[MDC-EC] May 2009 FSD-96 Maryland-DC ARES Section Report

[Steve Beckman]

Monthly Section Emergency Coordinator Report to ARRL Headquarters
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ARRL Section:   Maryland-DC             Month:  May             Year: 2009
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AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE


Total number of ARES members: 659
Change since last month: +3

Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 10
Number of ARES nets active: 39
Number with NTS liaison: 11

Calls of DECs/ECs reporting: N3SEO, K3UEZ, W3JCT, KB3LJB, WR3F, KB3FIO, 
KB3ENU, KB3FMJ, WB0EGR, N3SB.

Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 15
Person hours: 187

Number of public service events this month: 8
Person hours: 534.5

Number of emergency operations this month: 1
Person hours: 9

Total number of ARES operations this month: 24
Total Person hours: 719.5

Comments:

SEC Notes: Thanks George KB3LJB for inviting me to speak with your ARES 
team on Wednesday May 20, to demonstrate MT-63 and EasyPal digital 
Communications modes. Met with Al Fitzsimons W3YRS at MEMA on Tuesday May 
26 to demonstrate MT-63, Olivia, and EasyPal. Thanks Andy Leeds WO3L and 
Tony Krauth KF3AK for assisting with the demo.

Kent County: May 23rd, KARS had a booth at the Chestertown Tea Party, with 
HF station on 40 meters using CW. Also, we had ham radio and emergency 
communications handouts available for public information. Propagation was 
poor, however, we made 5 contacts and had many visitors interested in ham 
radio.  KARS also supplied the Tea Party Committee with communications via 
our UHF repeater per their request. Fifteen (15) KARS members were involved 
with this public service. All went well.

Garrett County: Last month member Mark Moynahan (K3EE) provided an 
excellent presentation on antenna fundamentals and design principles in 
preparation of our Field Day antenna build event. The Garrett County ARES 
net is held weekly on Sunday evenings at 8:00 PM, on the Outback Repeater 
System (primary repeaters 146.805 and 145.33 dup PL 123). All traffic is FM 
voice. Our monthly meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 PM

Cecil County: The Cecil County ARES Net is conducted every Sunday evening 
at 2000 local time on the Chesapeake Bay Radio Association (CBRA) 146.850 
FM repeater (negative offset). Access tone is 107.2 but is required only 
between 2100 and 0900 which means it is not required during the net. Our 
backup is the CBRA 449.825 FM repeater (negative offset). Access tone is 
167.9 and is required 24 hours. The net is open to all hams within range of 
the repeater. ARES membership is encouraged but not required.

Frederick County: Frederick ARES provided communications support for the 
Mountain Club of Maryland’s Hike Across Maryland on May 2nd with 17 
communicators manning 10 checkpoints along the Appalachian Trail. Joe 
Durnal NE3R (Fred. Co. AEC) hiked the last 20 miles of the 40 mile event 
with a portable APRS rig to provide valuable position reporting of the last 
group of hikers.

Wicomico County:
·       Drill: Joint Wicomico County Race/ARES COMMEX Drill 5/12/09 at 
Wicomico County EOC.
·       Public Service: May 13 - Wicomico Presbyterian Church  Power Point 
Presentation  ARES Emergency Preparedness.
·       Emergency Operations  May 8 - ARES and Lower Shore Chapter of the 
American Red Cross had a joint planning and emergency preparedness meeting.
·       Local Net: Delmarva Amateur Radio Enhancement Net every Monday 
night at 9:00 p.m.  The DAR Net is sponsored by the Delmarva Amateur Radio 
Club which is now an ARRL Affiliated group operating a repeater on 146.820 
MHz PL 156.7 Hz.
·       Coming Events:
o       June 6  American Lung Association Bike Event  ARES Radio support 
http://www.cbarmd.org/
o       June 27,28  ARRL Field Day  Location Furnace Town, near Snow Hill, 
Md http://www.furnacetown.com/
o       July 18  ARES/RACES training session located at the Peninsula 
Regional Medical Center Operations Room which includes a fixed Amateur 
Radio Position.

Howard County: Public Service events included The Columbia BikeAbout (5/2), 
The Junior Diabetes Walk (5/2), Diabetes Tour de Cure (5/9), and the 
Columbia Triathlon (5/17).

Carroll County: Carroll County ARES supported the Carroll Office of 
Emergency Management with a drill in Westminster on Sunday May 30. Carroll 
continues to experiment with MT-63, and conducts a digital net on the local 
K3PZN 2m repeater at least once a month after the ARES net is closed.

Signature:   Steve Beckman
Call sign: N3SB

Please send to ARRL HQ, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 by 10th of the 
month             FSD-96 (1-04)