5-1-2 Bulletin No. 60

The 5-1-2  BULLETIN - 26 June 01 - No. 60

TO: OR-NorCAL-NV ARES and other EMCOMM Stations,
ARRL Officials, other EMCOMM and Public Safety Officials;
in Oregon District 5, California SV Section Districts 1, 2...and BEYOND.

FROM: D.W. Thorne, K6SOJ, ARES SEC, SV Section (North), editor.
Assistant ACS Officer MAR III California OES

INTERNET: www.qsl.net/k6soj  E-MAIL:  k6soj@arrl.net

CA OES ACS INLAND REGION WEBSITE: www.acs.oes.ca.gov/Inland/

LOTS OF IMPORTANT STUFF THIS WEEK...so pour yourself a cup of coffee and
read on...

+ SHORT CIRCUITS - Brief (important) announcements:

SILENT KEY -
Earl Knight, K6EWK (formerly KE6WHH), of Crescent City, CA and DEC for Del
Norte County, unexpectedly became a silent key on June 17, 2001.  Earl was
active in the Del Norte Amateur Radio Club.  He will be greatly missed.

MUTUAL AID AND ARES/RACES/ACS ALERTS VIA E-MAIL...or ?

Bill Pennington, WA6SLA, SV Section (south) SEC has suggested that EMCOMM
leaders not rely too heavily on e-mail for ALERTS and other reports of a time-critical nature.  It seems that e-mail messages are often slow and may not be received in a timely manner.  If you are sending an alert or Mutual Aid request via e-mail, it is suggested that you preface the message with:

“Please acknowledge receipt of this message by: (insert an appropriate time)”.  The sender then will know if he/she then needs to make a landline or page other officials.

When you receive such a message, acknowledge with: “R R R” (followed by
your name or call sign). Bill suggests that we use pagers and landline more,
and rely less upon e-mail.

In addition, as soon as you know an event is in progress...tune to the established MA frequencies and monitor or check in.  Ed Bruette, N7NVP, SEC, (Western Washington Section) reinforces this point in his “Washington Rocks” article in the July QST, page 91 under “Lessons Learned”.

“EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SUMMIT”  CALLED -

From Nannette Thorne, KE6MZT, Siskiyou County ARES Emergency Coordinator:

“I have been requested to attend an “Emergency Communications Summit” that
has been called for by a faction of Siskiyou County hams.   Their stated purpose is “to attempt to resolve differences within the Siskiyou County Amateur Radio community regarding emergency communications”.

I plan to attend, as does Jerry Boyd, K6BZ,  ARRL, Section Manager, Sacramento Valley.   Dave Thorne, K6SOJ, Section EC, will not be in attendance.

If you care about the future of EMCOMM (and, for that matter, about amateur radio in general); and can attend the meeting, I encourage you to do so. The meeting will be on Wednesday, June 27 at 6:30 PM at  the CDF training room at: 1809 Fairlane Rd., Yreka, CA.”

+ NEW WEBSITE STUFF -

Bill Frazier, KC7REK, (ARES DISTRICT 1 and 2 webmaster) is currently on Red
Cross disaster assignment in Houston, TX  (And wherever else they may send him!)  Therefore, the SV Section District 1 & 2 website will not have any updates until he returns.

+ FEATURE ARTICLE - 
“The PACKET RACKET” by N6SSQ (see end of bulletin)
-------------------

+ FIRE REPORTS:
 “Raw” (unedited) first person accounts.

SHASTA COUNTY ARES RESPONDS QUICKLY TO FAWNDALE FIRE EMERGENCY -
by Drew Witham, W1SAR, Shasta County EC.

Tuesday's (6/19) Fawndale fire is finally contained, it was announced today (6/21). Tuesday started with a trip into town to get the brakes on my SUV (the ARESmobile) fixed after they went out on the way back from a windshield replacement the day before! About 8am County Fire started to tone-out for a fire on the side of Interstate 5 at Mountaingate, not far from the scene of the Jones Fire. Within minutes, the wind-fanned fire started to spread and a full wild-land response with air support was underway. 

