From jon.perelstein at gmail.com  Wed Jul  4 14:36:01 2012
From: jon.perelstein at gmail.com (Jon Perelstein)
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2012 14:36:01 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Good Repeater in Manhattan??
Message-ID: <CAFdYx3VyC0u9anPhBWugSS2vdL6s25MPv2B_5OcCPspLCbd2pQ@mail.gmail.com>

I'm meeting a ham from Germany (someone I talk with regularly on the air)
in Manhattan next week and was wondering if anybody can recommend a good
repeater to use in Manhattan so that we can get in touch with each other.
 We can do either 2 meters or 440.

Thanks.

Jon

From tony.o'connor at credit-suisse.com  Wed Jul  4 14:48:12 2012
From: tony.o'connor at credit-suisse.com (O'Connor, Tony)
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2012 14:48:12 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Good Repeater in Manhattan??
Message-ID: <1E6994AFF4DD8D4BAF6085726EDAA72805A11C1E@EPRI17P32015A.csfb.cs-group.com>

K2MAK, a 440 repeater on top of the Empire State building.  If you have a mobile, you can hit it from your car on I-95 starting at about Cos Cob. 

Cheers,
Tony


----- Original Message -----
From: ctsara-bounces at mailman.qth.net <ctsara-bounces at mailman.qth.net>
To: Stamford Amateur Radio Association <ctsara at mailman.qth.net>; GNARC <gnarc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wed Jul 04 14:36:01 2012
Subject: [CTSARA] Good Repeater in Manhattan??

I'm meeting a ham from Germany (someone I talk with regularly on the air)
in Manhattan next week and was wondering if anybody can recommend a good
repeater to use in Manhattan so that we can get in touch with each other.
 We can do either 2 meters or 440.

Thanks.

Jon
______________________________________________________________
CTSARA mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

=============================================================================== 
Please access the attached hyperlink for an important electronic communications disclaimer: 
http://www.credit-suisse.com/legal/en/disclaimer_email_ib.html 
=============================================================================== 


From lstoler99 at optonline.net  Wed Jul  4 15:20:52 2012
From: lstoler99 at optonline.net (Larry Stoler)
Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2012 15:20:52 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Repeaters in Manhattan
Message-ID: <4C93CE0EFE00495CBB6D5889AF081D7A@lawrence78zhq8>

Hi.  Happy Independence Day.

As far as repeaters in the city are concerned, my suggestion is 147.96 transmit, 147.36 receive.  It is located atop the RCA building.

I was involved with that repeater a long time ago however I don't think the club even exists any longer but it is an open repeater.
They have a machine at the same site on 447.825 and the input is 5 megs below that..

The PL tone for both the 2 meter and UHF systems is 107.2 hertz.

Hope that helps.
Larry
  
Larry Stoler
lstoler99 at opt.net

From sander_pool at pobox.com  Wed Jul  4 16:03:44 2012
From: sander_pool at pobox.com (Sander Pool)
Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:03:44 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Good Repeater in Manhattan??
In-Reply-To: <1E6994AFF4DD8D4BAF6085726EDAA72805A11C1E@EPRI17P32015A.csfb.cs-group.com>
References: <1E6994AFF4DD8D4BAF6085726EDAA72805A11C1E@EPRI17P32015A.csfb.cs-group.com>
Message-ID: <4FF4A1A0.2020404@pobox.com>


Interesting, this link places it in New Jersey somewhere.

http://www.artscipub.com/repeaters/detail.asp?rid=22849&ln=K2MAK_repeater_information_on_449.775_in_Brooklyn,_New_York

The named location is Brooklyn and the FB page shows the Empire State 
Building :)

449.775-, PL88.5

     Sander

On 7/4/2012 2:48 PM, O'Connor, Tony wrote:
> K2MAK, a 440 repeater on top of the Empire State building.  If you have a mobile, you can hit it from your car on I-95 starting at about Cos Cob.
>
> Cheers,
> Tony
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: ctsara-bounces at mailman.qth.net <ctsara-bounces at mailman.qth.net>
> To: Stamford Amateur Radio Association <ctsara at mailman.qth.net>; GNARC <gnarc at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wed Jul 04 14:36:01 2012
> Subject: [CTSARA] Good Repeater in Manhattan??
>
> I'm meeting a ham from Germany (someone I talk with regularly on the air)
> in Manhattan next week and was wondering if anybody can recommend a good
> repeater to use in Manhattan so that we can get in touch with each other.
>   We can do either 2 meters or 440.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Jon
> ______________________________________________________________
> CTSARA mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> ===============================================================================
> Please access the attached hyperlink for an important electronic communications disclaimer:
> http://www.credit-suisse.com/legal/en/disclaimer_email_ib.html
> ===============================================================================
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> CTSARA mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html



From tony.o'connor at credit-suisse.com  Wed Jul  4 16:32:20 2012
From: tony.o'connor at credit-suisse.com (O'Connor, Tony)
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2012 16:32:20 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Good Repeater in Manhattan??
Message-ID: <1E6994AFF4DD8D4BAF6085726EDAA72805A11C20@EPRI17P32015A.csfb.cs-group.com>

Ken Mak, the owner, has two repeaters. The 449.775 machine is in Brooklyn. The machine on the Empire State Building is 448.275 - 5.0 MHz PL 88.5. See K2MAK's QRZ.com page. 

No idea why artscipub thinks the Brooklyn repeater is in New Jersey but it's definitely not. The artscipub entry for the .275 machine is correct. 

Ken Mak's a great guy. I've spoken to him over the repeater several times. My first contact *ever* as a brand new ham was with Ken over the .275 repeater. He is delighted to have people use it and it has amazing coverage. I switch to it on the way into NYC pretty much right after getting out of range of W1EE. 

Cheers,
Tony
K1OC



________________________________

From: Sander Pool <sander_pool at pobox.com> 
To: O'Connor, Tony 
Cc: jon.perelstein at gmail.com <jon.perelstein at gmail.com>; ctsara at mailman.qth.net <ctsara at mailman.qth.net>; gnarc at mailman.qth.net <gnarc at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Wed Jul 04 16:03:44 2012
Subject: Re: [CTSARA] Good Repeater in Manhattan?? 



Interesting, this link places it in New Jersey somewhere.

http://www.artscipub.com/repeaters/detail.asp?rid=22849&ln=K2MAK_repeater_information_on_449.775_in_Brooklyn,_New_York

The named location is Brooklyn and the FB page shows the Empire State Building :)

449.775-, PL88.5

    Sander


On 7/4/2012 2:48 PM, O'Connor, Tony wrote:


	K2MAK, a 440 repeater on top of the Empire State building.  If you have a mobile, you can hit it from your car on I-95 starting at about Cos Cob. 
	
