Friday, October 25, 2013

Week 43 - SEC's weekly notes..


Ohio SEC Notes & Stuff - Week 43 - 2013
For public distribution.  Please forward as appropriate.
These notes will also be available on the ARES page at www.arrl-ohio.org

Ohio Digital Emergency Net (OHDEN) <http://ohden.org>  Tues at 8PM. 3585 kHz and 7072 kHz  USB.

Ohio HF Net by W8SGT.  Tues at 7PM on 3875 kHz and 7240 kHz LSB.

Preparedness Leads to Readiness

There are several purposes of the Ohio SEC Notes & Stuff.  First purpose is to open and maintain the lines of communications amongst ARES volunteers within the Section.  Second purpose is to disseminate amateur radio information such as announcements and bulletins.  The third purpose is to further the hobby by sharing ideas.  The final purpose is to provide a means of documentation.  The Ohio SEC Notes & Stuff is open to anyone interested in amateur radio communications.

Many thanks to the 108 volunteers who registered thus far for the All Ohio ARES Conference!  There's still room for more!  The All Ohio ARES Conference will be held on Saturday, November 9th at the Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The conference agenda has been sent to all District Emergency Coordinators.  It is also on the ARES page on the Ohio Section website www.arrl-ohio.org.

Starting next week, on Tuesday, October 29th, there will be a training component to the Ohio HF Emergency Preparedness Net.  I talked to W8SGT on 75 meters following the net this week and we all agreed that it was a great idea.  The training component will be conducted at the conclusion of roll call on 75 meters and again at the end of roll call on 40 meters.  See the frequencies above.  I thank W8SGT for everything they do keeping this net on the air for all of us to participate in.  The net is open to all properly licensed amateur radio operators.  You do not have to be an ARES member to participate in this net.  Come check in and put your county on the map.  The net control does call for check ins by ARES district.  If you're not sure what district in, go ahead and check out the online listing and map on the ARES page at www.arrl-ohio.org.  It's located under Reference Materials.

I would like to thank the dozen amateur radio volunteers who participated in the City of Hubbard "live" tornado drill at Hubbard High School last week.  Volunteers from Trumbull County and Mahoning County answered the call on such short notice, some of whom left their breakfast, to come help in Hubbard's time of need.  I was impressed with the quick response, the proper net discipline, and how well everyone worked together.  At the drill debrief, the fire chief and the drill organizer thanked the "hammers" for their efforts and they look forward to working with them again.  As the Ohio SEC, I was not expecting to be the "leader of the band".  However, I am thankful to be a part of a great team and help demonstrate to the served agencies on scene that amateur radio is a effective and viable means of communication.

There is no training this week.

SEC's final...The Amateur Radio Emergency Service would not be a successful program without dedicated volunteers such as yourself.  It's no secret every volunteer is needed regardless of title or position, experience, knowledge, or license class.  Each volunteer brings a certain something to the team.  Previous experience reminds me that sometimes amateur radio can seem thankless.  You and I put in our time and effort day after day, month after month, and sometimes the thanks is forgotten.  It's not that thanks is demanded or expected.  It's just nice to know that our efforts mean something.  I thank you for your time, sacrifice, and perseverance.  I thank you for your patience, leadership, and expertise.  I thank you for your participation.  These are not just words.  They mean something and you are hereby recognized for everything you do for amateur radio.

 

73 de Matt W8DEC

 

Friday, October 18, 2013

Week 42 - Notes from the SEC..


Ohio SEC Notes & Stuff - Week 42 - 2013

For public distribution.  Please forward as appropriate.

These notes will also be available on the ARES page at www.arrl-ohio.org Ohio Digital Emergency Net (OHDEN)  Tues at 8PM. 3585 kHz and 7072 kHz  Upper Side Band.

Ohio HF Net by W8SGT.  Tues at 7PM on 3875 kHz and 7240 kHz Lower Side Band.