Some quick negotiating secured my wife's car for the day, and I had to quickly decide what to move to her vehicle in case SCARES was activated. HT's, power adapters, antennas, quickly filled the trunk and the back seat - as my wife looked at her watch knowing she had to be at work in ten minutes. She got to work on time - and I headed for the Red Cross Center just down the road in Downtown Redding. On the way, the scanner told me that Shasta Sheriff's were preparing for evacuations - and then just as I arrived at the Red Cross, the emergency tones came over the car radio advising voluntary evacuations on three or four roads in the area.

I walked into the office just in time for Vance Montgomery (Red Cross Emergency Services Coordinator) to say - "It's a go! - Glad to see you!"

Hot topic of the day on the .64 repeater - plans for Field Day - soon gave way to urgent planning as SCARES members responded to the pager alert. Within minutes, I was on the freeway heading for the Operational Command Post, KE6FJN was on the road to the Red Cross center, KF6IBX was heading for Central Valley High School, the evacuation center, and K6PTT was holding it all together as Net Control. By 9am, an hour after the fire started, Shasta County ARES had a team in place. KF6VYL cut short a business meeting and was soon on the road to supplement at the Evac Centre and the Command Post. Red Cross volunteers staffed the Evac Center and brought lunch to the emergency services staffing the command post - after four hours, even a McDonalds cheeseburger looked good! KE6FJN went mobile, providing transport and communications shadow for the Red Cross Emergency Services Coordinator, while K6PTT worked at picking up more team members to take over as we went into the evening.

Just after noon, the wind changed for the better and the dense column of smoke being pounded by aircraft and ground crews soon diminished, and by mid-afternoon the word was that the evacuation order would soon be lifted. That news finally came at 4pm, when the Red Cross / SCARES operation was stood-down and the team headed for home.

An excellent response from all involved, and my special thanks to K6PTT for holding it all together and to KE6FJN, KF6VYL and KF6IBX for hitting the road so quickly! Some lessons learned, but valuable experience for all involved - which will be put to good use when the next one comes!

--------------------
MARTIS FIRE UPDATE - by Paul Cavnar, NN7B, Nevada SEC

As an update for the fire situation, as of 1400 PDT Sunday, June 24th.

High winds today have raised concerns about hot spots flaring and sending hot embers into dry brush across the fire breaks. So far, all have been secure with no sightings of outbreaks of fire. Most of the smoke is from smoldering brush and trees being fanned by the wind today and burning themselves out. The number of fire fighters on the line today is right at 2000, half what was there two days ago. The cost of the fire will exceed $10M by Monday morning.

Our operation has been downgraded to assisting ARC with their base radio operation and little on the amateur frequencies. I will have an update on the needs for the ARC next week sometime this evening and will know what is needed at that time.

----------------------

MARTIS FIRE OFFICIAL STATUS REPORTS FROM CALIFORNIA OES:

a) Reported By: Jim Brown
b) Agency: OES Inland Region
c) Position: ESC
d) Phone: 262-1772
from Region: Inland
Dallas Jones, Director
The following information has been reported to the Governor's Office of
Emergency Services from federal, state, regional and/or local government
agencies.
f) The report type is : Official Update
1. Event Name: Martis Fire
2. Date/Time of Event: 06/18/2001 08:06 AM
3. Event Type: Fire
4. Event Location:
5. Areas Affected: The fire is burning near Martis Creek just east of
Truckee, CA and was on both sides of Interstate 80 threatening the town of
Floriston and the Western Reno Wilderness Area. It started near Glenshire
Dr at Martis Peak Rd, Truckee, Nevada County
6. Report as of: 06/25/2001 08:47 AM Report Type: Official Update
7. Weather: Hot and dry.
8. Current Situation:
As of 0900 hrs 6/25/01: The fire has burned 16,500 acres and is now 60%
contained.  Estimate time of containment is 6/30/01. Estimated time of
control is unknown. Potential threat to Reno continues.

