammed into Florida's panhandle, the
most severe hurricane to ever hit the region. ARES groups across the
entire state were either directly involved in disaster communications
efforts or secondarily involved by providing support via numerous HF
and VHF emergency/disaster nets, various modes, and organizations for
those in the affected areas. After Action Reports have begun to be
drafted and filed with Section and ARES leadership. The reports lend
insight into operating conditions and challenges, and all-important
lessons learned.

Escambia County (Westernmost Panhandle County)

On Tuesday, October 9 through Wednesday, October 10 at 1700 (almost 18
hours), Escambia County (at the western end of the panhandle) ARES was
activated for the County EOC Level 2 activation for Hurricane Michael
operations. Assistant EC Joe McLemore, KF4DVF, reported that 21 Amateur
Radio operators/stations were involved in total (fifteen county ARES
members, and six non-ARES personnel).

The ARES room inside the EOC was staffed by four ARES members. Both
open evacuation shelters were staffed by radio operators.The Escambia
County Emergency Net (also the local ARES net) was activated on the
146.76 MHz VHF repeater. Several messages were sent via a tactical VHF
local net and the HF statewide nets: The Northern Florida ARES Net and
the Northern Florida Emergency Net on 3950 kHz, were monitored in the
ARES room at the EOC for the following agencies: Red Cross and shelters
(also BRACE <http://www.bereadyalliance.org/>, the Be Ready Alliance
Coordinating for Emergencies), Escambia County Fire Rescue, and
Escambia County Emergency Communications.

The SATERN  <http://www.satern.org>net was also monitored by Eugene
Brannon, KB4HAH, per the request of the Salvation Army coordinated
through ARRL Northern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Karl
Martin, KG4HBN. Digital modes were also employed in various capacities,
including APRS and Winlink. The operators monitored National Weather
Service NWS Chat, and HURREVAC (storm tracking and decision support
tool of the National Hurricane Program, administered by FEMA, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Hurricane Center) was also
used. [NWS Chat is an Instant Messaging program used by NWS operational
personnel to share critical warning decision expertise and other types
of significant weather information that is exchanged in real-time with
the media and emergency response community, who in turn play a key role
in communicating the NWS's hazardous weather messages to the public.
NWS partners can use NWS Chat as an efficient means of seeking
clarifications and enhancements to the communication stream originating
from the NWS during a fast-paced significant weather or hydrologic
event.]

The new ARES Connect system was used to keep Escambia County ARES
members notified and to ask for assistance. The ARRL volunteer
management, communications, and reporting system allows information to
be logged by ARES members and managed through the Field Organization.
Six e-mails were sent to Escambia County ARES members via the ARES
Connect system. Two Escambia County ARES members volunteered and were
deployed to the Panama City disaster area to provide communications
support.

All told, ARES time invested included an estimated 70.3 person-hours
for direct incident involvement, and three hours for planning and
documentation.

Gilchrist County (east of the Big Bend region)

Gilchrist County is a large rural agricultural county bordered on the
north and west by the Santa Fe river and the famous Suwannee River,
with a population of roughly 20,000.

Gilchrist County EC John Greiner, KJ4YPZ, reported on pre-landfall
actions taken Thursday, October 4, activating the county 2-meter ARES
Net on the Bell repeater (147.285 MHz) at 7:30 PM. Amateurs were
informed on the progress of the storm and of the Nightly Storm Net to
begin Monday, October 8. (The storm net designation and operation
starts within 72 hours of impact to the area per ARES protocol).

By Sunday, October 7, Michael was still a Tropical Storm. Information
was posted by Greiner on the Dixie Amateur Radio Klub web blog page and
emailed to all radio operators and ARES members on the contact list. On
Monday night, the Nightly Storm Net began operations with briefings.
Greiner tested and set up radios at the Gilchrist EOC and station
NF4EC. Emergency Management planned to go to Level 2 activation on
Tuesday afternoon: By 2 PM, Michael was a Category 2 hurricane and by 5
PM was upgraded to a Category 3. More information on hurricane nets and
advisories, frequencies and schedules, was passed. On Wednesday,
October 10, the storm made landfall near Mexico Beach as a devastating
Category 4 storm.

Gilchrist County ARES monitored the situation at level 3 activation
through the passing of the storm. When the State EOC lost Tallahassee
radar and the internet, Greiner was able to provide the state EOC staff
with timely info on the current location of the passing storm. In
Gilchrist, three shelters -- one for special needs at the Bell High
School -- had been opened and three persons sought shelter.

Post-storm Recommendations: Greiner said repeaters,HF antennas, cell
towers and 911 took blows in the affected areas."There needs to be more
reliance on and training with VHF FM simplex and mobile HF antennas and
operation for resilience." A local area club has since initiated a
simplex net to begin November 20. Greiner is encouraging his ARES
members to improve their antennas for operation and participation on
simplex nets. He also said "Those that have the capability to go mobile
with HF radio and antenna are encouraged to be prepared to use the
systems after the storm's passing necessitates the lowering of fixed HF
antennas/towers."

