Emergency-Communications

Greater Bridgeport (CT) ARC Combined SET, JOTA & POTA for Fun-Filled Weekend

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Greater Bridgeport ARC loogo

Members of the Greater Bridgeport Amateur Radio Club combined the best of a Simulated Emergency Test (SET), Jamboree On The Air (JOTA), and Parks On The Air (POTA), while operating from three state parks on October 16, 2021: 

  • Sherwood Island SP (Park K-1715)
  • Silver Sands SP (Park K-1716)
  • West Rock SP (Park K-1727) (2 stations)

“Our goal [was] to provide community outreach for ham radio, and to help train our new operators,” explained GBARC president Emily Clarke, N1DID.   

During the POTA Event the groups also participated in the CT ARES SET using simplex VHF/UHF as well as DMR.

“I wanted to do the SET from a distance away from our ARES region (Region 1)  so we could simulate simplex communications outside our region.   I was in Region 2, and all our other stations were in CT State Parks in Region 1 or were mobile enroute.  After the SET we turned our attention to our main reason for being in the park, our POTA event,” says Clarke.
 
According to N1DID, the JOTA contact wasn’t actually planned. 
 
“We were doing HF communications for POTA when a huge troop of Scouts walked by.  We asked, ‘Does anyone want to learn about ham radio?’ and they all ran and formed a very disciplined semi-circle around us.  I gave them an explanation about HF communications, then gave a short talk explaining how we and other radio amateurs were active on the air promoting our beautiful state parks.”
 
“We gave additional information about emergency communications. how parents and even scouts can get their technician licenses, and about how they can reach out to local clubs for help with their radio merit badge.  
 
Clarke and her group took  questions from the kids and parents and got a big thank you.  Clarke encouraged them to reach out to the club in the future. “Afterwards the Scout leader came up and took my email address and said ‘I always wanted to do this.’”
 
Although N1DID and the other GBARC members got to interact with the public at the other parks “The 40+ Scouts and parents we met  was the icing on the cake of a wonderful day in the park.”
 
Scouts at GBARC POTA event
Scouts visiting Greater Bridgeport ARC Parks On The Air event

The 2021 ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is Just Ahead

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ARES logoARRL Bulletin 24  ARLB024
From ARRL Headquarters 
Newington CT  September 23, 2021
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB024
ARLB024 The 2021 ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is Just Ahead

The weekend of October 2 – 3 is designated for holding the annual ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET), although local and Section-level exercises may take place throughout the Fall. The SET is ARRL’s primary national emergency exercise and is designed to assess the skills and preparedness of Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers, as well as those affiliated with other organizations involved in emergency and disaster response.

The SET encourages maximum participation by all radio amateurs, partner organizations, and national, state, and local officials who typically engage in emergency or disaster response. In addition to ARES volunteers, those active in the National Traffic System (NTS), Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), National Weather Service (NWS) SKYWARN, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and a variety of other allied groups and public service-oriented radio amateurs are needed to fulfill important roles in this nationwide exercise.

The SET offers volunteers an opportunity to test equipment, modes, and skills under simulated emergency conditions and scenarios. Individuals can use the time to update a “go-kit” for use during deployments and to ensure their home station’s operational capability in an emergency or disaster. To get involved, contact your local ARRL Emergency Coordinator or Net Manager.

NNNN

George Lillenstein, AB1GL, Appointed New Connecticut Section Emergency Coordinator

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CT ARES logoCongratulations to George Lillenstein, AB1GL, who has been appointed Section Emergency Coordinator for the Connecticut Section.  Lillenstein was formerly the District Emergency Coordinator for District 3 in Connecticut. He replaces outgoing SEC Mike Walters, W8ZY, who resigned the post after accepting employment at ARRL Headquarters. 

FEMA Announces HF Interoperability Activity on 60-Meter Channels 1 and 2

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ARRL logoFrom ARRL News:

08/30/2021 – Channels 1 and 2 on 60 meters will be available starting on August 30 for interoperability between US government and US amateur radio stations involved in Hurricane Ida emergency communications. This situation will remain in place until the storm has passed and the need for these channels no longer exists, or on September 6, whichever comes first.

