Emergency-Communications

NE-ECAPS Group Meeting, April 14, 2022

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Cory Golob, KU1U, writes:

The New England EmComm & Public Service Group will hold an online meeting on April 14, 2022 from 7:30 – 9:00 PM ET. 

Agenda:

NTS Discussion (45 minutes):

  • Formation of “The Future of NTS” Team – Marcia Forde KW1U
  • Opportunity to gather input for the Future of NTS Team
  • Army MARS Traffic Handling update? – Charles Rocheleau, W1CPR & Steve Hansen, KB1TCE? Could either or both of you speak to this topic?

Other EMCOMM/Public Service Related Discussion (45 minutes):

  • Reminder of Working Group Meeting: Training Programs for New Hams in EMCOMM/Public Service – Rob Macedo, KD1CY
  • Discussion on 2022 Simulated Emergency Test plans (Have Sections started planning?) – Open Forum
  • Places for improvement on Public Service Events (do any sections need assistance in any areas for Public Service related events?) – Open Forum

 

[Contact Cory Golob for Zoom invite details.]

73 DE KU1U
Cory Golob <ku1u@nediv.arrl.org>
ARRL New England Assistant Director, EMCOMM and Public Service

Western MA Emergency Net Looking for Net Control Stations

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Danny Vierno, K1VWQ, writes on the Mt. Tom ARA Facebook page:
 
Our very own Western Mass Emergency Net, under ARES, is still looking for Net Control Operators sponsored by the ARRL heard right here on the W1TOM repeater system.
 
If you like checking into these nets, and would like to have them continue, please consider being a NCS. Your community and fellow ham will be glad you did.
 
Here is a wonderful video to help get you started if you do have an interest. Please let us know here, and we will get you in contact with the right people to get started.
 
73 de K1VWQ
 

Amateur Radio EmComm in the Azores

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RSGB logoFrom the Radio Society of Great Britain:

Emergency comms in the Azores
GB2RS News Team | March 25, 2022

The island of Sao Jorge in the Azores has suffered over 1,800 earthquakes in 48 hours.

The regional government has prepared contingency plans to protect the island’s population.

CT1END, the Emergency Communications Coordinator for Portugal, reports that a group of nine radio amateurs are working to support emergency communications locally and back to Portugal.

Radio amateurs are asked to steer clear of 3.75 to 3.76MHz overnight, 7.1 to 7.11MHz during the day, and around 14.300MHz for those amateurs outside the region.

All radio amateurs are encouraged to listen carefully and avoid causing any interference to emergency operations on those frequencies.

More details are available on the IARU Region 1 website.

Spring 2022 Boston/Norton SKYWARN Training Sessions

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SKYWARN logoRob Macedo, KD1CY, writes on wx1box.org:

Due to COVID-19 concerns, SKYWARN training classes will again be held virtually. The SKYWARN training sessions will occur on three weeknights and two weekends. The weeknight sessions will be taught by NWS forecasters and the weekend sessions taught by amateur radio operators.

Dates and registration information can be seen at the following link:

NWS Boston/Norton virtual SKYWARN training dates and registration information link:
https://www.weather.gov/box/skywarn#fragment-2a

All are welcome to attend the training sessions. Those that are interested in becoming a SKYWARN Spotter or existing spotters refreshing their SKYWARN training can take an optional quiz and that will get a new individual their SKYWARN spotter number and count as refreshing your training for existing spotters.

We hope many can attend these training sessions. Thanks to all for their continued support of the NWS Boston/Norton SKYWARN program.

WMA ARES Offering “Digital Modes” Training

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WMA ARES logoFrom wma.arrl.org:

If you are interested in attending online Zoom training for digital communication modes… WinLink, FLDigi or JS8Call … please fill in the information below and submit the form using the button provided.