	Cheers,
	Tony
	
	
	----- Original Message -----
	From: ctsara-bounces at mailman.qth.net <ctsara-bounces at mailman.qth.net> <mailto:ctsara-bounces at mailman.qth.net> 
	To: Stamford Amateur Radio Association <ctsara at mailman.qth.net> <mailto:ctsara at mailman.qth.net> ; GNARC <gnarc at mailman.qth.net> <mailto:gnarc at mailman.qth.net> 
	Sent: Wed Jul 04 14:36:01 2012
	Subject: [CTSARA] Good Repeater in Manhattan??
	
	I'm meeting a ham from Germany (someone I talk with regularly on the air)
	in Manhattan next week and was wondering if anybody can recommend a good
	repeater to use in Manhattan so that we can get in touch with each other.
	 We can do either 2 meters or 440.
	
	Thanks.
	
	Jon
	______________________________________________________________
	CTSARA mailing list
	Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
	Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
	Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net
	
	This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
	Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
	
	=============================================================================== 
	Please access the attached hyperlink for an important electronic communications disclaimer: 
	http://www.credit-suisse.com/legal/en/disclaimer_email_ib.html 
	=============================================================================== 
	
	______________________________________________________________
	CTSARA mailing list
	Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
	Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
	Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net
	
	This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
	Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html




=============================================================================== 
Please access the attached hyperlink for an important electronic communications disclaimer: 
http://www.credit-suisse.com/legal/en/disclaimer_email_ib.html 
=============================================================================== 


From karlzuk at hotmail.com  Wed Jul  4 19:29:34 2012
From: karlzuk at hotmail.com (Karl Zuk)
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2012 19:29:34 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Repeaters in Manhattan
In-Reply-To: <4C93CE0EFE00495CBB6D5889AF081D7A@lawrence78zhq8>
References: <4C93CE0EFE00495CBB6D5889AF081D7A@lawrence78zhq8>
Message-ID: <SNT115-W9AC78A95D9200D7F1C652BFE80@phx.gbl>


The two that come to mind for me are the 147.00 machine and the BEARS repeater operated by the ABC TV ham group. Karl Zuk   N2KZ
 > Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2012 15:20:52 -0400
> From: lstoler99 at optonline.net
> To: CTSARA at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [CTSARA] Repeaters in Manhattan
> 
> Hi.  Happy Independence Day.
> 
> As far as repeaters in the city are concerned, my suggestion is 147.96 transmit, 147.36 receive.  It is located atop the RCA building.
> 
> I was involved with that repeater a long time ago however I don't think the club even exists any longer but it is an open repeater.
> They have a machine at the same site on 447.825 and the input is 5 megs below that..
> 
> The PL tone for both the 2 meter and UHF systems is 107.2 hertz.
> 
> Hope that helps.
> Larry
>   
> Larry Stoler
> lstoler99 at opt.net
> ______________________________________________________________
> CTSARA mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
 		 	   		  

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Mon Jul  9 14:20:16 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini)
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 14:20:16 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Echolink net.
Message-ID: <BLU0-SMTP4211BF4CF256E86F80401B09CD30@phx.gbl>

New England Echolink System Net Monday @8:00 pm tonight on 146.655 repeater.
WB1GRB
Sent from my iPod

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Sun Jul 15 18:02:42 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini Jr.)
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:02:42 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] FLASH FLOOD WARNING
Message-ID: <COL123-W3EFC904DD2183205717DD9CD50@phx.gbl>




FLASH FLOOD WARNING
Issue Date: 528 PM EDT SUN JUL 15 2012
Expiration: 700 PM EDT SUN JUL 15 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON NY HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
FAIRFIELD COUNTY IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT...

* UNTIL 700 PM EDT...

* AT 523 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WARNED AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...URBAN AREAS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES
AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

&&

 
 
 http://weatherforyou.com/reports/index.php?minlon=-73.7732916034636&maxlon=-71.7411050640169&minlat=40.8083694020256&maxlat=42.3325093066106&mapwidth=320&mapheight=240&s=ct&forecast=closestwarning&nc=hwall&map.x=37&map.y=195
 
 
 
 
Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara 
Stamford Amateur Radio Association

John Sabin Jr. WB1GRB
Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://www.ctsara.org/subscribers.htm 

John Sabini, WB1GRB: wb1grb at hotmail.com 
SARA Web Address: http://www.ctsara.org/ 

List Member's Guide to Email List Guidelines and Behavior
http://mailman.qth.net/miniaup.html 

Using Mailman Lists at Mailman.QTH.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm  		 	   		  

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Mon Jul 16 15:44:07 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini Jr.)
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:44:07 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] FLASH FLOOD WARNING
In-Reply-To: <COL123-W3EFC904DD2183205717DD9CD50@phx.gbl>
References: <COL123-W3EFC904DD2183205717DD9CD50@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <COL401-EAS25058A480A940D77840685C9CD40@phx.gbl>



Sent from my iPod

On Jul 15, 2012, at 6:02 PM, "John Sabini Jr." <wb1grb at hotmail.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> FLASH FLOOD WARNING
> Issue Date: 528 PM EDT SUN JUL 15 2012
> Expiration: 700 PM EDT SUN JUL 15 2012
> 
> THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON NY HAS ISSUED A
> 
> * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
> FAIRFIELD COUNTY IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT...
> 
> * UNTIL 700 PM EDT...
> 
> * AT 523 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
> FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WARNED AREA.
> 
> PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
> 
> EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
> CREEKS AND STREAMS...URBAN AREAS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES
> AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.
> 
> &&
> 
> 
> 
> http://weatherforyou.com/reports/index.php?minlon=-73.7732916034636&maxlon=-71.7411050640169&minlat=40.8083694020256&maxlat=42.3325093066106&mapwidth=320&mapheight=240&s=ct&forecast=closestwarning&nc=hwall&map.x=37&map.y=195
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Join The CTSARA Mailing List
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara 
> Stamford Amateur Radio Association
> 
> John Sabin Jr. WB1GRB
> Join The CTSARA Mailing List
> http://www.ctsara.org/subscribers.htm 
> 
> John Sabini, WB1GRB: wb1grb at hotmail.com 
> SARA Web Address: http://www.ctsara.org/ 
> 
> List Member's Guide to Email List Guidelines and Behavior
> http://mailman.qth.net/miniaup.html 
> 
> Using Mailman Lists at Mailman.QTH.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm                           

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Mon Jul 16 16:06:38 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini Jr.)
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:06:38 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] New. England Net
Message-ID: <COL401-EAS93A04F7C224D57010DE3689CD40@phx.gbl>

New England net
8:00 pm Monday
146.655Repeater

Disregard weather alert 
Latest weather updates
http://www.ctsara.org/ 

Sent from my iPod

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Tue Jul 17 08:08:58 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini Jr.)
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:08:58 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] SARA Field Day 2012 CW Tent Post-Mortem Andrew N2CN
Message-ID: <COL123-W490EE043257EF468680E799CDB0@phx.gbl>


