“No • Prepared • Ham • Should • Copy • Priority
• Traffic • Delayed”
(NUMBER-PRECEDENCE-HX-STATION OF ORIGIN-CHECK-PLACE OF ORIGIN-TIME-DATE)
EMCOMMWEST IS A REGIONAL Bulletin for ARES and
other EMCOMM Stations and Public Safety Officials in “the west”...and
beyond.
D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, Editor.
INTERNET: www.emcomm.org E-MAIL: k6soj@arrl.net
L = LCL (Local time in the (PST winter / PDT summer) zone
Z = ZULU (Universal Coordinated Time - UTC
+ IN THIS EDITION...
- SPECIAL BULLETIN(S)
- SHORT CIRCUITS
• Net Reminder
• Nevada ARES Nets
• Feedback
• New Subscribers
- EC CORNER
- THE COAST WATCHERS
- BACKPACK RADIO
- AMERICAN RED CROSS “CRV 3701”
- ARES NET LIST (updated 20 AUG 02)
- ARES AND OTHER NETS REMINDER/SCHEDULE
- TRAINING and CONTINUING EDUCATION
• A RADIOGRAM “JINGLE”
- NWS-SKYWARN SECTION
=== SPECIAL
BULLETINS ===
+ INCREASE YOUR FIRE AWARENESS AND MAINTAIN YOUR READINESS BY:
- Observing all fire rules and regulations.
- Surveying your perimeter/horizon hourly (or more often).
- Reporting all suspicious smoke immediately.
- Carrying a shovel, rake, water hose, bucket, radio, and personal safety
gear at all times when traveling or camping in rural or remote areas.
- Keeping a dedicated hose of sufficient length ALWAYS ready at home.
- Informing your family, friends and neighbors to do the same.
- REMEMBER: EARLY REPORTING MAY PREVENT A MAJOR DISASTER!
=== SHORT
CIRCUITS ===
• WEDNESDAY NIGHT NET REMINDER -
TOMORROW NIGHT (3rd Wednesday, 8/21)
Regional ARES LEADERSHIP NET. A multi-county, multi district,
multi-section, multi-state, multi-division net for SECs, DECs, ECs, AECs, and
other ARRL leaders. Visitors may check in at end of net. Meet your
ARES Leadership Team at 1930L on 3987 kHz LSB.
• NEVADA ARES NETS -
Nevada Section ARES Net:
Saturday at 0830L on 3965 kHz LSB
Northern Nevada Amateur Radio Services (NNARS)
Thursday at 1900L on 146.61- (123.0) W7TA Repeater
Northeastern Nevada ARES Net
Wednesday at 1930 on 146.91- KC7LCY Repeater
• FEEDBACK -
“Nice site...great information on emergency communications.” - Bill Sanford,
KG4IUA, AEC, Carteret County, NC
EDITOR’S COMMENT: Thanks Bill. It’s great to hear from “The
Tarheel
State”. Visit his team’s website at: http://home.ec.rr.com/w4ymi/Homex.html
• NEW SUBSCRIBER...WELCOME! -
Bill Sanford, KG4IUA, ARES AEC and SKYWARN. Havelock, NC
+ EC CORNER -
The following Sacramento Valley Section ARES leaders have been re-appointed for
a two year term: (Your certificates are “in the mail”!)
Jake Hickok, KF6KDD, Tehama County EC
“Van” van Bergan, WD6FGB, Plumas County EC
Andrew Witham, W1SAR, Shasta County EC
Kyle Noderer, KB6OLL, Yolo County EC
Dick Cloyd, WO6P, Districts One and Two DEC
D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, SV Section EC
=== THE COAST
WATCHERS ===
During the SV Section ARRL net last week, Joe Park, WB6AGR, AEC, Placer County,
asked if anyone knew anything about “The Coast Watchers” of World War II.
He followed up with an email and said: “...they were mostly Aussies and
New Zealanders, plus maybe some Americans who packed radio gear up into the
hills on some of the Pacific Islands to watch and report the movement of
Japanese ships. I think there was some mention of it in the movie
‘PT-109’. I am looking forward to the art of the backpack radio.
73 Joe.”
EDITOR’S COMMENT: I never saw ‘PT-109’, but I remember some similar
scenes in SOUTH PACIFIC. “The Frenchman” and Lt. Cable did some radio
re-con from a secret location on an island near Bali-Hai.