Indicate your mode(s) of interest by checking the appropriate boxes, being sure to provide the additional information requested as this enables us to easily contact you directly with an introductory email and instructions on how to obtain the reference manuals available for each mode.  Ongoing scheduling information will be provided via email and on the WMA website under the Emergency Communications header:     wma.arrl.org

We will establish classes and dates shortly … most likely two classes will be required – an introduction and familiarizing with the mode relative to the training document and Q&A for the first session. The second session will be a live Zoom session with the instructor’s screen displayed to allow students to try some aspects of the software and see the results from a receiving perspective. If additional assistance is needed, we will be glad to setup one on one mentoring for the specific application with you. Finally, we will offer training nets to allow you to experience using these tools live – locally at first and then potentially joining existing regional nets.

All are welcome; you’re not required to live in Western Massachusetts.

[Full story and signup form]

Youth Preparedness Council Applicants Sought

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Youth Preparedness Council videoThe Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) was created in 2012 to bring together youth leaders interested in supporting disaster preparedness and making a difference in their communities by completing disaster preparedness projects nationally and locally.

The council supports FEMA’s commitment to involve America’s youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides young people an opportunity to present their perspectives, feedback, and opinions to FEMA staff.  Members regularly meet with staff and attend the annual Youth Preparedness Council virtual summit. [Full story]

Major Northeast Winter Storm Prompts ARES, SKYWARN Activations

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From ARRL Web:

02/04/2022 – Volunteer radio amateurs across New England got down to business over the final weekend in January, as a major winter storm and blizzard dropped up to several feet of snow in the face of hurricane-force wind gusts along the coast. The combination of wet snow and damaging winds felled trees and power lines in coastal portions of eastern Massachusetts, particularly in Cape Cod and the Islands, and caused minor-to-moderate coastal flooding at high tide. The record-breaking blizzard made the top 10 list of major snow events in the cities of Boston and Providence.  [Full story]

NE-ECAPS Kickoff Meeting, February 19, 2022

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Assistant Director Cory Golob, KU1U, writes on the ne-ecaps list:

Thank you all for joining [the New England EmComm And Public Service list]. Looking forward to having a meeting to get to know those in our division who are passionate about EMCOMM. I am looking at having our first meeting on Saturday, February 19th via Zoom. Would a 10 AM start time seem sufficient? I would like to keep these meetings between 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, beyond that, interest can be lost.

I will send out a Zoom link as the time approaches. Would like to give folks a chance to see if it works for their schedule and allow time for more people to start joining this groups.io.

73 DE KU1U
-Cory

[Note: an earlier version of this post stated a meeting date of February 25, 2022. The meeting has been moved forward by one week to avoid a conflict with another event.  -KU1U]

SKYWARN Recognition Day, December 3-4, 2021

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SKYWARN logoRob Macedo, KD1CY, writes on WX1BOX.org:

SKYWARN Recognition Day 2021 (SRD’21) will occur this year but modified due to COVID19 and the fact NWS offices are not allowed to have volunteer Amateur Radio Operators at any NWS office due to COVID. Similar to last year, a social media component will be added to engage non-Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters more with 2021’SRD. An additional update on SRD’2021 will be posted Friday Morning 12/3/21.

Due to COVID19, typical WX1BOX Amateur Radio Operations will not occur at NWS Boston/Norton. There is a possibility similar to last year through the efforts of employees at NWS Norton who have Amateur Radio licenses, the WX1BOX station will be on the air for a few hours during SRD. Otherwise, the WX1BOX Amateur Radio team will be operating remotely via their home stations. The NWS Gray Maine office cannot be active at the office due to the same restrictions on volunteers at NWS offices nationwide but will have remote SRD operation for 2021.

For WX1BOX Amateur Radio operations, we will cover the typical SKYWARN repeaters on VHF/UHF as well as simplex and be on HF via the various remote home stations along with our WX1BOX social media pages. In addition, contacts with other Amateur Radio SKYWARN stations will count towards NWS certificates. Similar to 2020, there will be a social media component to engage non-Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotters alike. The current set of information is available and additional information will be made available on the SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) web site via the following link:
https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition.

Also, all participants are welcome to register on the SRD web site. They can obtain a SRD number. The SRD Number for this year is part of the QSO exchange but is not a requirement. It is something new since 2020’SRD so as always there will likely be some glitches and delays in getting the SRD number but if you register and obtain your SRD number, please feel free to add that to your exchange.

[Full story]