EMERGENCIES AND RADIO SIGNALS...”KNOW NO BOUNDARIES”
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The 5-1-2 BULLETIN - 21 August 01 - No. 68
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
+ SHORT CIRCUITS - Brief
(important) announcements:
+ FIRE UPDATES - or, “Hellzapoppin”,
(Opened at New York’s 46th Street Theater on September 22, 1938.
http://www.classicimages.com/1998/october98/olsenandjohnson.html)
+ FLASH! - Received from
Fergy, N6SSQ, Modoc County EC, at 0805L today:
“I won't make it on nets this week. I am working at the USFS
Communications Center at the Blue Fire. Weird hours, 1300 to 2200,
0600 to 1800, 0800 to 2000 hrs.. whew! But it is interesting. The
fire is now contained and the shop is demobilizing. Probably be closed
down by Friday or next Monday."
(COMMENT: Congrats and thanks for the message Fergy. We’ll
be looking
forward to hearing about your experiences.)
+ LASSEN-MODOC RU CDF/VIP HAMCO
REPORT -
from Terry Cobb, K6ME (Terry is also an ARES AEC for Lassen County)
Amateur EMCOMM involvement for the period: 8 AUG 01 14 AUG 01:
“The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) Lassen-Modoc
Ranger Unit VIP's (Volunteers in Prevention) were placed on alert status during
the large mid-August fires.
For over a week, raging wildfires scorched over 125,000 acres of brush and
heavy timber. The largest fire (in our area) was 50 miles north of Susanville,
CA. It was finally contained at 67,300 acres.
Ranches, homes, structures, summer cabins and several public campgrounds
were evacuated and threatened. Only a handful of outbuildings, vehicles and
farm equipment was lost. One unoccupied mobile home was destroyed.
No formal EMCOMM activation was requested to serve any of the fire fighting
agencies. Nonetheless the local VIP/ARES group had two POVs (EMCOMM
equipped) RVs ready for field use and several registered disaster service
workers were ready for activation.
The American Red Cross, Shasta Area Chapter, the Klamath-Lake Chapter
(Oregon), and the Salvation Army group from Reno Nevada were also placed on
alert.
“Non-EMCOMM VIP's” assisted CDF at fire cache warehouses and with the
delivery of equipment and sustenance to fire camps and staging areas.
+ FIRE WEBSITES -
NEW! For all you wildland firefighters, groupies, and
“wanna’ be’s”; http://www.wildlandfire.com/
is the site you want to visit!
OTHER SITES:
http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf
(National Information Fire Center Situation Report. Up-to-date.)
http://www.nifc.gov/information.html
http://www.r5.fs.fed.us/modoc/incident/blue/index.htm
http://www.r5.fs.fed.us/modoc/incident/modoc-complex/index.htm
http://www.sierrafront.net/
+
EMERGENCY ANTENNA QUERY AND DISCUSSION -
At the end of this bulletin
+ REGIONAL RESOURCE POOL OF SKILLED
EMCOMM OPERATORS IS BEING COMPILED -
Do you have what it takes to become an “ERMA”?
(EMCOMM Responder - Mutual Aid)
We had very good response to the “emergency request” last week, (actually
we were “swamped”! But no two persons did it alike. So...we’ve
created a
new on-line registration system!
(Bill Frazier, KC7REK, (webmaster par excel lance’) was just putting the
finishing touches on the registration page when he was called to duty by
the American Red Cross to respond to fires in central Washington.)
This will be a permanent data base, not only for the current fire emergency, but
for future incidents. It will be your responsibility to keep your
information accurate by going to the registration page and submitting an
“update” as changes occur.
Here are the ground rules:
1. If you registered last week, please go to the above site and re-register.
(Sorry for the inconvenience.)
2. You MUST be an active and current registered Disaster Service Worker (DSW)
with at least one local EMCOMM unit. (E.g. - ARES, ACS and/or RACES, CDF/VIP,
etc.)
3. This is primarily for Districts One and Two (SV Section)
4. If you are in District Three, Four, District Five (Oregon Section), northern Nevada, SF Section, or elsewhere, you may still register as a mutual aid responder. The data will be stored and made available to your DEC, SEC, and/or regional ACS Officer when needed.
5. No EMCOMM operator will be dispatched without notification of, and approval by, their local EC, RO, HAMCO, or other EMCOMM leader.
6. This will also be a regional resource pool, from which Mutual Aid TEAMS (e.g.-ARESMATS), can be assembled.
7. Only one person per registration form please. (E.g - if a couple, each one must register separately. If you can only respond together, please indicate under: “other”.)
8. If you cannot, or are not able to, respond to field operations; but you are available to serve as a relay station/monitor during mutual aid incidents, you may also register. Indicate that under: “other”, and state if you are an Official ARRL Emergency or Relay Station.