==> HURRICANE MICHAEL: AMERICAN RED CROSS THANKS RADIO AMATEURS

The American Red Cross Communications Manager for the hurricane Michael
response sent the following letter to ARRL Northern Florida Section
Emergency Coordinator Karl Martin, KG4HBN:

"I wish to acknowledge and congratulate each of you and the many
amateurs who manned the stations at the Red Cross shelters and District
Operations during Hurricane Michael. As the Amateur Radio leadership
team on DR 748-19 I hope you will pass along to your associates our
heartfelt appreciation for an outstanding job. The professionalism and
dedication by each operator was truly inspiring.

"I wish to give special recognition to Sal Martocci, K4YFW, who was by
my side throughout the first three weeks. He has become the voice of
the American Red Cross in North Florida. Special thanks to Randy
Pierce, AG4UU, whose vision and hard work in support of Florida SARNET
<https://www.sarnetfl.com/> demonstrated what a phenomenal emergency
communications system we are so fortunate to have in our state, and to
Pat Lightcap, K4NRD who tirelessly served as Net Control for more hours
than one can imagine.

"Special recognition to Karl Martin, KG4HBN, who pulled the ARES team
together and maintained a full staff at all locations throughout the
entire critical period.

"Beside SARNET we were fortunate to have the North Florida ARES net on
80 meters run by Terry Webb, N0TW, and Paul Eakin, KJ4G. With the 80
meter net we had virtually 100% coverage. Their team provided a much
needed service day and night.

"Supporting this outstanding leadership team were a group of phenomenal
amateur operators who are the unsung heroes spending countless hours in
the field to help alleviate human suffering. On behalf of the American
Red Cross we hope you will give your team the recognition they richly
deserve and express our sincere appreciation.

"God bless each of you." -- David Morris, K4AW, Communications Manager,
October 10 - 31, 2018, Hurricane Michael DR 748-19, American Red Cross,
Tallahassee, Florida

==> HOW TO SEND E-MAIL TO A DISASTER AREA VIA WINLINK

There's a common misconception that one has to have complicated
equipment, software and skills to leverage the ham radio-developed
WINLINK system to reach into disaster areas. In fact, one of the major
advantages of the system is that it can easily connect disaster
area-located volunteers (who must use radio to make any connection)
with anyone else in the state, nation or world. It provides an easy way
for "back-home" supporters, family and friends to keep in touch with
deployed volunteers.

First you have to know the correct email Winlink address of the
disaster-located ham: it is simply their callsign (e.g., K4AAA)
@winlink.org thus K4AAA@...

Second, because WINLINK was built to handle slow-speed radio
connections, receiving a load of spam would be catastrophic for
throughput over a slow modem protocol. To avoid this, WINLINK
developers put in a "white list" -- a list for each WINLINK email user
of who is allowed to send them email. While the WINLINK user can simply
add you to their email-okay list, there's an even simpler way for
support amateurs to bypass this, which will not be known by spammers --
just put //WL2K at the beginning of your subject line. For example,
like this: //WL2K What is your current Status?

With those two critical components of the Winlink email message format,
anyone with normal email can make needed communications to a deployed
volunteer who is participating in the WINLINK system. One caveat:
WINLINK can't "force" email onto a volunteer who doesn't have their
radio turned on, or isn't connecting into a Winlink server station, so
it depends on periodic check-ins by the participant to check for,
receive and send email by radio.

Approximately 50,000 messages per month are transacted by this system,
so it is in regular substantial usage. WINLINK email-users can also add
entire domains to their "white list" (e.g., arrl.org, arrl.net,
em.myflorida.com and state.fl.us ) -- which might be a useful thing to
do for those who are going to be deployed and will be in contact with
officials or managers. Click here  <https://winlink.org>for additional
information: -- -- Gordon Gibby, KX4Z, North Florida Amateur Radio Club

==> SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY ARES TEAM SUPPORTS SEARCH FOR MISSING MAN

On November 10, 2018 Ocean County, Southern New Jersey ARES members
assisted search groups in looking for a man who was reported missing
from a local nursing home on November 2. The man suffered from
dementia. Searches had been ongoing and somewhat weather dependent in
neighborhoods around the nursing home. On Saturday, November 10, a
search was planned by the family of the missing man.

Tim Tonnesen, NJ2N, notified Bob Murdock, WX2NJ, the Ocean County ARES
Emergency Coordinator, that this search would be taking place in a
wooded area. This was considered an emergency operation for Ocean
County ARES and a plan was put into place. Tonnesen was instrumental in
contacting the local authorities and

    working with the family and search teams to execute the search
plan. Murdock concentrated on the communications technical side and
manpower. Notifications went out to all Ocean County ARES members. They
coordinated the area to be searched with Stafford Twp Police.