Preparedness Leads to Readiness
 
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that participated in the Statewide Simulated Emergency Test last Saturday, October 12th.  I trust you learned something about yourself, your equipment, and/or your ARES team.  Although official reports are still coming in, the SET revealed excellent participation.  I know it takes time and effort to participate and I cannot thank you enough for joining us last Saturday.

I would like to thank Team W8SGT for keeping the Ohio HF Net on the air for the full 12 hours during SET.  I'd also like to thank all the Net Control Stations for keeping Ohio Digital Emergency Net on the air for the full 12 hours.  All of you did a great job doing what you do best.

I'd also like to thank Mahoning County ARES.  I checked into their two meter net.  I observed them conducting proper net discipline, proper net protocol, and clear/concise directions from the Net Control Station.  They also had a great turn out on their net.  36+ checked into their two meter net on the repeater.  Almost equally the same number on their simplex nets!  The only thing that I saw that needed some improvement was following instructions from the net control station.  The net control asked for stations to identify phonetically and most did.  Some did not.  I am not sure if net control recognized this at the time but they were my link to W8SGT at the State of Ohio EOC.  Although, there had not been an HF Net liaison established yet in their county, two amateur radio operators from Trumbull County stepped up to serve as HF liaison for Mahoning County.  Thus, allowing my two messages to be passed to the State of Ohio Emergency Operations Center.  Nice job everyone!  For those who do not know, Mahoning County ARES was "reborn" in the beginning of this year.  I think they have come a long way and I encourage them to keep up the good work.

I'd like to recognize Robert Webster WR8RW, of Canfield, Ohio.  Mr. Webster currently serves as an Assistant Emergency Coordinator in Mahoning County ARES.  He's also Vice President of the Western Reserve Amateur Radio Club.  He volunteers for public service events and he is an elmer to all.  Mr. Webster is preparing to move out of state and I'd like to wish him safe journey.  I understand he will remain with us until the closing of his home but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to thank him.  I thank him for all he has done for Mahoning County ARES and the amateur radio community.  Although he will be missed, I have no doubt he will be an asset to the ARES team wherever he moves to.

I'd also like to recognize Perry County ARES.  Some great kind-spirited people have brought Perry County ARES back to life.  They now have regular meetings, participate in public service events, and they are recognizing the need for some more organization such as suggested gear lists, communications plans, and operations plans.  I am truly thankful for the leadership and hard work amateur radio operators in and around Perry County have put into getting ARES up and running in Perry County.  Keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing what ya'll come up with next.

If you haven't heard by now, starting in 2014, I am looking at holding a weekend long ARES Training Camp in late Summer or early Fall.  I am aiming to facilitate this event in the Central Ohio area in hopes to maximize participation from around the State.  I am exploring a few possible locations as we speak but I am open to suggestions.  Some possible suggestions received so far are boy scout / girl scout camps, church camps, state park campgrounds, and county fairgrounds.  If you have access to any of these types of facilities, please contact me directly at w8dec@arrl.net.  What I am looking for is a place where 100+ ARES volunteers can eat, sleep, train, and have fun.  Also, training camp will require staff.  There is no way I can organize, manage, and train a whole training camp by myself.  Therefore, consider this my call for help.  I am looking for volunteers to help me train volunteers.  Contact me directly at w8dec@arrl.net if you have something you'd like to teach, demonstrate, or show-off, or if you're interested in serving on staff for ARES Training Camp.

Training.  Ohio Section ARES Structure.  Part 1.

ARES in the Ohio Section starts with the Emergency Coordinator (EC).  The ARRL Emergency Coordinator is a key team player in ARES on the local emergency scene. Working with the Section Emergency Coordinator, the DEC and Official Emergency Stations (OES), the EC prepares for, and engages in management of communications needs in disasters.  Each Emergency Coordinator is appointed by the ARRL Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) at the recommendation of the District Emergency Coordinator (DEC).  There is only one Emergency Coordinator appointed per county in the Ohio Section.

