Emergency Communications

Emergency communications and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®)

Emergency Communications / Operating / Public Service

Cape Cod ARES Ice Show Exercise on 1/25/20 Successful – Several Off Cape Stations Also Participated

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Frank-O’laughlin-WQ1O, Cape Cod ARES District Emergency Coordinator writes:

Cape Cod and Islands ARES conducted its annual winter field exercise on Saturday Jan 25th. We had 3 field teams, several EOCs, Falmouth Hospital, and many other stations We used 2m VHF, 6m, UHF, and 40/75m HF. It was a good outing with several new members participating.

Rob Macedo-KD1CY, Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator, writes:

This was a great exercise executed by Cape Cod ARES yesterday, Saturday 1/25/20. A number of off Cape stations also participated. Some reports on the exercise have also been received and a sampling is listed below:

K1WCC-Henry Brown – Cape Cod ARES Assistant DEC Exercise Report

Marlborough EMA and ARES Drill Report from KV1J-Eric Williams

KD1CY-Rob Macedo ARES SEC Home Station Report

WQ1O-Frank also posted a Facebook post of the Cape Cod ARES exercise in action with pictures and that can be seen here:

Cape Cod ARES 1/25/2020 Exercise Facebook Post

Many thanks to those in Cape Cod and Eastern Massachusetts ARES who made this exercise a success!

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
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box

Emergency Communications / Public Information / Public Service

ARES/SKYWARN Exhibit at 19th Weatherfest-AMS Annual Meeting

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Stu Solomon, W1SHS, writes:

On Sunday, January 12, 2020, ARES/SKYWARN for Eastern Massachusetts and WX1BOX of the National Weather Service Boston/Norton office were represented at the 19th annual Weatherfest component of the 100th annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society (AMS).  The Boston Weatherfest event was free to the public and very well attended.

The ARES/SKYWARN group were in good company with approximately 50 other exhibitors including NASA, The Blue Hill Observatory, The Mt. Washington Observatory, NOAA, The National Weather Service, New England Sci-Tech, local news stations, multiple universities as well as industry leaders in climate and environmental research and reporting.

Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY; District Emergency Coordinator Jim Palmer, KB1KQW; Matt Goldstein; and Assistant Section Manager Stu Solomon, W1SHS, manned the ARES/SKYWARN booth and spent the day speaking with weather enthusiasts young and old.  Not only were they able to promote the importance of the SKYWARN program and the part it plays in assisting the weather service and emergency services with realtime, on the ground weather and damage reports, but also the important role Amateur Radio and its dedicated volunteer operators also play.  On display in the SKYWARN booth were computers with real time displays of current incident reports (it was a day of high winds in the Boston area) as well as videos of past storms and the damage resulting from them. Good questions were asked by the many people that stopped by with numerous folks signing up to receive SKYWARN emails as well as information on upcoming SKYWARN training.  

Emergency Communications

Cape Cod & Islands ARES Operation “Ice Show” Winter Exercise, January 25, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Cape Cod ARES logoFrank O’Laughlin, WQ1O, writes:

The Cape Cod and Islands District Amateur Radio Emergency Service will conduct a winter operations exercise on Saturday, January 25, 2020, to test its capability in establishing communications with stations within its district and outside it under emergency conditions.

The operational exercise, dubbed “Ice Show” will test the ability of several field stations to communicate. This will also be a drill to test some of our hospital stations, primary stations, EOCs, shelters and other ARES member home stations.

Version 1.2 of the exercise scenario and guidelines are available online. 

Setup will begin at 8:30 AM, with a start time of 10:00 AM lasting until 12 Noon.

Emergency Communications / Operating / Public Service

Eastern MA Hospital Net, January 4, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

John Barbuto, KS1Q, writes:

Net Control for the January 4, 2020 Eastern MA Hospital Net will be W1SSH, the South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Group.

The net will commence at the usual time of 10:00 AM using the following repeaters / frequencies in the order listed:

1. Plymouth 146.685 tone 131.8
2. W. Bridgewater 146.775 dcs 244 
3. Boston 145.230 tone encode 88.5 tone decode 100.0
4. Simplex 147.42 Mhz

The Net will then return to the Plymouth Repeater for final comments and Net closing. 

NET Protocol: Please wait for Net Control to ask for Check-ins. When asked to check in please use the standard net check-in procedure which is:  Here is.., un-key, wait 3 seconds to check for doubling, then give your or your facilities call sign, your first name, and your facility’s name.

We extend an invitation to any health care facility or EOC of any city or town that is served by one of the participating hospitals to join the Net. We also extend an invitation to any RACES or ARES member to check in during the NET.