Search volunteers and ARES members met at 9:00 AM Saturday morning at
the Ocean County Vocational School and ARES ops established a Net
Control station at a park two miles from the school where commercial
power, shelter and rest rooms were available.The ARES mission was to
coordinate communications between the search groups. There were 143
volunteers divided into three groups and nine Ocean County ARES radio
operators. Each group had two radio operators. The groups then set out
in the three designated search areas. Topo maps were used to plot out
the search areas.

Communications initially took place on the Manahawkin 145.835 MHz N2OO
repeater, but coverage for the H-T's was a challenge due to topography.
Operators switched to the 449.825 MHz WA2RES repeater for great
coverage.

When there was a private property/trespass issue, the request of the
landowner and his permission were relayed by Amateur Radio and handled
quickly. The search teams came back to the park by 1:00 PM as was
requested, with negative findings.

ARES members assisted with making sure all were accounted for.
Operators were positioned to remind searchers to sign out at the rally
point after leaving the search area.

The group of operators returned by 3:00 PM and all were accounted for.
The coordination between ARES and local and state police was smooth and
went well. Searcher-volunteers were made up of local citizens and
volunteer fire and EMS personnel. All involved were required to sign in
and out. This was well coordinated with the ARES members. All ARES
operators wore ARES ID reflective vests and were easily visible to
everyone.

While the missing person was not found during this search effort, this
was a good experience for all ARES operators. A future issue that the
group will discuss is obtaining or constructing an ARES command post
shelter or vehicle.

Mike Daly, KC2SBR, summed up the event like this: "Bottom line to me
was it was real world, meaning all of elements of the incident response
got pulled together quickly and ad hoc. What I saw were volunteers
thinking on their feet, adjusting on the fly to the 'fog' that can
creep into an event response, looking for where we could fill the gaps
and add value as we went beyond just holding a radio. That experience
to me was a highlight: no exercise plan I have ever been involved in,
in the military or in Emergency Management and Continuity of
Operations, ever runs as scripted in the real world, and it's that
experience to roll with the punches and adjust as it happens that no
book can teach." -- Tom Preiser, N2XW, ARRL Southern New Jersey Section
Emergency Coordinator

Search Terms to Know

From the Kentucky Emergency Management agency --

Search Area - When search teams begin looking for a person (search
subject), they often draw lines on a map to divide the world into
search areas. These areas will then get labeled, such as A, B, C, D,
etc. or 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. When teams are sent into the field to look for
the person, they are assigned a search area and given a map of that
area. It is up to the search team to complete their assignment, return
to base and report their findings.

Point Last Seen (PLS) - This is the point on the map where the person
was last spotted by a witness with a positive identification. It might
be a trailhead, hunting camp, boat dock, parking lot, etc. If you know
for certain the person was seen standing by their car in the parking
lot just two hours ago, then you have a place to begin your search. You
also know about how far the person might be able to travel in two
hours, which helps limit your search area.

Last Known Position (LKP) - During a search, clues will turn up about
the person. Occasionally, the clue will be solid enough to be
reasonably certain the search subject left it. For example, if the
person is hiking a trail and searchers have a good unique shoe print, a
tracker can often find the same print along the trail, at a stream bed,
etc. and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the person left the clue.
Since the LKP is more recent than the PLS, you basically have a new
starting point for your search. Knowing just these two points allows
you to determine general direction of travel, approximate speed of
travel, etc.

Probability of Detection (POD or PoD) - POD is the likelihood of
finding the search subject in a given search area with the technique
used. Different search methods typically yield different PODs.

For example, imagine someone lost a silver dollar coin in a child's
sandbox. When you begin looking for it, you simply shuffled the sand
around hoping it would turn up. Your probability of detection for this
hasty search might be 25%. In other words, 25% of the time, this hasty
search would have turned up the lost coin. But it didn't. So, you begin
digging a little deeper, looking a little harder, etc., but still with
no definite technique. When you finish, you might begin asking the
person if they were sure they lost it in the sandbox. Now, you're 50%
sure it isn't in the box. So, you search a third time. But, this time
you approach the search with a more structured approach. You draw some
large blocks in the sand and run your fingers through each "grid"
looking for the coin. When you've searched the entire sandbox you
declare, I'm 75% sure the coin isn't in there. Finally, you divide each
large block in the sand, into smaller blocks and search each block by
screening the sand through a wire mesh. Sure enough, you discover the
coin. It was in there all along.

Each of the above search techniques carries with it a "probability of
detection." The more thorough the search technique, the higher the POD.
However, the more thorough the search technique, the longer it will
take you to complete the search of the same area. Managing a search is
usually a balancing act between POD and search time in the field.

Also, as you might guess, POD for a given search area becomes
cumulative. So, searching the sandbox twice quickly is usually more
effective (higher POD) than searching it once very slowly.

