The ARES E-Letter April 22, 2008

=================

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

It's that time of year when hurricane season preparation ratchets up:

the National Hurricane Conference was held in Orlando earlier this month, and state and county EMAs are currently checking plans and assets. Now is also the time for ARES members to assess their portfolio of communications equipment and disaster response knowledge.

Monitor major HF hurricane networks during events this season. The Hurricane Watch Net on 14.325 MHz, is one of several key players. It serves either the Atlantic or Pacific during a watch or warning period and coordinates with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. Frequent, detailed information is issued on nets when storms pose a threat to the US mainland. In addition to hurricane spotting, local communicators may announce that residents have evacuated from low-lying flood areas. Other amateurs across the country can help by relaying information, keeping the net frequency clear and by listening. See <http://www.hwn.org/>. The net works closely with the hams at the NHC station WX4NHC <http://www.wx4nhc.com/>

The SATERN Net (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network), provides emergency communication support to the Salvation Army and populations at large. They also handle health-and-welfare traffic.

SATERN holds high profile nets on 20-meters (14.265 MHz) during major hurricanes, and has a long history of excellence, discipline and service. Refer to the SATERN Web site <http://www.satern.org/>.

The Maritime Mobile Service Net (MMSN) meets on 14.300 MHz and is composed of hams who serve and assist those in need of communications on the high seas. According to its Web site <http://www.mmsn.org/>, the primary purpose of the net is for handling traffic from maritime mobiles. The network is recognized by the United States Coast Guard and has an excellent working relationship with that agency. The MMSN has handled hundreds of incidents involving vessels in distress, medical emergencies in remote locations and passing health and welfare traffic in and out of affected areas. They also work closely with the NWS and NHC by relaying weather reports from maritime stations.

The VoIP SKYWARN and Hurricane Net operates by combining both the Echolink and IRLP linked repeater networks, while handling critical wide area communications during major severe weather and tropical events. These operations have gained national stature in recent years, and provide excellent service. Whenever tropical weather is imposing a threat to the U.S. mainland and certain other areas of interest, the VoIP WX-NET will be fully operational. See <http://www.voipwx.net/>.

During hurricane events, there are usually two or three regional nets (on 40 or 20 meters) that spring to prominence as major, key assets to the disaster response on an ad hoc basis. Watch for these nets, as well as the nationally-recognized networks above, this season. Don't transmit on their frequencies unless you are absolutely sure you have something substantive to add, and then only under the direction of the net control station.

--------------

In This Issue:

+ The View from Flagler County

+ ARES Confers at National Hurricane Conference, Orlando National

+ Hurricane Center Director Lauds Hams "Digital Saturday" Provides

+ Training in Digital Modes Red Cross Disaster Action Team Drill Turns

+ into the Real Thing Greater Bridgeport ARC (CT) to Support New EOC

+ Ohio ARES Teams Lend Support to Hepatitis Vaccination Clinic

+ LETTERS: Sending E-mail Via SMS (SMS Gateways)

+ FEEDBACK: SATERN Does Not Require Background Checks

+ LETTERS: Licensing Standards Diminished

+ LETTERS: FEMA Now Responsible for Mass Care; ARES Role More

Defined?

+ LETTERS: FEMA Disaster Assistance Employee Offers Perspective

+ RESOURCES: New EmComm E-Zine Available

+ RESOURCES: Tarrant County (TX) SKYWARN Video is Excellent K1CE For a

+ Final

+ ARES Confers at National Hurricane Conference, Orlando

National Hurricane Center (NHC) Amateur Radio station coordinators John McHugh, K4AG, and Julio Ripoll, WD4R, discussed the interaction and importance of Amateur Radio in the forecasting of tropical events at the Amateur Radio Session of the National Hurricane Conference earlier this month. McHugh also discussed the Caribbean Amateur Radio Meteorological Emergency Network (CARMEN) program, outlining how the program in its current stage can use revitalization and rebuilding to provide improved information to the NHC.

Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net Rob Macedo, KD1CY, presented a detailed overview of the system that integrates EchoLink and the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP). For the past few years, this operation has been building to become another reliable source of information for the National Hurricane Center.

ARRL HQ's EmComm Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, and Macedo offered the final Amateur Radio presentation of the Conference, "Disaster Intelligence and Situational Awareness Utilizing Amateur Radio." This discussion went beyond the traditional uses of Amateur Radio into the areas of damage assessment, infrastructure monitoring, communications systems replacement and rapid situational analyses.

[The National Hurricane Conference has a long history of support of Amateur Radio operators, waiving registration fees for those attending its special session on Amateur Radio. For years, the session has welcomed luminaries from the emergency management arena.

We thank the National Hurricane Conference for this support. -- ed.]

+ National Hurricane Center Director Lauds Hams

National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read, KB5FYA, praised Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando, Florida, earlier this month <http://www.voipwx.net/local/Bill_Read_on_Ham_Radio_Hurricane_Conference2008.wmv>. " Ham radio has always played a critical role in emergencies," Read said. "What goes out when you have a high wind event or major flooding is the communications system, so you lose even cell phones, landline phones, commercial radio and TV. In those cases, ham radio operators that can put up emergency transmitters and antennas in the wake of a storm can give us reports that are valuable. They also help in the search and rescue efforts in the aftermath." The NHC has a dedicated amateur station on-site -- WX4NHC

-- and has worked closely with hams for decades. -- Dan Musten, KD4RAA, and John Van Pelt, K4JVP, AEC for Central Carolina Skywarn

+ "Digital Saturday" Provides Training in Digital Modes

Georgia SEC Scott Royle, KK4Z, challenged the Section to increase training and use of digital modes in 2008. Gwinnett County, Georgia ARES was already active on digital modes with three digipeaters, a Winlink 2000 node and a D-Star repeater. The weekly Training Net takes Packet as well as voice check-ins.