We are always looking for groups or organizations to try their hand at Net Control duties. If you are interested in joining the group please let us know. We can be reached by sending an email to ssharg@outlook.com. The goal is to rotate Net Control practice and the experience among as many individuals and groups as possible.

We thank the repeater trustees for their generosity in allowing us to conduct the monthly nets and the use of their systems in an actual event. The following list of repeaters is available for our use. Only a few systems are used each month with the selection of those used made by Net Control for that month.  More systems are being added to the list on a regular basis.

Repeaters

Attleboro 147.195 tone 127.3 (Sturdy Memorial Hospital)
Belmont 145.430 tone 146.2
Boston 145.230 tone encode 88.5 tone decode 100.0
Bridgewater 147.180 tone 67.0
Danvers 145.47 tone 136.5
Dartmouth 147.000 tone 67.0  
Fall River 146.805. tone 67.0
Falmouth 147.375 tone 110.9  
Mansfield EMA 446.925 tone 100.0
Mansfield 147.015 tone 67.0
Marshfield 145.390 tone 67.0      
Norwood 147.210 tone 100.00
Plymouth 146.685 tone 131.8
Salem 146.88 tone 118.8        
Sharon 146.865 tone 103.5    
Weymouth 147.345 tone 110.9 (South Shore Hospital)
W. Bridgewater 146.775 dcs 244 
Wrentham 147.09 tone 146.2 

We look forward to hearing from you all on the Net.

Respectfully,

 John Barbuto – KS1Q

Emergency Communications / NTS / Public Service

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Stand-By – Sunday December 29th, 2019 2300 Local Until Further Notice for Late December 2019 Ice Storm Potential

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

*** EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARES PLACED ON STAND-BY FOR ALL AREAS EFFECTIVE 2300 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29 UNTIL CANCELED DUE TO POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM FORECAST ICE STORM IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN MA ***
*** ICE STORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN WORCESTER / NORTHEERN MIDDLESEX IN CENTRAL MA AS WELL AS WESTERN FRANKLIN/HAMPSHIRE/HAMPDEN COUNTIES AND BERKSHIRE COUNTY IN WESTERN MA UNTIL 7AM TUESDAY ***
*** ICE ACCRETION OF AT LEAST ½ INCH IS EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA. SOME AREAS COULD APPROACH ¾ INCH OF ICE ACCRETION ***
*** WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF WESTERN/CENTRAL/NORTHEAST MA UNTIL 7AM FOR UP TO ONE INCH OF SNOW AND A GLAZE TO 0.4” OF ICE ACCRETION ***
*** ICE ACCRETION OF ½ INCH OR GREATER HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT TREE AND WIRE DAMAGE AND WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES LASTING FOR 24 HOURS OR MORE. ICE ACCRETION OF ¼ TO ½ INCH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE ISOLATED INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES. ***
*** SKYWARN OPS AT NWS-NORTON TO COMMENCE AROUND 0530 MONDAY ***

A significant winter storm is taking shape across the northeast with the potential to cause ice accretion greater than ½ inch across portions of the Ice Storm warning area, particularly in higher elevations where there is the highest risk. This would create the potential of significant and possibly prolonged power outages to those areas with the highest accretion. Areas that are under the Winter Weather Advisory have the potential to see anywhere from a glaze to 0.4” of ice accretion which can result in isolated power outages and tree damage. An inch of snow or sleet is also possible in these areas. Please refer to the SKYWARN storm coordination message below for further information on the storm.

SKYWARN activation will take place starting at 0530 Monday to monitor for damage and ice accretion reports. SKYWARN will be running various nets across our section on the assigned SKYWARN repeaters, and the list of SKYWARN repeaters can be found at: http://wx1box.org/southern-new-england-skywarn-frequency-list/

The latest SKYWARN coordination message for this storm (as of 2200, December 29) is at: http://wx1box.org/2019/12/30/storm-coordination-message-4-sunday-evening-12-29-19-through-tuesday-afternoon-12-31-19-wintry-mix-ice-storm-potential/

For the latest bulletins please visit http://wx1box.org/

Due to the potential of prolonged power outages and the possibility of communications support needed for isolated areas, Eastern MA ARES has been placed on stand-by effective 2300 on Sunday and lasting until cancelled. Please notify ARES leadership of availability to deploy for any post storm support. All amateurs during the storm are asked to shelter in place and monitor their local SKYWARN repeaters to help relay damage; infrastructure issues; ice accretion; change over between freezing rain/sleet/snow; and any other pertinent information. ARES members are advised to continue to maintain readiness at home and check your emergency power and antenna situation.