==> FEMA RELEASES 2018 NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS REPORT

FEMA has released the 2018 National Preparedness Report
<http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2l
kPTIwMTgxMTE0Ljk3NjE5MjIxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE4MTExNC45Nz
YxOTIyMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3NTY0MTYxJmVtYWlsaWQ9azFjZUBhc
nJsLm9yZyZ1c2VyaWQ9azFjZUBhcnJsLm9yZyZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9
JiYm&&&100&&&https://www.fema.gov/national-preparedness-report>.
In its seventh year, this report summarizes the nation's progress
toward becoming a more secure and resilient nation.

The report highlights lessons learned from previous responses, along
with findings from preparedness activities. The events and activities
captured in the report allow responders and emergency managers
throughout the nation to better understand capabilities, identify
shortfalls, and build capacity in preparation for future large-scale
and catastrophic incidents.

The 2018 National Preparedness Report also identifies gains made in
preparedness across the nation and identifies where challenges remain.
These findings provide insights into preparedness and informs decisions
about future program priorities, resource allocations, and community
actions.

The 2018 Report considers select 2017 real-world incidents that tested
the nation's capabilities, preparedness trends from state, tribal and
territory perspectives, and an overview of activities and investments
to build and sustain capabilities. As a result, it provides in-depth
evaluation of five core capabilities identified in previous reports as
facing persistent preparedness challenges-- Infrastructure Systems,
Housing, Economic Recovery, Cybersecurity, and Operational
Coordination.

==> DRIVER RESCUED THANKS TO ALERT BADGER WEATHER NET MEMBERS

In Wisconsin, the Badger Weather Net has as its purpose the reporting
of ground truth weather data - specifically temperature and
precipitation information -- from the previous day as well as current
comparison.This net covers all of Wisconsin and some of the surrounding
area. We have capability on two bands - on 75-meters at 3.984 MHZ and
on 2-meters on the various linked Wecomm repeaters.

The following is a narrative of the emergency communications that took
place during one early morning Badger Weather Net. As I was serving as
net control for the net Saturday morning, a weak and broken signal came
in on the repeater system. It took a few calls to determine that a
fellow ham was in the ditch with a trailer, sliding off the icy roads
in Price County. He was requesting assistance of the Sheriff's
Department.

I called 911 and spoke with the friendly and helpful dispatcher at the
Dunn County Sheriff's Department. She gave me the phone number of the
Price County Sheriff's Department. I called the Price County Sheriff's
office and got Bob Hoffman, KQ9J, the dispatcher there. As a ham, he
was aware of how I had become involved and was most helpful. After
asking a few questions of the driver via a three way conversation with
me in the middle relaying, he dispatched a car to block traffic while
the pickup and trailer were pulled out of the ditch and back on the
road.

While there were no personal injuries in this incident, the driver was
very cold and his cell phone was useless because of the terrain.
Amateur Radio and the Badger Weather Net were in the right place at the
right time to be of assistance. That's what we hams do. -- Ron Purvis,
WB9WKO, Knapp, Wisconsin

[The Badger Weather Net (BWN) was started December 14, 1964 by a
handful of Wisconsin Amateur Radio operators. Since that time the net
has provided the National Weather Service with valuable weather
observations of high/low temperatures and precipitation from across the
state. This collected data is used for input into the river forecast
model, for public and fire weather forecasts, verification of watches
and warnings, for local media use, and various research projects. The
BWN has grown over the years from only a handful of reporting sites to
over 60 stations that report the weather data daily. For more
information on this historic service net, click here
<http://badgerweathernet.com/history.html>. -- ed.]

==> NEWS MEDIA COVERS AMATEURS' HURRICANE MICHAEL INVOLVEMENT

News 4 JAX (Jacksonville, FL) 10/17/2018 | Local amateur radio
operators needed to help communication after Michael
<https://www.news4jax.com/news/florida/amateur-radio-operators-needed-t
o-help-communication-after-michael>

Florida Times-Union newspaper (Jacksonville, FL) 10/14/2018 | Nassau
County amateur radio operators aid communications following Hurricane
Michael
<http://www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Nassau-County-Amateur-Radio-Operato
rs-aid-Communications-Following-Hurricane-Michael.html>

Gainesville Sun daily newspaper (Gainesville, FL) 10/13/2018 | Local
ham radio operators helping with post-hurricane communications
<https://www.gainesville.com/news/20181013/local-ham-radio-operators-he
lping-with-post-hurricane-communications>

WKRN News 2 (Nashville, TN) 10/12/2018 | Ham radio operators connect
emergency teams and families stranded by Hurricane Michael
<https://www.wkrn.com/news/ham-radio-operators-connect-emergency-teams-
and-families-stranded-by-hurricane-michael/1520707421>

Good Morning America-ABC News 10/11/2018 | Historic Hurricane
Devastates Gulf Coast
<https://abcnews.go.com/US/hurricane-tracker-florida-officials-warn-mic
hael-destructive-storm/story?id=58377692>
(at 6-minute mark, look for ARES operator and ARES logo on his truck)

