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Subj: ARES E-Letter June 20, 2007
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The ARES E-Letter
June 20, 2007
=================
Rick Palm, K1CE, Editor
<http://www.qrz.com/database?callsign=K1CE>,
===================================
ARES reports, other related contributions, editorial questions or
comments: <k1ce@arrl.net>;;;
===================================
+ The View from Flagler County
Tropical Storm Barry was a shot across the bow, an opening salvo in
the 2007 hurricane season just underway. It blew and poured here in
the county, which did help the parched drought-plagued earth and
quell some of the area fires. (It also helped me justify to my wife
spending over a grand on a new ICOM 910H -- an emcomm operator just
isn't fully-prepared without a 1.2 GHz weak signal mode capability).
Hurricane tracking satellite QuikSCAT is reportedly about to fail,
and Senator Nelson of Florida is sponsoring legislation to fund the
next-generation replacement. NHC forecasters have come to rely on the
data they receive from QuikSCAT to more accurately predict the track
and strength of hurricanes. Nelson is also sponsoring other measures
to fund hurricane research:
<http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/supporting/ebriefs/June07/hurricane07.pdf>
S. 931 would establish a National Hurricane Research Initiative to
improve understanding of hurricane prediction, intensity, and
mitigation on coastal populations. The bill would provide grants for
hurricane research and establish both a national database of
hurricane research and a national hurricane research model. Amateur
Radio may play a part.
Alabama SM Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, asks "Are you ready this hurricane
season? Effective ARES operators must consider safety and prepare,
train, practice and test themselves. Prepare your personal Jump Kit,
equipment, and provisions. Join and build your local ARES group.
Train by taking ARRL, Red Cross, and FEMA courses. Build your
experience and practice on Field Day, the Simulated Emergency Test,
contests, nets, and public service events. Test your equipment in
different configurations. Learn to operate it fully, efficiently and
interoperably with other amateurs." Speaking of Field Day, which is
this coming weekend, take a look at Alabama's fine Field Day map and
information on their Web site: <http://www.wc4m.net/fd2007.html>
________________
In This Issue:
+ The View from Flagler County
+ Colorado Hams Assist in Greensburg, Kansas Disaster
+ Emergency Communication Leads IARU Administrative Council Agenda
+ Long Time Duval County, Florida, EC Retires
+ Amateur Radio On Display During ITU Disaster Relief Conference
+ LETTERS: To RV or not to RV?
+ Connecticut ARES Has Mobile Command Unit
+ QUICK LINKS: Batteries
+ Army MARS HF E-Mail System Passes "Hurricane Test"
+ TSA Trains Amateur Radio Operators to Support Disaster Preparedness
+ Recognize Your Volunteers with a President's Volunteer Service
Award
+ ARRL Certification and Continuing Education EmComm Course
Registration
+ K1CE For A Final
________________
+ Colorado Hams Assist in Greensburg, Kansas Disaster
Five Colorado ARES operators assisted with recovery efforts in the
aftermath of the devastating Greensburg, Kansas tornado. Team leader
Wes Wilson, K0HBZ, reported that while cell phone and Internet
service are back on line, hams are still providing logistical support
to the Salvation Army efforts in the area. Wilson, who created
Colorado's ARES Disaster Response Team and is a veteran of numerous
events including assisting in the wake of Katrina, stated that while
the mission is routine, "one look at the rubble that's left in
Greensburg is a major reality check." "It reminds us why we plan and
train," he said. Also making the eight-hour trek to provide emcomm
support to Colorado's next-door neighbors were former SM Tim
Armagost, WB0TUB, and Rob Wright, KC0UUO, from Arapahoe County ARES,
Ted Allison, N0NKG from Pikes Peak ARES and Perry Lundquist, W6AUN, a
member of Douglas County ARES and the Colorado State EOC ARES/RACES
unit.
+ Emergency Communication Leads IARU Administrative Council Agenda
The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio Union
(IARU) <http://www.iaru.org/> held its annual meeting May 14-15 in
Boston, Massachusetts. Topping the agenda was the IARU's upcoming
participation in the Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
Conference, GAREC-07. The international gathering will take place in
Huntsville, Alabama, in mid-August --just prior to the ARRL National
Convention there
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/nc/2007/huntsville.html>. The
Administrative Council's primary goal is to enhance the coordination
and promotion of Amateur Radio's worldwide disaster response
capabilities.