An emergency or disaster could have a significant impact on manpower availability.  The Emergency Coordinator might not have the manpower available.  Why not?  Because those volunteers could very well be taking care of their family, home, or property.  What if the Emergency Coordinator does not have enough resources to efficiently and effectively manage communications needs?  Think about that and we'll talk about that next week.


That's all I have for this week.  As always, I thank you for everything you do for amateur radio.

 

73 de Matt W8DEC 

 

Friday, October 11, 2013

Week 41 - SEC weekly notes..


Ohio SEC Notes & Stuff - Week 41 - 2013

For public distribution.  Please forward as appropriate.

These notes will also be available on the ARES page at www.arrl-ohio.org Ohio Digital Emergency Net (OHDEN) <http://ohden.org>  Tues at 8PM. 3585 kHz and 7072 kHz  Upper Side Band.

Ohio HF Net by W8SGT.  Tues at 7PM on 3875 kHz and 7240 kHz Lower Side Band.

Preparedness Leads to Readiness

At the time of this writing, we're 19 hours 28 minutes until the ARRL Ohio Section Statewide Simulated Emergency Test.  I wish everyone the best of luck in the Statewide SET.  I hope your goals are met, objectives are achieved, basics are reviewed, skills are learned, and most of all I hope you have some fun.  Please note my contact information is correct on the Ohio Section roster < hint >.

I am on staff for a boy scout event this weekend at Camp Stambaugh in Canfield, OH (Mahoning County).  However, I brought my go box and HF equipment.  I am planning to participate locally in the Statewide Simulated Emergency Test and monitor HF frequencies.

I would also like to say best of luck to all the amateur radio volunteers who will be assisting in the Northern Ohio Marathon on Sunday, 10/13/2013.

This is Lake County's first marathon!

The ARRL Ohio Section March ARES Leadership Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, March 15th from 10AM to 3PM at the State of Ohio Emergency Operations Center in Columbus, Ohio.  Although this meeting is open to ARES volunteers, it's primarily for:

Assistant Section Emergency Coordinators District Emergency Coordinators Assistant District Emergency Coordinators Emergency Coordinators Assistant Emergency Coordinators Official Emergency Stations

We're up to 85 registered (including myself) for the All Ohio ARES Conference on Saturday, November 9th at the Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.  Plan of the Day (agenda) will be posted next week on the ARES page on the Ohio Section website www.arrl-ohio.org.

 
Words of encouragement...

Do your best in the SET on Saturday.  Train how you practice.  Practice how you train.  Work together as a team.  Don't be afraid to ask questions.

It's ok to make mistakes.  It's better to make mistakes now than in an actual emergency or disaster.  Good luck to everyone.

 
That's all for this week.  I thank you for everything you do for amateur radio.


73 de Matt W8DEC

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

S.E.T. just 3 days away.. Are you going to particiapte??


At the time of this writing, we're 3 days 18 hours until the beginning of the ARRL Ohio Section Statewide Simulated Emergency Test (SET).  All county ARES teams in the ARRL Ohio Section should be participating in the Statewide Simulated Emergency Test on *Saturday, October 12th from Noon until Midnight* local time.  The 12 hours gives every county ARES team ample time to follow the Ohio Section Emergency Response Plan (OSERP), complete SMART <http://wayne.edu/hr/leads/phase1/smart-objectives.php>objectives, and conclude with an after-action meeting or report.  Although not required, it is recommended to take advantage of the full 12 hours.

The Statewide Simulated Emergency Test is a great opportunity to put your equipment on the air and practice your skills such as net protocol and discipline.  Great opportunity to exercise your ARES Operations Plan, Call-Up procedures, and ARES Communications Plan.  Remember the basics such as break-tags, procedure words, ITU phonetics, and tactical call signs.

It's a great opportunity to break out portable power solutions such as generators, batteries, and/or solar power.  Break out portable antenna solutions and Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS).  It's also a great opportunity to break out your digital station so you can practice digital sound card modes such as MT63 and OLIVIA.