WFLA NewsChannel 8 (Citrus County FL) 10/11/2018 | Amateur radio
operators provide hurricane aid through the airwaves
<https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/citrus-county/amateur-radio-opera
tors-provide-hurricane-aid-through-the-airwaves/1517963826>

WTSP-TV News 10 (Tampa, FL) 10/11/2018 | Hurricane Michael downs
countless trees in Marianna, Florida
<https://www.wtsp.com/article/weather/hurricane/hurricane-michael-downs
-countless-trees-in-marianna-florida/67-603518381>

The above media hits were reported by Scott Roberts, KK4ECR, Northern
Florida Section Public Information Coordinator, who said in the
November issue of the section newsletter QST NFL "Kudos to our PIO's
and EC's who took the time to talk to our media and give them accurate
accounts of what we do. Many of the operators in the Northern Florida
Section assisted with support of our served agencies in one way or
another during Hurricane Michael." Roberts is seeking more media hits
for his compilation.

==> HAM RADIO ASSISTS IN RESCUE OF MISSING MARINER

[St. John, US Virgin Islands, October 3, 2018] It was Thursday night
and I was nodding in and out while watching TV. From the other room I
heard what sounded like a weak scratchy signal trying to access the
local repeater. I answered "This is Fred, NP2X, on St. Croix. The
station trying to access the repeater, you are very noisy into the
system, please try it again." I then heard, "This is Tia." (NP2RE).
Unbeknownst to me, Tia's parents had been attending the monthly meeting
of St. John Rescue, a volunteer organization serving the St John, USVI
community. Shortly after arriving to the meeting, St John Rescue
received a request for assistance from the VI Police Department: They
had received a report of a dingy spotted washed up on the rocks in Reef
Bay with no occupant. Tia's parents Larry Pruss, NP2LP, and Jennifer
Pruss, NP2QT, immediately headed to Reef Bay. Other members of St. John
Rescue headed to the marina to begin conducting the maritime portion of
the search.

What follows is Larry's summary in his own words: "Jennifer and I
traversed the various shorelines and beaches in the dark in search of
the boater. The terrain became too rocky for Jennifer to continue, so
she remained behind perched on the rocks providing flood lighting. As
the Rescue radio coverage was marginal, Jennifer and I kept in touch
via our VHF amateur radios. When the lights of the Rescue boat became
visible in the bay, both Jennifer and I found we had unreliable
communications with the boat."

"After finding the dingy on the rocks, I continued traversing the rocky
shoreline, and found the boater huddled along the shore in a rock
crevice. The boater reported his boat hit the reef, he was thrown from
the dingy. His position was an extremely treacherous spot, which the
Rescue boat could not reach. We were at the water's edge at the base of
a tall seashore cliff. The boater had minor scratches, was cold and
thirsty. I gave him a Mylar blanket for warmth and he gladly drank the
water we brought.

"With no cell service and having difficulty with our VHF radio, the
immediate need was to contact the Rescue boat that we had located the
missing person and plan his evacuation. Using our radios, Jennifer
called our daughters Tia, NP2RE, and Skylar, NP2QS, at our home and
requested they relay we had located the missing person to the Rescue
boat. Tia and Skylar immediately contacted other Rescue members that
passed along the message.

"The boater was not able to hike out as he was exhausted and without
shoes. Jennifer hiked to the top of the hill to acquire some shoes from
a resident to protect the patient's feet as we moved him from the sharp
rocks. Due to the proximity of the reef and large waves, it was also
not feasible to land the Rescue boat on the beach. Another Rescue
member, Dylan Baird, arrived on scene and managed to reach me. He

    had taken a 4-wheeler to the site, hiked down the beach, and
climbed the dangerous rocks to reach the boater's location. Dylan had
the good idea to try using the dingy to get our Rescue subject to the
Rescue boat. In the dark, Dylan and I pulled the dingy off the rocks,
bailed enough water out of it to keep it afloat, and started the
engine. Dylan made a break for the reef to get the boat further drained
of water and to coordinate next steps with the Rescue boat.

"I stayed with the boater. Dylan reached the Rescue boat and returned
with Brian Grassi, another Rescue member. We put a lifejacket on the
boater and together transported him to the Rescue boat. Upon reaching
the harbor, he was transported to the local clinic for treatment."

"We felt good about a number of things: Within approximately thirty
minutes of locating the injured boater, he was transported to the
Rescue boat. Our daughters aged 12 and 13 flawlessly executed the relay
of critical information using their newly learned skills. (Note: Tia
has been licensed for just two weeks and Skylar, just five months).The
radio and Rescue training our family received and practiced, may have
well saved a life."