During the Boston gathering, the Council received a draft strategy
paper from IARU International Coordinator for Emergency
Communications Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP. The body will seek
additional information from member-societies on the national
regulatory position of the Amateur Service in preparing for and
providing emergency communications, with an eye toward identifying
problem areas and developing solutions.
+ Long Time Duval County, Florida, EC Retires
The veteran Duval County Beaches (Florida) EC Robert Selph, W4RCS,
has retired for health reasons. First licensed as KC4HEL, Selph has
coordinated the critical back-up emergency communications for the
three beaches municipalities (Atlantic, Neptune, and Jacksonville
Beach) continuously since earning his license in 1988. He owns and
operates three area repeaters, and has always paid attention to
repeater details and spent countless hours ensuring the equipment is
right on the mark.
During Selph's tenure as EC, dual band (2M/440 MHz) antennas and coax
were installed at the Public Safety buildings of all three beach
communities. His repeaters have been used for ARES communications and
as alternates for the Beaches Amateur Radio Society's weekly nets. A
link was established with Jacksonville area repeaters to extend
coverage and capabilities.
Selph has always given his time and talents as a contribution to
readiness in the event of a beaches communications failure. -- E.
Miller Norton, W4EMN, District EC, Crown District ARES, Northern
Florida Section
+ Amateur Radio On Display During ITU Disaster Relief Conference
May 1, 2007 -- Egypt Amateur Radio Assembly (EARA) operators
attending an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) joint
disaster relief and information technology conference in mid-April
logged more than 1000 contacts from special event station SU8DRM. The
Regional Joint Conference on Disaster Relief and Management (DRM) --
International Cooperation and Role of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) took place April 14-17 in Alexandria, Egypt. The
conference's primary objective was to promote awareness of the
important role that Amateur Radio plays in disaster relief
communications. In his presentation, "Amateur Radio as a First Aid
and a Tool of Emergency Communications," IARU Region 1 EmComm
Coordinator Seppo Sisättö, OH1VR, told the gathering that World
Radiocommunication Conference 2007 this fall could serve to augment
emergency communication opportunities for the Amateur Radio Service.
He said IARU proposals to establish a 300 kHz worldwide Amateur Radio
allocation on 40 meters as well as a worldwide 60-meter band could
have a major effect on Amateur Radio's emergency communication
capabilities. EARA said the special event operation introduced many
conference delegates to Amateur Radio and what it has to offer in
disaster relief situations.
+ LETTERS: To RV or not to RV?
I disagree with the negative comment about RVs in last month's issue.
The benefits of RVs as Amateur Radio platforms far outweigh any
possibility of offending anyone. If someone pulled up in a "palatial"
RV, set up a lawn chair under a beach umbrella and sat there watching
the event while drinking a beer, I would agree that it would not be a
good representation of Amateur Radio, but that's not what's going on.
I sent a half dozen volunteer operators to the Gulf coast in the wake
of Katrina. I would not have even considered it unless I was certain
they would be self-sufficient. The last thing I want to do is send in
help that winds up being an additional drain on the already stretched
local resources; or worse, send a team under the assumption that they
will be able to figure out how to obtain the basics once they get on
scene.
When volunteers flock to a disaster (and the larger the disaster, the
larger the flock) there is an additional burden placed on the relief
agencies to support them with food, water, and shelter. One of the
great benefits of RV owner-hams is that they are already experienced
in being self-sufficient for long periods of time, limiting impact to
local agencies since RVers have their own food, water, shelter, fuel,
power, antenna platform, mobile command post/operating location and
restroom and shower facilities. The Colorado Disaster Response Team
that supported relief operations in Mississippi and Louisiana would
not have been deployed without the knowledge that they could support
themselves with the essentials--which in turn enabled them to support
others. -- Jeff Ryan, K0RM, ARRL Section Manager, Colorado (former
EC/RACES Training Officer)
In reading W9RXR's comments I can only assume that he doesn't own an
RV. His argument about feelings being hurt is like saying that you
should not bring a backhoe because someone using a shovel will feel
badly. He should worry more about getting the communications job
done.