All incidents start local and end local regardless of the size of incident.  To help reinforce that, the SET will be initiated by the ARRL Ohio Section appointed county Emergency Coordinator or their designee.

The Ohio HF Net managed by Team W8SGT will be on the air for the entire 12 hours.  The net control is located at the State of Ohio Emergency Operations Center (EOC).  The Ohio Digital Emergency Net <http://ohden.org/>will also be on the air for the full 12 hours.  If you are unaware of those voice and digital frequencies, I encourage you to review the Ohio Section Emergency Response Plan with your Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator.

Some volunteers have inquired about a scenario.  Quick answer...there isn't one.  This is not an oversight.  The purpose of SET is not scenario writing.  The focus of this year's SET is on the OSERP, development of SMART<http://wayne.edu/hr/leads/phase1/smart-objectives.php>objectives,

and conclude with an after-action meeting or report.  Besides, regardless if it's an earthquake, blizzard, or tornado, the Ohio Section Emergency Response Plan (OSERP) would still be activated and the objectives would be geared toward notification, activation, mobilization, and deployment.

If you are a volunteer reading this message, I encourage you to contact your Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator and inquire what your county will be doing for the Statewide SET. If you are unsure who your Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator is, there is a complete listing on the ARES page at www.arrl-ohio.org.

Please make note of the common theme.  Local incident.  It's where it begins.  It's where it will terminate.

73 de Matt W8DEC

 

Monday, October 7, 2013

Less than 5 weeks away from the Ohio Section ARES Conference!!

Ladies and gentlemen, we are less than 5 weeks away from the ARES conference of all ARES conferences in the Ohio Section!

The All Ohio ARES Conference will be held on Saturday, November 9th at the Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.  The address is 8895 East Main Street, Reynoldsburg, OH 46068.  There are several hot topics this year.

First and foremost, the ARRL Board of Directors approved the All Ohio ARES Conference as a specialty convention.  Many thanks to Ohio SM Frank KI8GW and Great Lakes Division Director Jim K8JE for their support in this effort.  So the conference became eligible for a guest speaker from ARRL HQ.  With the hard work and determination of our illustrious Ohio Section Manager Frank KI8GW, our keynote speaker is Steve Ewald WV1X who is the Field Organization Supervisor at ARRL HQ in Newington, CT.  I have seen Steve's presentation at other conferences and I think you will enjoy it.

There will be one of the largest go box displays this section has ever seen!  There will be emcomm vehicles / trailers on display including the new Dayton Amateur Radio Association Communications Truck!  Didn't see it or tour it at Hamvention 2013?  No worries, it will be at the All Ohio ARES Conference!  There is a full agenda of programs and presentations.  What are they, you ask?  The schedule is in the midst of being finalized and will be posted on the ARES page on the Ohio Section website.  An announcement will be made when that happens.  All participants are asked to register online at www.arrl-ohio.org. There is a link on the right hand side of the page.  Click on it to register.  Online registration is important so the proper amount of food can be purchased.  It also tells me if you're bringing a go box and/or communications vehicle/trailer.

Volunteer Exam Session at 0800 (8AM) at the All Ohio ARES Conference.

Interested in upgrading or taking your technician license exam?  Click on this LINK <http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/reynoldsburg-oh-43068-3340-2>for details.  Many thanks to Muskingum EC Kathy KB3RDR and her team for making this happen again this year!

Last but not least, I have four ARRL gift certificates to give away at the All Ohio ARES Conference.  Register online, come to the conference, have a great time, and you might just be the winner of one of the gift certificates.  You can't possibly win if you do not attend!

 

73 de Matt W8DEC

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Less than 5 weeks away..


Ladies and gentlemen, we are roughly 5 weeks away from the ARES conference of all ARES conferences in the Ohio Section!

The All Ohio ARES Conference will be held on Saturday, November 9th at the Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.  The address is 8895 East Main Street, Reynoldsburg, OH 46068.  There are several hot topics this year.