SARA Field Day 2012 CW Tent Post-Mortem Andrew N2CN
http://www.ctsara.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=127&start=0http://www.ctsara.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=127&start=0

http://www.ctsara.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=127&start=0

 

 

Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
Stamford Amateur Radio Association

John Sabin Jr. WB1GRB
Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://www.ctsara.org/subscribers.htm

John Sabini, WB1GRB: wb1grb at hotmail.com
SARA Web Address: http://www.ctsara.org/

List Member's Guide to Email List Guidelines and Behavior
http://mailman.qth.net/miniaup.html

Using Mailman Lists at Mailman.QTH.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm 		 	   		  

From jon.perelstein at gmail.com  Tue Jul 17 21:54:02 2012
From: jon.perelstein at gmail.com (Jon Perelstein)
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:54:02 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Operator Needed For CT Disaster Drill on July 31
Message-ID: <CAFdYx3XXzQACH5svHG9zc1HznqJ3Tb+xx6ejb68av1u4Hf1qtA@mail.gmail.com>

As some of you may know, the State of CT is conducting a statewide disaster
simulation drill from July 28th thru July 31st.  The simulation consists of
your basic "run-of-the-mill" Category 3 hurricane hitting CT head-on, with
resulting massive destruction.  A key component of the testing will be
simulated communications outages at the local, region, and state levels
(e.g., police and fire repeaters down) and another key component will be
large-scale shelter openings with shelters run by Red Cross and CERT (where
available).

The state has declined to include ham radio in the communications testing
(Red Cross, for example, will be using its 46MHz radios and CERT units will
use whatever radios they have).  It appears that CT ARES will be conducting
a simulated emergency test on the 28th, but in general it will be a
separate test run by ARES and will not be integrated with the state's
drill (I haven't actually received any formal notification of the ARES
test, but that's the rumor).

Be that as it may, the City of Stamford has expressed an interest in having
SARA test backup radio communications between the Stamford shelter
(Stamford High School again) and the Stamford EOC.  It turns out that the
City of Bridgeport and the Town of Stratford have expressed similar
interests to GBARC.  In response, Stamford, SARA, GBARC, Bridgeport, and
Stratford have agreed on a communications test as part of the simulated
shelter operations.  We've decided to structure it as SARA and GBARC
passing simulated shelter logistics data, shelter population data, and
shelter status data from their shelters to their respective EOCs (e.g.,
from Stamford High School to Stamford EOC), and then from the EOCs to Red
Cross in Bridgeport.  We have decided to use digital communications in the
form of VHF/UHF NBEMS traffic (including FLDIGI, FLWRAP, and FLMSG).

The shelter exercise will take place on Tuesday, July 31.  We need an
operator who is familiar with NBEMS to set up and operate at Stamford High
School for about two hours during the midday (probably 11-1).  Ideally, the
person will be someone with:

1.  The necessary equipment, including a VHF/UHF FM rig suitable for
deployment, an antenna suitable for deployment, and a computer loaded with
the necessary software.  Note that a car-based system is acceptable if you
don't have an antenna that can be ground deployed.

2.  Experience at using NBEMS, including sending file attachments.

If you are interested but don't have all the equipment, please contact me.
 I have a spare J-Pole and might even be able to rustle up a rig and
computer.

If you are interested but don't have enough experience with NBEMS, please
contact me.  We have two weeks before the drill and we can get you trained
in that time.

This is a good opportunity to further cement our relationship with the City
(especially because they expressed the interest) and a good opportunity to
show that SARA is at the forefront of where emergency communications is
going.

73s
Jon, WB2RYV

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Wed Jul 18 12:31:43 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini Jr.)
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:31:43 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH   HEAT ADVISORY
Message-ID: <COL123-W22F5F3DA702265E382A7D99CDA0@phx.gbl>


SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
Issue Date: 1220 PM EDT WED JUL 18 2012
Expiration: 900 PM EDT WED JUL 18 2012


SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 490 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

 

CT.    CONNECTICUT COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

FAIRFIELD            HARTFORD            LITCHFIELD          
MIDDLESEX            NEW HAVEN           NEW LONDON          
TOLLAND              WINDHAM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEAT ADVISORY
Issue Date: 1156 AM EDT WED JUL 18 2012
Expiration: 600 PM EDT WED JUL 18 2012


...HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS TODAY...


NORTHERN FAIRFIELD-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX-
NORTHERN NEW LONDON-SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN-
WESTERN PASSAIC-ORANGE-PUTNAM-ROCKLAND-NORTHERN WESTCHESTER-
NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-
1156 AM EDT WED JUL 18 2012

 

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON HAS ISSUED A HEAT
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING.

 

* LOCATIONS...SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT...THE LOWER HUDSON
VALLEY...EASTERN LONG ISLAND AND PASSAIC COUNTY.

 

* HAZARDS...HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY.

 

* HEAT INDEX VALUES...100 TO 104.

 

* TIMING...LATE MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.

 

* IMPACTS...POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS TO THOSE PRONE TO HEAT STRESS
SUCH AS SENIORS AND THOSE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS OR MENTAL
DISABILITY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

 

A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND
HUMIDITY IS EXPECTED TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE IT IS 100 TO 104 DEGREES
FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE HOURS. 

 

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN
POSSIBLE...RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR
EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT
STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN
POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

 

AT HOME...USE AIR CONDITIONING TO STAY COOL OR GO TO A PLACE THAT
HAS AIR CONDITIONING. DRINK WATER AT REGULAR INTERVALS. CHECK IN
ON YOUR AT-RISK FAMILY... FRIENDS... AND NEIGHBORS... ESPECIALLY
IF THEY DON'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING OR LIVE ALONE.

TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS


IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT
SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN
EMERGENCY...CALL 9 1 1.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HEAT...VISIT


HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/HEAT/ (ALL LOWER CASE) &&

 

LATEST WEATHER & UPDATES.....

http://www.ctsara.org/ctsara_weather.html

 

J/S WB1GRB

 

 

 

Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
Stamford Amateur Radio Association

John Sabin Jr. WB1GRB
Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://www.ctsara.org/subscribers.htm

John Sabini, WB1GRB: wb1grb at hotmail.com
SARA Web Address: http://www.ctsara.org/

List Member's Guide to Email List Guidelines and Behavior
http://mailman.qth.net/miniaup.html

Using Mailman Lists at Mailman.QTH.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm 		 	   		  

From andrew at rosca.net  Fri Jul 20 10:09:34 2012
From: andrew at rosca.net (Andrew Rosca)
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:09:34 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Help needed: audio spectrum analysis
Message-ID: <CAPGBEQieq=QefuBHgn_6034P_P-S2YgfD-r37Rgb9nFm0j6Akw@mail.gmail.com>

I have two different versions of the same audio device that just sound
different, one very good and the other not quite as good. It?s a very
subjective thing and I?d like to be able to give the manufacturer more
objective feedback.