Following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, Larry and Jennifer Pruss have been
the spark plugs of a new generation of hams on St. John. In the last
six months, and with the support of St John Rescue, they have held two
ham class sessions resulting in 23 new hams: 19 on St. John, two on St.
Thomas and two on the British Virgin Islands, through their
instructional efforts. These new licensees are members of the
community, St. John Rescue, the National Park Service, the Fire
Department, and include four youngsters under 13 years old. -- Larry
Pruss, NP2LP, and Fred Kleber, K9VV/NP2X,  ARRL USVI Section Manager

[Section Manager Kleber added this postscript to the editor: "Thanks so
much for sharing your spotlight to highlight this success in the Virgin
Islands. There will be more coming for sure. We have recently completed
a UHF link system to link the three USVI repeaters together. Soon we
will be adding IRLP/Echolink, as well as ham radio links to Puerto Rico
and other Caribbean islands."]

==> K1CE FOR A FINAL: HDSCS, THE END OF AN ERA OF EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE

For years, at 5 AM on Sunday mornings as I woke to go to work at the
large Daytona Beach city hospital where I was an ICU RN, I would check
my email, and like clockwork, there would be the weekly Hospital
Disaster Support Communications System (of Orange County, California)
report from its dedicated founder and coordinator April Moell, WA6OPS.
I was always amazed to read of the weekly work of the organization: its
training, drills, certifications, awards, and, of course, mission
critical responses to the area's hospitals.

Moell wrote last month: "Effective today, October 14, the Hospital
Disaster Support Communications System has been disbanded after 38
years of service to Orange County medical facilities. After dealing
with significant medical issues the last several years, it has become
unrealistic for me to continue as coordinator and I have tendered my
resignation to the Section Manager. HDSCS members have been unusually
dedicated and resourceful, but no one has the requisite time or
specific expertise to take on the role of coordinator, which means a
succession plan has not been possible at this point and there is no
gradual way to discontinue a group such as this.The ARES model has
proven to be the most effective way to support hospitals and it is
hoped that at some point that can be continued."

April said "she is not leaving Amateur Radio so I hope I will still
have the opportunity to interact with many of you at conventions or
over the airwaves."

ARRL Southwestern Division Director Dick Norton, N6AA, said it best
when he wrote to April: "Thank you for your very long-term contribution
to Amateur Radio, and by it, to public service. The Southwestern
Division website shows you were given the Division Meritorious Service
Award in 1992. Your dedication and leadership will be missed."

I would echo Dick's comments and simply add that April Moell, WA6OPS,
has represented the very best of the amateur community's values. And, I
will miss waking up early on Sunday mornings to find her thoughtful,
comprehensive reports to start my long work shift. Best wishes for the
future, April!

...
The ARES E-Letter is published on the third Wednesday of each month.
ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their
Member Data Page as described at
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/ares-el/.

 Copyright (c) 2018 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated.
Use and distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is
permitted for non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution.
All other purposes require written permission.

 <http://www.arrl.org/>
...
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

Happy Thanksgiving! No brunch today. The weekly Thursday brunch will
resume November 29.

--Mike, nw3v
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

ARRL General Bulletin ARLB017 (2018)

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB017
ARLB017 W1AW 2018/2019 Winter Operating Schedule

ZCZC AG17
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 17  ARLB017
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  November 6, 2018
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB017
ARLB017 W1AW 2018/2019 Winter Operating Schedule

Morning Schedule:

Time                  Mode     Days
-------------------   ----     ---------
1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWs      Wed, Fri
1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWf      Tue, Thu

Daily Visitor Operating Hours:

1500 UTC to 1700 UTC - (10 AM to 12 PM EST)
1800 UTC to 2045 UTC - (1 PM to 3:45 PM EST)

(Station closed 1700 to 1800 UTC (12 PM to 1 PM EST))

Afternoon/Evening Schedule:

2100 UTC (4 PM EST)    CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
2100  "      "         CWs      Tue, Thu
2200  "  (5 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
2300  "  (6 PM EST)    DIGITAL  Daily
0000  "  (7 PM EST)    CWs      Mon, Wed, Fri
0000  "      "         CWf      Tue, Thu
0100  "  (8 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
0200  "  (9 PM EST)    DIGITAL  Daily
0245  "  (9:45 PM EST) VOICE    Daily
0300  "  (10 PM EST)   CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
0300  "      "         CWs      Tue, Thu
0400  "  (11 PM EST)   CWb      Daily


                         Frequencies (MHz)
                         -----------------
CW: 1.8025 3.5815 7.0475 14.0475 18.0975 21.0675 28.0675 50.350 147.555
DIGITAL: - 3.5975 7.095 14.095 18.1025 21.095 28.095 50.350 147.555
VOICE: 1.855 3.990 7.290 14.290 18.160 21.390 28.590 50.350 147.555

Notes:

CWs = Morse Code practice (slow) = 5, 7.5, 10, 13 and 15 WPM
CWf = Morse Code practice (fast) = 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 13 and 10 WPM
CWb = Morse Code Bulletins = 18 WPM

CW frequencies include code practices, Qualifying Runs and CW
bulletins.

DIGITAL = BAUDOT (45.45 baud), BPSK31 and MFSK16 in a revolving
schedule.

Code practice texts are from QST, and the source of each practice is
given at the beginning of each practice and at the beginning of
alternate speeds.

