[CALV-ARES] more

Tue May 6 22:26:05 EDT 2014

Continuation.including callsign fixes;

1.       Callsign corrections

a.       Rob from CHAS callsign is N2OMC not N3OMC.

b.      Peter's callsign is KB3SXB not KB3SCB

c.       Not mentioned but DPCSC callsign is KB3TGF.

2.       Jamboree On the Air, JOTA, is a yearly Boy Scout event occurs third
weekend of October.  Usually, the hams show up for Saturday and not Sunday.
There will be a site in the tri-county area designated for JOTA.  The latest
information is this will be in CHAS.  

3.       Starting soon, CALV-ARES members interested in building Near
Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) antenna.  We made these a few years ago as
a group project.  They work great for EmComms covering 40 & 80 Meters.  It
is  portable, easily to setup with receive/transmit range of 30-400 miles.
If events go as plan we may start this project in June.  It will take a few
months to complete during CALV-ARES Meetings.  

As one can see, there is much to accomplish and so little time to do it all.
Please encourage many of the new members to join CALV-ARES. Remember this
>>> If you are not always prepared then you are never prepared.  

The fewer activations that occur,  the more people become complacent and
stop preparing.  As hams, we are gifted with a skill and equipment to help
our family, friends and neighbors.  We see those hams in the west and gulf
states helping with disasters every year.  We are all  thankful that we do
not live in areas that require so many man-hours.  However, we do
occasionally have events that require our communication skills.  By joining
and participating with ARES  will help one be better communicators in time
of need. 

I still get amazed looks from ham friends when I explain what ARES is about.
A good starting place to learn, please read this link from the ARRL website.

Two Flavors of Amateur Radio Emergency Operation >
http://www.arrl.org/ares-races-faq 

It all about practicing and more practicing.  It is all practice till it is
not.  

From: CALV-ARES [mailto:calv-ares-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
N3QHC
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2014 8:38 PM
To: 'Calvert County, MD ARES'
Subject: Re: [CALV-ARES] FW: 2014 MS Bike Ride Request for Radio Operators

Dave, 

Here is a summary of CALV-ARES activities through Oct 2014.  Historically,
November has been a planning meeting for the following year.  In December we
have an end-of-the-year dinner.  Last year's dinner was held at Three
Brother's located in Prince Frederick.  

1.      Three ARES events occur each October; 1.)  SET 2014; 2.) PRAD Parade
and  3.) Cystic Fibrosis Cycle for Life.  

a.      SET is when we make up our own exercises such as end-to-end county
testing.  For example, from the three Urgent Care facilities (Dunkirk,
Prince Frederick and Solomon's) to the Calvert County Health Department
(CCHD),  if we want to do such a thing.  We also, can include local
jurisdictions like the time we monitored the delivery of medicine from Vista
Hospital in LaPlata to our health department.  Lots of possibilities we can
make up to enhance our communications capabilities. Especially, with the new
digital radios many are acquiring.

2.      We have an opportunity with joining ARES-MAT (ARES Mutual Aid Teams)
working with PRGE and CHAS for the MS Cycle event in June.  The last two
times CALV-ARSE had a rest stop near Nanjemoy, MD.  

a.      The MS Cycle Event utilizes the SPARC repeater though it would be
interesting to see if Jim/WB3KAS (PRGE EC) is willing to try doing this
event using simplex.  Or at least test simplex to see if we could cover this
vast area do so.   

b.      Mike/KA3GRW (CHAS RO) and Rob/N3OMC both from CHAS were located at
one Rest Stop and we at another, both using high mast antennas.  We could
talk simplex with one another.  These two Rest Stops were stationed further
south than other rest stops. National Harbor is the Start/Finish and
location of NCS.  We never got to test simplex to National Harbor NCS. 

c.       The new Yaesu digital radios having APRS capabilities would sure be
fun monitoring other station location relative to your location or movement
of SAG and/or cyclist equipment with APRS radios.

3.      Monthly High Frequency Hospital Net, HFHN, with Region V Hospital
network > MONT, PGRE, CHAS, STMA and CALV counties hopitals and health
departments.  Wanda/KA3AHI is the MDC-SEC for the Maryland Health Care
Coalition. These Nets are held the first Wednesday after the third Tuesday
monthly - whoever thought that of that schedule needs their head examined -
they must be an Extra  - lol.

4.      There will be a quarterly exercise soon with Region V Hospital
Drill.  Part of their certification is they are REQUIRED to have a backup
communication means.  That is Amateur Radio in this State. 

                                                              i.      We
will be using the CCHD to  participate in the exercise.  

1.      I need to review with Bill/N3XMZ and Shawn/N3AE to see what is
happening at CCHD.  They might have told me but I have CRS.  A buddy of mine
that I used to work with for years is (or maybe was) one of the IT techs at
CCHD so that should aid us getting additional support , if needed.  Bill's
contact at CCHD has been more than helpful getting this station setup. 