I did a search on GOOGLE and found a few sites on this subject. The
INTERNET truly is...amazing! Especially for a history junkie like yours
truly. Too much to list here...but just to whet your appetite...below are
some excerpts from a VERY interesting web page at: http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/sigint/coastwatchers.htm
NOTE: The story is in “Aussie English”; not “American English “.
“The Coast Watching Organization of World War 2 was based on from the original
Australian Coast Watching organization which started in 1919 when selected
civilian personnel in coastal areas were organized on a voluntary basis to
report in time of war any unusual or suspicious events along the Australian
coastline. The concept was quickly extended to include New Guinea (but not Dutch
New Guinea) as well as Papua and the Solomon Islands. The Coast Watchers
included reliable persons such as:
- Post Masters
- Harbour Masters
- Railway officials
- School teachers
- Local police
- Government servants and officials
- Missionaries
- Civilian airline pilots
- Patrol Officers
- District Officers
- Plantation owners
Many of the above Government officials would have ready access to radio
equipment as part of their normal public service role. They would report on:
- unusual or suspicious events
- sightings of ships, aircraft or floating mines
- other matters of defense interest
The Navy would supply the Coast Watchers with Playfair Codes for their
communications. Pedal radios were initially used for some of the remote Coast
Watchers who did not have access to radios in their normal Government job.
The Coast Watchers worked on a voluntary basis entirely without remuneration.
The Naval Intelligence Division produced and distributed a document called
"The Coast Watching Guide".
MORE COMMENT: Sounds somewhat similar to the President Bush’s proposed:
“Department of Homeland Defense”. If you are interested, in codes,
ciphers, and “spooks”, there is a website with some info about the
“Playfair Code” at: http://www.cvni.net/radio/nsnl/nsnl3csc.html
. Although “codes and ciphers” are illegal in the amateur radio service...I
doubt strongly if many terrorists or other subversives are proficient in Morse.
Hmmm...? •••• •• de K6SOJ
• BACKPACK
RADIO -
Speaking of gear suitable for clandestine and other back country communications,
take a look at, and read the description of, Robin Faulkner’s, (N7GSU,
AEC-Training, Yamhill County, OR) set up at: http://www.emcomm.org/yamhill/tidbits.htm
=== AMERICAN
RED CROSS “CRV 3701” ===
Ed Ryan, N7VEX, Disaster Specialist, Response and Recovery Branch, Grand
Canyon Chapter reports: “The first field unit assignment of a Red Cross
Communications Response Vehicle (CRV) has been completed. CRV 3701 was delivered
to the Grand Canyon Chapter, Phoenix, AZ, on Saturday, 10 August. Here is the
equipment list:
Vertex FTL1011BH/99 x2
IC 706
Bendix-King GMH x2 (150 VHF)
Bendix-King EMV x2 (460 UHF)
RELM Plus (400 UHF)
Midland 79-290 CB
ICOM Aircraft Band Radio
BC780 XLT Scanner
Cell phone, conventional
Cell phone, LEO satellite
Cell phone, NexTel
Kenwood TS-2000
Motorola Micom 2E
VSAT satellite system
500-watt RF amplifier
a radio switch and phone patch system
16 assorted radio antennas, mounted
storage under roof deck for additional antennas and mast sections
DSS dish and system
Weather Station
52' mast.w/ video camera and Yaesu rotor for Mosley TA33 Jr beam
Toshiba VCR
8kw AuraGen engine driven generator
shore power connections
8 PSTN connections
The 10 wireless laptops and 20 wireless telephones are not yet on board.
Additional west coast units will be stationed in Spokane, WA (3702) and
Sacramento, CA (3703).