On Tuesdays and Fridays at 2330 UTC (6:30 PM EST), Keplerian
Elements for active amateur satellites are sent on the regular
digital frequencies.

A DX bulletin replaces or is added to the regular bulletins between
0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Thursdays and 0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Fridays.

Audio from W1AW's CW code practices, CW/digital bulletins and phone
bulletin is available using EchoLink via the W1AW Conference Server
named "W1AWBDCT."  The monthly W1AW Qualifying Runs are presented
here as well.  The audio is sent in real-time and runs concurrently
with W1AW's regular transmission schedule.

All users who connect to the conference server are muted.  Please
note that any questions or comments about this server should not be
sent via the "Text" window in EchoLink. Please direct any questions
or comments to [17]w1aw@... .

In a communications emergency, monitor W1AW for special bulletins as
follows: Voice on the hour, Digital at 15 minutes past the hour, and
CW on the half hour.

All licensed amateurs may operate the station from 1500 UTC to 1700
UTC (10 AM to 12 PM EST), and then from 1800 UTC to 2045 UTC (1 PM
to 3:45 PM EST) Monday through Friday.  Be sure to bring your
current FCC amateur radio license or a photocopy.

The W1AW Operating Schedule may also be found on page 94 in the
November 2018 issue of QST or on the web at,
[18]http://www.arrl.org/w1aw-operating-schedule .
NNNN
/EX

...
  17. mailto:w1aw@...
  18. http://www.arrl.org/w1aw-operating-schedule

--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

The AARC December meeting, a dinner party, will be tomorrow, December
18 -- but where? As decided at the November meeting, the default will
be the Saint Thomas More Cathedral School Cafeteria, and the default
format will be pot-look. But, as noted on our home page <http://www.w4w
vp.org> , the final decision was left open to debate. Today there have
(finally) been some alternative suggestions on the members-only
ArlingtonARC Yahoo! group, namely a suggestion, with one concurring
comment so far, that we party at Atlantis Restaurant in Bradlee
Shopping Center, 3648 King Street (Route 7). I have heard one
additional member say he plans to endorse Atlantis.

What do you think? If you are not an AARC member or not into the Yahoo!
scene, Activities Chair Gary KC5QCN and I would like to hear from you.
You may respond to this AARC-PUBLIC list. Would you like to try
Atlantis this year? Would you prefer the STM School Cafeteria potluck?
Would you like everyone to consider some other venue? If it matters to
you, let us know.

This is not a vote, but I'd like to get a sense of preferences tonight,
so that tomorrow morning I can let the Saint Thomas More Cathedral
School Principal know that we will mot need the Cafeteria, if that
seems to be the prevailing opinion.

Also, it has been suggested that if we do dine at Atlantis, we should
arrive about 6 pm, well before 7 pm, when the family throngs arrive.

I hope to update our home page later to day with a message such as this
one (but shorter), and again tomorrow with the final decision.

73,
--Mike NW3V, President, Arlington Amateur Radio Club.

--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

I voted yes to Atlantis and replied on the yahoo website and gave my reasons there. Good food, good parking and side-room space at center tables. Good parking too. But as far as I know you can't reserve the tables. Alex. Club dribbles in about 5:30 or 6PM on their meeting nights. I would guess be there about 6pm? If we go there I will show at about 5:30Pm. They will give separate checks...AND parking is not a problem.
Al / K4ZB

From the AARC home page <http://www.w4wvp.org>:

The December 18 meeting, a "Dutch" dinner party at which no business
will be conducted, will be at the Atlantis Restaurant in the Bradlee
Shopping Center, 3648 King Street (Route 9) in Alexandria. You are
advised to arrive by 6 pm in order to be seated with the rest of us.
Reservations are not accepted, and crowds arrive after 6 pm. Our
Treasurer will be on hand to collect and receipt dues. Talk-in will be
on the W4WVP 2-meter repeater (details below).

Technically a regular monthly meeting in Alexandria violates our By-
Laws (Article IV, Section 5). Nevertheless, President Mike NW3V has
made this decision, because it is the unanimous preference expressed on
the ArlingtonARC Yahoo! group and the AARC-PUBLIC Groups.io group.

73,
--Mike NW3V
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

The December 18 meeting, a "Dutch" dinner party at which no business
will be conducted, will definitely be at the Atlantis Restaurant in the
Bradlee Shopping Center, 3648 King Street (Route 9) in Alexandria. You
are advised to arrive by 6 pm in order to be seated with the rest of
us. Reservations are not accepted, and crowds arrive after 6 pm. Our
Treasurer will be on hand to collect and receipt dues. Talk-in will be
on the W4WVP 2-meter repeater.

--Mike NW3V, President, AARC
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

Please join us for the January meeting of the Arlington Amateur Radio Club.

Date and time: January 15, 2019, 7 p.m.

Place: St. Thomas More Cathedral School, 105 N. Thomas St, Arlington, Va.