These frequencies will be used: Channel 1 Primary voice traffic 5332 kHz channel center, 5330.5 kHz USB voice; and Channel 2 Digital traffic 5348 kHz channel center, 5346.5 kHz USB with 1.5 kHz offset to center of digital waveform. Stations on 60 meters are asked to yield to operational traffic related to Hurricane Ida.

Newport County (RI) Radio Club Members Participate in Portsmouth EMA Disaster Assessment Exercise, August 25, 2021

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From the Newport County Radio Club Facebook page:
 
Last night Norfolk County (RI) Radio Club members participated in a RIARES-managed communications and disaster assessment exercise with the Portsmouth EMA, and the Common Fence Point Community Association in conjunction with the Portsmouth EMA Communications Team.
 
Key players included: Paul W1PJS, Teri W1PUP, John N1ZO, Scott WX1X, Jeremy K1JST, Charles W1CRB, Adam KC1KCC, Mike K1NPT, Bob WB4SON, Brian N1TBT, Rob KB1ZZU, & Ted W1GRI for filling out the roster for the exercise. Paul K1YBE helped with pre-event planning.
 
Photos are available in the share album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/S8WSuQ78ekx86vvw5.

American Red Cross Thanks Amateur Radio’s TS Henri Efforts

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ARES logoMike Walters, W8ZY, writes on the ct-ares mailing list:

FYI, [here is] a nice “thank you” from the American Red Cross:

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Gentlemen,

It looks like we had minimal residential damage from TS Henri.

Red Cross is in the process of closing shelters as the flood watches and warnings are expiring. 

With that, Red Cross is Standing Down the AREA activation request.

If you are aware of any storm related damage, please let me know.  Please ask the hams that check into this evening’s nets and on the alert groups.

I thank the Amateur Radio Emergency Service and SKYWARN for the hams’ support of the American Red Cross Disaster Response to Tropical Storm Henri. Amateur radio’s support of the humanitarian response to help our neighbors is greatly appreciated.

Please pass on Red Cross thanks to the hams that are on the nets and you Alert groups.

Stay Well!

Rosty

Rosty Slabicky | Disaster Services Technology Regional Program Lead | Disaster Cycle Services

American Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region | 203.788.6451 | rosty.slabicky@redcross.org

 

[RI-ARES] RI ARES Form 205 for Henri, Storm 8/22/2021

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RI SEC Paul Silverzweig, W1PJS, writes to RI ARES Members:

Attached please find the form 205 for the Hurricane Henri situation.

It includes the repeaters on VHF and the HF frequencies, plus the simplex frequency 147.420 which we use for our simplex nets.

All communications will take place on the NB1RI repeaters as long as they are functional. Then we go to Simplex VHF. If the link goes down, we can use
the repeaters as standalone, and the 147.42 frequency as needed. HF is included, should it be needed.

Please prepare for the storm, first by taking care of yourselves and your families. Next, be sure any auxiliary power you have is charged and ready.

Someone will be actively monitoring the repeater network and the simplex frequency throughout the storm.

Note that the Cumberland machine, 145.170 remains delinked, but can be re-linked if need be.

If you have questions, please feel free to ask.

Please also review the Preparedness and Training Guide, also attached, for an idea of how to find some useful information if you may need it.

Paul Silverzweig, W1PJS
RI Section Emergency Coordinator
RI Association of Emergency Managers
     Chair, Radio Communications Committee
All Hazards FEMA RIEMA ComL
AUXCOMM
Air Force MARS
NESMC RI Director
Portsmouth EMA Communications Leader
646-522-2262, HH 4224

—
73,

Paul, W1PJS
RI Section Emergency Coordinator

 

Ham Operators Needed for CT Regional Shelters for Henri Event

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Tim Rodgers, KC1TWR, writes on the Radio Amateur Society of Norwich mailing list on August 20, 2021 at 8:57 PM:

To ARES members and local amateur radio operators,

Tropical Storm Henri, soon to be a hurricane, is coming and local communities have decided to open some of the Regional Shelters in preparation for the storm. The shelters decided upon for now will open at 1800 on Saturday. The logic there is that with the predicted heavy rainfall and flooding the shelters will be ready if neighborhoods, trailer parks, RV Parks, etc get flooded out and have to evacuate. Better to have a shelter open than to try and open one in the height of the storm.
 