With new members coming onboard and others exploring digital modes, Gwinnett ARES AEC for Digital, Ed Woodrick, WA4YIH, developed a day of classes on various digital modes titled "Digital Saturday."

Twenty-five Gwinnett ARES members participated in training in APRS, Packet Basics, D-Star Data, Winlink 2000, D-Star Operation and Programming, and PSK31. Each of the hour-long classes provided information on the topic as well as hands-on demonstrations of each technology. An RMS Packet node setup onsite allowed e-mails to be transmitted and received via Winlink 2000 and the Airmail client.

Instructors for the classes included Gwinnett ARES members experienced in specific digital modes and the Georgia ASEC for Digital, Tom Olley, KG4VUB. It is hoped that Digital Saturday will allow Gwinnett ARES members to become more proficient and use various modes of digital communications. Presentations from Digital Saturday are available on the Gwinnett ARES Web site, <http://www.gwinnettares.org>. -- John Davis WB4QDX, Emergency Coordinator, Gwinnett County, Georgia <wb4qdx@arrl.net>

+ Red Cross Disaster Action Team Drill Turns into the Real Thing

BRIDGEPORT, CT, February 2, 2008 -- The American Red Cross Mid-Fairfield County Chapter held a drill to familiarize Disaster Action Team (DAT) members with the territory serviced by the chapter, gain experience in the use of GPS to navigate to a destination, learn about the use of radio during a deployment, and compare the operation of VHF/UHF amateur radios and Red Cross 47.420 MHz radios. The Greater Bridgeport Amateur Radio Club (GBARC) supports the Red Cross with nine fully qualified and trained Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers.

The plan was to deploy five Red Cross vehicles to different destinations within the ten served communities covering over 200 square miles. Each vehicle would deploy with a ham operator carrying a handheld VHF/UHF radio and four of the vehicles would have a permanently installed Red Cross 47.420 MHz radio. In order to gain experience, only non-hams were to operate the Red Cross radios. A base station would be situated at the Bridgeport chapter house. Two amateur radios capable of simultaneously handling a total of four amateur VHF/UHF frequencies and a Red Cross radio operating on the 47.420 MHz frequency were installed at the base. The amateur radios would use repeaters located in Norwalk, Fairfield, Milford and Bridgeport. There are no repeaters for the Red Cross radios in the area.

Just minutes prior to the start of the drill, a real incident occurred and the volunteers responded. Radio contact using the 47.420 MHz frequency was not possible once the vehicles were on scene at the incident site four miles away in Stratford. This was due to an intervening hill that prevented line of site communications. Amateur Radio, however, performed flawlessly using repeaters in Bridgeport and Fairfield. The variety of available repeater locations and their antenna height provides the flexibility and capability to virtually eliminate communications problems due to terrain or structural interference. -- John Russo, KA1JXW, Public Information Officer, Greater Bridgeport Amateur Radio Club <russojg@snet.net>

+ Greater Bridgeport ARC (CT) to Support New EOC

BRIDGEPORT, CT, February 25, 2008 -- The greater Bridgeport metropolitan area was just designated as an Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) site. This means Homeland Security funds will be made available to Bridgeport and the surrounding area to enhance prevention, preparedness, response and recovery to events involving all natural and man made hazards, including terrorism. Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) along with Bridgeport Mayor Finch and Norwalk Mayor Moccia held a press conference on February 25 to discuss this designation at the new Bridgeport Combined Emergency Dispatch and Emergency Operations Center (EOC), scheduled to open in September 2008. Bridgeport Director of Emergency Management, Scott Appleby, hosted the event. The new center will house a combined emergency dispatch center (911 Center) along with a state-of-the-art EOC. The facility will withstand hurricane force winds, have multiple power and other backup systems and includes the latest technological advances to assure uninterrupted command and control during any emergency situation.

The center includes a room dedicated to Amateur Radio communications.

The equipment and antennas have been specified by the Greater Bridgeport Amateur Radio Club, Inc. (GBARC) and purchased by the city of Bridgeport. GBARC will supply volunteer operators for the ham facility. Amateur Radio and GBARC are an integral part of the Emergency Operations Plan for the city. -- John Russo, KA1JXW, Public Information Officer, Greater Bridgeport Amateur Radio Club <russojg@snet.net>

+ Ohio ARES Teams Lend Support to Hepatitis Vaccination Clinic

When a hepatitis A outbreak alarmed residents of West Chester, Ohio last month, local officials worked to inoculate more than 1200 people who had eaten at a local fast food restaurant; an employee with a confirmed case of the virus who worked at the restaurant in March may have contaminated ice and other food items, health officials said.

Inundated with more people than expected, Butler County Health Department and Emergency Management officials were overwhelmed with traffic, communication problems and general logistics. When a second hepatitis A vaccination clinic was scheduled for April 5, officials called on local ARES to assist with communications, as well as traffic and crowd control.

District Emergency Coordinator Robert Spratt, N8TVU, reported officials at the first clinic could not communicate on their cell phones due to lack of coverage in the area. "Officials had only planned for about 800 people to show up to get inoculated. When they had more than 1200 people show up, they tried using their cell phones to call and get more vaccine, but they just wouldn't work." Calls made to 911 for police back-up to deal with unruly persons also had trouble getting through.

At the second clinic, eight hams from both Butler County and Hamilton County were on site and ready to assist. The clinic, located at a church, was scheduled to run from 10 AM-4 PM. The hams were ready for early crowds; at the first clinic, people were standing in line more than two hours before the doors opened.

"When the ARES team arrived, they established the parking lot area, the traffic flow patterns into and out of the church area and set up the required communications," Spratt said. More than 225 people received hepatitis A vaccinations at the second clinic and ARES members directed more than 1200 cars to their correct destinations on the property. The Butler County Health Department officials, clinic staff, the Butler County Emergency Management Agency, the West Chester Police Department and church officials thanked the ARES team for a job well done.

