[MDC-EC] Section Digital Communications Test Update

[n3sb at qis.net]

Hi Folks;

Plans are moving forward for the Section Digital Communications Test  
on Saturday, April 24. You'll be seeing announcements in bulletins and  
other emails to get the word about the test out to as many hams as  
possible. Please spread the word in your counties as well. We're  
expecting participation from at least one other section, and hope to  
have more involved if possible.

One purpose of this test is to get the hams that haven't set up their  
stations for digital comms to take the leap and try it. There will be  
several Digital seminars at the Maryland State Convention in Timonium  
at the end of March, and we may have some webinars as well, to help  
beginners get started. Another purpose of this test is to see how we  
can tie all the local digital nets together so that we have effective  
digital communications throughout our section.

The announcements for this test will invite those interested to  
check-in to their local ARES net to find out what local digital nets  
will be run. (We're working on getting the schedule for all the local  
ARES nets published on the MDC Section website.) So one thing you will  
have to start planning is what digital nets you will operate, and what  
time and frequencies will be used. I recommend that you try to work in  
a couple different digital modes, such as Packet, MT-63, and PSK-31.  
There are other modes that could be fun to try as well, such at  
Olivia, RTTY, and EasyPal. The more modes you try, the more interest  
in this test you'll generate, and that might just lead to having more  
ARES members on your team. The nets don't have to be operating at the  
same time, which will give you and your team an opportunity to try all  
the modes being used. If for some reason you're not able to  
participate in this test, and cannot get someone else in your ARES  
group to run at least one digital net, then ask those enthusiastic  
operators to to participate with an adjacent county.

On the day of the test, I will provide to you an activity that each of  
your net participants will need to perform, and provide the report of  
their results back to you in digital form. There will also be an  
activity that you and the participants of your group will have to work  
out together. The results of that activity, and the report from each  
of your net participants, for each of the nets conducted in your  
region, will need to be sent back to me by 5:00 PM that Saturday so  
that I can report back to our "customer". That report should be sent  
to me via Winllink. Please let me know if any of your teams are unable  
to use Winlink in your area.

Between now and April 24, I encourage you to have some practice  
Digital sessions. My personal experience is that these sessions can  
generate a LOT of interest with hams who otherwise don't participate  
in the regular ARES nets too often. We'll hopefully have even more  
hams interested in participating because of all the announcements  
about the test, and because the entire section will be participating.  
Please also start planning which digital nets will be conducted in  
your area that day. And of course, help spread the word about this test!

73; Steve, N3SB