Month: September 2011

Bob Salow, WA1IDA writes:

The ham public service events are winding down for this year, so soon you can relax (except for the “real” disasters). Here we are at the Eleventh Annual BAA Half Marathon. For the past ten years this event received huge acclaim in the athlete’s world – largely because of the skills and experience of the organizers and support staff (we are definitely a part of that). The Half Marathon is run almost entirely in Boston (2% in Brookline), with more than 5000 local, national and international athletes already registered. Proceeds benefit the Jimmy Fund.

Our ham radio team has been asked again to support communications for this event doing our usual medical, water and administrative tasks. We definitely need your help. Time is short.

The Half Marathon will be held on SUNDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2011, with hams to report at 0630 or 0730 (depending on assignment). The course is along the length of the “Emerald Necklace” (as beautiful as you can get in Boston). As last year, the Start and Finish lines are now at White Stadium in Franklin Park, running to the Fenway and return.

The weather is likely to be cool and the 13.1-mile course should not be a strain on the athletes. Water and medical stations are spaced appropriately. We also have assignments at several hazardous or confusing points on the course. Our duties on the course will be to support these locations, but we also serve as observers of the runners, spectators and local residents (some of their streets are to be closed). Some of the stations serve both outbound and inbound runners. At White Stadium, we have a number of fixed and roving medical assignments.

The entire event should be over before 1130, and all roads will be progressively opened.

Because the entire course is compact, very few repeaters need be used. Our present plan is to use both 2-meters and 70-cm, both bands with CTCSS.

WE NEED YOU TO VOLUNTEER. As in the past, we are committed to reliable, professional performance. Please sign up quickly. Our duties at this event are straight forward and are well suited for hams who have little experience at public service. Each ham must have his or her own radio and accessories – no sharing of equipment can be permitted during the event. Each ham must be self sufficient for the entire period, as we cannot assure partnered assignments.

NOTE: Our past success has been appreciated, resulting in requests for added coverage. More hams are needed – including those new to public service events. Please spread the word in your local club and to your on-the-air friends! Anyone interested should contact me directly ASAP. We also need you to understand that although we must call for more hams now, final staffing needs may not match the number of ham volunteers. Therefore, a very small possibility exists that we still may not be able to give everyone an assignment.

As the event date gets closer, those who volunteer will receive an email with the assignment, a detailed description of the assignment site and other information.

We also need to know if you have a dual band radio – 2-meters with CTCSS and if you have the 70-cm band. If you have any questions about participation, do not hesitate to contact me.

When you reply, please include the following information:

• Your full name
• Postal mailing address
• Phone number(s) – home and cell
• Your best email address for last minute information
• Can you open an MS Word email attachment?
• Are you available to drive, and, if assigned on the course (not assured), would you drive there directly?
• Your shirt size

73,

Bob Salow, WA1IDA
wa1ida@arrl.net
508.650.9440

Don Burke KB1LXH writes on Facebook:

We are just 16 days from the 54th Jamboree on the Air. This year’s event will take place on October 15th.

I will be putting together a group of hams from the Taunton Area Communications Group and our friends from the Whitman ARC.

We will operate from Camp Norse in Kingston, MA from 8am to 4pm Saturday using the call sign KC1TAC. We will again be using local 2M repeaters and Scout HF frequencies.

Last year the 53rd JOTA Group put 248 Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Girls Scouts on air and we hope to continue with that success. These young Scouts will be the life blood of our hobby in the coming years and I need your help to make it as exciting as we can for them.

What do we need this year? Operators at camp, the use of local repeaters, and of course contacts!

First, if you have helped out in the past or would like to help out this year, please contact me and I will add your name to the 54th JOTA Group list.

I will give you all the information needed to for a day.

Second, are you a trustee of a local repeater? Or do you know someone who is? Please ask them if we may list their repeater as a place to make contacts during the JOTA events on Saturday October 15th. Whitman ARC has already said yes. I will complete a list and pass it along as the date nears. We have had a great response from our friends in the past and because of you we have been able to get every Scout on the air. Some 800 Boys and Girls in just 4 years!