As of 0900 hrs 6/21/01: The fire has burned 14,500 acres and is now 42% contained. Estimated time of containment is unknown. Estimated time of control is unknown.  Potential threat to Reno continues.

As of 0800 hrs 6/19/01: The fire has burned 12,600 acres and is now 30 % contained. The acreage is adjusted based on a partial over flight on 6/18/01. Estimated time of containment is still unknown. Estimated time of control is unknown. Cause of fire is under investigation. Winds have blown 2/3 of the fire into the State of Nevada. The fire is moving in a northeast direction towards Reno and if the fire makes a significant run towards the east may threaten 500 homes in the Hirschdale/Glenshire area.

At 1530 hrs 6/18/01: This fire is approximately 16,000 acres with 10% containment. Fire started 6/17/01 at 1204 hrs. Expected time of containment is unknown. Expected time of control is unknown. Wind is blowing the fire in a westerly direction but it is not a threat to Truckee or Reno, Nevada. 

9. Current Situation Detail: 
Status Comments
a. Significant Damage: No
b. Deaths: No
c. Injuries: Yes
    As of 0900 hrs 6/25/01:11 injuries reported; 
       heat exhaustion, sprained ankle / lacerations / dehydration / possible hernia.
            Two injuries: firefighters with heat exhaustion.

d. Damaged Buildings: As of 0900 hrs 6/25/01: No change.

As of 0800 hrs 6/19/01: Total number of structures destroyed were: 
1 railroad trestle, 1 mobile home, 1 outbuilding, 3 vehicles and 1 trailer.

At 1530 hrs 6/18/01: One mobile home, one travel trailer and several private vehicles. are reported destroyed. The railroad has closed one line over the trestle
near Bronco Creek due to fire damage.
e. Utility Problems: No
f. Communication Problems: No
g. Road Problems: Low
I-80 was closed 6/17/01 from approximately 1430 hrs until about 2230 hrs.
The highway re-opened with CHP escorts.
h. Evacuations: Yes

As of 0800 hrs 6/19/01: The evacuation center at Truckee Elementary School
has been closed.

At 1530 hrs 6/18/01: Evacuations of 10-12 families occurred in the town of Floriston. An evacuation center was set up at the Truckee Elementary School, however families were able to find shelter on their own so the shelter was not needed. Residents of Floriston were later allowed to return to their homes.
i. Critical Issues:
j. Other Problems: Unknown
10. Functional Area Response Status Brief details, locations, comments
a. EOC(s) Activated: No
b. Care & Shelter: NA
c. Constr. & Engr: NA
d. HazMat: NA
e. Fire & Rescue: Red - Require some Aid Fire Mutual Aid System in effect. Resources committed as of this report are: 6 Local Government Strike Teams (30 engines), 2 OES Strike Teams (10 engines) and other engines for a total of 112 engines (60 CDF), 16 dozers (4 CDF), 73 fire crews (16 CDF) 16 helicopters, 7 air-tankers, 20 water tenders.
f. Law Enforcement: NA
g. Medical/Health: NA
h. Movement: NA
i. Utilities: NA
j. Disaster assistance programs/facilities:
k. Mutual aid rcvd in last 24 hours? Yes 1 OES GIS personnel with 1 GIS trailer.
l. Mutual aid needed in next 24 hours? Unknown
m. Prognosis: Improving
11. Major Incidents:
12. Response/Recovery Priorities:
13. Proclamations/Declarations:
a. Local:
b. Gubernatorial Requested:
c. Director's Concurrence:
d. Gubernatorial Received:
e. Presidential Requested:
f. Presidential Received:
14. Other Critical Information or General Comments:
15. Date/Time of Next Report:
16. Attachments:
Attachments are listed at the end of this report. If present, double click
on the icon ...
a. Map(s) - Areas Affected/Threatened Attached? No To follow--Date/Time
--
b. Declaration/Proclamation(s) --

