Emergency-Communications

From ema.arrl.org:

Cape Cod ARES will conduct a district exercise “Operation Big Blow” as an advanced level exercise. Given the significant push for Amateur Radio volunteers for the 2021 Boston Marathon, several ARES District Emergency Coordinators who are either out of area or dealing with significant professional/personal workload and the high level of SKYWARN Activations during the month of July, formal section participation from the exercise has been dropped but anyone wishing to participate from outside of the Cape Cod district is more than welcome to do so and can reach the Cape Cod ARES district via 2m simplex, HF and digital modes such as Winlink and NBEMS.  This is the exercise plan: Cape Cod ARES District “Operation Big Blow” Exercise.

In mid-November, we will plan another section wide exercise. This will allow for large events such as support for Northeast HamXposition and the Boston Marathon to complete as well as support for Amateur Radio hurricane nets for the upcoming Atlantic Hurricane Season which is expected to ramp up and become more active as we head into mid-August. Amateur Radio Operators in the Eastern Massachusetts section should think about and prepare for what they would do if a landfalling hurricane were to strike Southern New England. The last direct landfalling hurricane to affect Southern New England was Hurricane Bob in August 1991, 30 years ago. The last major hurricane strike (Cat-3 or higher) to affect the region was Hurricane Carol in 1954. Now is a great time to prepare for the “what if” of a landfalling hurricane by preparing your station and augmenting its capabilities participating in SKYWARN Net Activations for localized severe weather events and participating in public service events where available. If a hurricane landfall does not occur this season, you will be more prepared for a major incident, weather related or otherwise, that could require Amateur Radio and ARES support.

Thanks for your continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES and SKYWARN!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
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Connecticut Section Emergency Coordinator Mike Waters, W8ZY, writes on the CT-ARES list:

Well, if you have been keeping up with the announcements coming from ARRL you might have seen my name in one of them. As of June 7, [2021]  I have joined the HQ staff and am now the Field Services Manager. Unfortunately there is room in my life for only one position like this so I have submitted my resignation as SEC to our section manager. I will still be around and am assisting in the selection of my replacement. I will still be a CT ARES member and will participate where I can in drills and deployments.

This has been a very enjoyable and often very fulfilling position for me and I want to thank all of the ARES volunteers who give their time and resources for the job. Without all of you there would be no ARES.

Thank you for your support and dedication.

Thanks

Mike, W8ZY

From South Coast MA Amateur Radio Group Facebook page:

Today is the 10-year anniversary of the tornadoes that struck Western and Central portions of Massachusetts. In this video we hear and see the important role that Amateur Radio Operators played relaying “ground truth” information to the National Weather Service Office in Taunton. A compilation video of the June 1, 2011 EF3-Tornado with photos from Amateur Radio Operators, SKYWARN Spotters, NWS Storm Survey and an aerial survey from Amateur Radio Operators.

Paul Silverzweig, W1PJS, writes on main@ri-ares.groups.io:

With Memorial Day weekend comes the 4th Anniversary of our very first leadership meeting, held in Coventry, which included several of our current leadership who have been with us through the entire time.

We have done much in those few short years. We began with just a core leadership team and a lot of void to fill. About two months after that first meeting I deployed to Houston TX for Hurricane Harvey, and a month later went directly to Puerto Rico for Hurricane Maria… I was away for 7 months in total… obviously this impacted the first year of RIARES rebirth… but we are strong now, with about 100 members, and a strong leadership team. We have, in those 4 years, held 6 exercises, participated in more than a dozen public service events, established a 501c3 nonprofit RIARES Foundation, developed a Preparedness & Training Guide, have the most active weekly repeater net in RI, with a simplex VHF net and an HF net gaining participation.

I’d like to thank all of the leadership team and members who have helped bring us to where we are.

We have a long way to go, however. So I am asking all of you to pull a bit harder, participate a bit more, and step up when you can for events, exercises, training courses, and most importantly, with ideas on what you think will help us go forward.

Thank you!

ARLX006 Annual WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test Set for Saturday, May 29

The annual WX4NHC station on-the-air test will be held on Saturday, May 29, 1300 – 2100 UTC. The WX4NHC operators plan to be working remotely again this year as the National Hurricane Center plans to maintain all CDC COVID-19 pandemic protocols until the end of 2021. The yearly exercise takes place just ahead of the official start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, June 1 – November 30. Assistant WX4NHC Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, said the event offers an opportunity for radio amateurs worldwide to exercise the sorts of communication capabilities available during severe weather.

“We will be making brief contacts on many frequencies and modes, exchanging signal reports and basic weather data (sunny, rain, temperature, etc.) with any station in any location,” Ripoll said.

Participating stations may use HF, VHF, UHF, APRS, and Winlink, with WX4NHC HF activity centering on the Hurricane Watch Net frequencies of 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz, depending on propagation, and will operate elsewhere as conditions dictate. WX4NHC will also participate in the VoIP Hurricane Net, 2000 – 2100 UTC.

As for the upcoming hurricane season, Ripoll said, “Even if you are not directly affected by a hurricane situation, please volunteer to monitor and relay reports; just one report can make a difference and help save a life!”

In conjunction with the National Hurricane Conference next month, the traditional Amateur Radio Workshop sessions will be held virtually on Tuesday, June 15, 10:30 AM – 12 PM EDT and 1:30 – 5 PM EDT. The sessions will be moderated by Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Director of Operations, VoIP Hurricane Net, with Ripoll.

To access the Zoom meeting check-in, use the meeting ID 844 9788 6921, and the passcode 565708.

District Emergency Coordinator Frank O’Laughlin, WQ1O, writes on the Facebook Cape Code & Islands ARES page:

We had a good outing on Saturday for the nationwide Red Cross/Winlink exercise and our complimentary Cape Cod ARES exercise combined with the Eastern MA Section ARES. We used Winlink HF, VHF, NBEMS (HF,VHF), voice 60/75m. We had two field sites and many home stations. It was good to get back outside with our gennies and field gear. The day was a success overall. Soon we will be preparing for our Cape Cod ARES field summer exercise in August which will have multiple field teams and mobiles. My thanks to our field crews in Sandwich and Falmouth (under Henry, K1WCC ADEC). My kudos to our solo field operation in Chatham under field operator Shannon K1WIT. I appreciate all our home stations that participated as well including our section partners. It was tough to get through the day for me, but was worth every minute.