I suspect that Bob would use a communications trailer if he had one.
An RV is a communications trailer with a toilet, water, heater,
stove, and refrigerator, and can be self-contained for a period of
time. Some even come with a satellite link to the Internet. It is
possible that the RV could be supplying not only its own power but
also power to a shelter (20 or 30 amps).
Bob's comments are consistent with the position of the Red Cross
during Katrina and that position is why I did not participate.
Hopefully Bob and the Red Cross will rethink their position and
consider welcoming hams with RV's. RV's are probably not appropriate
for short responses but they could be invaluable for long haul
operations. -- Don Hitt, KB2ZE, Poughkeepsie, New York
As Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Kern County (California) and
the Kern River Valley area, I specifically try to enlist the
participation of RV-owning hams, and try to get more hams to build
their own minimal accommodations, like putting a shell on the back of
their pickup truck with equipment and rudimentary facilities inside
along with their communications equipment, just so that they can be
at some level self-sufficient. I've never seen anyone who "thinks
he's better than everybody else" because he has planned ahead and
taken care of his own needs so that he can help others with theirs.
Think about this: Every volunteer worker who goes into a disaster
zone without his/her own accommodations immediately becomes part of
the problem. The support infrastructure has to accommodate each new
arrival, as well as the disaster victims already there. Every meal an
incoming volunteer eats means less food for someone else who has lost
everything. Having an RV solves that problem. The additional benefit
of power facilities and a complete ham station with antennas already
installed removes a few tasks from other volunteers, and makes
communications more immediately available than someone arriving with
a car full of transceivers and antennas, boxes of coax, and a few
spare clothes in a backpack or suitcase. As for taking up room, the
non-RV hams arrive by vehicles of some sort and take up almost as
much space as an RV. And no, I don't have an RV. I wish I did: I feel
I'd be much more effective. -- Skip Reymann, N6SR, AEC, Kern County,
California <n6sr@arrl.net>;
+ Connecticut ARES Has Mobile Command Unit
The Shore Point Amateur Radio Club, Connecticut, in conjunction with
the state's ARES program operate "C1," a 2003 Ford Explorer converted
into a Public Safety vehicle providing a Mobile Incident Command
Center (MICC) for emergency communications. The vehicle is equipped
with the latest Whelen Engineering LED and Strobe Public Safety
Warning devices, and is capable of providing all-mode amateur
communications from HF to 900 MHz including Public Safety
communications, a mobile UHF repeater, and an ATV transmitter. Two
Kenwood TS-B2000s, a full complement of Motorola equipment, a mobile
Internet-capable computer terminal with printer, and a Tarheel 200 HF
Screwdriver antenna with a fully automatic raising rooftop mount are
just a few pieces of equipment that are available on board. Future
plans include a rear seat operator's control console for fully
enclosed all-weather operations. This vehicle is available to any
Connecticut ARES unit or club for emergencies, emergency drills, or
special events. -- Chris Burns, N1FAA
+ QUICK LINKS: Batteries
With Field Day coming up, now is a good time for clubs and hams to
talk about emergency power. See the quick links below for some good
information. -- Bob N3DOK
<http://www.batteryfaq.org/>
<http://www.batteryuniversity.com/>
<http://www.buchmann.ca/>
+ Army MARS HF E-Mail System Passes "Hurricane Test"
A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) alert for a fictitious
hurricane in late March sent special teams of Army Military Affiliate
Radio System (MARS) emergency responders scurrying to duty stations
from Miami to Houston and beyond. Dubbed "Operation Sidewinder," the
drill aimed to test a new HF digital backup communication link for
airports in case a weather or terrorist event ever compromised
conventional telecommunications, as Katrina did in 2005. For this
first comprehensive trial run, Army MARS mobilized a new Winlink
digital communication system, with Air Force and Navy-Marine Corps
MARS members providing active support.