5.      CALV-ARES is working getting Drum Point Community Emergency Service
Center(DPCSC), operating at 100%.  Then in June, we will be back to MHCC to
ensure it is operational so we can have exercise nets between these two
locations.  Hopefully, in July/August we will focus on EOC and CCHD, not
necessary in that order.

a.      Once we have all four of these permanent stations online then we can
have each manned so we can perform communication test between each one.

b.      Wayne/N1WR Station is leaving the County, his Station was strategic
part of the packet plan we were counting on having forever. .  With N1WR
packet station out of the picture CALV-ARES need to re-write and re-think
how we want to accomplish this task.  Wayne/N1WR gave me all the original
documents of the CALV ARES/RACES Operation Information Binder(OIB).  I have
asked the AEC's to help re-write our OIB.  As of today, Shawn/N3AE and I
have made plans on working on new Plans in the upcoming months.

6.      September and October are our mostly likely months for Calvert
County R.A.C.E.S. to have actual weather activations.  The plan is to have
all four stations operating to the best of their ability by end of August.
Maybe we can get that to happen sooner?   Once we get these two stations
performing well then the other two stations hopefully will fall in line more
quickly.

a.      I do not recall any progress getting permanent antenna(s) installed
on the building at the County's only mass evacuation shelter, Huntingtown
High School.  Still work in progress since Hurricane Sandy R.A.C.E.S.
Activation in 2012.  

7.      CALV-ARES participated helping CHAS ARES last September with the
Girl Scouts for the first Amateur Radio demonstration at Winona Girl Scout
Camp located in Hughesville.  We do not know  if the Scouts would like the
hams to return thought the event was a huge success.

8.      On Tuesday, August 5, is National Night Out, NNO.  We have never
done this but ANAR, PRGE and CHAS ARES do them every year.  Planning on
asking our ARES Stations if they like to participate this year.  Lots of
great PR associated doing NNO with the news media coverage and our working
alongside with the Calvert County Department of Public Safety, i.e., EOC,
Fire & Sheriff's Departments  There are at least three places in the County
that have NNO for their communities. 

9.      The May CALV-ARES Meeting location & time is TBA.

a.      CALV-ARES has plans for next week to work with Pater/KB3SBC and
David/KB3RAN on the DPCSC Station.  If we cannot complete our work at the
DPCSC then we might hold a morning CALV-ARES Meeting on the third Tuesday
just to get this one to-do checked off the To-Do List.

Thanks for asking and hope this information answers your question.  

73, Dennis/N3QHC

From: CALV-ARES [mailto:calv-ares-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
David Weaver
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2014 3:32 PM
To: 'Calvert County, MD ARES'
Subject: Re: [CALV-ARES] FW: 2014 MS Bike Ride Request for Radio Operators

Dennis

Do we have anything that is coming up for Calvert County only? Such as a
bike race, marathon or just the practice from one end of the County to the
other and the County?

73s 

Dave

W3PQS

From: CALV-ARES [mailto:calv-ares-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
N3QHC
Sent: Tuesday, May 6, 2014 11:50 AM
To: CALV ARES Stations
Subject: [CALV-ARES] FW: 2014 MS Bike Ride Request for Radio Operators

CALV-ARES has helped the PRGE-ARES group for this event a few times.
Looking for volunteers from our group[.  Please let me know if you can
support this Public Service event for Multiple sclerosis (MS).  

Cyclist start at National Harbor then wind down through the back roads of
southern Maryland in places such as Oxon Hill, Indianhead, Port Tobacco and
etc., then head back to National Harbor.  Both CHAS & PRGE ARES group
routinely support this cycle event.  It is a large event that needs
communication support as Jim notes below with 30, 60 and 100 mile routes.

Contact Jim if you can help out.  

73, Dennis/N3QHC

From: wb3kas at aol.com <mailto:wb3kas at aol.com>  [mailto:wb3kas at aol.com] 
Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2014 8:44 PM
To: n3qhc at verizon.net <mailto:n3qhc at verizon.net> 
Subject: 2014 MS Bike Ride Request for Radio Operators

Hi Dennis,

Hope things are going well for you.

The Development Specialist of The National Capital Chapter of the National
MS Society has requested the use of 'hams' again to supply a backup
communications channel for a bike run out of National Harbor.  It is going
to be held June 7 and 8 with the first day being a 30, 60 and 100 mile route
and just another 30 mile ride on Sunday.  They are expecting 800-1000 riders
to raise a half million dollars, a well worth event, in my opinion.

The Saturday start time is 0730, but our radio operators will be on station
early at the earlier rest stops, and is expected to last through 1630.  Same
times for Sunday.

I would like to ask the CALV ARES members to help out if they are available.
I need 20 operators and presently have six signed up, not as good as last
year.  Thirteen showed up last year. They asked us late again this year, and
many have already made commitments.  Sure could use some help.  There is no
pre staging as all will go directly to a rest stop from home.  Operators
work from their cars parked off the road way at various parking lots for the
most part.  Operators show up at rest stops on a staggering basis, so all
don't need to be on station at the same time.  Same applies to when their
support ends.  Have them email me and I will add them to the Bike Run group
list for all the information, including maps, rest stops, etc.  I need to
know the choice of Saturday or Sunday.  The Sunday event will not be as long
as Saturday.

I expect to have the Comms Plan out in a few days as soon as hear from the
volunteers.  The Plan won't look much different than last year.

Any help you can provide for us would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks for your time in this matter.

73,

Jim

WB3KAS

PRGE ARES EC

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