I looked that the amplifier circuits and they are slightly different
(a few different capacitor values) but their electronics engineer
claims there should be no difference in the output.

I ran my own very rudimentary spectrum analysis and I can see minor
differences in the 1kHz and 3kHz ranges (see attached graphs) but I
would like to see if I can get more specific with the differences and
come up with a scientific explanation for why one doesn?t sound as
good as the other.

Does anyone in this group have the necessary expertise and/or
equipment to help me with this?

Thanks in advance!

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Mon Jul 23 13:44:27 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini Jr.)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:44:27 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH North East Echolink System net
	8:00 pm
Message-ID: <COL123-W19E96E1C6465F5154F45DC9CDD0@phx.gbl>


SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
Issue Date: 126 PM EDT MON JUL 23 2012
Expiration: 1100 PM EDT MON JUL 23 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
504 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
AREAS

IN CONNECTICUT THIS WATCH INCLUDES 2 COUNTIES
IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT
FAIRFIELD             NEW HAVEN             

IN NEW JERSEY THIS WATCH INCLUDES 5 COUNTIES
IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY
BERGEN                ESSEX                 HUDSON               
PASSAIC               UNION                 

IN NEW YORK THIS WATCH INCLUDES 10 COUNTIES
IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK
BRONX                 KINGS (BROOKLYN)      NASSAU               
NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)  ORANGE                PUTNAM               
QUEENS                RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)                   
ROCKLAND              WESTCHESTER

http://www.ctsara.org/ctsara_weather.html

North East Echolink System net 8:00 pm Local Time
146.655 PL-100 Hz

http://www.ctsara.org/EchoLinkCode.htm

Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
Stamford Amateur Radio Association
John Sabin Jr. WB1GRB
Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://www.ctsara.org/subscribers.htm
John Sabini, WB1GRB: wb1grb at hotmail.com
SARA Web Address: http://www.ctsara.org/
List Member's Guide to Email List Guidelines and Behavior
http://mailman.qth.net/miniaup.html
Using Mailman Lists at Mailman.QTH.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm 		 	   		  

From jon.perelstein at gmail.com  Thu Jul 26 09:23:24 2012
From: jon.perelstein at gmail.com (Jon Perelstein)
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:23:24 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Possibly Big Storms Today
In-Reply-To: <CAFdYx3WEU+P1yn9sTYerHkr04kGJ1x+9pHWdzJi=iU-Xcn6gSA@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAFdYx3WEU+P1yn9sTYerHkr04kGJ1x+9pHWdzJi=iU-Xcn6gSA@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CAFdYx3W_7ouS75d8bNJZc8kYKcrTDQvaJJRAQn4C26QoBOWtqQ@mail.gmail.com>

Haven't seen anything from John yet so I'll take the lead.  Forecasts are
putting out warnings for strong storms this afternoon and evening with
possible tornadoes and high intensity sustained winds.  Probably more
central CT than our area but please keep alert, monitor weather reports and
monitor the local repeaters.

Jon

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Thu Jul 26 09:46:01 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini Jr.)
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:46:01 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Possibly Big Storms Today
In-Reply-To: <COL123-W6327C1DCB18DC4C8B80EA39CC20@phx.gbl>
References: <CAFdYx3WEU+P1yn9sTYerHkr04kGJ1x+9pHWdzJi=iU-Xcn6gSA@mail.gmail.com>,
	<CAFdYx3W_7ouS75d8bNJZc8kYKcrTDQvaJJRAQn4C26QoBOWtqQ@mail.gmail.com>,
	<COL123-W6327C1DCB18DC4C8B80EA39CC20@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <COL123-W443F41FF5090D9CF7C5BCB9CC20@phx.gbl>


As of 9:36 am their is No active watches, warnings or advisories for Stamford, Connecticut.
Check our SARA Weather web page for latest updates or local news.
http://www.ctsara.org/ctsara_weather.html
Better yet use our under used SARA club repeater.
If you have forgot. 146.655 PL-100 Hz.

J/S WB1GRB

>
> Join The CTSARA Mailing List
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
> Stamford Amateur Radio Association
> John Sabin Jr. WB1GRB
> Join The CTSARA Mailing List
> http://www.ctsara.org/subscribers.htm
> John Sabini, WB1GRB: wb1grb at hotmail.com
> SARA Web Address: http://www.ctsara.org/
> List Member's Guide to Email List Guidelines and Behavior
> http://mailman.qth.net/miniaup.html
> Using Mailman Lists at Mailman.QTH.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm
> ----------------------------------------
> > Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:23:24 -0400
> > From: jon.perelstein at gmail.com
> > To: ctsara at mailman.qth.net
> > Subject: [CTSARA] Possibly Big Storms Today
> >
> > Haven't seen anything from John yet so I'll take the lead. Forecasts are
> > putting out warnings for strong storms this afternoon and evening with
> > possible tornadoes and high intensity sustained winds. Probably more
> > central CT than our area but please keep alert, monitor weather reports and
> > monitor the local repeaters.
> >
> > Jon
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > CTSARA mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 		 	   		  

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Thu Jul 26 18:48:17 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini Jr.)
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:48:17 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING Canceling the SARA Board
	Meeting
Message-ID: <COL123-W26E1290F55E40DB8E769129CC20@phx.gbl>


Ernest is canceling the SARA Board Meeting for tonight. He is making phone calls.

Monitor the SARA Repeater! 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
Issue Date: 614 PM EDT THU JUL 26 2012
Expiration: 715 PM EDT THU JUL 26 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON NY HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
FAIRFIELD COUNTY IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT...
PASSAIC COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY...
WESTCHESTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK...
BERGEN COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY...
ESSEX COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY...
ROCKLAND COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK...
PUTNAM COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK...

* UNTIL 715 PM EDT...

* AT 608 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
HAIL...AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH.  THESE STORMS
WERE LOCATED OVER NORTHWEST ORANGE COUNTY AND EXTENDING INTO 
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY AND EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND ARE MOVING 
SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
DOPPLER RADAR HAS INDICATED SOME WEAK ROTATION WITHIN THIS STORM.

WHILE NOT IMMEDIATELY LIKELY...A TORNADO MAY STILL DEVELOP. IF A
TORNADO IS SPOTTED...ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A
STURDY STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IN ADDITION TO LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY! LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS.

REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DESTRUCTIVE WINDS AND LARGE
DAMAGING HAIL. SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY
AWAY FROM WINDOWS!