Talk-in: W4WVP/R, 145.470 MHz, -600 kHz offset, PL 107.2

FCC is one of the federal agencies currently without funding and subject to the "partial government shutdown." Unless the impasse is resolved in the next day or two, which appears unlikely as this point, the agency expects to suspend many of its functions effective at mid-day on Jan. 3. That includes licensing and database queries.

Here's the ARRL's bulletin:

http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-to-suspend-most-operations-on-january-3-if-government-shutdown-continues

This conference should be of interest to some of the members of the group there will be a wide range of interests.!

Call for Papers and Presentations for the second VHF Super Conference, April 26-28, 2019, in Sterling, VA, near Washington, DC.
The the second Super VHF Conference is jointly sponsored by Packrats, NEWS Group, and SVHFS, and Hosted by the Grid Pirates Contest Group and Directive Systems and Engineering

details at http://vhfsuperconference.com/

Presentations or papers are welcome on VHF, UHF, microwaves, and higher. All aspects welcome, technical and non-technical - operating, contesting, homebrewing, roving, software, EME, surplus, antennas, test equipment, amplifiers, SDR, 47 GHz superregen, whatever. Your winter project might be a good candidate - take some pictures.

N2CEI and W1GHZ will be coordinating the proceedings book and CD.
submissions and questions to:
conferencepapers@...
Al / K4ZB

Tuesday evening at 7 pm, I will transmitting the Amateur Radio Newsline audio on the 145.47 repeater, with the Arlington ARC Net following.

After the net, I will transmit Amateur Radio Newline as *text* in the PSK250RC6 mode. At 1320 wpm, the entire Newsline will be transmitted in less than the 2:15 time-out of the repeater.

If you want to decode the text, use Fldigi for PCs (Windows, Mac, Linux) or TIVAR or AndFlmsg for Android devices.

The free software/apps can be downloaded form ...

http://www.w1hkj.com/files/

or

https://sourceforge.net/projects/fldigi/files/

(TIVAR is in a folder under AndFlmsg. TIVAR is receive/decode only, thus simpler.)

Use a patch cord to get audio from your transceiver to your PC or Android. Or an interface such a SignaLink. Or simply place the mic of the Android or computer near your radio's speaker (acoustic coupling).

In Fldigi, turn on RxID, and it will detect the mode and center audio frenquency (~1500 Hz).

Kim

KD9XB

Kim

Thanks for doping this.

Can I leave my radio on FM or do I have to move to another mode.

Jack Person

You can leave the radio in FM mode. I will be transmitting using FM mode.

Thanks!

The Saint Thomas More Cathedral School, where the Arlington Amateur
Radio Club usually meets, is closed today because of inclement weather.
The school follows the inclement weather practice of Arlington County
Public Schools, which are closed today.

As the club usually does in a case like this, we will have a net
(instead of a meeting) on the W4WVP 2-meter repeater, starting at 7 pm
ET. The net may or may not begin with a transmission of Amateur Radio
Newsline; that remains to be determined.

Please join us tonight on 145.47(-) MHz. A CTCSS (PL) tone of 107.2 Hz
is required on your signal in order to use the repeater.

73,
--Mike NW3V <nw3v@...> , President, Arlington Amateur Radio Club
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

The Arlington County Net tonight at 7 pm ET will begin with a
transmission of Amateur Radio Newsline by Kim KD9XB. Please tune in!

73,
--Mike nw3v
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

The ARES E-letter for January 16, 2019, is available at:
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/ares-el/?issue=2019-01-16>.

73,
--Mike nw3v
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

QST:

Charles E. "Chuck" Norton, KI4DHW, became a Silent Key on January 16,
2019, about 11:30 am, according to his son Brian (sp.?), who spoke to
John Melvin, KK4EBG. No arrangements for a funeral or memorial service
have been made yet. Chuck was President of the Arlington Amateur Radio
Club but stepped down for health reasons in 2016.

--Mike NW3V, President, Arlington Amateur Radio Club
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

The family plans a Memorial Service and Celebration of Life on
Saturday, February 9, starting at 11 am ET at the Arlington Church of
the Brethren, 300 N Montague Street in Arlington, VA. A reception will
follow at the church in Fellowship Hall. The entrance to the church
sanctuary is on the back side of the building. There is parking on both
sides of the church as well as street parking.

I have updated the AARC home page with this information.

--Mike NW3V
--
Science matters. Matter matters.
Energy matters, including dark energy.

Mr. Jack Person Arlington Radio Club
1040 N. Quincy St., Apt. 409

Arlington, VA 22201



Dear Sir:



I live in Arlington , VA at 1900 S. Eads, am physically disabled. and 83 years old. I would like to purchase a VHF scanner for monitoring police and fire broadcasts in the Washington area. Someone suggested that a member of your organization might suggest the best digital scanner for me, and provide me with other useful information. Could you call me at 703-623-5110, or email me at mrharrygildea@... at your convenience.


.Thank you

Harry Gildea