In advance of the storm, please advise your local EC/DEC/ADEC (SEC/DEC listed below) of your availability to support a potential deployment anytime over the next 48 hours. We are creating a list of availability for ARESMAT (ARES Mutual Aid Team) deployment if needed for various local EOC’s, Red Cross, Salvation Army, NWS Storm Survey Teams, and hospitals as required. Keep your situational awareness level high for any updates from ARES leadership by checking your email for updates and our ARES web site at http://ema.arrl.org/ares and monitoring local SKYWARN/ARES/RACES frequencies for any updates on this developing situation.

When sending your availability, please send the following: Name, Call-sign, License Class, Capability (HF / VHF / UHF), Availability, and any other special notes we should be aware of. Also, please let us know if you can do an ARESMAT to the Western Massachusetts sections as most of the impacts will be experienced in Central and Western MA for this anticipated ice storm. We ask that as you contact your DEC, please send a copy of the message to blizzard@nsradio.org where multiple members of the EMA ARES Leadership will be able to access your availability.
What is ARES Stand-By mode?

ARES stand-by mode is to alert Amateurs within ARES that a mobilization is possible on a wide-scale and that some localized mobilizations are or could be taking place in isolated areas. It means to take a look at your Go-Kit and have batteries and equipment ready to go and charged up and take care of any requirements at home in case a mobilization is required and you can participate. Do NOT self-deploy. Wait for guidance from leadership for any deployment. It is an honor to be ready even if you don’t deploy for the event. Hopefully, this is just another exercise of our preparedness and capabilities. If not, the ARES leadership looks forward to working with you if any wide scale mobilization is required after the impact of this major storm to the region is fully understood.

Thanks for your continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES, as well as Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to you all!

Respectfully Submitted,
Jim Palmer (KB1KQW)
North Shore ARES District Emergency Coordinator

SEC/ASEC:
SEC – KD1CY – rmacedo@rcn.com
ASEC – N1YLQ – mpleger@comcast.net

DECs:
Essex County – KB1KQW – kb1kqw@nsradio.org
Middlesex County – KB1KQW – kb1kqw@nsradio.org
Metro-Boston – KB1KQW – kb1kqw@nsradio.org
Metro-Boston – K1BTH – bthaskell@gmail.com
Norfolk County – W3EVE – w3eve@arrl.net
Bristol County – N1YLQ – mpleger@comcast.net
Plymouth County – N1YLQ – mpleger@comcast.net
Cape & Islands – WQ1O – wq1o@comcast.com

Emergency Communications

Amateur Radio Antennas To Be Installed at New School on Cape Cod

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Cape Cod ARES logoDistrict Emergency Coordinator Frank O’Laughlin, WQ1O, writes on Facebook:

“Andrew Platt from Barnstable County and I met with the Superintendent of the [Cape Cod Regional Technical High School]. Ralph Swenson from the Barnstable County Sheriff’s office joined us to go over the new antenna installations for the new school under construction. The new school will [serve as] the new Regional shelter for the area. Public safety antennas and two new ARES dual band vertical antennas will likely be installed. My special thanks to Ralph and the Sheriff’s Office for their tireless efforts in supporting the emergency communications mission.”

School construction should be completed in June, 2020.

Emergency Communications / Operating / Public Service

Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net – Saturday 12/7/19 at 1000 AM ET

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Good Morning Everyone,

We hope you all had a pleasant Thanksgiving, are ready for the winter weather and holiday shopping.

Net Control for the December 7th Net will be the South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group. The Net will commence at 10am utilizing the following repeaters in the order listed followed by the simplex frequency test on 147.42. After the simplex test we will return to the Plymouth Repeater for comments, announcements, and Net closing.

Plymouth 146.685 tone 131.8
Marshfield 145.390 tone 67.0
Boston 145.230 tone encode 88.5 tone decode 100.0
W. Bridgewater 146.775 dcs 244
Simplex 147.42 no tone

Regards,

John O’
K1JRO

South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group – W1SSH
55 Fogg Road, Box 42
South Weymouth, MA 02190

Clubs / Emergency Communications

WQ1O: “Emergency Go-Kits” at New England Sci-Tech ARS, December 17, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Frank O’Laughlin, WQ1O, will be the guest speaker at the Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society’s weekly meeting, Tuesday, December 17 at 7 PM.

According to the ARRL EMA section website, “Frank is the [District Emergency Coordinator] for the Cape Cod and the Islands area. This large and challenging area consists of Cape Cod, the island of Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket Island. Frank heads the CCARES organization and is the Hyannis Red Cross Communications Officer. Frank is an experienced veteran of field operations and NTS procedures. He frequently presents material about field operations at the ARES Workshops, including the ‘go-kit’ presentation.”