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM THURSDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT AND NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AND
SOUTHEAST NEW YORK.
&&

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
Issue Date: 603 PM EDT THU JUL 26 2012
Expiration: 1100 PM EDT THU JUL 26 2012

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 527 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

 CONNECTICUT COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
FAIRFIELD            HARTFORD            MIDDLESEX           
NEW HAVEN            NEW LONDON          TOLLAND             
WINDHAM

http://www.ctsara.org/ctsara_weather.html


Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
Stamford Amateur Radio Association
John Sabin Jr. WB1GRB
Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://www.ctsara.org/subscribers.htm
John Sabini, WB1GRB: wb1grb at hotmail.com
SARA Web Address: http://www.ctsara.org/
List Member's Guide to Email List Guidelines and Behavior
http://mailman.qth.net/miniaup.html
Using Mailman Lists at Mailman.QTH.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm 		 	   		  

From andrew at rosca.net  Thu Jul 26 23:10:44 2012
From: andrew at rosca.net (Andrew Rosca)
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:10:44 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Visual weather forecast from weather.com
Message-ID: <CAPGBEQixCeXQt7LkFj_K9K5qGniMqX6rRVYfN0S-9f+i8gTFJw@mail.gmail.com>

This nifty feather at Weather.com has apparently been available for a
couple of years but I just came across it for the first time.

We are probably all familiar with the radar animation view, which shows a
progression of radar snapshots over the past few hours.

Weather.com has gone one step further and added forecast
animation--essentially the same as the past animation, but extrapolated up
to 6 hours into the future.

Go to the URL below and click the "next 6 hours" button. Precipitation,
cloud cover, and temperature forecasts can all be displayed.
http://www.weather.com/weather/map/interactive/06906?animation=true

On a side note--the forecast is using their TruPoint technology that
interpolates actual weather data (which of course is only measured at
rather sparse locations such as airports and various other weather
stations) to determine probable current conditions at any of 20 million
locations within the US. Very cool.

Here's more information about TruPoint
http://www.weather.com/common/help/interactiveMapHelp.html

From n1ezt at yahoo.com  Fri Jul 27 19:25:21 2012
From: n1ezt at yahoo.com (Pierre Guimond)
Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:25:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [CTSARA] (no subject)
Message-ID: <1343431521.20801.androidMobile@web164606.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>

http://dvuhpodves.ru/wp-admin/anaoler.html?cjp=mhkrjc

From jonstv at gmail.com  Fri Jul 27 20:39:51 2012
From: jonstv at gmail.com (Jonathan Solomon)
Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 20:39:51 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] (no subject)
In-Reply-To: <1343431521.20801.androidMobile@web164606.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
References: <1343431521.20801.androidMobile@web164606.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <C17064AA-1706-4D7A-991F-580551ABDB20@gmail.com>

this is spam.  do not follow the link

Sent from my iPad

On Jul 27, 2012, at 7:25 PM, Pierre Guimond <n1ezt at yahoo.com> wrote:

> http://dvuhpodves.ru/wp-admin/anaoler.html?cjp=mhkrjc
> ______________________________________________________________
> CTSARA mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

From jon.perelstein at gmail.com  Sat Jul 28 00:11:29 2012
From: jon.perelstein at gmail.com (Jon Perelstein)
Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:11:29 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] 2012 SET This Weekend And Other Emcomm-Related Stuff
Message-ID: <CAFdYx3X6asoeNoPvO5TzgDAe7NHmSrFZVxYnJsEPrtw6KzmAVQ@mail.gmail.com>

Some of you may be aware that CT ARES is running its annual Simulated
Emergency Test (SET) this weekend.  Toy will have a net going on the
Norwalk repeater on Saturday (probably around noon).  He would appreciate
it if you would get on and at least say hello so he can count it as a
message.

As I reported previously, on Tuesday SARA will be working with GBARC,
Stamford EOC, Bridgeport EOC, Stratford EOC, and Red Cross at various
shelter locations (such as Stamford High) to do simulated shelter
communications within and between Stamford, Bridgeport, and Stratford.

*****

The SET scenario for this year is a powerful hurricane hitting CT head on
and the playbook calls for participants to send communications suitable to
a hurricane.  Based on past experience, that means people getting on their
local repeaters and making up reports that sound "hurricanish" such as
reports of trees and power lines down and reports of hail damage/flooding.
 Undoubtedly, someone will send reports of snowfall amounts (there is
always someone who doesn't quite understand the concept of hurricanes).
 The SET playbook doesn't include any specific, organized
demonstrations/testing such as our ability to get quantities of information
from one region to another, our ability to get information from the regions
to Hartford (and back), our ability to link EOCs, or ability to provide
meaningful communications from the shelters (and not just short 10 word
messages), or our HF capabilities (in case the linked repeater system fails
as it did in the October snowstorm).  The SET playbook mentions that people
might want to try some of these things, but it doesn't establish any
specific, formal, meaningful tests of those capabilities and thus can be
expected to degenerate into the typical "call in on the repeater a lot so
we can get a lot of points" as it has in previous years.

Unfortunately, CT ARES does not have suitable facilities for getting
communications from lower Fairfield County to Red Cross HQ in Farmington.
 That was tested during the 2010 SET, but the results were less than
stellar, especially since CT ARES doesn't have adequate digital capability,
doesn't have adequate HF capability, and doesn't have any HF digital
capability to speak of.  Just getting short voice messages through from
Darien Red Cross to Farmington Red Cross HQ on the linked repeater system
was painful and unreliable.

I have arranged for a ham I know to set up a portable HF antenna in the
Farmington area and I will try some HF digital communications with him
using a portable antenna from Sterling Farms (probably on Weds).  Over
time, he and I are going to experiment with NVIS antennas between here and
Farmington.

*****

I spent the last three days in ICS-400 training (at the request of the City
of Stamford based on my position in SARA and in Stamford CERT).  The other
attendees were deputy and assistant chiefs from various fire, police, and
EMS depts here in Region 1 (Stamford, Darien, Norwalk, Westport,
Bridgeport, and Wilton).  A couple of full chiefs were there for at least
part of the time as were two mayors (well a mayor and a first selectman).

ICS-400 focuses on BIG events/incidents, region or county wide (even
multiple regions/counties) and this class was taught by some seriously
experienced people (e.g., a retired senior incident commander from US
Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management -- the people who fight the
really big forest fires out west).  Not quite believing us when we told
them that CT municipalities handle big emergencies pretty much on their
own, the "desktop simulation exercise" they set up for Day 3 of the class
was a massive, unexpected snowstorm the Saturday before Christmas with
thousands of cars stranded on I-95 between Stamford and Bridgeport, at
least 10 trains stranded on Metro North between Stamford and Bridgeport,
many many traffic accidents throughout lower Fairfield County (including at
least one with a really nasty hazardous material spill on Rt. 7 in Wilton),
a roof caved in on one of the big box stores in Norwalk (full of holiday
shoppers), etc., etc.  In short, what happens at least once a year in
northern NY, the midwest, or the upper west.

It took about an hour, but they finally got people to understand the value
of working together across municipalities in a situation like that posed in
the simulation.  Of course, as soon as people started accepting the idea,
the instructors threw in power failures and phone/cell phone outages that
isolated the EOCs.  At which point the participants all agreed that they
simply had no way to communicate with each other and would have to fall
back on individual responses by municipality.