As such we are looking for amateur radio operators for the Regional Shelters which do open. Preferably at least two per shelter so one operator can be relieved to get some sleep Sunday night while the storm is still going on. You can bring your own 2 meter radio or just come to the shelter.  A 2 meter radio, power supply, antenna, and tripod have been pre-positioned in each shelter along with instructions, and the Emergency Communications Frequency Chart. The assigned amateur radio operators will need to set up the equipment.  (Not a big deal)
 
Currently Red Cross and city officials will be opening the following shelters. East Lyme, Groton, Stonington, and Killingworth.
 
If you can volunteer to work at one of the shelters please contact Tom Scott WA2RYV tscottwa2ryv@gmail.com or myself at TimKC1TWR@gmail.com. As time proceeds and the storm predictions are better defined the timing for setting up radio stations may slide to Sunday morning. These decisions will be made by early afternoon Saturday. 
 
Here is the Henri cone of probability and timing as of 8 PM Friday.
 
Hurricane Henri cone of probability
 
 

Hurricane Watch Net has Eyes on Hurricane Grace and Tropical Storm Henri

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Screen shot of Hurricane Henri approach toward New EnglandVia ARRL website:

08/20/2021 – The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) is mustering as Hurricane Grace, a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 85 MPH, is expected to make landfall between Túxpam and Veracruz, Mexico. The storm swept over the Yucatan Peninsula yesterday.

“We plan to activate this afternoon at 2100 UTC on 14.325 MHz and continue on this frequency until we lose propagation,” HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said. “We will start up on 7.268 MHz at 2300 UTC and continue for as long as we have propagation.”

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says Grace has maximum sustained winds of nearly 90 MPH with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast until the storm makes landfall.

Graves said that once attention shifts away from Grace it will zero in on Tropical Storm Henri, which is expected to make landfall in New England on Sunday. As of Friday at 1800 UTC, Henri was “almost a hurricane,” according to the NHC.

“We will activate Sunday morning at 1200 UTC on 14.325 MHz and remain active there as long as propagation allows,” Graves announced. “We will start up on 7.268 MHz at 2300 UTC and remain active there until we lose propagation. If required, we will resume operations on Monday beginning at 1200 UTC on 14.325 MHz.”

Eastern Massachusetts Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) Rob Macedo, KD1CY, has announced that Eastern Massachusetts ARES will be placed on stand-by later today (Friday). Macedo noted in mid-afternoon that WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center already was on the air to gather weather data via amateur radio.

The Boston/Norton National Weather Service office will be the primary agency during Henri for any SKYWARN-related activity. “VoIP Hurricane Net and New England SKYWARN regional operations will be combined to form one large network as done in past major tropical systems such as Irene and Sandy,” Macedo said. [Echolink *WX_TALK* Echolink conference node: 7203/IRLP 9219 and *NEW-ENG3* Echolink conference.] “Information from ARES-SKYWARN will be shared with other agencies including state and federal emergency management, Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and media outlets,” Macedo added. “We will coordinate with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).”

At 1800 UTC, Henri was 320 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and 720 miles south of Montauk Point, New York. Henri is heading north-northwest at 6 MPH, bearing winds of 70 MPH. Storm surge and hurricane watches are in effect for portions of the northeastern US. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the south shore of Long Island, from Fire Island Inlet to Montauk, the north shore of Long Island, from Port Jefferson Harbor to Montauk, New Haven, Connecticut, to Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, and Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and Block Island.

“A turn toward the north is expected by tonight, and Henri is forecast to accelerate in that direction through early Sunday,” the NHC said. On the forecast track, Henri is expected to make landfall in southern New England by late Sunday.”

Additional strengthening is forecast into the weekend, and the NHC expects Henri to be a hurricane by Saturday and be at or near hurricane strength when it makes landfall in southern New England.