First and foremost, the ARRL Board of Directors approved the All Ohio ARES Conference as a specialty convention.  Many thanks to Ohio SM Frank KI8GW and Great Lakes Division Director Jim K8JE for their support in this effort.  So the conference became eligible for a guest speaker from ARRL HQ.  With the hard work and determination of our illustrious Ohio Section Manager Frank KI8GW, our keynote speaker is Steve Ewald WV1X who is the Field Organization Supervisor at ARRL HQ in Newington, CT.  I have seen Steve's presentation at other conferences and I think you will enjoy it.

There will be one of the largest go box displays this section has ever seen!  There will be emcomm vehicles / trailers on display including the new Dayton Amateur Radio Association Communications Truck!  Didn't see it or tour it at Hamvention 2013?  No worries, it will be at the All Ohio ARES Conference!  There is a full agenda of programs and presentations.  What are they, you ask?  The schedule is in the midst of being finalized and will be posted on the ARES page on the Ohio Section website.  An announcement will be made when that happens.  All participants are asked to register online at www.arrl-ohio.org. There is a link on the right hand side of the page.  Click on it to register.  Online registration is important so the proper amount of food can be purchased.  It also tells me if you're bringing a go box and/or communications vehicle/trailer.

Volunteer Exam Session at 0800 (8AM) at the All Ohio ARES Conference.

Interested in upgrading or taking your technician license exam?  Click on this LINK <http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/reynoldsburg-oh-43068-3340-2>for details.  Many thanks to Muskingum EC Kathy KB3RDR and her team for making this happen again this year!

Last but not least, I have four ARRL gift certificates to give away at the All Ohio ARES Conference.  Register online, come to the conference, have a great time, and you might just be the winner of one of the gift certificates.  You can't possibly win if you do not attend!

 

73 de Matt W8DEC

 

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Week 40 from the SEC


Ohio SEC Notes & Stuff - Week 40 - 2013
For public distribution.  Please forward as appropriate.
These notes will also be available on the ARES page at www.arrl-ohio.org
Ohio Digital Emergency Net (OHDEN)  Tues at 8PM. 3585 kHz and 7072 kHz  Upper Side Band.

Ohio HF Net by W8SGT.  Tues at 7PM on 3875 kHz and 7240 kHz Lower Side Band.
Preparedness Leads to Readiness

My apologies for no Ohio SEC Notes & Stuff last week.  Also, I received a comment about my weekly message being lengthy.  This week I tried really hard not to write a novel.

Just a friendly reminder...

County Emergency Coordinator reports are due by the 5th of each month.  District Emergency Coordinator reports are due by the 10th of each month.  EC's, please help your DEC by getting your report in on time.  I ask the DEC's to do the same for me.  This allows me ample time to complete my SEC report by the 15th of the month.

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Emcomm East with Geauga AEC Bob N8KBX, ARRL PIO Jackie N8JMW, Medina AEC Dave NF8O, and Assistant SEC Mark KB8YMN this past weekend.  Emcomm East is an emergency communications conference held at St John Fisher College in Rochester, NY sponsored by Monroe County (NY) ARES.  Each year, the Ohio contingent to the conference grows.  Jackie took some great photos and she's planning on sharing those.  I am already looking forward to next year.

Right now, I have my eyes on the Huntsburg Pumpkin Festival this coming weekend October 5th and 6th.  The festival is a lot of fun and it's located at SR 322 and SR 528 in Geauga County.  This is my fourth year volunteering for this event and one of the things I look forward to is the pumpkin pancake breakfast which includes sausage links.  Yum Yum!  By the way, I know Geauga County EC Pat N8ONI is still looking for volunteers.  Check out http://www.geaugacountyares.org/ for details.

Speaking of websites?  Go to this website http://www.arrl-ohio.org/club_link/links.html
Do you see your club or ARES website listed?  Is the website link correct?  If not, send the correct web address to Assistant Section Manager Scott N8SY at n8sy@arrl.net so he may update the Ohio Section website.