"Well there IS ham radio" said guess who.  The instructors stopped the
exercise and we spent about 45 minutes talking about what ham radio can do
for local and regional communications, with the instructors pointing out
that in Texas, each municipality's emergency plans must include specific
planning for use of ham radio (or the TX Dept of Public Safety will reject
the plans as inadequate -- something that has serious legal and political
ramifications).  We talked about the capabilities of the ham radio
community here in lower Fairfield, as well as the strengths and weaknesses
of CT ARES (they were not amused).

When we did continue the exercise, the various chiefs chose to use ham
radio as a critical communications resource between the EOCs.  Sufficiently
critical that most of the municipalities represented elected to each pull a
plow out of immediate response to gather up ham radio operators and bring
them to their EOCs, and every coordinating message they sent for the rest
of the exercise went through (simulated) ham radio.

The Wilton fire chief is going to work with Chris Munger to organize a
follow-up meeting between the various municipalities to further discuss how
they can work together in a really big incident.  Ham radio (i.e., me) has
already been invited to the meeting.


73s
Jon, WB2RYV

P.S.  Seriously, please take pity on Toy and give him a call on Saturday

From k1eic at att.net  Sat Jul 28 01:06:13 2012
From: k1eic at att.net (Betsey Doane)
Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2012 01:06:13 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] 2012 SET This Weekend And Other Emcomm-Related Stuff
In-Reply-To: <CAFdYx3X6asoeNoPvO5TzgDAe7NHmSrFZVxYnJsEPrtw6KzmAVQ@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAFdYx3X6asoeNoPvO5TzgDAe7NHmSrFZVxYnJsEPrtw6KzmAVQ@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <010501cd6c7e$b6536450$22fa2cf0$@net>

You should all know that Wayne's handbook has been or will be posted
nationally as an example of best practices in exercise management.

73,
Betsey Doane, K1EIC SM CT
-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Perelstein [mailto:jon.perelstein at gmail.com] 
Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2012 12:11 AM
To: Stamford Amateur Radio Association
Cc: Toy Alladin K1WYQ
Subject: [CTSARA] 2012 SET This Weekend And Other Emcomm-Related Stuff

Some of you may be aware that CT ARES is running its annual Simulated
Emergency Test (SET) this weekend.  Toy will have a net going on the Norwalk
repeater on Saturday (probably around noon).  He would appreciate it if you
would get on and at least say hello so he can count it as a message.

As I reported previously, on Tuesday SARA will be working with GBARC,
Stamford EOC, Bridgeport EOC, Stratford EOC, and Red Cross at various
shelter locations (such as Stamford High) to do simulated shelter
communications within and between Stamford, Bridgeport, and Stratford.

*****

The SET scenario for this year is a powerful hurricane hitting CT head on
and the playbook calls for participants to send communications suitable to a
hurricane.  Based on past experience, that means people getting on their
local repeaters and making up reports that sound "hurricanish" such as
reports of trees and power lines down and reports of hail damage/flooding.
 Undoubtedly, someone will send reports of snowfall amounts (there is always
someone who doesn't quite understand the concept of hurricanes).
 The SET playbook doesn't include any specific, organized
demonstrations/testing such as our ability to get quantities of information
from one region to another, our ability to get information from the regions
to Hartford (and back), our ability to link EOCs, or ability to provide
meaningful communications from the shelters (and not just short 10 word
messages), or our HF capabilities (in case the linked repeater system fails
as it did in the October snowstorm).  The SET playbook mentions that people
might want to try some of these things, but it doesn't establish any
specific, formal, meaningful tests of those capabilities and thus can be
expected to degenerate into the typical "call in on the repeater a lot so we
can get a lot of points" as it has in previous years.

Unfortunately, CT ARES does not have suitable facilities for getting
communications from lower Fairfield County to Red Cross HQ in Farmington.
 That was tested during the 2010 SET, but the results were less than
stellar, especially since CT ARES doesn't have adequate digital capability,
doesn't have adequate HF capability, and doesn't have any HF digital
capability to speak of.  Just getting short voice messages through from
Darien Red Cross to Farmington Red Cross HQ on the linked repeater system
was painful and unreliable.

I have arranged for a ham I know to set up a portable HF antenna in the
Farmington area and I will try some HF digital communications with him using
a portable antenna from Sterling Farms (probably on Weds).  Over time, he
and I are going to experiment with NVIS antennas between here and
Farmington.

*****

I spent the last three days in ICS-400 training (at the request of the City
of Stamford based on my position in SARA and in Stamford CERT).  The other
attendees were deputy and assistant chiefs from various fire, police, and
EMS depts here in Region 1 (Stamford, Darien, Norwalk, Westport, Bridgeport,
and Wilton).  A couple of full chiefs were there for at least part of the
time as were two mayors (well a mayor and a first selectman).

ICS-400 focuses on BIG events/incidents, region or county wide (even
multiple regions/counties) and this class was taught by some seriously
experienced people (e.g., a retired senior incident commander from US Forest
Service Fire and Aviation Management -- the people who fight the really big
forest fires out west).  Not quite believing us when we told them that CT
municipalities handle big emergencies pretty much on their own, the "desktop
simulation exercise" they set up for Day 3 of the class was a massive,
unexpected snowstorm the Saturday before Christmas with thousands of cars
stranded on I-95 between Stamford and Bridgeport, at least 10 trains
stranded on Metro North between Stamford and Bridgeport, many many traffic
accidents throughout lower Fairfield County (including at least one with a
really nasty hazardous material spill on Rt. 7 in Wilton), a roof caved in
on one of the big box stores in Norwalk (full of holiday shoppers), etc.,
etc.  In short, what happens at least once a year in northern NY, the
midwest, or the upper west.

It took about an hour, but they finally got people to understand the value
of working together across municipalities in a situation like that posed in
the simulation.  Of course, as soon as people started accepting the idea,
the instructors threw in power failures and phone/cell phone outages that
isolated the EOCs.  At which point the participants all agreed that they
simply had no way to communicate with each other and would have to fall back
on individual responses by municipality.

"Well there IS ham radio" said guess who.  The instructors stopped the
exercise and we spent about 45 minutes talking about what ham radio can do
for local and regional communications, with the instructors pointing out
that in Texas, each municipality's emergency plans must include specific
planning for use of ham radio (or the TX Dept of Public Safety will reject
the plans as inadequate -- something that has serious legal and political
ramifications).  We talked about the capabilities of the ham radio community
here in lower Fairfield, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of CT ARES
(they were not amused).

When we did continue the exercise, the various chiefs chose to use ham radio
as a critical communications resource between the EOCs.  Sufficiently
critical that most of the municipalities represented elected to each pull a
plow out of immediate response to gather up ham radio operators and bring
them to their EOCs, and every coordinating message they sent for the rest of
the exercise went through (simulated) ham radio.