To register as an Mutual Aid resource EMCOMM operator or station:
http://www.qsl.net/k6soj/registration_form.htm
NOTE: By registering as a EMCOMM responder-mutual aid (ERMA), it is assumed that you have the appropriate personal gear to be self-sufficient for a minimum of 24 hours; and a power source (battery or generator) to support any radio gear that you bring.
+ FEEDBACK -
“I look forward to reading your bulletins, but must admit that they don't all
get read. I read your bulletin of August 14th, and want to comment on something
you said, a copy of which is below.
‘We are now in the 21st Century. Sadly, qualities like dedication, loyalty,
perseverance, and striving for excellence, have become passé for many
people. Are you doing all that you can to support your ARES/ARRL, ACS/RACES,
SKYWARN, or other EMCOMM group? Is your "Grab 'n Go" kit ready?
Have you marked your calendar for EMCOMM 2002? (April 20-21).
THINK ABOUT IT.’
I am 56 years old and have tried to strive for the qualities you speak of all my
life. I raised two girls and did the best I could to instill those same
qualities in them. I am a Vietnam veteran and served my country for six years. I
share your concerns about the values our young people are growing up with,
although I don't necessarily agree with your conclusions. Please understand I'm
not saying you're wrong, I wonder myself sometimes. What I am saying is, I hope
you are wrong. See you at EMCOMM 2002 next April.” - (s) Ed
Atwell, KB7UHM
(Ed is a police officer for the University Of Nevada at Reno)
REPLY: Thanks Ed for your feedback. I seem to have “struck a nerve” in that
editorial. Several others commented (favorably). I have found that
it is not necessarily only the younger set that are affected with the maladies I
mentioned. Sadly, many in our age range (I am 59); and even some older
persons, seem to have cast away the old values, and have become apathetic and
passive. The qualities displayed by the young firefighters I mentioned
last week, are examples we could all follow.
+ NET REMINDER - 5-1-2 REGIONAL
ARES AND NWS NETS
DAILY:
1200 to 1230L: Jefferson Noon Net on 7232 LSB (3987 LSB alternate)
NOTE: ALL STATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED TO MONITOR AND/OR CALL ON 146.52 MHZ DURING
THE NOON NET TO RELAY CHECK-INS OR TRAFFIC.
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) ALL ARES
and other EMCOMM leaders are welcome. A net roster is available at: www.qsl.net/k6soj/nets/net.htm
+ ARES and other EMCOMM NETS -
list at: www.qsl.net/k6soj/nets/index.htm
+ 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 . Below are excerpts from that article with
comments.
55. Department heads (EOC) staff may not have a working knowledge of their
assigned areas of responsibility, and will "play it by ear."
COMMENT: Occasionally true (sadly). And a “sure-fire-way” to
make some
enemies, is to let it be known that you know this.
TRAINING BULLETINS that appear in this bulletin are archived at:
www.qsl.net/k6soj
+ 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
!FREE! - ARES / SKYWARN software is available at:
http://www.qsl.net/k6soj/projects/index.htm
MEDFORD NWS SKYWARN PAGE HAS CHANGED TO: www.qsl.net/mfrskywarn
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+ (CTCSS:
123.0) Mt. Ashland / 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
checkins 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 < gpederson@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 < gpederson@orednet.org > via
e-mail or on 147.26+ (123.0) Mt. Ashland).
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 ...
SATIRICAL SYMPHONIES
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? THE SERIES CONTINUES
HOW PREPARED ARE YOU? - A FUN QUIZ
+ ANNUAL ARRL/ARES SIMULATED
EMERGENCY TEST (SET) October 6-7, 2001 See September QST (p.53). Or: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/setguide.html
+ EMCOMM 2002
April 20-21 2002 - Bishop Quinn High School, Palo Cedro, CA. www.emcomm2002.net
+ EMCOMM 2002 MOBILE UNIT EXPO -
To all ARES teams, clubs, and private individuals:
In order to promote preparedness, (and have some fun) we are planning a “Car Show”! Urrr, make that a: “Mobile Unit Show and Competition” for EMCOMM 2002! A competition, complete with awards, for privately owned and sponsored (i.e. non-agency) mobile EMCOMM units. There will be two categories:
CLASS ONE - Best ARES or CLUB owned mobile EMCOMM station.
(Includes “non-publicly-funded” RACES/ACS or CDF/VIP mobile units.)
CLASS TWO - Best INDIVIDUALLY owned mobile EMCOMM station.
AWARDS will based upon: design, function, appearance, innovation,
multi-agency capability, and use of re-cycled and/or surplus gear.
Although EMCOMM 2002 is still eight months away...we are announcing this
NOW, in order to allow plenty of time for you, your ARES team, or your EMCOMM
oriented club, to get your entry ready!