Ohio District 4 ARES teams in Warren, Clermont, Hamilton, and Butler counties have had prior Volunteer Reception Center and vaccination clinic operation training that "helped greatly in understanding and knowing what would be needed in the way of communications at the clinic, as well as security, traffic control and crowd control."

The Ohio Section Emergency Response Plan (OSERP) <http://www.trac-online.org/Docs/oserp.pdf> outlines how ARES is activated in the Section, who reports to whom and how communication flows. Many ARES districts have participated with their Regional Medical Response Systems in their assigned districts on tabletop exercises, as well as actual call-up drills. In February, District 3, under the command of ADEC Fred Stone, W8LLY, conducted a Pandemic Flu activation that extended over several days, including a real-time snow storm which affected the drill. This vaccination clinic this past weekend proved that ARES is vital to the emergency medical community. -- excerpted from the ARRL Letter

+ LETTERS: Sending E-mail Via SMS (SMS Gateways)

During Katrina, and recently the Nevada earthquake, traditional cellular voice service was overwhelmed due to a combination of damaged infrastructure and system overloads. In many cases, however, it was noted that Short Messaging System (SMS or "text") would often function when voice circuits would not.

It's also possible to send these SMS messages via e-mail in most cases, using SMS Gateways. If you are deploying ARES team members into an affected area, you should test their cell phones for this capability before they leave. It's also important to limit the message length, since most carriers restrict SMS messages to 160 characters. Below is a list of the major carriers in North America that offer SMS gateway services. Others can usually be found using search engines.

An SMS gateway provides an easy way for you to communicate with deployed ARES team members, family members, or anyone whose cell phone number and carrier you're sure of. In many cases, we were able to help people outside the affected area reach their loved ones more quickly using these gateways.

Also, before deploying in approach of Katrina and Rita, we purchased inexpensive pre-paid cell phones at Wal-Mart for two or three of the other major carriers (we carry T-Mobile phones). These included Verizon, Cingular (AT&T), and Spring. Even in some of the worst areas impacted by the storms, we were usually able to communicate on at least one of the phones we had with us. This adds an important degree of team safety. -- Les Rayburn, N1LF, Shelby County, Alabama Emergency Coordinator NCS-SHARES NCS-047

Alltel

[10-digit phone number]@message.alltel.com

Example: 2125552555@message.alltel.co

AT&T Wireless (now part of Cingular)

[10-digit phone number]@mmode.com

Example: 2125552555@mmode.com

Boost Mobile

[10-digit phone number]@myboostmobile.com

Example: 2125552555@myboostmobile.com

Cingular

[10-digit phone number]@mobile.mycingular.com OR [10-digit number]@cingularme.com

Example: 4152555555@cingularme.com

Nextel (now Sprint Nextel)

[10-digit telephone number]@messaging.nextel.com

Example: 7035552555@messaging.nextel.com

Sprint PCS (now Sprint Nextel)

[10-digit phone number]@messaging.sprintpcs.com

Example: 2125552555@messaging.sprintpcs.com

T-Mobile

[10-digit phone number]@tmomail.net

Example: 4252555555@tmomail.net

Verizon

[10-digit phone number]@vtext.com

Example: 555255555@vtext.com

Virgin Mobile USA

[10-digit phone number]@vmobl.com

Example: 5552555555@vmobl.com

+ FEEDBACK: SATERN Does Not Require Background Checks

I would like to clarify and correct a statement that Gary Wilson, K2GW, Southern NJ SEC, made in his letter published in the March ARES

E-letter: "SATERN also requires background checks on its volunteers."

SATERN is a national program of The Salvation Army and as such would neither be likely nor authorized to request background checks. There is NO background check required as a condition of membership in SATERN. If an individual would like to become a Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services Volunteer and work with a local Salvation Army unit directly helping survivors of emergencies, whether as a SATERN member or not, a character background check is usually performed by The Salvation Army as part of the vetting process of all Salvation Army Volunteers. However, there is no requirement for submission of one's Social Security Number nor is there any financial background check performed.

Many SATERN Members provide very valuable and much appreciated assistance during emergencies from their home stations, hundreds, even thousands, of miles from the actual site. -- Richard Montgomery, N3DV, Eastern Territory SATERN Coordinator

+ LETTERS: Licensing Standards Diminished

In response to last month's item by Bill Stietenroth, K5ZTY, Houston, Texas, and a previous one by Steve Fleckenstein, N2UBP, I couldn't agree more. I originally was licensed while in high school in 1952.

My primary interest was the technology involved (I had previously built two-way radios in cigar boxes using filament miniature vacuum tubes). I thus enjoyed designing and building my own equipment (I'm a retired aerospace electronics design engineer) and talking with it on the air with similarly oriented hams.

However, by 1968, there seemed to be few hams who knew (nor cared) about the technical aspects, so I let my license expire. But recently, the local Red Cross advertised for a ham to organize the hams in this county and set up an emergency communications network in this mountainous, line-of-sight communications area. I took all the tests again (and was amazed at how easy they were as compared to those of 1952!) and went on to obtain my Extra Class. I then taught a class of several months and graduated seven new hams. We've since added several more.

However, I made them suffer! The classes were based on the ARRL publication "Now You're Talking," but went well beyond that material from a technical standpoint. We had detailed discussions on electronics mathematics, circuits, construction projects, troubleshooting, etc.

Today, we've received many kudos for our emergency ARES drills in Towns County, Georgia, and are installing a donated repeater on a mountain, all as a local communications branch and with the terrific support of the Red Cross (of which most of us are also members). But, it didn't stop there! In addition to our weekly nets, we meet monthly for a two-hour technical course on a ham related topic. I'm doing my best to be sure that ARES operators know not only what knob to twist, but what happens when they twist it and why. -- Alton Higgins, W4VFZ, Georgia RACES, FEMA, GEMA, and Red Cross EC, Towns County, Georgia

+ LETTERS: FEMA Now Responsible for Mass Care; ARES Role More Defined?