Created by: Jim Brown on: 06/18/2001 03:44:28 PM
Last Modified by: Jim Brown on: 06/25/2001 08:58:34 AM
-------------------
ANOTHER MARTIS FIRE REPORT WITH PICTURES IS AT:
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/06/22/7/?nc=1
--------------------------------
CELLPHONES...AND THE MARTIS FIRE
by Steve Faulkner, KF6OCE

My wife doesn't want to get an amateur radio license. She says its too much work. Especially when the cell phone is much more reliable, convent and easier to use without having to take a test.

OK, I'll give her that. The Mobile phone has given the average citizen a measure of communication capabilities and convenience that was previously unavailable to the vast majority of citizens prior to the introduction of commercial cell phone technology.

Now reread the above two sentences, and notice particularly the word "commercial".

Cell phone technology is a commercial enterprise. It provides services for a fee. It makes money. That's what commercial enterprises do. The basic fundamental of business is to invest the least capital needed in order to make as much profit as necessary. It is the lifeblood of our American economic system.

Putting massive cell sites in major metropolitan communities is a no brainer when it comes to maximizing your customer base. But putting cell sites in many rural sparsely populated areas or those areas of isolation or desolation do not make much sense to a commercial enterprise. You cannot make money on a customer base of nearly zero. 

So what does all of this have to do with why we as hams study, test, and continue to seek the additional privileges that each license class awards to us in the Amateur Radio Service? The answer can be seen in any number of events that take place daily in our world. Recently, on a regional level the answer was evident the Martis Fire event. 

Recently I was asked by Wayne KE6DJE, to help in manning a staging area for the Red Cross during the Martis Fire event. It was no surprise to me to learn that at this staging area, located just a few miles from Interstate 80; that not one single cell phone would work. The digital PCS phones did not work. The all-digital phones failed. The analog phones failed. It did not matter who the carrier was.  None of them worked.

Even the 47.42 MHz radios installed in many of the Red Cross vehicles could not communicate with each other. Those radios were originally set up for an urban emergency. The Red Cross has no repeater system in the mountains that will enable their radios to talk to one another. It could cost millions of dollars to build a repeater system that would cover only a fraction of the massive land surface that they may be asked to provide relief within. Additional funds would then be needed to maintain and repair the sites. Tens of millions of dollars would then be unavailable to those who need it the most in the form of actual disaster relief.  

At the Martis Fire, Amateur Radio Operators utilized their skills and equipment to connect, link and provide essential communications to those providing critical services during the disaster at a time and a place when commercial technology was unavailable to do so. It is no secret to me nor is it to any of you that Amateur Radio has been, is now, and will always continue, to be a national resource. 

This resource can even benefit each of us on a personal level. People who in the future may camp in or around the Martis Area, in non-disaster recreational conditions would have no better luck with their cell phones than did the emergency personal during the Martis Fire event. Small scale medical emergencies at the camp site could turn into major life threatening events if quick effective communications cannot be established in timely manner. 

My wife is now beginning to understand why I have joined a group of citizens who study, test, meet, practice and volunteer their valuable time day after day and week after week. We do this so that we can continue to be proficient in the use of a technology that isn't really as out of date as some would like us to believe.