Watch the 5-1-2 Bulletin, or check: http://www.emcomm2002.net
for updates
and more information as the time approaches.
+ 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!
------------------------------------
NOTE: The following query and answer from “Tower
Talk” were forwarded by
Ed Ewell, K7DXV. It is interesting to me to read the comments by DXers who
are not necessarily familiar with EMCOMM. My comments are at the end
- de
K6SOJ.
----- Original Message -----
From: David C. <eDoc@netzero.net
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>;
<n4kg@juno.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 9:56 AM Subject:
Re: [TowerTalk] Tall verticals
“80M is far more important to me for emergency communications than is 160M.
Are there changes in the configuration of the tower and antennas that would
make it more suitable to 80M use? Must I eliminate the side-mounted beam
entirely?”
Reply from: Guy k2av@contesting.com
Apex, NC, USA
“Emergency communications come in three flavors:
1) your end of the circuit is wasted.
2) the other end of the circuit is wasted
3) both ends of the circuit are wasted.
#3 may be treated as #1 for purposes of planning a given site.
#1 gives the most insight. *** Your end of the circuit is wasted by the
disaster... Although 2M is the disaster team's dream, two meter repeaters are
always exposed and subject to being taken out. FEMA disaster scenarios for test
exercises always include taking out the repeaters and telephones. That is where
80 meters comes in. It carries better locally than point to point rubber duckies.
It also island hops. It will get you out of an area where the duckies are only
working 1 mile radius, and 80M becomes a GATEWAY.
If you have decided that your emergency antenna is a delicately tuned top-loaded
tower, then any FEMA tester will require that your plan accounts for crumpled
tower and/or shredded beam. There goes the tuning. Your eighty meter antenna
needs to be something you can get back up. Like 130' of wire to anything left
standing and end-fed against a ground rod. Since your emergency frequency will
likely be confined to 39xx SSB most likely, you can use one of these little 300
watt tuners to match the end against ground, and run coax to the transmitter.
Put the tuner in a plastic cake box and run coax and wires through small holes
in the cover. This will be as good a NVIS antenna as you can construct. A
deliberate NVIS dipole is good, but after the place is wasted, can you count on
good dipole ends?
There are scenarios when you do, but you have to plan for them. Note both of
these are HORIZONTALLY polarized, with minimal ground losses. (Only verticals on
a saltwater beach qualify, and there they are dynamite.) You may not be subject
to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Authority) testing, but if you pass
anyway, chances are YOUR stuff will be on the air when everyone else's is down.
*** The other end is wasted. They are using anything they can string, and unless
they are on a beach they will be NVIS for sure (high angle) and HORIZONTALLY
polarized. You will match them best with an NVIS type yourself. Save the loaded
tower for DX.”
- - . . . . . . - - . . . . - - . . - . .
73, Guy k2av@contesting.com Apex, NC,
USA
------------------
COMMENT: I wish more DXers were concerned about EMCOMM! I agree with
most of these comments.
While it can be argued that: “80M is far more important for emergency
communications than is 160M...”, don’t downplay 160M for EMCOMM!
Using NVIS antennas, (and staying above 1950 kHz), many EMCOMM operators have
proven, that during certain conditions, 160M may be the only band that can be
used to get a message through in the 50 to 500 mile range. And 75-80M is
often overloaded with QRM or other traffic during emergency situations; and QRN
or poor propagation may prevent traffic from being passed. And VHF is
useless for reliable communications beyond 50-75 miles.
Guy, K2AV, seems to believe that EMCOMM on VHF is limited to either repeaters or
HTs with a rubber duck. Not so. Most EMCOMM operators have at least
one 25-50 watt radio, and some type of a portable gain antenna for emergency
field use. I use a aluminum, military mast set. (They come in 5 ft.
sections and are available from Fair Radio Sales in Ohio. They also turn up at
hamfests, and elsewhere.) With my 3 element MFJ 2M YAGI (it is
easily broken down and stored in a canvas pouch) up about 20 or 30 ft., and
using an “arm-strong” rotator I can make contact with a desired station
about 99% of the time. A co-linear omni vertical is another good
choice. Some of these antennas give 6 or more dB gain.
For NVIS HF, I use a pulley (with an endless loop of cord through it) with an
“S” hook attached to a hose clamp, that I affix to the mast below the YAGI.
That makes it easy to hoist wire antennas. I usually use a G5RV, fed
through an ATU. With this set up, I can get out on 2M up to 50 miles or
more, and also have good regional HF coverage in the 30-300 mile range.
The writer also assumes that EMCOMM operators will be adversely
affected by a disaster. While that may happen, many EMCOMM operators will
not be affected by the incident, and will be available to provide valuable
assistance from the comfort of their home shacks outside the affected area. This
assumes (of course) that they are familiar with emergency plans and procedures.
Editor.
[return]