 

Emergency Communications / Public Information / Public Service

WX1BOX QRV for SKYWARN Recognition Day, December 7, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

SKYWARN Recognition Day, Dec. 2017 at WX1BOX

The National Weather Service in Boston/Norton Amateur Radio Station, WX1BOX, will once again be active for SKYWARN Recognition Day 2019. In addition, for the thirteenth straight year, the National Weather Service Gray, Maine Office will also be active under call-sign, WX1GYX. The Boston Amateur Radio Club will also be active as they have been over the past several years at the Blue Hill Observatory under call-sign WX1BHO from 9 AM-3 PM Saturday December 7th, 2019.

This will be the 20th year of SKYWARN Recognition Day and its anticipated that 80-100 NWS Forecast Offices will be participating once again this year. A Web link to information on SKYWARN Recognition Day can be seen at the following link:

http://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition

WX1BOX will be monitoring the *NEW-ENG3* conference node 9123/IRLP 9123 system throughout the SRD event from 7 PM-12 AM Friday Evening 12/6/19 and from 7 AM-7 PM Saturday 12/7/19. Our HF station will be active on the various HF bands during the same time period. What bands/modes we operate on will be dependent on propagation and operator availability. We will attempt to announce the different HF frequencies will be on via our Facebook and Twitter feeds as well as on the DX Spotter/cluster system dxsummit.fi for people that wish to contact us on HF.

WX1BOX will also be on DMR. Timeframes and location on DMR will be determined and updated in the next update.

[Full story]
Emergency Communications

SKYWARN Activations Receive ARES Support

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

ARES supported several SKYWARN activations over the last six weeks, reports Section Emergency Coordinator and ARES SKYWARN  Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY.

“The  biggest, a coastal storm event on October 16-17, 2019, resulted in widespread pockets of trees and wires down across the section. Hurricane force wind gusts were reported by Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotters along portions of the south coastal Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands and even the North Shore of Massachusetts,” Rob writes.

Hundreds of damage photos were received by Amateur Radio operators and SKYWARN spotters. At the height of the storm, approximately 250,000 were without power in Massachusetts.

Emergency Communications

Burlington Emergency Communications Meeting, October 30, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Amateurs and public safety officials met in Burlington on October 30, 2019 to discuss emergency communications and preparedness for the Town, according to Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY. “We had a successful meeting and presentation [attended by] a lieutenant from the Burlington Police Department, the Fire Chief/Director of Emergency Management, and the Director of Burlington’s Medical Reserve Corps along with several  hams,” said Macedo.  “The amateurs will work with the town officials to help establish strong contact with the local police, fire, and the Burlington Emergency Management Agency to assist with community events, hold exercises, and reach out to other amateurs in the community at the appropriate time.”
 
“It was a well informed and very educational meeting on emergency communication and preparedness,” remarked Burlington resident and Quannapowitt Radio Association president Don Melanson, W1DM.  “I believed it opened everyone’s eyes on just what Amateur Radio operators’ skills are. I have suggested using hams for some of the local events to start, like the town parades, car shows and other events for exposure and training.”
 
QRA member and Middleton resident Ron Draper WA1QZK, also spoke to the group about RACES, FEMA, and ARES involvement during emergencies.
 
Currently Burlington is looking for residents in the town to volunteer for community service for hazardous waste day, blood drives, flu clinics, and other events. The Town will kick off a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)  beginning in early 2020, according to the police department’s spokesperson. Melanson hopes a large number of hams will become involved in the CERT effort.
 
 
Clubs / Emergency Communications

KA8SCP: “Emergency Communications” at Billerica ARS, December 4, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Andy Wallace, KA1GTT, writes on w1hh.org:

I am very happy to announce [the next December 4, 2019 Billerica Amateur Radio Society] meeting will showcase Terry Stader, KA8SCP, who will talk about Emergency Communications in Eastern Massachusetts. Many of you follow this topic and even volunteer for emergency comm drills. Past presentations about EmComm have been great attractions and I hope the turnout for Terry’s talk will gather a crowd.

Terry is the MEMA Region 1 RACES Officer, as well as an EMA ARES District Emergency Coordinator for Region 1 RACES. Does that sound like alphabet soup to you? Then come and learn what each organization does!

