“Life is tough. It’s tougher if you’re stupid.”
-- Big Sam
A REGIONAL Bulletin for ARES and other EMCOMM Stations and Public Safety
Officials in northern California, southern Oregon, northern Nevada, and
elsewhere. D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, SV Section EC, 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:
- FIRE SEASON ALERT
- SHORT CIRCUITS
- EC CORNER
- “NORTH! TO ALASKA”
- TRAINING and CONTINUING EDUCATION
- NWS-SKYWARN NEWS
-
=== FIRE
SEASON ALERT ===
+ 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 ===
+ WELCOME NEW SUBSCRIBER(S) -
- Jorge Rivera, WP4MZA, Luguillo, Puerto Rico. (wp4mza@coqui.net)
Jorge says: “Great looking web page. We here in Puerto Rico are trying
to
have SKYWARN up and running soon. We like to use packet and HF radio. If
you can help in any way please let know via e-mail. Our SKYWARN web address is: http://skywarn.isla.net/ - Thanks and
73, Jorge”
COMMENT: Thanks Jorge. With the potential for hurricanes and
other extreme weather on your tropical island paradise, an active SKYWARN
program will certainly be worthwhile. By now you should have received some
SKYWARN information including a copy of: “WX SPOTTER NETS - WHY?” from
5-1-2+ Bulletin No. 81. Please keep us posted on your progress!
- de K6SOJ
+ NEW WEDNESDAY NIGHT NET SCHEDULE (REMINDER) -
- ARRL Sacramento Valley Section Net tomorrow night (10 June) at 1930
Pacific time on or near 3987 kHz. Topics relating to the ARRL or amateur
radio in general. Stations in other sections and visitors are invited to
check in.
+ EC CORNER -
- TEHAMA COUNTY EC “TIES THE KNOT” -
On June 29, 2002 Kimberly Owen Sargent and Jacob Michael Hickok (KF6KDD) were
united in marriage in a ceremony in Red Bluff, California.
CONGRATULATIONS to Jake and Kim!
- EC REMINDER -
Monthly EC reports (FSD-212) for June are due. SV Section ARES
leaders may report online at: www.emcomm.org/svares/reports/main.htm.
Reports for June are in from: Butte/Glenn, Lassen, Placer, Siskiyou/Modoc, and
Trinity Counties.
+ “NORTH!
TO ALASKA” -
(Note: Linda Mullen, AD4BL, (Fairbanks) is the SEC and STM for the Alaska
Section. The item below was posted on the SEC “reflector” on June 11.
I thought is was interesting enough to reproduce in the 5-1-2+ Bulletin and
obtained her permission. What she says is “right on” and helps to put
things into perspective. - de K6SOJ)
“I have been reading with interest the ideas on training. I believe
that the greatest challenge we face is apathy and the idea that "I
have a radio, I can operate if there is a need". That doesn't work
anymore. Most of the State and local officials do not want to work
with a rag-tag bunch of amateur radio operators with the emphasis on
amateur.
Jack mentioned that his section is 8000 square miles in size and I
just couldn't pass up telling him that my Section is 570,374 square
miles, has a population of just over 600,000, with nearly half of it in the
Anchorage area. We are challenged by everything from volcanoes,
earthquakes, floods, blizzards, severe cold, fire, avalanches,
tsunamis, and then the man-made opportunities for disaster.
One sixth of the population are licensed amateurs, but for most of
them, it is for personal use. Away from the cities, it is the main
means of communication for many folks. Cell phones don't work and
telephone lines don't go to most of the state. We have 2
communications cables that connect the state to the lower 48 and when
they go out we are cut off from the "outside".
But I digress, I believe that training is not optional. The training
requirements do have to be tailored to the area but there are some
basic requirements that apply to all. Training requirements allow for
the operators to be able to step into a situation and go right to work
without the individuals having to be trained first, taking time from
folks having to deal with an emergency situation. The ARRLECC course
is a good start, nets are a good place to practice, NTS offers good
training. If you add too many requirements then you will start
loosing operators.
It is easier to develop the idea of emergency preparedness in areas
where you are called on to operate often, like the hurricane prone
areas. It is much harder to convince amateurs to go through the training
when you activate maybe once a year. In my section, it is not if but
when, and unfortunately when it comes, it is usually a major disaster
like an earthquake.
I have difficulty communicating with all my DEC's and EC's. We have no
state-wide section net. There is no RACES in the state. We do have
our Section ARES website where we have put all the documents like the
Section Plan, various local plans, training information so that
everyone can have access across the State.
We are growing and developing but it is going to take time, I just
hope that we have that time.” - Linda Mullen, AD4BL, SEC and STM,
Fairbanks, Alaska
---------------------------
+++ 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
JUL 3 K6SOJ
KC7WEU
JUL 10 N7GK N2RSN
JUL 17 N2RSI
KC7WEU
JUL 24 N7GK KB7EKF
JUL 31 TBA
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.
+ 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 and/or
146.55 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: ARRL/ARES NET on 3987 LSB (1982 LSB alternate)
ALL ARES and other EMCOMM stations are welcome.
+ ARES TRAFFIC NETS - A list of local and regional ACTIVE daily traffic nets
capable of handling formal traffic in ARRL RADIOGRAM format will be listed.
Managers of nets that meet this criteria are welcome to submit their
information for listing in this format:
- JEFFERSON NOON NET (JNN):
Check in between: 1200-1230 LCL. Traffic 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”.
- ALASKA ARES / TRAFFIC NETS -
The ALASKA ARES maintains a “listening watch” on 3535 and 7042 kHz (CW)
for NTS traffic within or into ALASKA. Listen for AL7N, Fairbanks; and/or
KL5T and KL7HF, Anchorage. Full details at:
www.qsl.net/aresalaska/news/ACWN.html
Also check out their main page at:
www.qsl.net/aresalaska/index.html
- ALASKA-PACIFIC EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS NET 14292 kHz at 1630Z weekdays.
- ADDITIONAL ARES and other EMCOMM NETS - list at:
www.emcomm.org/SVARES/nets/index.htm
+ BACK ISSUES OF THE 5-1-2+ BULLETIN ARE ARCHIVED AT:
www.emcomm.org/svares/archives
+ The “5-1-2+ 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 “5-1-2 REGIONAL ARES
BULLETIN” and/or the author or originator of the material. Send
corrections, updates, etc. to: k6soj@arrl.net
--- end of bulletin ---