I am slightly encouraged. While she has not yet rushed out to get her study guide, she did hint that maybe I could pick one up for her.
-----------------
COMMENT:  Cell phones certainly have a role.  For one thing, they are (almost) confidential, which is an advantage.   But, full reliance on them is ill advised.  Even if they are working, they only allow for PTP communication.  On the other hand, radio allows everyone in a net to receive a message, or monitor the traffic, simultaneously, which can also be a great advantage in emergency and disaster work. - by K6SOJ
-------------------------------------------------

+ NET REMINDER - 5-1-2 REGIONAL ARES AND NWS NETS
UPDATED (May 9) LEADERSHIP 5-1-2 NET ROSTER AT:
http://www.qsl.net/k6soj/nets/net.htm

DAILY:
1200 to 1230L: Jefferson Noon Net on 7232 LSB (3987 LSB alternate)

WEDNESDAYS:
1915 to 1930L: NWS WX SPOTTER NETS (see NWS-SKYWARN section below)

1930 to 2000L: A.R.E.S. LEADERSHIP NET on 3987 LSB (1982 LSB alternate)
(NOTE TO ALL ARES and other EMCOMM LEADERS (including, but not limited to SECs, DECs, ECs, AECs) in any section, district or county:  Although this net is primarily for District 5 (OR) and Districts 1 and 2 (SV); you are all cordially invited to check in and participate in the discussion(s).  A wide range of EMCOMM topics are covered.)

+ ARES and other EMCOMM NETS - list at:
www.qsl.net/k6soj/nets/index.htm

+ ICS COURSE IN JACKSON COUNTY, OREGON
 Medford, OR. July 23-27, 2001.
Info: Kelly Jo Jensen at: (503) 378-2911 or kjensen@oem.state.or.us

+ AND NOW...THIS WEEK’S  TRAINING:
The article:  “DISASTER / MAJOR EMERGENCY -- WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?
by Lt. Dan Blackston, Chula Vista Police Department” appeared in its entirety in BULLETIN # 36 (January 9) and is archived at www.qsl.net/k6soj. 
Below are excerpts from that article with comments.

46. “Equipment will be lost, damaged or stolen, and may never be accounted for.”

 COMMENT:  When I was working in Disaster Health Services, the Red Cross nurses had a saying:  “Two things to leave at home when you go on a disaster assignment are your valuables...and your values.” I always carry my values with me, but the idea here is that you will encounter many victims with VERY different values than yours.   

A disaster scene is not the place to be judgmental. As to valuables: hams (and other volunteers) may have some very expensive gear that they have bought with their own hard earned money on assignments. ALWAYS keep a close eye on your own stuff (as well as other’s).  

Or, keep it locked up in a vehicle or other secure place. Experience has taught us that thieves often prowl disasters, or other emergency scenes, looking for “an easy score”.   It is also a good idea to have your radios and other valuable gear marked with your call sign or some other “code”, and keep a record (at home) of the serial numbers. -
de K6SOJ

TRAINING BULLETINS that appear in this bulletin are also archived at:
 www.qsl.net/k6soj  (PLUS A “PLETHORA” OF ADDITIONAL TRAINING MATERIAL)

+ NWS-SKYWARN NEWS
Jim Reynolds, KD7MLO, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Medford NWS
Gary Peterson, N7GK, Asst. Medford SKYWARN Coordinator
D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, Asst. Medford SKYWARN Coordinator

NWS WEATHER SPOTTER CLASSES:

The pre-summer schedule of WX SPOTTER training classes for southern Oregon
and northern California area has been completed.

MEDFORD NWS SKYWARN PAGE:
http://www.qsl.net/wx7mfr/SKYWARN/index.html

CURRENT NWS WEATHER BULLETINS AND WARNINGS ARE AVAILABLE VIA A LINK AT:
www.qsl.net/k6soj

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 WX SPOTTER NET WEDNESDAY NIGHTS.
The Medford NWS WX SPOTTER NET is on Wednesdays at: 1915L on 147.26+ (Mt. Ashland repeater - WX7MFR/R); SIMULTANEOUSLY ON: 146.55 SIMPLEX (Siskiyou and Klamath Counties); AND 146.97- the Likely repeater (Modoc County).

FROM 1920 to 1929L: on 3987 LSB (1982 LSB alternate), relays and other
check-ins will be accepted and forwarded.

