THE EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN  No. 122
 3 SEP 2002 
(Formerly known as: “The 5-1-2+ BULLETIN”)

“People will do what they have been trained to do.  If there is no training, they will do whatever comes to mind first.” - Dale Brown, KF6DBM Emergency Services Coordinator Water Emergency Response Organization of Orange County, California  (WEROC)

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
- WILDERNESS PROTOCOL
- SHORT CIRCUITS
  • NEW! Net Cross Reference
  • Net Reminder
  • WELCOME!  New Subscriber
  • Feedback
- EC CORNER
- SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST
- NET OPERATIONS WHEN CONDITIONS ARE POOR -
- NET SCHEDULES
- ARES NET LIST (updated 20 AUG 02)
- TRAINING and CONTINUING EDUCATION
- NWS-SKYWARN SECTION

=== SPECIAL BULLETIN ===

+ 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!

+ WILDERNESS PROTOCOL - (revisited)
  Summer will soon be behind us and the summer vacationers will have returned to the cities.  But as sure as “Jack Frost” will soon appear, so will hunters be taking to field and woods.   And Fall fishers will continue to cast their flies, lures, and bait into the lakes, streams and rivers. Other nature lovers will continue to savor the back country on foot or ski.

  “The Wilderness Protocol” (ref. June 1996 QST, page 85), recommends that
stations (both fixed, portable or mobile) monitor the primary (and secondary if possible) frequency(s) every three hours starting at 7 AM local time, for five minutes (7:00-7:05 AM, 10:00-10:05 AM, etc.)  Additionally, stations that have sufficient power resources should monitor for five minutes starting at the top of every hour, or even continuously." The primary frequency is the National Calling Freq...146.52 MHz. The secondary freqs. are 446.0, 223.5, 52.525 and 1294.5 MHz.

=== SHORT CIRCUITS ===

• NEW EMCOMMWEST NET DIRECTORY PAGE -
Find (participating) EMCOMM Nets quickly by day or location at:
www.emcomm.org/netdirectory/

• WEDNESDAY NIGHT NET REMINDER 
TOMORROW NIGHT (1st Wednesday, 9/4) WINCO REGIONAL ARES NET at 1930L on 3987 KHz ± LSB.  WINCO = Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon - but ALL ARES stations are welcome.  ARES members are invited to submit appropriate topics for discussion or questions via email or at net time.  NCS: Active ARES members will share in the net control responsibility on a pre-scheduled basis. If you will serve as a NCS contact the net manager at k6soj@arrl.net.

• WELCOME TO NEW SUBSCRIBER -
Scott M. Hernandez, KD5PCK, Metairie, LA

• FEEDBACK -

EDITOR’S COMMENT from issue #121: Bill, Do you live on “THE” Lombard St? If so, how do you put up with all those movie crews and traffic? :-)

Bill Stepka, KG6IRJ, San Francisco, CA COMMENTS:
Hi Dave,  “Is this a test to see if I actually will read this? :)  Yes it is THAT CROOKED BLOCK, and it is not too bad at all -- if you like people! It is actually a festive, beautiful and fun place to live!”  Bill, KG6IRJ

EDITOR’S REPLY:  No...I wasn’t “testing”...I once drove down Lombard St.
many years ago.  It’s quite a “trip”!  If I ever do so again, I’ll honk:  ••••  ••  as we pass by!

+ EC CORNER -
Reminder, Monthly EC reports (FSD-212) for August are due.  SV Section ARES leaders report online at: www.emcomm.org/svares/reports/main.htm

+ SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST -
The national date for the annual ARRL “SET” is October 5-6, 2002.  That slightly over one month from now.  If you haven’t already started the planning for your team’s involvement...you have time.  Remember: “The time to learn the game plan, is not 15 minutes before the kick off!”
-- Charlie Brown.

+ NET OPERATING PROCEDURES WHEN CONDITIONS ARE LESS THAN IDEAL - de K6SOJ

The summer season typically presents variable (and sometimes non-existent)
band conditions.  Hobby radio operating can always be placed on “hold”, but
emergency and preparedness nets must continue and be able to function on a
regular basis...even when conditions are...well...lousy!

Contingency planning is important.  While skill, courtesy, and discipline are always proper on nets; these qualities become imperative when band conditions deteriorate.  Effective EMCOMM operators must have a good knowledge of propagation characteristics of the amateur bands. 

The success of conducting a net, or passing traffic, depends upon the skill of the net members.  Example: In the middle of a state or regional net on 40M or 80M, the band suddenly “goes long”.  This happens when the refraction (“F layer”) point in the ionosphere suddenly becomes higher above the earth, or other changes occur as a result of solar activity.  Stations in the ZERO to 300 mile range may seem to have “disappeared”; but, often one (or more) of the net stations, located at  a greater distance,  is able to maintain at least a fair contact with the net control station. 

This phenomena happens fairly often, and a good net control operator will recognize the problem...AND know what to do. 

For example, one option is to ask the distant station to assume net control and call for check ins, continue the net, make the announcements, etc.  Stations that are closer to each other must rely upon the more distant station(s) for relay. 

Another option is to change frequency.  Usually to a lower frequency band. (E.g. - Move from 40M to 80M).  Members of regular nets often know the pre-designated alternate frequency, and after about 5 minutes of futile attempts should “QSY”.  Or, the NCS, may ask the distant (alternate) NCS to announce that the net is moving to _____ kHz.  It is always in order to ask the other stations if any of them need a “fill” on the announcement. 

A pre-determined alternate frequency is always a good idea for every net. When 80M “goes long” at night, and the QRM is unbearable, many times 160M is a good option.  SSB EMCOMM nets should stay above 1950 KHz to avoid interfering with CW, AM or stations working in a “DX window”. 

A true and effectively prepared EMCOMM net will include “hub stations”. HF-VHF relay stations that can pass traffic effective and efficiently.

=== NET SCHEDULES ===
(updated 02 SEP 02)

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 -
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.
M-F 1630Z 14292 Alaska-Pacific Emergency Preparedness Net
M   1830 3985 Washington State ARES and RACES (combined)
Tu  1800 3993.5 Oregon ARES
W   1830 3993 American Red Cross Washington State
W   1915 3987 147.26+ (123.0) 146.55 146.97 NWS Medford SKYWARN
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
Sa  0900 3985 Washington State Emergency Net (WSEN) ARES and RACES

LOCAL AND DISTRICT ARES NETS:

Su  1930 147.36+ 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 146.73- (85.4) Trinity County (CA)
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


+ 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
SEP   4   N7GK           KC7WEU
SEP  11   N2RSN          K6SOJ
SEP  18   N7IXS          N2RSN
SEP  25   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