FEMA is now the lead agency for Mass Care (ESF #6) at the Federal level based on the recently released National Response Framework (replacing the National Response Plan). Red Cross still maintains a support role. The same is true in many states as well. For instance, in Georgia, the Department of Human Resources' Division of Family and Children Services is the government lead and Red Cross the volunteer lead for Mass Care.

As a professional disaster preparedness planner, we recognize that the local Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is ultimately the primary agency responsible for all disaster response. They have the ability to task whatever resources are appropriate to a response and assign them as needed, including communications (ESF #2 Telecommunications).

This includes tasking ARES and/or RACES organizations to assist Red Cross with communications if communications support is requested by Red Cross to the local EMA. In the county where I live, Gwinnett County, Georgia, ESF 2 lists ARES as a supporting organization. That is how local ARES members respond and are assigned as needed.

We as Amateur Radio operators and as members of ARES need to have a better understanding of core emergency response planning to understand just how we fit in. If something happens locally that requires my professional involvement, I probably won't be available to ARES, but if I can, I will, through the direction issued by the local EMA. It may be to support Red Cross who will take me as an EMA resource.

I think it is probably true that Red Cross is having to learn to function within this structure as well. No single agency can provide all the resources in all the support functional areas that it needs during a disaster. That was discovered during Katrina. That is why we see the changes and a heavy emphasis in the emergency preparedness community on incident command and the National Response Framework. -- Stan Edwards, WA4DYD, Georgia Master Certified Emergency Manager <WA4DYD@gmail.com>

[For more information on the new National Response Framework, see <http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nrf/mainindex.htm> -- ed.]

+ LETTERS: FEMA Disaster Assistance Employee Offers Perspective

Many local hams are on the ground shortly after storms and see much more than I do, but as a part time Regional FEMA employee I am called as a guest of the affected state to determine FEMA assessments of damage. I work with a state and local representative, and a Small Business Administration (SBA) official, to give the Governor an estimated dollar value of damage to aid in the decision of whether the President should be asked for a disaster declaration. This is a team effort and we must all agree at the end of the day as to what we saw and report. We are the eyes and ears on the ground and everyone depends on us to give an honest and fair report, which includes talking to the victims and listening to their stories before the media gets there. In performing these assessments, the number of fatalities are also taken into account. When I get a chance, I look for hams on 146.52 MHz simplex or a local repeater. -- Don Wade, W8DEA, FEMA Disaster Assistance Employee

+ RESOURCES: New EmComm E-Zine Available

New "COAX Connections" e-Zine has been created by the Volunteer Communicators Network <http://www.V-C-N.org>. The goals of this newsletter are to: (1) Provide timely information of interest via e-Mail; (2) Promote a regional approach to training for disasters and volunteer radio operator proficiency; (3) Provoke readers to take action and be active in local volunteer communications opportunities; and (4) Stimulate ideas toward increased disaster preparedness, field deployment readiness, and emergency communications capability.

+ RESOURCES: Tarrant County (TX) SKYWARN Video is Excellent <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrbXI6_ZL2w>

+ K1CE For a Final

With hurricane season looming, now is the time to drill your local ARES unit. Formulate training around a hurricane situation, and develop a realistic scenario. Many SECs have developed training activities that are specifically designed for your state, section or local area. County Emergency Managers are often well practiced in setting up exercises that can help you sharpen your communications and general emergency reaction skills.

During a drill:

1) Announce the simulated emergency situation, activate the emergency net and dispatch mobiles and portables to served agencies.

2) Originate messages and requests for supplies on behalf of served agencies by using tactical communications. (Don't forget to label each message with a "this is a drill only" header, no matter what mode is used to transmit it.)

3) Use emergency-powered repeaters and employ digital modes. Use and test a simplex frequency.

4) As warranted by traffic loads, assign liaison stations to receive traffic on the local net and relay to your section net. Be sure there is a representative on each session of the section nets to receive traffic coming to your area.

After a drill:

1) Determine the results of the emergency communications.

2) Critique the drill.

3) Report your efforts, including any photos, clippings and other items of interest, to your SEC and ARRL HQ.

Personal Preparation:

Here at station K1CE, I have replaced my HF antenna with a rugged Alpha-Delta Multi-Band wire type that is easy to lower and raise as conditions warrant. I also replaced all coax cables, and put up new VHF and UHF beam antennas. I check into the daily HF ARES Net, and the weekly VHF ARES nets at both the county and District levels. I'll be ready.

And last but not least, I would like to congratulate emcomm expert, author, and ARES E-Letter contributor H. Ward Silver, N0AX, who has won the Dayton Hamvention's Amateur of the Year Award. Silver, who lives on Vashon Island near Seattle, Washington, worked closely with community leaders and the Vashon-Maury Island Radio Club (W7VMI) to provide effective emergency communications. According to the awards committee, radio club members, along with the fire district and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), have created one of the "best local communications systems in the state of Washington."

See you next month! - 73, Rick, K1CE, Assistant SEC, Northern Florida Section ARES

Copyright 2008 American Radio Relay League, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

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; <http://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).

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The ARES E-Letter March 20, 2008

=================

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

As this issue is being composed, I am checked into the Northern Florida ARES Net on 3950 kHz, as I am on most mornings. The net has been in operation for years, and functions efficiently on a roster-based system of check-ins. The regulars are leaders in ARES across the peninsula north of the I-4 corridor, and the panhandle.

Check-ins include State EOC staffers positioned at the Amateur Radio station located in the rear area of the huge operations room there at the Tallahassee facility. The net was designed and effected to represent the interests of northern Florida in liaison with the State EOC.

It is reassuring to listen to, on a daily basis, the incredible amount of support the net receives and generates for local, county, regional and state levels of ARES, and its clients - the various emergency management agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, at each of these levels. Only by daily activity, training and preparedness, will we be able to fully meet the emergency communication needs of clients when it hits the fan here in disaster-prone northern Florida.