NOTE: Pictures of this CRV (and others) may be viewed at:
http://www.emcomm.org/red_cross/index.html
=== NET
SCHEDULES ===
DAILY: JEFFERSON NOON NET (JNN) 1200-1230L. Traffic
accepted at: 1230 LCL 7232 ± LSB (3987 ± LSB alternate) plus relays (when
available)
via 146.55 // 146.52 // 147.26+/123.0 (Mt. Ashland). Primary service area:
Northern California, southern Oregon. Extended service area: Washington,
northern Nevada, Idaho, southern California, ships at sea, and “anywhere else
the signals reach”. 1200 to 1230L: Jefferson Noon Net on 7232 LSB (3987 LSB
alternate)
NIGHTLY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA / NEVADA TRAFFIC NETS -
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NET (NCN/1) 1900L 3630
KHz CW
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NET (NCN/2) 2100L 3705
KHz CW (slow speed)
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NET (NCN/V) 1930L
145.210- FM (100.0) Stockton
SACRAMENTO VALLEY TRAFFIC NET (SVTN) 2100L 146.850- FM (110.8) Chico
6TH REGIONAL NET (RN6)
1945L 3655 KHz CW
6TH REGIONAL NET (RN6)
2130L 3655 KHz CW
PACIFIC AREA NET (PAN) (SUMMER) 2030L 7052
KHz CW
PACIFIC AREA NET (PAN) (WINTER) 2030L 3651
KHz CW
+ ARES NETS
(updated 20 AUGUST 02) -
Periodically we publish a list of ARES nets in our region. Times are
local,
(unless stated otherwise) frequencies listed are primary > secondary or
nighttime. > = “followed by”. For more information contact your EC,
DEC,
SEC or NM. If you would like your ARES net included, send the pertinent
details to: k6soj@arrl.net
ARES EMERGENCY NET AND CALLING FREQUENCIES:
146.55 ARES TACTICAL
147.42 ARES/Red Cross
146.52 NATIONAL CALLING and Wilderness Protocol
7232 3987 1982 SV SECTION (CW: 7045 3545 1977)
STATE, SECTION AND REGIONAL ARES NETS:
DAY TIME FREQ NET NAME / PRIMARY SERVICE AREA
D 1200 7232 3987 1982 JNN (daily, northern CA and southern OR)
D 24/7 3535 and/or 7042 CW ALASKA ARES “listening watch” for NTS
traffic.
AL7N, Fairbanks; KL5T and KL7HF, Anchorage. Details at:
www.qsl.net/aresalaska/news/ACWN.html
M-F 1630Z 14292 Alaska-Pacific Emergency Preparedness Net
M 1830 3987 WA State ARES/RACES
Tu 1800 3993.5 Oregon ARES
W 1915 3987 147.26+ (123.0) 146.55 146.97 NWS Medford SKYWARN
(see NWS-SKYWARN section below for details)
W 1930 3987 Regional or SV Section ARRL/ARES
1st W: ARES WINCO (Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Calif., Oregon,
“plus”).
2nd W: ARRL General Topic Net.
3rd W: ARES LEADERSHIP (REGIONAL)
4th W: Sacramento Valley Section ARES
Sa 0830 3965 Nevada Section ARES
LOCAL AND DISTRICT ARES NETS:
Su 1930 146.36+ Deschutes County (OR)
Su 1930 145.43- (162.2) Placer County (CA)
M 1900 146.085- (127.3 / OFF for nets) Yuba County (CA)
M 1945 3987 Shasta County HF (CA)
M 2000 146.64- (88.5) Shasta County VHF (CA)
M 2000 146.85- (110.8) Butte/Glenn County (CA)
M 2030 145.45- (88.5) Tehama County (CA)
M 2100 3993.5 Oregon District 5 (OR)
Tu 1845 147.25+ (88.5)>1900 146.74-(88.5)>1915 145.21-(88.5) Curry
Co. (OR)
Tu 1930 146.94- Jackson County (OR)
Tu 1930 146.61- Klamath County (OR)
Tu 1930 3915 Sonoma County and Mendocino Coast (CA)
W 1930 146.91- Northeastern Nevada
Th 1830 3987 146.88- Lassen County (CA)
Th 1900 146.61- (123.0) Northern Nevada Amateur Radio Services (NNARS)
Th 1930 3987 147.26+(123.0) 146.55 146.97- 145.05(pack) Siskiyou/Modoc
(CA)
Th 2000 146.85-(110.9) Butte County (CA)
Th 2000 147.30+ Josephine County (OR)
Th 2000 146.88- (151.4) Mono County (CA)
Sa 0800 147.285+ (151.4) Nevada County (CA)
Send corrections, additions and/or deletions to: k6soj@arrl.net
- ADDITIONAL ARES and other EMCOMM NETS are listed at:
www.emcomm.org/
=============================================
+++ TRAINING
and CONTINUING EDUCATION SECTION -
(Previous training bulletins are archived at:
www.emcomm.org/svares/training/index.htm
+ A RADIOGRAM “JINGLE” - by K6SOJ
(Repeat)
Any one of us could suddenly be called upon to originate or relay a
RADIOGRAM. We might be out in the middle of “Coyote Nowhere” and run
across a stranded motorist or hiker who needs a message sent. Or, we might
find ourselves operating at a disaster incident and be asked to send a formal
message.
Hopefully, we will always be QRV with our radio gear. But, what if our traffic handling skills are a little rusty when our service is suddenly needed? Also...we might not always have a blank RADIOGRAM form available to remind us. (Suggestion: Always carry a few blanks with you.)