Also if your repeater has Echolink or IRLP, on the day of JOTA will you add “JOTA” to your Stations name description?

3rd, Are you be hosting a JOTA event with your Radio Club, Scout Pack/Den or Troop/Crew? I’d like to add your groups to our list of Scout contacts.

Maybe you don’t have a Scout connection and want to help from your QTH? We still want to hear from you! Please mark your calendar for the October 15th

Feel Free to pass this request on to your club members and Ham Radio friends. The bigger the list the better the time!

With your help and some good weather we will have another Great JOTA event in Eastern Massachusetts. Thank you for your assistance, we’ll look for you on the air.

Dean Burgess, KB1PGH writes:

The Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association is sponsoring a Tech in a day course for those wishing to study for and take the exam on the FCC Technician Class Amateur Radio License.

This all-day course will be held on Saturday, October 29 starting at 8 AM at the Lanesville Community Center, 8 Vulcan Street, Gloucester. The study course will last all day and the Technician class Amateur Radio license test will be administered a 4 PM. The cost of the course will be $20.00 for the testing fee and snacks. Participants will provide their own lunch.

Space is limited so please sign up by e-mailing CAARA club President and course leader Stan Stone, W4HIX at techinaday@caara.net.

Hello to all..

Over the last few weeks starting with Hurricane Irene, there appears to have been some operational changes in what the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, MEMA, has typically done during incidents requiring emergency management response and other situations. During Hurricane Irene, it was determined by MEMA that they would only activate their State Emergency Operations Center in Framingham, Massachusetts and the Region 3 office in Agawam, Massachusetts both from a MEMA operational standpoint and the RACES component of MEMA operations. The Region 1 and Region 2 offices were not activated. This was not only from an Amateur Radio perspective but from an operational MEMA perspective as well.

On Thursday of last week (9/8/11), N1CPE-Tom Kinahan, Massachusetts State RACES Radio Officer tendered his resignation of his position to MEMA Framingham HQ. Tom intends to stay active in Ham Radio and emergency communications as his prior role was very important to him for a very long time to support MEMA and RACES but felt it was time to move in a different direction. Tom has done a tremendous job as Massachusetts State RACES Radio Officer and we look forward to working with Tom in a different capacity within emergency communications.

On Monday Evening (9/12/11), the statewide RACES Nets were cancelled at approximately 630 PM. There was no real reason given other than the nets would be cancelled for this month and would reconvene in October.

As Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator, after cancelleation of the RACES Net, contact was made with KA8SCP-Terry Stader, MEMA Region 1 RACES Communications Officer and N1YLQ-Mike Leger, MEMA Region 2 RACES Radio Officer and offered ARES full support to them in whatever they required. They were receptive to our support and we will work closely with them during this time of uncertainty in MEMA/RACES operations. We offer the same support to all local cities and town RACES/EMA/EOC programs if they request it.

From an Eastern Massachusetts ARES point of view, our support of MEMA and RACES both at the local and regional/state level has been one where they have requested our assistance and we have provided it based on their needs and this just like many other agencies we deal with today. MEMA and RACES at the local and/regional state level are one of a number of clients that we provide support for when requested. Other agencies include:

-National Weather Service Taunton Massachusetts (SKYWARN)
-American Red Cross (As seen in Hurricane Irene)
-Salvation Army
-FEMA Region 1 Federal Response Center (As seen in Hurricane Irene)
-Numerous hospitals (South Shore Hospital, South Coast Hospital chain, Sturdy Memorial Hospital, Gloucester Hospital, Bayside Hospital, Cape Cod Hospital, Nantucket Hospital, Beverly Hospital, among others)

From a MEMA and RACES point of view, it appears the agency is going through some administrative and organizational review at this time. This could be driven by any number of factors including the economic concerns, budget cuts and other things that we may not necessarily see from outside of the agency. While it is easy to presume the worst and assume that MEMA no longer needs RACES or Amateur Radio, that is only one of several potential outcomes here. In addition, even if that outcome occurs, we have multiple agencies that we are supporting as highlighted above and local EOCs will need to be interoperable with the above agencies. Amateur Radio can support these needs to provide situational awareness and disaster intelligence information and to be there when all else fails which has been our 2 most critical missions for many years now. There is also the possibility that MEMA is just looking for a change in how Amateur Radio interfaces with their agency and they need time to sort out those changes.