ALSO, a packet WX SPOTTER NET is being developed to run concurrently
SKYWARN will be activated on these frequencies during severe weather
events.

The 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 < gpederso@orednet.org >

The NWS/Medford “service area” consists of nine counties: Coos, Curry, Douglas, Klamath, Jackson, Josephine, Lake, (OR); Modoc and Siskiyou (CA). 

If you have any questions about the SKYWARN program, contact: Gary/N7GK
< gpederso@orednet.org > via e-mail or on 147.26+ (Mt. Ashland).

REGIONAL ARES WEATHER AND ROAD NETS (ARESWARNS) for SV Districts 1 and 2 are on the MUTUAL AID FREQUENCIES of 7232 LSB (daytime) and 3987 LSB (nighttime). 1982LSB (nighttime alternate).  Up/down QRM.  OREGON District 5, and all ARES stations elsewhere, are CORDIALLY INVITED to participate. During a SEVERE WEATHER EVENT, the HF WARN meets hourly AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUR, until all information and traffic is passed,  (more often as needed).

LOCAL ARESWARNS are activated by a local EC or AEC per your local plan. Check with your EC for more information about your area.  It is recommended that they meet at the TOP OF EACH HOUR, and include a local HF - VHF station for relay / interface duty with the regional net.

Check in to the JEFFERSON NOON NET daily at 1200L on 7232 // 3987 LSB for announcements regarding anticipated severe WX.

IF YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO REPORT about your ARES team or other EMCOMM unit...and would like it posted in the 5-1-2 BULLETIN...send it to: k6soj@arrl.net

+ COMING ATTRACTIONS ...
  WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?  THE SERIES CONTINUES
  HOW PREPARED ARE YOU? - A FUN QUIZ

+ EMCOMM 2002: 
April 20-21 2002 - Bishop Quinn High School, Palo Cedro, CA.

+ The “5-1-2 BULLETIN” - Copyright (c) 2001 - D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce and re-circulate items from this bulletin providing appropriate credit is given to the “5-1-2 REGIONAL ARES BULLETIN” and/or the author or originator of the material.  

Send corrections, updates, etc. to: k6soj@arrl.net

+ PLEASE REMEMBER TO CONSERVE ENERGY!
---------------------

THE PACKET RACKET” 

 by Tom “Fergy” Ferguson, N6SSQ, Modoc County EC

I am by no means a "packet guru", fact is I stay away from it simply because there isn't much available here in Modoc County. However, from listening to comments on various nets about packet, I would like to explain a few "tricks of the trade" and hopefully it will give some a better understanding of how this packet racket works.

There are only a small number of commands that are available to someone linked to a packet node. routes, nodes and info are the most common ones that are used but many do not understand HOW to use them. Since Modoc County only has the single node MODOC, my first connect is to that node.

C MODOC is the command that links me with the MODOC node. I then ask for a list of the ROUTES. Routes is a list of stations that MODOC can connect to with a DIRECT LINK. This is important to understand because as with most things, "what you see may not be what you get".
MODOC:K6JKC-5} Routes:
0 KJ6MD-2 192 0 !
0 RDG:WA6YNG-1 192 23 !
> 0 KENO:K7DDI-2 192 27 !
0 KJ6RA-2 192 0 !
0 ALM:KB6EVD-1 100 1
0 YREKA:KJ6RA-3 100 1
0 RNO:W7TA-4 100 1
0 YRGTN:N7LPT-1 100 1

In the above ROUTE list, several things are important to note. Take the node listed as KJ6MD for instance. KJ6MD is the LASSEN node which has been off the air for several years now. Benny, KJ6MD is the trustee of that node. The 192 that follows the call sign designator indicates that the link between  LASSEN and MODOC is very good. The high this number, the better the link. The 0 (zero) that follows the link signal strength indicator tells how many  packets have gone through in the last short time period.