The Wilton fire chief is going to work with Chris Munger to organize a
follow-up meeting between the various municipalities to further discuss how
they can work together in a really big incident.  Ham radio (i.e., me) has
already been invited to the meeting.


73s
Jon, WB2RYV

P.S.  Seriously, please take pity on Toy and give him a call on Saturday
______________________________________________________________
CTSARA mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html


From KD1UL at twyoung.com  Sat Jul 28 12:31:08 2012
From: KD1UL at twyoung.com (Tom Young)
Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2012 12:31:08 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] 2012 SET This Weekend And Other Emcomm-Related Stuff
In-Reply-To: <CAFdYx3X6asoeNoPvO5TzgDAe7NHmSrFZVxYnJsEPrtw6KzmAVQ@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAFdYx3X6asoeNoPvO5TzgDAe7NHmSrFZVxYnJsEPrtw6KzmAVQ@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CABv=vUend3ZPqFT+6bZE1torAkoRLwB9NRj6dnua9=cbL-bmHQ@mail.gmail.com>

Hi Jon,

I don't see this on the 'Calendar of Events' at http://www.ctares.org.

Does an Echolink contact count?

          73s

                 -Tom, KD1UL

On Sat, Jul 28, 2012 at 12:11 AM, Jon Perelstein
<jon.perelstein at gmail.com>wrote:

> Some of you may be aware that CT ARES is running its annual Simulated
> Emergency Test (SET) this weekend.  Toy will have a net going on the
> Norwalk repeater on Saturday (probably around noon).  He would appreciate
> it if you would get on and at least say hello so he can count it as a
> message.
>
> As I reported previously, on Tuesday SARA will be working with GBARC,
> Stamford EOC, Bridgeport EOC, Stratford EOC, and Red Cross at various
> shelter locations (such as Stamford High) to do simulated shelter
> communications within and between Stamford, Bridgeport, and Stratford.
>
> *****
>
> The SET scenario for this year is a powerful hurricane hitting CT head on
> and the playbook calls for participants to send communications suitable to
> a hurricane.  Based on past experience, that means people getting on their
> local repeaters and making up reports that sound "hurricanish" such as
> reports of trees and power lines down and reports of hail damage/flooding.
>  Undoubtedly, someone will send reports of snowfall amounts (there is
> always someone who doesn't quite understand the concept of hurricanes).
>  The SET playbook doesn't include any specific, organized
> demonstrations/testing such as our ability to get quantities of information
> from one region to another, our ability to get information from the regions
> to Hartford (and back), our ability to link EOCs, or ability to provide
> meaningful communications from the shelters (and not just short 10 word
> messages), or our HF capabilities (in case the linked repeater system fails
> as it did in the October snowstorm).  The SET playbook mentions that people
> might want to try some of these things, but it doesn't establish any
> specific, formal, meaningful tests of those capabilities and thus can be
> expected to degenerate into the typical "call in on the repeater a lot so
> we can get a lot of points" as it has in previous years.
>
> Unfortunately, CT ARES does not have suitable facilities for getting
> communications from lower Fairfield County to Red Cross HQ in Farmington.
>  That was tested during the 2010 SET, but the results were less than
> stellar, especially since CT ARES doesn't have adequate digital capability,
> doesn't have adequate HF capability, and doesn't have any HF digital
> capability to speak of.  Just getting short voice messages through from
> Darien Red Cross to Farmington Red Cross HQ on the linked repeater system
> was painful and unreliable.
>
> I have arranged for a ham I know to set up a portable HF antenna in the
> Farmington area and I will try some HF digital communications with him
> using a portable antenna from Sterling Farms (probably on Weds).  Over
> time, he and I are going to experiment with NVIS antennas between here and
> Farmington.
>
> *****
>
> I spent the last three days in ICS-400 training (at the request of the City
> of Stamford based on my position in SARA and in Stamford CERT).  The other
> attendees were deputy and assistant chiefs from various fire, police, and
> EMS depts here in Region 1 (Stamford, Darien, Norwalk, Westport,
> Bridgeport, and Wilton).  A couple of full chiefs were there for at least
> part of the time as were two mayors (well a mayor and a first selectman).
>
> ICS-400 focuses on BIG events/incidents, region or county wide (even
> multiple regions/counties) and this class was taught by some seriously
> experienced people (e.g., a retired senior incident commander from US
> Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management -- the people who fight the
> really big forest fires out west).  Not quite believing us when we told
> them that CT municipalities handle big emergencies pretty much on their
> own, the "desktop simulation exercise" they set up for Day 3 of the class
> was a massive, unexpected snowstorm the Saturday before Christmas with
> thousands of cars stranded on I-95 between Stamford and Bridgeport, at
> least 10 trains stranded on Metro North between Stamford and Bridgeport,
> many many traffic accidents throughout lower Fairfield County (including at
> least one with a really nasty hazardous material spill on Rt. 7 in Wilton),
> a roof caved in on one of the big box stores in Norwalk (full of holiday
> shoppers), etc., etc.  In short, what happens at least once a year in
> northern NY, the midwest, or the upper west.
>
> It took about an hour, but they finally got people to understand the value
> of working together across municipalities in a situation like that posed in
> the simulation.  Of course, as soon as people started accepting the idea,
> the instructors threw in power failures and phone/cell phone outages that
> isolated the EOCs.  At which point the participants all agreed that they
> simply had no way to communicate with each other and would have to fall
> back on individual responses by municipality.
>
> "Well there IS ham radio" said guess who.  The instructors stopped the
> exercise and we spent about 45 minutes talking about what ham radio can do
> for local and regional communications, with the instructors pointing out
> that in Texas, each municipality's emergency plans must include specific
> planning for use of ham radio (or the TX Dept of Public Safety will reject
> the plans as inadequate -- something that has serious legal and political
> ramifications).  We talked about the capabilities of the ham radio
> community here in lower Fairfield, as well as the strengths and weaknesses
> of CT ARES (they were not amused).
>
> When we did continue the exercise, the various chiefs chose to use ham
> radio as a critical communications resource between the EOCs.  Sufficiently
> critical that most of the municipalities represented elected to each pull a
> plow out of immediate response to gather up ham radio operators and bring
> them to their EOCs, and every coordinating message they sent for the rest
> of the exercise went through (simulated) ham radio.
>
> The Wilton fire chief is going to work with Chris Munger to organize a
> follow-up meeting between the various municipalities to further discuss how
> they can work together in a really big incident.  Ham radio (i.e., me) has
> already been invited to the meeting.
>
>
> 73s
> Jon, WB2RYV
>
> P.S.  Seriously, please take pity on Toy and give him a call on Saturday
> ______________________________________________________________
> CTSARA mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:CTSARA at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>



-- 
In the new era, thought itself will be transmitted by radio.
 ? Guglielmo Marconi

From wb1grb at hotmail.com  Mon Jul 30 09:46:53 2012
From: wb1grb at hotmail.com (John Sabini Jr.)
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:46:53 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Weekly Echolink Net
Message-ID: <COL123-W56B399144528E9D88FCF609CC60@phx.gbl>


Reminder from:   New_England_Echolink_System  
  
Title:   Weekly Net 
  
Date:   Monday July 30, 2012 
Time:   8:00 pm - 9:00 pm  
Location:   Echolink WB1GRB-R Or the SARA Repeater 146.655 PL-100 Hz.
 