In This Issue:

+ The View from Flagler County

+ A Model of MARS-ARES-RACES Cooperation in Oregon Storm Response ARRL

+ EmComm Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, On Line Seminar April 19 EMCOMMWEST

+ '08 - Coming Back To Reno

+ 2008 GAREC Slated for June in Germany

+ Palm Beach County Preps for Hurricane Season Michigan Amateurs Team Up

+ With State

+ LETTERS: Please Include Bands and Modes in Reports

+ LETTERS: No Red Cross/ARRL Agreement At Present

+ LETTERS: More on Certification

+ ARRL Media Relations Form Released for ARES PR ARES Training

+ Recommendations Mutual Aid (ARESMAT) Concept

+ RESOURCES: New EmComm Packet Terminal Software Resources for ARES Ops

+ K1CE For a Final

+ A Model of MARS-ARES-RACES Cooperation in Oregon Storm Response

When the Pacific Northwest was battered by hurricane-strength winds and torrential rain last December, Joe Johnston, N7HAE, of Knappa, Oregon, operated for five days, serving as a model of ARES, RACES, and MARS working together with state and local authorities during crunch time.

"I was sitting here [in northwest Oregon] with no power, no phone, no cell phone, no Internet and for a time, no water," recalled Johnston, a retired National Weather Service staffer. "All roads were closed due to mud slides and fallen trees. Clatsop County ARES/RACES activated a net of which I became a part. I switched back and forth between Amateur frequencies and MARS frequencies many times, and spent the next five days on generator power relaying traffic from the Clatsop County EOC [in Astoria] to the OEM Center in Salem, while keeping the Department of Homeland Security informed via MARS Elements of Essential Information (EEI) reports."

Two crucial messages handled by Johnston were Clatsop County's state of emergency declaration and the local government's appeal to the governor for assistance. With telephones out, the two text files traveled the first 16 miles by Pactor from Astoria to Johnston's shack just up the Columbia River. Propagation was extremely poor and fading, but after a search he was able to connect with the amateur WinLink PMBO operated by William Rohrer, W7IJ, near Ft. Lewis, Washington. WinLink carried on from there. Johnston later got message receipt confirmation from operators at W7OEM, the Oregon Emergency Management Amateur Radio Unit station.

Johnston signed up with Army MARS as AAR0PY/T in 2005, three weeks after Hurricane Katrina. His years in the weather service gave him experience with emergency situations and Amateur Radio. In 2006 he logged over 500 hours of MARS on-air time. And in late 2007 when MARSgrams started flowing again to and from American troops overseas, Johnston relayed them via the Army MARS WinLink messaging system as AAT0TOR.

During the December storm, Johnston filed his MARS information reports (EEIs) via an Air Force MARS PMBO, AFD5WA, in Puyallup, Washington. Within a few hours of the initial EEI, federal authorities released emergency resources at Camp Rilea, the Oregon National Guard training base on the coast near Astoria.

At one point, Johnston couldn't find a digital connect due to the poor conditions, so he put out a voice call for relay assistance on the 80-meter amateur band. Mark Beadle, KD7ZPP, responded from Reno, Nevada, who assisted with the coordination of traffic for Clatsop and other coastal counties in distress.

In summary, Johnston filed reports via the MARS WinLink messaging system, used amateur Pactor and WinLink for communication with the EOCs, handled traffic via the ARRL National Traffic System, VHF voice and Packet, and finally 80-meter daytime phone to find contacts. His after-action report to MARS listed 60 pieces of record traffic processed.

Chief of Army MARS Stu Carter said in his bi-weekly broadcast, "I take great pride in sharing the story of this operation with our membership. He leaves with us a great example of dedication and initiative." - Bill Sexton, AAA9PC/AAR1FP/N1IN, Army MARS Public Affairs Director, <n1in@arrl.net>

+ ARRL EmComm Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, On Line Seminar April 19

Meet with ARRL's Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager, Dennis Dura K2DCD, on an April 19 on-line seminar hosted by the ARRL Atlantic Division. Dura will present information about the ARRL's EmComm program and what he's been working on.

This webinar/teleconference is designed for any club members, ARES members, and anyone else interested in emergency communications. You do not have to be a member of the Atlantic Division to register and participate. This is a free on-line presentation and teleconference.

(The telephone call to the conference center may be a toll call, however). There will be a question and answer period after the presentation. Interested amateurs can register for this webinar/teleconference at: <https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/874893521> -- Bill Edgar, N3LLR, ARRL Atlantic Division Director

+ EMCOMMWEST '08 - Coming Back To Reno

Reno, Nevada -- EMCOMMWEST 2008 will be held May 2-4 this year at a new venue: the Circus Circus Hotel Resort in downtown Reno. Main speakers include Dennis Dura, K2DCD, Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager of the ARRL Headquarters staff who will deliver the keynote address, and host a forum.

Special guest for the Saturday night banquet is Gordon West, WB6NOA, from southern California. West will present a forum on an introduction to emergency communications, and will have a display booth with his mobile communications unit. Banquet seating is limited; reservations should be made early. A video presentation by Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, special counsel of the FCC's enforcement staff will also be featured.

Registration is open on-line via the Web site <http://www.emcommwest.org>. Special room rates are available from Circus Circus, via a link on the Web site.

Forums covering leadership, served agencies, MARS, the latest technology, and many new presentations will highlight this year's event. A special event station on HF, UHF and VHF will be active in commemoration of the event. For more information, contact <info@emcommwest.org>

+ 2008 GAREC Slated for June in Germany

The fourth annual Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (GAREC) Conference <http://www.iaru.org/emergency/GAREC2008Program.pdf> is scheduled for June 26-27, 2008 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, just prior to HamRadio

2008 <http://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.de/html/en/>. That event, called "the Dayton of Europe," is scheduled for June 27-29. GAREC's schedule is continuously being updated and is subject to change.

