[GCARC] FW: 2021 GC-ARES/RACES Simplex Test

Fri Mar 19 08:29:21 EDT 2021

This is a reminder and invitation to all radio amateurs within radio range of Gloucester County.  Registration in ARES or RACES is not necessary.

Karl W2KBF

From: kbfrank3 at verizon.net <kbfrank3 at verizon.net> 
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2021 6:25 PM
To: kb2ayu at comcast.net; kd2lbu at gmail.com; n2ro at comcast.net; gdougherty3 at verizon.net; rpharrison at comcast.net; Bob Keogh <rkeogh at comcast.net>; 'frankmessick at gmail.com' <frankmessick at gmail.com>; mirkin3 at comcast.net; mmollet at geekisland.radiohackerz.com; Walter Seitz <kb2jcg at gmail.com>; Joe <gijoetherto at comcast.net>; 'w2ocy at outlook.com' <w2ocy at outlook.com>; 'charles wahl sr' <prr.mow.man at comcast.net>; Jim Wright <jim.n2gxj at gmail.com>; 'kd2anm at gmail.com' <kd2anm at gmail.com>; brett680 at gmail.com; 'kb2rtz at comcast.net' <kb2rtz at comcast.net>; 'Jerry Patterson' <rockingloud at gmail.com>; 'Len Rust' <lenrust at gmail.com>; 'Larry Dial Jr' <ldial1973 at me.com>
Cc: 'kd2dvw at arrl.net' <kd2dvw at arrl.net>; 'K2CWM' <k2cwm1 at comcast.net>; 'Mike Harla' <n2mho at arrl.net>
Subject: 2021 GC-ARES/RACES Simplex Test

TO GC-ARES/RACES:

  This is a reminder that we will conduct a Simplex Test as part of our Net on Sunday, March 21.  As each station checks in via the repeater, I will direct everyone to QSY briefly to 146.535 MHz, and the station checking in will make a brief test transmission, then all will return to the repeater frequency.  All participating stations will make the same frequency changes in order to record signal reports for each station making simplex transmissions using the following numbers:

0 – Cannot hear (does not break squelch);

1 – Signal detected but cannot copy every word;

2 – All words copied, but signal is marginal;

3 – Solid Copy.

Following the Net, stations are asked to forward these signal reports to KBFRANK3 at VERIZON.NET <mailto:KBFRANK3 at VERIZON.NET>  for tabulation.  This information will be shared with all participating stations, which will give us a better idea as to how to route messages in the event of a repeater failure.  Also, it will be a great way to find out how well your station is working.  Note that it will be necessary to change quickly between the repeater frequency and 146.535 MHZ, so this is a heads-up to program your radios accordingly.

            Gary WA3SVW suggested that I provide a text for each station to transmit, so I am providing two choices.  Please read these SLOWLY, trying to take at least 15 seconds or so, so that everyone will have a chance to QSY and record a signal report.  If you are a fast talker (like me) you might want to read both texts:

TEXT #1:  “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”.

            TEXT #2:  “Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow.  And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go”.

            Karl Frank, W2KBF

            Gloucester County ARES Emergency Coordinator

P.S. if you are not within RF range of the W2MMD repeater and check in via Echolink, that is OK but, obviously, I will not ask you to make a transmission on 156.535 MHz.  Also, if you find it difficult to QSY quickly between the W2MMD repeater and 146.535 Simplex it is OK for you to opt out.  My personal preference is to have the repeater programmed into memory, with the simplex frequency in the VFO, so I can just stab the M/V button on my radio to toggle quickly between the two frequencies.  But I realize that not everyone can do this.

From: kbfrank3 at verizon.net <mailto:kbfrank3 at verizon.net>  <kbfrank3 at verizon.net <mailto:kbfrank3 at verizon.net> > 
Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2021 8:13 AM
To: kb2ayu at comcast.net <mailto:kb2ayu at comcast.net> ; kd2lbu at gmail.com <mailto:kd2lbu at gmail.com> ; n2ro at comcast.net <mailto:n2ro at comcast.net> ; gdougherty3 at verizon.net <mailto:gdougherty3 at verizon.net> ; rpharrison at comcast.net <mailto:rpharrison at comcast.net> ; Bob Keogh <rkeogh at comcast.net <mailto:rkeogh at comcast.net> >; 'frankmessick at gmail.com' <frankmessick at gmail.com <mailto:frankmessick at gmail.com> >; mirkin3 at comcast.net <mailto:mirkin3 at comcast.net> ; mmollet at geekisland.radiohackerz.com <mailto:mmollet at geekisland.radiohackerz.com> ; Walter Seitz <kb2jcg at gmail.com <mailto:kb2jcg at gmail.com> >; Joe <gijoetherto at comcast.net <mailto:gijoetherto at comcast.net> >; 'w2ocy at outlook.com' <w2ocy at outlook.com <mailto:w2ocy at outlook.com> >; 'charles wahl sr' <prr.mow.man at comcast.net <mailto:prr.mow.man at comcast.net> >; Jim Wright <jim.n2gxj at gmail.com <mailto:jim.n2gxj at gmail.com> >; 'kd2anm at gmail.com' <kd2anm at gmail.com <mailto:kd2anm at gmail.com> >; brett680 at gmail.com <mailto:brett680 at gmail.com> ; 'kb2rtz at comcast.net' <kb2rtz at comcast.net <mailto:kb2rtz at comcast.net> >; 'Jerry Patterson' <rockingloud at gmail.com <mailto:rockingloud at gmail.com> >
Cc: 'kd2dvw at arrl.net' <kd2dvw at arrl.net <mailto:kd2dvw at arrl.net> >; 'K2CWM' <k2cwm1 at comcast.net <mailto:k2cwm1 at comcast.net> >; 'Mike Harla' <n2mho at arrl.net <mailto:n2mho at arrl.net> >
Subject: 2021 GC-ARES/RACES Simplex Test

Hi All,

          Sometime in late March, as part of our Sunday evening Net, we will conduct a test on 146.535 MHz simplex, repeating the one from 2020 (see attached result).  Although the 147.180 MHz repeater would be our first choice during drills or an actual communications emergency, we will resort to 146.535 FM simplex with no PL as an alternative if the repeater were to become too busy or fail.  As a reminder, the footer from our Net Script states “Please have the following frequencies programmed into your radios: 147.180 (+) P.L. tone 131.8, 442.100 (+) P.L. tone 131.8, simplex frequencies 146.535 and 28.465 MHz.”  Let’s get these frequencies programmed.

          I will be inviting the general amateur radio community to participate too, in order to give us a better idea of the emergency communications capability in and around Gloucester County.  

          Karl W2KBF

          GC-ARES EC