Saturday, October 12th is the Statewide Simulated Emergency Test.  I have asked both net managers for the Ohio Digital Emergency Net and the Ohio HF Net to read a bulletin about the SET tonight on the nets.  I have also emailed the same briefing to all ARES leaders in Ohio.  All incidents start local and all incidents end local regardless of the extent.  Therefore, I ask that you contact your Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator for details.

Do you know who your county ARRL Emergency Coordinator is or District Emergency Coordinator?  Do you know what district your county is in?  If not, you're in luck.  The ARRL Ohio Section website has a complete listing of all EC's and DEC's in Ohio as well as an Ohio ARES District Map.  Check out the ARES page at www.arrl-ohio.org.  When you bring up the ARES page, scroll toward the bottom and you'll see Reference Materials.  Under Reference Materials you'll see a link for Ohio ARES District Map and another for Ohio DEC/EC listing.

All Ohio ARES Conference, Saturday, November 9th at the Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg, OH.  I sent out a conference status update to my email distribution lists earlier today so I will not dwell on it here.  However, I made a typo in the zip code.  The correct zip code is 43068.  You might even find some of the websites say the Ohio Fire Academy is in Etna, Ohio.  Nonetheless, 43068 is the correct zip code.

If you are planning to take an amateur radio license exam at the All Ohio ARES Conference, here are some guidelines from Kathy KB3RDR..

Amateur Radio Testing Requirements for Technician, General, and Amateur Extra

1. Two forms of identification, one must have a photo such as a drivers license, passport, place of employment security/ID card with picture etc. Non-photo ID's could be a social security card, birth certificate, baptismal certificate, school ID card, library card etc.
2. If you are upgrading a license, then you must bring the original and a photocopy of your current license, (FCC form 660) and of any active CSCE's for passed exam elements for which you have not received a paper license from the FCC. An example would be if you had a Technician Class License and then took and passed the General Class test. No paper license will be issued, so the CSCE is needed to verify that you passed the code.
3. Calculators are allowed but one must be prepared to prove no pre-programmed formulas have been saved within the calculator. You may be requested to clear all calculator memories in the presence of a VE.
Current ARRL-VEC EXAM FEE $15.00

Thank you,

Kathleen Frederico, KB3RDR

ARRL-VEC Liaison / Muskingum County ARES EC

ARRL Atlantic Division Director Bill N3LLR contacted me last week and asked me to be the ARES Forum Moderator.  I took a gander at the online ARES forum and was impressed by the amount of participation it had already received being so new.  I saw great potential of what this forum can become and what it could do for ARES.  So I accepted the position.  I am asking anyone interested in ARES, disaster communications, emergency communications, and/or public service communications to sign up and register.  It's free and I thought it was easy to sign up.  You can sign up at http://www.bfdinforums.com/.  Let me know if you have any questions or need some guidance.


Across my desk...

Many thanks to Bob K8BL and Dave NF8O for sending me this.  Interested in a nice certificate suitable for framing?


Training

ITU phonetics, break tags, procedure words, and tactical call signs are all basic skills for any amateur radio volunteer.  Knowing how to program your transceiver with frequency, offset, engaging PL, selecting proper PL tone, and loading it into a memory channel are also basic skills for any amateur radio volunteer.

But what about being a net control station?  Should that be a basic skill?  I am sure this question can be debated both ways.  My thinking is I believe all ARES volunteers should be a net control station at least once.  This achieves three things.  One, now the volunteer has a rough understanding what it's like to be a net control operator.  Two, they get a chance to practice and enforce net discipline.  Three, it might just inspire the volunteer to try it again.  While we know some volunteers who are really good net control operators, I am sure we know some who just aren't.  Does this mean we do not use them because they're not good at it?  Should net control training be a basic skill for all amateur radio volunteers?  I ask that you discuss this with your Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator.

That's all for this week.  I thank you for everything you do for amateur radio!

73 de Matt W8DEC