Dr Hamadoun Toure, HB9EHT, Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is scheduled to present the opening remarks at GAREC-08; Dr Toure received his Amateur Radio license in 2007. Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, President of IARU Region 1, is also scheduled to participate in the opening remarks.

GAREC participants will assess the state of EmComm preparedness in each of the IARU regions, as well as discuss experiences of the 2006 and 2007 EmComm Parties-on-the-Air and the future of the Global Simulated Emergency Test (SET). Delegates will also discuss implementation of the WRC-03 modifications to Article 25 of the Radio Regulations, in respect to third-party traffic during emergencies and exercises. The part of Article 25 concerning Emergency Communications states "Amateur stations may be used for transmitting international communications on behalf of third parties only in case of emergencies or disaster relief. An administration may determine the applicability of this provision to amateur stations under its jurisdiction" (RR 25.3), and "Administrations are encouraged to take the necessary steps to allow amateur stations to prepare for and meet communication needs in support of disaster relief" (RR 25.9A).

GAREC delegates will also discuss the Memorandum of Understanding

(MOU) between the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) and the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), as well as the MOU between the IARU and the ITU. IARU Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, with assistance from IFRC Secretary General Markku Niskala and IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, will lead the discussion. A representative from the ITU will also be on hand.

Each of the three IARU Region Presidents will speak on the status of EmComm in their respective region. Seppo Sisatto, OH1VR, and Juha Hulkko, OH8NC, will present on the possibility of Emergency Communication Centers around the world. There will also be a talk on D-STAR in emergency communications. Case studies of emergency communication practices will also be presented.

Those wishing to attend GAREC-08 are encouraged to register on-line <http://www.korkee.net/Garec2008/>. For those registering prior to June 12, the fee is 55 euros; after June 12, the fee is 75 euros.

GAREC will take place in the Conference Center of the Friedrichshafen Messe in the Oesterreich Room. Travel and lodging information for GAREC and HamRadio 2008 is available on-line at the HamRadio 2008 Web page.

+ Palm Beach County Preps for 2008 Hurricane Season

In preparation for the 2008 hurricane season, Palm Beach County (FL) has been making a number of upgrades to its VHF RACES repeaters, including Project 25 (P25) digital compliance on their coordinated 145.390, 146.880, and 147.360 MHz frequencies with associated antenna system upgrades. In addition to replacing the 15 year old equipment of differing makes with identical latest model equipment, the County also added a satellite receiver network to its primary 147.360 MHz repeater located in the middle of the 2,500 square mile county to improve coverage for those hams using hand-held radios.

All of the repeaters are geographically separated on locations that also house the County's 800 MHz trunking system, are on integrated UPS/generator back-up systems, programmed for "mixed mode" that allow for both analog and digital transmissions, and are also capable of all of the other P25 digital features to include unit paging, Soft ID (call-sign transmission), SMS, conventional talk-group capabilities, and unit emergency alert. The repeaters are managed by Mark Filla, KS4VT, who is the County Radio Manager/RACES Officer and maintained by Rudy Gibson, KI4IZI, David Case, KI4IZJ, and Ken Denker, KI4IZL, who are all employed full time by the County in the Electronic Services and Security Division.

Filla stated "These open repeaters are in our complement for our volunteer RACES operators when we activate and are otherwise available for any ham in the area to utilize for either narrow band digital or wide-band analog QSO's. The interest in P25 in the South Florida area has been growing and we have new users with digital capabilities checking weekly from all over SE Florida."

In addition to the County upgrading its repeaters to P25, other Florida repeater owners have decided to replace their equipment with like technology that can be found on the Florida Repeater Council Web site: <http://www.florida-repeaters.org/apco25proof.pdf> and a nationwide Amateur Radio P25 repeater map can be found on this Web site: <http://www.frappr.com/P25AmateurRepeaters>

+ Michigan Amateurs Team Up With State

ARRL Michigan Section Manager Dale Williams, WA8EFK, and Michigan SEC John McDonough, WB8RCR, have been working with the Homeland Security Division of the Michigan State Police Emergency Management office to align the capabilities of the Amateur Radio Public Service Corps

(ARPSC) more closely with the communications needs of the state's public service agencies.

ARPSC -- Michigan's integrated ARES/RACES program -- also participates in the Michigan State Department Emergency Management Coordinators Quarterly meetings at the State EOC. It is here, Williams said, that discussion of the Public Safety communications grants are discussed and their investment justifications are detailed. "We have been afforded the opportunity to discuss Amateur Radio's involvement with communications interoperability, as well as our ability to fill gaps in disparate networks and outages. As a result of these conferences, I was asked to include a list of ARPSC's needs for the next three years."

To further that end, Williams said that they have been successful in incorporating the ARPSC program into the Michigan State Preparedness Priorities. Michigan intends to develop the ARPSC into a fully integrated communications team operating under common standards and procedures, including maintaining and enhancing the statewide Amateur Radio communications system; establishing suggested standards for Amateur Radio capabilities in local Emergency Operations Centers; and developing a public awareness and education program to bolster the ranks of Amateur Radio participants. The hope, Williams said, is to have all of this implemented by 2010.

Williams said, "Since the early 1980s, Michigan has operated an integrated ARES, RACES and NTS program referred to as the Michigan Amateur Radio Public Service Corps. By combining the forces of these normally separate structures, these valuable resources are pulled together to form an active trained and unified organization. The SEC also holds the positions of Section Traffic Manager and RACES Radio Officer. Membership in ARPSC is open to all amateurs and is structured to allow a beginning ham to progress from an entry-level position to a RACES-qualified operator by meeting specific training milestones."

"There is no doubt that by presenting a unified organization, the Michigan ARPSC has demonstrated the effective use of resources, training and our unique capabilities so that we have become a well respected public service organization in the state," Williams said. - ARRL Letter

+ LETTERS: Please Include Bands and Modes in Reports

ARES operators reporting ARES activations, please include the bands and modes employed. I expect that 2-meters, 440 MHz, and voice will be reported most often, but this information is helpful to us in knowing what others use as models for the rest of us. Please also emphasize the need for good voice and traffic handling skills.