Notes: Very informal net just to keep in touch with each others lives, and stay up to date on system status.
http://www.ac1u.com/ham/id30.htm
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I should have a date for the SARA Picnic Thursday.
J/S WB1GRB

Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ctsara
Stamford Amateur Radio Association
John Sabin Jr. WB1GRB
Join The CTSARA Mailing List
http://www.ctsara.org/subscribers.htm
John Sabini, WB1GRB: wb1grb at hotmail.com
SARA Web Address: http://www.ctsara.org/
List Member's Guide to Email List Guidelines and Behavior
http://mailman.qth.net/miniaup.html
Using Mailman Lists at Mailman.QTH.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm 		 	   		  

From jon.perelstein at gmail.com  Tue Jul 31 22:55:58 2012
From: jon.perelstein at gmail.com (Jon Perelstein)
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:55:58 -0400
Subject: [CTSARA] Today's Red Cross Shelter Simulation
Message-ID: <CAFdYx3WZDdK0KT6P+dMuz1E7MWxfM=gPB51GQV2L0sP4ZsBrxw@mail.gmail.com>

Well, we had a good day in our efforts to show the City and Red Cross that
ham radio can be useful to them.

The State of CT mandated a disaster preparedness exercise for all
municipalities in the state, based on the scenario of a Category 3
hurricane (the 1938 hurricane was a Category 3).  It was a two day
simulation, with CT DEMHS and FEMA observing.  As part of the exercise, the
City and Red Cross opened a shelter at Stamford High School today, with
full staffing (Red Cross, CERT, and Medical Reserve Corps) and full
logistics (except food).  SARA was asked to provide backup communications
between the Stamford shelter and Stamford EOC.  Since GBARC was providing
backup communications for the Red Cross chapter house in Bridgeport (the
one in Darien had been "destroyed" by the storm) as well as the shelters in
Bridgeport and Stratford, we were asked to work with GBARC and get Red
Cross message traffic to/from Stamford and Bridgeport Red Cross.

We decided to focus our attention on digital communications to send/receive
the kinds of actual messages that get sent to/from shelters.  Contrary to
popular belief, the messaging that ham radio would mostly handle during
emergencies is time sensitive but not time critical, and consists of
information (e.g., situation reports, supply requisitions, lists of roads
closed by trees) and not emergency commands (e.g., "Send fire trucks to 123
Main St").

It was pretty clear that the local Red Cross Disaster Services Lead really
didn't care if ham radio was involved, but was going along because the City
wanted us there -- and because Frank (KB1IFX) and some Red Cross hams in
Bridgeport have been pushing him.  He couldn't comprehend our being able to
do much useful for Red Cross and referred to us as the backup to the backup
to the backup.  In a similar vein, I think that neither Captain Lombardo
(the City's Emergency Management Director) nor Tad Jankowski (the City's
Public Safety Director) really understood what we meant when we described
our intent to them.

We set up Sander Pool (W1SOP) at the Stamford High School shelter and I set
up at the Government Center EOC.  Sander then sent me a bunch of standard
Red Cross messages that Frank produced as part of standard shelter
operations.  We included the CT Red Cross SITREP, the Safety & Welfare
Message (called the SWS), the On-Site Detailed Damage Assessment (called
the 5739, and not really a shelter operations form but still a Red Cross
form) as well as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with supply requisitions,
some messages to be sent to friends/relatives of shelter occupants, and ICS
forms such as ICS-213 messages and ICS-205 communications plans.  We also
sent some traffic back to the shelter.  As appropriate, we then forwarded
messages to the Bridgeport Red Cross chapter house.

It all worked!!  Using simplex VHF NBEMS (MT63-2000) between Stamford High
and the EOC, we had 100% accurate copy.  Going via the Bridgeport repeater,
we had 100% accurate copy on messages to/from Bridgeport Red Cross.  No
need for retries, just good clean messages sent in about 1/10th the time it
would have taken for voice and with a hell of a lot more accuracy.
 Throughput was about 20-25 characters per second.  Not fast, but good
enough for the kinds of messages we are usually called upon to transmit.

Timing is everything.  I printed off the messages and walked them over to
Captain Lombardo just as Director Jankowski was asking him to get a shelter
SITREP.  Here you go, an official Red Cross SITREP timestamped 15 minutes
ago, formatted and printed on a laser printer, and also in
computer-readable form on this memory stick (I didn't have Govt Center
network access -- although now I do).  What about logistics needs?  Here's
a 27 item Excel spreadsheet with quantities, descriptions, standard Red
Cross SKUs, and required delivery dates/times.  Where do we stand on
staffing at the shelter?  Here's the ICS staffing form for the shelter.
 The lightbulb went on.  There are actually things we can do, and a lot of
it is better than telephone (not better than internet, but definitely
better than phone).

Back at the shelter, the Disaster Services Lead started understanding and
had a similar reaction.  As did the FEMA observer.  I now have a couple of
lunch appointments with Red Cross and with FEMA over the next few weeks.
 And all it takes is a little focus on the things that our served agencies
actually need instead of demonstrating the things that we like to do even
if they aren't relevant/useful to the served agencies.

We were disappointed that we couldn't hit Bridgeport without the repeater.
 It would be better if we didn't have to tie up a repeater for volume
message traffic, so we'll have to figure out a way around it (probably HF).
 Digipeaters are not an answer because they're intended for short packet
transmissions.

We were also disappointed that we don't see a route from Bridgeport to
Farmington.  The 2010 SET proved that the linked repeater system (voice) is
inadequate to Red Cross communications needs.  So that makes two things to
work on.

So does this mean that Stamford is going to start buying us lots and lots
of equipment and give us the keys to Government Center?  No, not tomorrow.
 But it is another step on the long road back from where we were a few
years ago.  And they're showing ever more interest when we want to talk.
 And they're giving us more access.  And they're starting to say "hmmm,
maybe" when we ask if they'll help us go after grant money.  And now Red
Cross is starting to show an interest.  A step at a time.

And actually Captain Lombardo did give me a key to the EOC.  I had to
return it when I was done, but it was the first time that any of us was
trusted with a key.

73s
Jon
WB2RYV

P.S.  I'll do a little writeup on why NBEMS and why MT63-2000 and have John
(GRB) post it on the web site.  Short story is that it was a lot easier to
find people who can do NBEMS (soundcard digital) than those who do packet.