Below is an acronym and a “jingle” that (if
memorized) will help us to
remember the proper procedure.
There are four parts to a RADIOGRAM: PREAMBLE,
ADDRESS, TEXT and
SIGNATURE. Simply remember the acronym: “PATS”.
But in the PREAMBLE there are eight parts. While two (“handling instructions” and “time”) are optional in some types of messages it is important to know them all...and in the proper order. I always write out a RADIOGRAM, even if it’s on a blank sheet of paper, before sending.
The PREAMBLE order is: NUMBER / PRECEDENCE / HX /
STATION OF ORIGIN / CHECK / PLACE OF ORIGIN / TIME FILED / DATE. The ACRONYM is:
NPHSCPTD. But if you Memorize the “jingle”: “No Prepared Ham Should Copy
Priority Traffic Delayed” it will help you to remember the order of the
components in the PREAMBLE.
+ AN EXCELLENT NATIONAL TRAFFIC SYSTEM (NTS) TRAINING WEBSITE IS AT:
http://www.qsl.net/aresco/nts-top.htm
ADDITIONAL (VERY) USEFUL information is available at:
http://www.remote.arrl.org/FandES/field/pscm/sec2-ch11.html
http://www.area-ham.org/tngdocs/ntsdocs/ntsman.htm
When composing a RADIOGRAM, pretend that you will be charged ONE DOLLAR for every “word”.
“TRAFFIC HANDLING IS FUN AND REWARDING!”
+ NWS-SKYWARN
SECTION
Jim Reynolds, KD7MLO, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Medford NWS
Gary Peterson, N7GK, Acting Medford SKYWARN Coordinator
D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, Asst. Medford SKYWARN Coordinator
SKYWARN is the National Weather Service program of trained
volunteer spotters reporting severe weather. The ARRL/ARES has
a national “memorandum of understanding” (MOU) with the NOAA/NWS.
MEDFORD NWS SKYWARN WEBSITE: www.emcomm.org/skywarn
+ NWS MEDFORD WX NET PARTICIPANTS ARE POSTED EACH WEEK ON THE NWS WEBSITE:
www.emcomm.org/skywarn/nets.htm
+ NWS / SKYWARN WEATHER SPOTTER CLASS SCHEDULE -
All Spring classes have been completed. Future classes “to be
announced”.
MEDFORD NWS WX SPOTTER / SKYWARN NETS:
The Medford NWS WX SPOTTER NET every Wednesday at 1915L on:
147.26+ / CTCSS: 123.0, (Mt. Ashland - Jackson County and more)
146.55 SIMPLEX (eastern Siskiyou and Klamath Counties)
146.97- (Likely - Modoc County Relay)
3987LSB (1982 LSB alternate).
SKYWARN nets will be activated on these frequencies during severe
weather
events.
NWS SKYWARN NET CONTROL STATIONS -
DATE 147.26+
3987 LSB
AUG 7 N7GK
KC7WEU
AUG 14 N7GK
K6SOJ
AUG 21
KC7WEU
AUG 28 N7GK
KB7EKF
ADDITIONAL NWS NET CONTROL OPERATORS SOUGHT -
For more information contact:
Gary, N7GK, gpederso@OregonVOS.net;
or,
Dave, K6SOJ, k6soj@arrl.net
NWS PACKET NODE ON MT. ASHLAND is on 145.030 MHz, ID is: skywrn. NWS
is asking for SKYWARN and ARES packet stations to
connect and let them know your location, the type of antenna and power you use
to access the Mt. Ashland node. The “connect” to NWS packet
bbs (direct) is 145.090 and the ID is NWSMFR. Then connect to NWSBBS,
e.g., c nwsmfr. Then, c nwsbbs. The NWSMFR at nws mfr is a node.
Questions? contact Gary, N7GK e-mail: gpederso@OregonVOS.net
Check in to the JEFFERSON NOON NET daily at 1200L on 7232 LSB
(alt. 3987) for announcements regarding anticipated or actual severe WX.
+ BACK ISSUES OF THE EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN (and the former) 5-1-2+ BULLETIN
ARE ARCHIVED AT: www.emcomm.org/svares/archives
+ The “EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN” - Copyright (c) 2002 - D. W.
Thorne, K6SOJ. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce and re-circulate items
from this bulletin providing appropriate credit is given to the “EMCOMMWEST
BULLETIN” and/or the author or originator of the material. Send corrections,
updates, etc. to: k6soj@arrl.net
=== end of bulletin ===