Although the newer modes are impressive, in preparing for our April exercise at the local nuclear power plant, I am training on the basics of voice communications using 2-meters.

Sharing lessons learned and preparing for interoperability is the function of ARES newsletters. It helps ECs to know and understand what bands and modes get the job done in the field. It also helps those who may be called upon to respond, and what they need in their "go bags" to hit the ground running. -- Joe Tokarz, KB9EZZ, EC LaSalle County, Illinois

+ LETTERS: No Red Cross/ARRL Agreement At Present

In light of my experience as a RACES volunteer in the past year and a half, and not knowing how much either side may have contributed to the hold-up, I must stress how bad it is that there has been no resolution of the ARRL/Red Cross MOU apparent impasse at this time.

Delaying the renewal of the MOU can only degrade the ARRL-ARC relationship at every level.

Since it is unlikely that hams, or the ARRL, will stop participating in Red Cross activities, it seems to me that the decision is not whether to have an MOU, but how to write it in a way that respects the ARC's concerns for its clients, and the concerns of ham volunteers for their own privacy. AND, to make that decision and act on it as soon as possible. -- Mike Harla, N2MHO, AEC, Cumberland County, New Jersey

As one personally who went through the benign Red Cross background check procedure, it is the League that stands to lose the most from this. It needs to recognize that it is the junior partner in the agreement when it comes to Disaster Relief.

From what I saw at Dayton last year, it looks like the Red Cross is not changing its background check policy (mandated on it by Congress) to accommodate the overwrought concerns of a few hams and is starting to create its own cadre of ARC hams outside of ARES. SATERN also requires background checks on its volunteers. -- Gary Wilson, K2GW, Southern New Jersey SEC

[Editor's note: The ARRL President and staff have made resolution of the issues surrounding the Red Cross Statement of Understanding (SOU) a top priority, and I expect that the document will be renewed soon.

- K1CE]

+ LETTERS: More on Certification

In the last issue, Steve Fleckenstein, N2UBP, nails down a problem that is growing in the whole of Amateur Radio not only with certification but with licensing itself. With the publication of the license question pool we are now getting all classes of license holders who have memorized answers and passed a test without gaining any knowledge of Amateur Radio at all. The ARRL's rush to make the license ever easier to obtain is going to take a toll on the knowledge base as time goes on. No organization ever improved its stature by lowering requirements for membership.

If you want to make an entry level license easy to obtain to get people in the door, that is fine, but there needs to be some "time in grade" and a different kind of testing for advancement to assure that there is an ever growing knowledge base in the hobby. If not, we are doomed to have the same kind of knowledge base that is exhibited in the Citizen Band ranks. The ARRL needs to take a serious look at this. -- Bill Stietenroth, K5ZTY, Houston,TX

I appreciate the comments on certification by Fleckenstein, although I think he has cast a very wide net. Speaking as an individual, not as an employee of Oracle USA, I have to take exception to his characterization of validation being limited to one's test-taking ability. Oracle Database Administration certification, at its highest level, offers a 2-day practicum (usually run from 8 AM to 7 PM both days), that throws anywhere from 8-10 real-world scenarios that do not test your ability to memorize a list of questions, but test your ability to get the job done when things don't go perfectly! Needless to say, there are not many who pass it...making it a very rare feat, but one I'm convinced is valued by employers (many employers pay for the OCM testing for their top guys!)

I would like to see a practicum-based certification process for emergency management folks, similar to the Oracle Certified Master program. We could brainstorm ideas for what such a test might constitute. -- Gerry Jurrens, N2GJ, <n2gj@arrl.net>, Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator, Southern NJ Section

+ ARRL Media Relations Form Released for ARES PR

Allen Pitts, W1AGP, Media and PR Manager of the ARRL Headquarters staff, has released the following report form to be used by ARES leaders for reporting ARES activations to the media:

________

The _______ Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES(r)) has been activated to assist with primary/auxiliary emergency communications for this event. The group is coordinated by _____(name of EC or acting EC).

_______________ ARES is working with the ______________ county/city/town Office of Emergency Management and the following

agency(ies): ___________

The group is providing communications links between: _________

Amateur Radio operators are stationed at the following locations to provide communications assistance:

___ (#) of Amateur Radio operators are at the sites

___(#) of additional Amateur Radio operators are on standby for additional communications needs.

Insert boilerplate paragraph about the local ARES group here:

For more information contact:

________________________ (name of acting PIO) ________________________ (e-mail) ________________________ (phone and cell numbers)

_________

For more information on the new form, contact Allen Pitts, W1AGP, <w1agp@arrl.org> at ARRL Headquarters.

+ ARES Training Recommendations

All ARES operators should periodically review their training and qualifications. Now, is a good time to do so as we look ahead to the start of hurricane season just a few months away.

First and foremost, ARES operators should take Level One of the ARRL Emergency Communications courses, progressing to Levels Two and Three when possible. Here are some links to find out more about the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Courses:

- Frequently Asked Questions <http://www.arrl.org/cce/faq.html>

- CCE Course Syllabi <http://www.arrl.org/cce/syllabus.html>

- Registration for Online Courses <https://www.arrl.org/forms/cce/>

- Listing of Classroom Courses and Exams <http://www.arrl.org/cce/activity-list.php3>

- CI/CE Search Page <http://www.arrl.org/cce/cice-search.php3>

- Discussion Forum (Members Only)

<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/forums/w-agora.php3>

- CCE Student Page (Members Only)

<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/cce/>

- Course Listing <http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html>

In addition to the ARRL Emergency Communications Courses, field operators should also complete certain formal training courses:

-- Red Cross combined course in Adult CPR/First Aid Basics

-- Red Cross online Introduction to Disaster Services <http://www.redcross.org/flash/course01_v01/>

-- FEMA IS-100 (Introduction to Incident Command System)

-- FEMA IS-200 (ICS for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents)

-- FEMA IS-700 (National Incident Management System) <http://training.fema.gov/IS/>

Except for the first two, all courses are free of charge, and CPR/First Aid may be free to members of the Red Cross. CPR/First Aid is the only course that requires periodic refreshers and the only course that must be taken in person rather than on the Internet. The American Heart Association (AHA) also offers Basic Life Support (BLS) courses. Where FEMA courses exist in more than one current version - aimed at somewhat different audiences - any of the currently-available versions will suffice.