It was the first demonstration of the TSA's partnership with the Army
MARS, a Pentagon-sponsored organization of volunteer Amateur Radio
operators that supports federal government agencies during
emergencies. MARS has some 5000 members in its separate Army, Air
Force and Navy-Marine Corps branches. Operation Sidewinder called for
a Category 3 hurricane to make landfall at Miami, continuing on
toward Houston. To drill MARS's capabilities in multiple emergencies,
a possible terrorist operation concurrent with the weather emergency
was added.
Earlier this year, the TSA, part of the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS), adopted the MARS Winlink emergency communications
network for deployment at major airports. DHS cites the Winlink
system for its ability to provide interconnectivity between HF radio
and the Internet. The use of Winlink 2000 permits access to SHARES
(SHared RESources program of the National Communications System) and
MARS systems via conventional HF/VHF/UHF radio circuits.
Army MARS Chief Stuart Carter said Operation Sidewinder gave MARS
members the opportunity to demonstrate long-haul HF connectivity,
local VHF communication, HF e-mail, a WiFi computer interface with HF
radio for e-mail, a TSA HF mobile facility, an Army MARS volunteer's
vehicle capable of indefinite HF operations and two small, light and
portable HF suites.
+ TSA Trains Amateur Radio Operators to Support Disaster Preparedness
Here is a press release on TSA support for Amateur Radio:
<http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/amateur_radio_operators.shtm>
+ Recognize Your Volunteers with a President's Volunteer Service
Award
Your most valued Amateur Radio operators can now be recognized with a
President's Volunteer Service Award Pin, Certificate of Achievement,
and a letter of congratulations from the President of the United
States and President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.
Three categories -- bronze, silver, and gold -- represent different
levels of participation, over the course of a year. For example, an
adult giving 100 hours of volunteer time over 1 year qualifies for a
bronze award, then could receive a silver pin at the 250 hour mark.
Gold pins are awarded for 4000 hours of participation over a
lifetime.
There are minimal postage and handling costs involved of
approximately $7.00 per award. Contact Joe Madas AE6JM,
<AE6JM@arrl.net>; who can validate and process orders for the awards
on behalf of the President's Council. Madas can also be reached by
telephone (909) 815-5726.
+ ARRL Certification and Continuing Education EmComm Course
Registration
Registration remains open through Sunday, July 8, for ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) online courses beginning
Friday, July 20: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 2
(EC-002), and Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 3
(EC-003R2). To learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE Department
<cce@arrl.org>;.
+ K1CE For A Final
I've included two items in this issue addressing international
topics, and will continue to report them in future issues. It is
important for U.S. ARES operators to see their work in the context of
what the rest of the world is doing on emcomm programs, especially
with respect to IARU interests. Your editor also serves as the IARU
Region 2 EMCOR (the Americas comprise Region 2) and you can see its
Web site at: <http://iaru-r2emcor.net/>
__________
Years ago, ARRL CD (old Communications Department) Parties were held
on the air for the purpose of exercising our stations, but frankly,
were social (i.e., fun) events held over a weekend. They met their
demise over 20 years ago due to inactivity and I don't think they
would work again, but a new EMCOMM or ARES QSO Party might be
extremely popular. ARES and other amateur emergency communications
programs have seen skyrocketing interest in the years following 9/11
and Hurricane Katrina. We are in a new era of Amateur Radio focusing
on emcomms.
Would you support an ARES Party over a weekend where operators would
exchange call sign, signal report, county, section or state, and
their ARES or emcomm titles? I know I would. Let me know, and we'll
run the idea up the flagpole in front of the ARRL HQ offices in
Newington and see if they salute. Send your yay or nay, and brief
comment to: <k1ce@arrl.net>;
Have a great Field Day! 73, Rick K1CE
======================================================================
The ARES E-LETTER is published on the third Wednesday of each month by
the American Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur
Radio--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax
860-594-0259; www.arrl.org. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President.
The ARES E-LETTER is an e-mail digest of news and information of
interest to active members of the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service
(ARES).
Material from The ARES E-LETTER may be republished or reproduced in
whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must
be given to The ARES E-LETTER and The American Radio Relay League.
Editorial questions or comments: Rick Palm, K1CE, k1ce@arrl.net
Delivery problems (ARRL direct delivery only!): ares-el-dlvy@arrl.org
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======================================================================
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