[MDC-EC] February 2010 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:   February               Year: 2010
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AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE


Total number of ARES members: 640
Change since last month: -1

Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 7
Number of ARES nets active: 23
Number with NTS liaison: 3

Calls of DECs/ECs reporting: KB3ENU, KB3FMJ, N3SEO, W3JCT, K3UEZ, KA8YPY, 
and N3SB.

Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 16
Person hours: 72

Number of public service events this month: 0
Person hours: 0

Number of emergency operations this month: 1
Person hours: 32

Total number of ARES operations this month: 17
Total Person hours: 104

Comments:

Maryland-DC Section: Plans are being made to hold an all-digital 
communications test on Saturday April 24. All digital modes are welcome, 
including MT-63, PSK-31, Olivia, EasyPal, Packet, etc. on both the HF and 
VHF/UHF bands. This test will help us understand how we can integrate the 
different digital modes being used locally, into an effective digital 
network at the Section or Division level. It's also being designed to 
encourage casual operators and beginners to participate, as well as 
seasoned ARES communicators. Several presentations and hands-on 
training/Digital Workshops will be conducted at the Maryland State 
Convention on March 27th and 28th, with Harry W3YJ giving an NBEMS 
Presentation at 2:00 PM on Saturday, Bob W3RAR holding a Digital Modes 
Forum at 11:00 AM on Sunday, and an Airmail/WinLink Forum will be held at 
1:00 PM on Sunday. We'll also have a general ARES Forum at 3:00 PM on Saturday.

Garrett County: Due to weather conditions the monthly Garrett County ARES 
meeting and a planned School Roundup Contest event were canceled. The last 
report for snowfall levels in Garrett County was over 260 inches. No major 
incident occurred but GC ARES was requested to standby for potential Red 
Cross support in the event that shelters were activated during the major 
snowstorm. 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

Wicomico County: ARES/RACES Activation  Activated at 1600 hr on Tuesday, 
Feb 9; RACES operators manned the Wicomico County Emergency Operations 
Center and ARES operators updated weather related information. Some of the 
weather related information was requested by the National Weather Service. 
It was quite a learning experience for the group. We were deactivated at 
2400 hrs on Wednesday, Feb 10. Delmarva Emergency Net: Sundays at 6:30 PM 
using 3.905 MHz - Primarily stations on the Virginia, Maryland, and 
Delaware Eastern Shore.  Net Control, Sussex County Emergency Coordinator, 
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). 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. Boy Scout Merit Badge 
College  ARES members acted as instructors for the Boy Scout Radio Merit 
Badge course at the Merit Badge College hosted by Salisbury University on 
February 20 (delayed because of snow). Hands-on amateur radio instruction 
will be given on March 6with the help of the Delmarva Amateur Radio Club 
and the Peninsula Radio Operators Society utilizing their repeaters.

Allegany County: The local EOC just replaced our "Amcom One" Amateur Radio 
communications vehicle with one only eight years old. We are excited about 
this project!

Signature: Steve Beckman
Call sign: N3SB
Email - n3sb at qis.net

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