[NevadaARES] Southern NV ARES DEC Report - Dec. 03

[Glenn Hale]

Southern NV District EC Report for December 2003

The holiday season was keeping all of us pretty busy,
but we still found time to participate in amateur
radio related events. Most everyone in the Section was
involved with SKYWARN Recognition Day. I was the
coordinator for this year's event. The participants
were Charlie AA5QJ, Vern K0EGA, Jack N8RRL, Art K7ZE,
Bruce AL7LS, and John K6YDW. We also had several
visiting Hams and NWS staff. 

We did reach the National Hurricane Center WX4NHC and
the Storm Prediction Center W5T. On APRS we received
packet acknowledgements from Wisconsin and North
Carolina. I also had reached a station in New Jersey
and Binghamton, NY during the Nor'easter. New Jersey
reported 14 inches of snow.

A very informal SKYWARN net was called on Sunday,
December 14, 2003 at 4:30pm, for reports of high winds
associated with a passing T-storm. A shelf cloud was
observed along the east side of Las Vegas valley
moving SE. Winds were estimated around 50 mph.  John
K6YDW confirmed the wind speeds measured at his home
weather station in SE part of Henderson. Arnie WA2SOE
and John N7UR reported minor power failures in NE Las
Vegas Valley. Heavy rain and frequent lightning was
reported by Don NF7R in Mesquite, NV around 5 PM.

Much effort still continues to reach the goal of
linking the NV Section on IRLP and Echolink. Kent
W7AOR and I have been working with Matt N7TOD to
improve ways of conferencing Echolink and IRLP nodes
to the NARRI system. Stations in the Section can
connect to NV-GATE on Echolink node 152566 for a group
conference capability. At the present time, there is
no way to link IRLP nodes with the NV-GATE system,
however Kent can use his remote bases to tie IRLP and
Echolink nodes together by connecting to the
ARES/RACES repeater system in Las Vegas.  In January
we'll look at setting up a time to test the NV-GATE
system with Tonopah K7LAF and Elko W7LKO.

I also helped relay some weather spotter guidelines
during the San Bernardino Co. flash flood on Christmas
Day. The EOC in Rialto, CA was activated and San
Bernardino Co. ECS/RACES were called into service.
North Desert Captain, Heidi KB3JJD called me on SCRN
shortly after the flash flood warning was issued.

Clark County ARES EC Report by Charlie AA5QJ 

Vern Garman K0EGA AEC Operations/Training attended an
all-day planning meeting for the Moving Target 04
Exercise to be held in Laughlin on April 1st

Members of ARES/RACES participated in SKYWARN
Recognition Day on Sat Dec 6th. The LVRAC
Communications Trailer was deployed to the National
Weather Service office and contacts were made using 2
HF rigs, a new 80 meter dipole, Hustler vertical,
VHF/UHF, APRS and IRLP. 44 NWS stations were contacted
of a total of 85 contacts, including 3 on APRS. 26
states and 1 station in Canada were on our logs.
Thanks to all who participated and provided equipment
and operating skills.

The Clark County Emergency Operations Center was
activated for New Years Eve. The EOC and the Emergency
Comm Center were manned for 7 hours by Charlie AA5QJ,
Ken W7BES, Dudley KK7IF, Bill WB0KSW and Dave N0CLU.
An informal net was initiated and 21 members checked
in. Others reported later that they were monitoring,
but either didn't check in or missed the one call for
checkins on this very quiet evening. Thanks to all who
responded to my emails requesting their status and to
those who monitored the repeaters during this time.

We are still looking for a member to be the Public
Information Officer for ARES/RACES, particularly
someone that could be available during exercises and
emergency operations to be in the Joint Information
Center. Please contact Charlie AA5QJ for more
information.

Please submit a new application if you have recently
renewed your license, called your call or address or
any other contact information.

Upcoming events
Las Vegas Marathon Sun Jan 25th.
'Moving Target' Exercise April 04

Happy New Year!




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