With KJ6MD it is 0 because the node is not operating. If it was operating, The word LASSEN would  preceed Benny's call and it would appear 0 LASSEN:KJ6MD 192 (some number) !  The > mark before the KENO node indicates that MODOC has an active link going on right now between MODOC and KENO. The 192 indicates a very strong link between the two nodes and the 27
indicates an active transfer of data in the current time frame.

Looking at YRGTN (Yerington, NV) you see a very weak signal path of 100 and the 1 following is about the same as the 0, no data has been passed. Assume that we do NOT know where YRGTN is physically located, we need to search it out.

I ask MODOC for its NODE list and I get a very impressive list of places that MODOC "supposedly" can take you to. Yep, there is YRGTN but the fact is, MODOC can only take you to the nodes listed in the ROUTES list. So here is how it works..
MODOC:K6JKC-5} Nodes:

We know that MODOC links direct with KENO, so we go to KENO and check the ROUTE list looking for YRGTN. We do not see YRGTN on the list so we know that KENO can not directly link with YRGTN. We check the NODE list and there is YRGTN.

MODOC:K6JKC-5} Connected to KENO:K7DDI-2
KENO:K7DDI-2} Routes:
1 KLMT 255 3
0 YREKA 192 2
> 0 MODOC 192 8
0 RDG 192 20
KENO:K7DDI-2}  Nodes:

 Well, we have come this far and no YRGTN so lets go one step further in our direction of travel. Lets see if YREKA links with YRGTN. We connect to YREKA.

KENO:K7DDI-2} Connected to YREKA:KJ6RA-3
We ask for the ROUTE list
YREKA:KJ6RA-3} Routes:
> 0 KENO:K7DDI-2 192 27
0 MODOC:K6JKC-5 192 16
No YRGTN so we ask for the NODE list. Yep there it is...
YREKA:KJ6RA-3} Nodes:

Now we apply one of the tricks of the trade. The NODE command has a sub command.  We ask the YREKA node what Route it takes to get to YRGTN. To do this we issue the command:
N YRGTN (you are asking YREAK node how it gets to YRGTN node..)
YREKA:KJ6RA-3} Routes to: YRGTN:N7LPT-1
80 5 0 KENO:K7DDI-2
80 5 0 MODOC:K6JKC-5
YREKA sends us back to where we started, we have gone the wrong way and if
we continue we sure won't find YRGTN. Don't give up, we are hot on the
trail now.... I think..??
YREKA:KJ6RA-3} Goodbye.

Since the search west and north did not produce the node we want, we start in another direction. Redding is a central point going in all directions, lets try there.
Link with MODOC
Link with RDG
Ask for the ROUTE list.. NO YRGTN..
MODOC:K6JKC-5} Connected to RDG:WA6YNG-1
RDG:WA6YNG-1} Routes:
0 BERRY:K6JAC-4 192 12
> 0 MODOC:K6JKC-5 192 3
0 EKA:KA6ROM-2 192 1
0 KENO:K7DDI-2 192 4
0 CAHTO:K7WWA-8 192 8
0 SKUNK:K7WWA-6 192 4
0 ALM:KB6EVD-1 192 1
0 LPRC1:K6TAM-1 192 1
so try the node list..
RDG:WA6YNG-1} Nodes:

Yes, we are still in the tunnel but there it is. How does RDG link with YRGTN? N YRGTN and find out..
RDG:WA6YNG-1} Routes to: YRGTN:N7LPT-1
143 1 0 BERRY:K6JAC-4
Link with BERRY, ask for ROUTES..
RDG:WA6YNG-1} Connected to BERRY:K6JAC-4
BERRY:K6JAC-4} Routes:
0 WA6QPU-3 192 4!
> 1 WA6YNG-1 193 11!
1 WB6YNM-3 193 5!
1 KF6DQU-10 193 4!
1 K7WWA-6 192 6!
1 N6SGR-1 192 1!
1 N6GBU-10 192 0!
1 KA6JJW-10 192 0!
1 KF6BRO-7 192 2!
1 K7WWA-8 192 6!
1 N6QDY-5 192 4!
1 WH6IO-8 150 7!
1 WA6TOW-1 192 8!
1 N7LPT-1 190 3!
1 K6TAM-1 180 1!
1 K6UCB-2 160 1!
1 KB6EVD-1 80 0!
1 WH6IO-7 0 0!
1 N6LYF-10 40 0!
1 K7DDI-2 0 0!

