[ARRL-OK] Major US Contest Station, Winlink Support Mexico Fire Response

[Mark Conklin]

>From ARRL.org  July 17, 2019
Major US Contest Station, Winlink Support Mexico Fire Response
In May, Mexican radio amateurs provided message communications from a conflagration in a remote area to civil protection authorities in Monterrey, Mexico. Two-member teams of volunteer operators were flown in via helicopter. Teams used Winlink connections with Winlink Express software using the weak-signal protocol Vara HF.

Use of Major Contest Station a Boon

A significant factor in this effort was the assistance and support of retired US contest operator and station, Tom Whiteside, N5TW, who dedicates his station to disaster response support using Winlink. His station in Georgetown, Texas, supported the effort from across the border with his 40- and 20-meter arrays. The volunteer teams at the fire site used a 40-meter dipole and a steerable portable dipole.

In addition to the Monterrey fire, Whiteside's station supported the International Health Service effort in Honduras and was the main link for the ARRL's effort in Puerto Rico in 2017 following the calamitous hurricanes there. Whiteside has served as the ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator for the South Texas section from 2009 through 2012 and continues as an assistant SEC. He is also a member of DHS NCC SHARES. Whiteside maintains a major antenna farm and operates a Winlink HF Trimode station (PACTOR, ARDOP, Vara and WINMOR) and three VHF RMS Packet stations.