+ Mutual Aid (ARESMAT) Concept

Most disasters are local and of relatively short duration, which is why the traditional county and Section-based ARES approach is appropriate most of the time. However, disasters do not conform to state and ARRL Section boundaries. Disasters that are truly national-level catastrophes require national-level coordination.

Regional disasters of less magnitude than, say, the 2005 Gulf coast hurricanes, do not require national coordination but may need well-organized responses from several adjacent ARRL Sections.

At the present time, relatively few ARRL Sections have formal, written agreements with neighboring Sections spelling out how emergency communications cooperation would be structured and managed.

The ARRL National Emergency Response Planning Committee (NERPC) recommended that Section Managers should consider developing such agreements with one or more neighboring Sections, depending on the disaster hazards likely in their parts of the country. These agreements would become appendices to existing Section emergency plan documents.

The NERPC suggested that the following points should be among those considered in the mutual aid planning process and the development of formal agreements:

1: Share current phone numbers, postal addresses and e-mail addresses for the Section Manager, Section Emergency Coordinator and Section Traffic Manager in each adjacent section.

2: List major likely hazards in each Section.

3: List available resources Sections have that can be used to assist adjacent Sections. If ARESMAT are available, then list locations, points of contact, and capabilities.

4: If ARESMAT resources are needed, then Section leadership should be familiar with and utilize ARESMAT information and requirements in

EC-003 and the PSCM.

5: List the major served agencies in each Section, whether or not a written support agreement exists, and the point of contact for each.

Identify any volunteer insurance coverage, credentialing, and expense reimbursement which may be available from these agencies.

6: Describe the activation authority and the process for requesting and providing out-of-Section mutual assistance in each Section.

7: List or summarize Section currently-installed emergency communications capabilities and points of contact.

8: List Sections' major VHF and HF routine, operations and traffic net frequencies.

9: List Sections' Web site addresses.

10: It is suggested that the agreement should specify that mutual assistance can be invoked only by Section Managers, Section Emergency Coordinators, or specific designees.

11: It is recommended that the agreement should require certain documentation be kept when the agreement has been invoked. For

example: daily documentation and logbook for SITREPS (situation reports), after-action reports, and notes on future needs.

12: It is recommended that the agreement should require each Section Manager who requests or provides mutual assistance to prepare a written after-action report which summarizes each mutual assistance activation. This report should be sent to the involved SMs and to the ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager no later than 30 days following the stand-down from each mutual assistance activation.

13: Plans should be reviewed by each SM, SEC and STM annually, and updated as necessary.

+ RESOURCES: New EmComm Packet Terminal Software

I have written a new Packet Radio terminal program, which serves emergency communications interests, called "EcomSCS." EcomScs has 2 neat features: One, it can send and receive any type of file, Binary or Text, without the use of any special protocol. The second feature is message formatting, making it easy to keep vital information. More info at: <http://www.qsl.net/kb2scs> -- submitted by John Blowsky, KB2SCS <kb2scs@arrl.net>

+ Resources for ARES Ops

FEMA National Incident Management System: <http://www.fema.gov/nims/>
IARU Emergency Communications: <http://www.iaru.org/emergency/>
IARU Region 2 Emergency Communications: <http://www.iaru-r2emcor.net>

Major Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Nets:

Hurricane Watch Net: <http://www.hwn.org/>
Maritime Mobile Service Net: <http://www.mmsn.org/>
Salvation Army (SATERN) Net: <http://www.satern.org> Waterway Net: <http://www.waterwayradio.net/>
VoIP SKYWARN/Hurricane Net: <http://www.voipwx.net/>
ARRL/Served Agency Memoranda of Understanding: <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/mou/>
National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster: <http://www.nvoad.org/>
American Red Cross: <http://www.redcross.org/>
National Weather Service: <http://www.nws.noaa.gov/>
Department of Homeland Security - Citizen Corps, FEMA: <http://www.citizencorps.gov/>, <http://www.dhs.gov/>, <http://www.fema.gov/>
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials- International: <http://www.apcointl.org/>
National Communications System: <http://www.ncs.gov/>
National Association of Radio and Telecommunications Engineers, Inc.: <http://www.narte.org/>
Salvation Army: <http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn.nsf>
Society of Broadcast Engineers: <http://www.sbe.org/>
Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc. <http://www.QCWA.org/>
Radio Emergency Associated Communication Teams: <http://www.reactintl.org/> SKYWARN: <http://www.skywarn.org/>

+ K1CE For a Final

An ARES E-Letter QSO Party is planned for this coming Fall season.

The exchange will be Name, ARES Title, and Jurisdiction. For examples: Rick, Assistant SEC, Northern Florida; or George, EC, Middlesex County, Eastern Massachusetts. Bands are 80, 40 and 20 meters, phone only. One point each per QSO. Bonus points for emergency power, and operating from an EOC or Served Agency facility.

More information to follow. With more than 25,000 subscribers to the ARES E-Letter, a QSO Party should generate a lot of activity, training exercise, and just plain fun!

Copyright 2008 American Radio Relay League, Inc.

All Rights Reserved

======================================================================

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; <http://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

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail delivery:

ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site, http://www.arrl.org/members/. You'll have an opportunity during registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of the The ARES E-Letter, W1AW bulletins, and other material. ARRL members may subscribe to The ARES E-Letter by going to the Member Data Page at:

http://www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html?modify=1