What we ask from all of you at this time is your patience and support. The leaders within RACES and ARES will work to find out the operational changes at MEMA when they are ready to discuss it and what impacts that they will have on Amateur Radio operations with their agency going forward. It is noted that local EMA Directors and other Public Safety officials are also noting these different operational changes and have similar concerns as we do. It is not just RACES and Amateur Radio being impacted by these operational changes. We (meaning the ARES/RACES leadership) will keep folks informed as we learn of new information and give guidance prior to the October Statewide RACES Nets and the monthly Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net that immediately follows the RACES Nets.

For now, we ask Amateurs involved in ARES/RACES/SKYWARN/MARS and any other form of EMCOMM to continue to do what they’ve always done. As I’ve told several new recruits for ARES in the past few weeks, the following items are very helpful in getting more involved with emergency communications:

-Any Public Service Events (even though these events are not typically ARES events) that you may participate in. Quite often, our ARES/RACES/SKYWARN/MARS folks are those that help in Public service.
-Participation in the monthly ARES Nets (essentially checking in when possible on the ARES Nets monthly)
-Participation in the monthly RACES Nets for RACES personnel
-Answering calls for availability for potential ops when we place ARES on stand-by for ARES people.
-Participation in EMCOMM workshops when we offer them (typically a couple times per year and scattered about the section).
-Participation in SKYWARN Training when offered.
-Participation in online FEMA ICS classes and other FEMA online training class offerings.
-Participation in SKYWARN Nets when active for your local area.
-Updating your training record in the ARES Database for ARES members in the section

We appreciate everyone’s support during Hurricane Irene and in the routine nets, drills and public service events. I would like to note that the ARRL has requested a write-up on Hurricane Irene for the ARES E-Letter to be posted next week and its great to be considered for the next ARES E-Letter to help promote the great work that was done during Hurricane Irene to the national Amateur Radio community. Thanks to all for their efforts and we look forward to your continued support!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator       
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org

Hello to all..

Many of us recall the horrific events of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks like it were yesterday and the impact that it had on all of us. The shock and horror of the incident and the people that were killed. The recovery efforts of first responders during the days, weeks and months after the incident. The support Amateur Radio Operators provided for several weeks after the attack through ARESMAT (ARES Mutual Aid Teams) to New York City and other attack sites and how it altered the course of the country and the world.

As we approach the 10th anniversary of these attacks on Sunday September 11th 2011, I’m sure many of us just like other American citizens will recognize this in some way, perhaps attending a 9/11 memorial events in their local area or simply watching the memorial events on television. Many of us have heard of the ‘specific, credible but unconfirmed’ threat of an attack or attacks on the country on Sunday.

The Department of Homeland Security has issued a couple of press releases regarding 9/11. See the links below for details:

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/20110909-napolitano-urging-public-vigilance.shtm

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/20110908-statement-press-secretary-matt-chandler.shtm

As we commeorate this anniversary, we remind Amateur Radio Operators in their areas to maintain the same vigilance as other citizens. We also advise that people take a look at their go kits and battery operated equipment and make sure it is ready just in case its required in the event, as unlikely as it may be, that an attack on the homeland occurs. These are the same preparedness steps we take for severe weather, Hurricane Irene, and other situations but its worth reiterating again as we approach the 10th anniversary of September 11th. If an incident occurs, monitoring of local ARES/SKYWARN and RACES repeaters should occur and nets would be called up as required to check in people that are monitoring and provide information on the incident and any requests from agencies that could occur in that scenario.

We appreciate everyone’s vigilance and we hope everyone commemorates and remembers what occurred 10 years ago on September 11th and that it will be a time of rememberance for all of us and no incidents occur. Thanks to all for their support!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org