The following is a report on the monthly Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net that was held on January 3rd, 2005 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater system. 21 Amateurs, including the Net Control Station, were on frequency. The following were the check-ins:
1. KB1EKN-Mark-Hingham, Metro Boston DEC
2. K1BTH-Blake-Hull, Field Ops DEC
3. N1FLO-John-Attleboro, Sturdy ARES Emergency Coordinator
4. N1BDA-Steve-Concord, Middlesex County ARES DEC
5. K1EJ-Darrel-Chelmsford, Northern Middlesex ARES EC
6. KB1KTR-Kevin-North Billerica, Billerica ARES EC
7. W3EVE-Steve-Wrentham, Norfolk County ARES DEC
8. KA8SCP-Terry-Westford, Region I RACES Radio Officer
9. N1BE-Bob-Stow, Stow ARES Emergency Coordinator
10. WC1PLV/N1IV-Jim-Plainville, Plainville RACES
11. K1ZIK-Ed-Wilmington, Air Force MARS/Wilmington RACES/EMA
12. N1AEW-Ernie-Westford, Region I RACES Radio Operator
13. N1HY-Richard-Bedford, Bedford RACES
14. N1CPE-Tom-Framingham, Mass. State RACES Radio Officer
15. W1PLW-Ron-Marlboro, ARES
16. KB1BXQ-Bob-Wellesley, RACES Radio Officer
17. W1JMC-John-Acton, RACES Radio Officer
18. AA1VU-Marian-Cumberland, RI
19. KB1JLI-Mark-Peabody (Mobile)
20. W1ZSA-Roger-Walpole, Walpole RACES/EMA Director
21. W1AEC/KD1CY-Rob-South Dartmouth, Eastern Mass. ARES SEC (NCS)
Comments/Net Discussion:
Comments and Net Discussion were kicked off by Rob-KD1CY as Net Control. Rob discussed an upcoming ARES DEC Staff Meeting where training and exercise plans for the year were being finalized. Rob is looking forward to a great year for ARES that builds on the momentum gained for 2004 with the DNC and First Night mobilizations for the Red Cross. Rob also mentioned wanting to keep continued active involvement in SKYWARN and that the SKYWARN training schedule is also being worked on as well.
Mark-KB1EKN announced that the MEMA Training Calendar is no longer being published and for further information on training going forward, go to the MEMA web site at http://www.mass.gov/mema
Mark also mentioned ICS classes being run by MEMA in January and that all ARES and SKYWARN members should be prepared to activate for Winter Weather on your local ARES/RACES/SKYWARN repeater.
John-N1FLO mentioned that the 147.195 Attleboro Repeater is being worked on and that the 447.975 machine is now the repeater that the Sturdy Memorial ARES team is utilizing until the 147.195 Repeater is functional. To contact the Sturdy team directly, a liaison needs to be sent to the 440 Repeater. Work is ongoing on the 147.195 repeater. John also mentioned that the monthly ARES Net is a good way for ARES members to practice net control skills and would like to see different people running the ARES nets going forward.
K1ZIK-Ed, who is the Wilmington EMA Director and Air Force MARS Liaison, will be making an announcement to all personnel on the MARS nets to check into this ARES Net and get more involved in ARES in general.
W1JMC-John and KB1KTR-Kevin both mentioned wanting to do more utilization of digital modes. The ARES staff will take that information under advisement and try to work that into a future exercise.
All Amateurs on the air were pleased with having the ARES Net on the same night as the RACES Net and were looking forward to checking into the net next month.
The net ran from 8:30-9:30 PM and special thanks were given to the MMRA Repeater System for use of the linked system.
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo 1