What kind of trickery is this? No NODE names.. If you know the call sign and designator of the one you are after, try that. If you don't know that info, try the node name.. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't you have to back track and make a list of node names and call designators.

Routes to YRGTN:N7LPT-1
>190 0 1 N7LPT-1
145 0 1 WB6YNM-3
Asking BERRY for routes to YRGTN, we see that this node has a 190 strength link with YRGTN. However, we see that WB6YNM-3 also has a direct link with the node we are after. Just for drill, lets see what kind of path it is.
BERRY:K6JAC-4} Connected to WALACE:WB6YNM-3

Ask WALACE/WB6YNM-3 for ROUTES we get..
WALACE:WB6YNM-3} Routes:
> 1 K6JAC-4 193 27!
1 KF6DQU-10 193 5!
1 K6TAM-1 192 1!
1 N7LPT-1 192 5!
1 N6QDY-5 192 5!
1 K6UCB-2 160 3!
1 WA6TOW-1 160 2!
1 WH6IO-8 150 7!
1 KF6BRO-7 100 2!
1 N6LYF-10 0 0!
1 WA6YNG-1 0 0!
1 K7WWA-8 0 0!
1 K7WWA-6 0 0!
1 N6SGR-1 0 0!

Notice that the link from WALACE to N7LPT-1 is 192. A stronger link than what BERRY had to offer. So we link with YRGTN through WALACE. Bingo, we are finally at YRGTN. Call your station, leave your message and then shut it all down using the B (bye) command.

WALACE:WB6YNM-3} Connected to YRGTN:N7LPT-1
Next you see that I linked with my station, left a message which was saved and I terminated the link with KD6HE-1 mailbox and was dropped back to RDG (Redding).

YRGTN:N7LPT-1 
Connected to KD6HE-1 [KPC3P-8.2-HM$]
100000 BYTES AVAILABLE
THERE ARE NO MESSAGES
This is the mailbox of KD6HE - Jim in Fernley,NV
ENTER COMMAND: B,J,K,L,R,S, or Help >
99975 BYTES AVAILABLE
SUBJECT:
ENTER MESSAGE 454--END WITH CTRL-Z OR /EX ON A SINGLE LINE
MESSAGE SAVED
ENTER COMMAND: B,J,K,L,R,S, or Help >
RDG:WA6YNG-1} Reconnected to RDG:WA6YNG-1

Note: Some links will drop you back to a NODE that welcomes you back. If you want to go somewhere else from here, go there. If not another B (bye) shuts that link down until you get disconnected. Most software programs have a DISCONNECT command that will completely shut things down all along the link.  If you have no more traffic to pass, just dump the whole thing.

In summary, use the ROUTES and NODE commands including the N (node name) to
understand where you are going and what route you are taking to get there. Had LASSEN node been operating, my path to Jim KD6HE would simply have been
MODOC, LASSEN, RNO, YRGTN, KD6HE-1

You will find that NODES come and go. Propagation has a lot to do with the links between NODES. If a NODE is not heard from in a certain period of time, it is dropped from the NODE lists automatically. That is the reason for the NODE beacon, to let the other NODES know it is up and running. That is how they determine the NODE signal strength, ie 100 - 192 etc. Occasionally you will see a signal strength higher than 192. This usually indicates a cross link with another node at a single location. For instance
KENO/KLMT nodes.

I hope this helps some of you to understand what is going on when you travel the packet loops. 73 de Fergy EC Modoc County
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