[Full story]
Emergency Communications / Public Service

MARS Thanks Amateur Radio Operators for their support of MARS Exercise 19-4

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Tom Kinahan-N1CPE writes:

Thank you to all of the Amateur radio operators who supported and participated in Exercise 19-4. Below is a message from ARMY MARS headquarters that I have been asked to relay:

P 181700Z NOV 2019
FM NETC G3-5 CUOPS HQ ARMY MARS FHU AZ
TO UHXWWW/ALL MARS STATIONS
BT

UNCLAS
EXER/COMEX 19-4//

MSGID/GENADMIN/NETC G3-5 CUOPS HQ ARMY MARS FHU AZ/416//
SUBJ/OPERATIONS UPDATE – ENDEX//
POC/DAVID MCGINNIS/CTR/NETC G3-5 CUOPS HF-MARS/FT HUACHUCA, AZ/-//

GENTEXT/REMARKS/Effective 18 NOV 2359Z, COMEX 19-4 is concluded. Complete all pending actions,
recall all personnel and recover/rehab equipment. MARS members, please remind each other to
complete the After Action Survey at www.dodmars.org and pass this message along to your partners
in the Amateur Radio Service (ARS) along with our thanks for their support.

The -19 Series of exercises intentionally provided opportunities for MARS leaders and members
to adapt to new situations with increasing complexity and unknown variables. You were presented
with a variety of new tasks, information products, and coordination requirements. Anticipating
conditions in a real incident, you were not read-in-to new requirements prior to the exercise.
With no time to train up we required you to adapt existing Tactics, Techniques and Procedures.
We continue to see more resilience when you are faced with uncertainty. Expect more challenges
from us in 2020.

Looking into 2020, we ask all MARS members and ARS operators to continue working on long term
emergency power capabilities, long distance HF radio capabilities, and building one-on-one
relationships in your community. Continue to shift normal operations from day-time to night
time hours. Amateurs and MARS members operating in the ARS are encouraged to continue practicing
using the MIL-188-110 Serial PSK mode on the 60 Meters channels where it is permitted. This mode
is important because it provides a means of digital interoperability with government stations
that are not able to use ARS digital modes.

Thank you for all your good work in COMEX 19-4, and enjoy a well deserved rest over the holiday season.//

BT
#0417

Emergency Communications

Department of Defense Broadcast on 60 Meters, November 16, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Tom Kinahan, N1CPE, writes on the Wellesley ARS mailing list:

Just a reminder that tonight at 10 PM EST, there will be a DoD broadcast on 60 meters channel 1, 5330.5 khz upper sideband. This broadcast from two Department of Defense stations on the east and west coasts are a test and demonstration of DoD to amateur interoperability. For the past two weeks, MARS stations operating with their DoD callsigns have been talking to Amateur stations getting situation awareness type reports using 60 meters.

At 10 PM, the message will likely be in voice and digital modes. The message will probably request listeners to report how they heard the two broadcast stations.

Emergency Communications / Operating / Public Service

Cape Cod ARES Exercise 65 – “Black Autumn” A Success With Various ARES Groups in Eastern Mass Participating

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

On Saturday November 9th, the Cape and Islands ARES district held its Exercise #65 Operation “Black Autumn”. This was an emergency communications exercise based on a scenario of a cascading power blackout encompassing all of the northeast and mid-Atlantic states. The exercise would be for EOCs and home stations using VHF/UHF, HF, and digital modes.

The exercise ran from 10am-noon. In the Cape and Islands district, the following EOCs were active. The County Multi Agency Coordination Center (MACC), Falmouth EOC, Harwich EOC, Dukes County EOC (Martha’s Vineyard), Joint Base Cape Cod EOC, Falmouth Hospital EOC. This included several home stations on Cape and Nantucket, including several that were on HF using 75m, 60m, and 40m. The VHF/UHF part of the operation was conducted on simplex with no repeaters being used. Digital NBEMS was successfully conducted on VHF in the Cape area along with the new PAC ARES digital system.

Many EOCs off Cape in MA also participated on HF, VHF or both. These included the Marlboro and Stow EOC and several home stations. South Shore Hospital, as well as, The National Weather Service station were also on the air. Statewide HF net control was conducted by several amateur operators using 75m and an experimental attempt at 60M.

Results were acceptable overall. HF propagation was reasonable on 75m, but a bit sporadic at times, with capabilities that extended well into the morning as we often see at times of solar minimum. The 60m experiment seemed to work effectively and will be attempted again in future operations. VHF simplex worked out well in most areas and emphasized the importance of being able to communicate without the help of repeaters.

Participation was excellent including the off Cape areas. Our thanks to all the stations that participated. They are too numerous to list everyone, but just a few of the participating stations include:

Ted Robinson K1QAR HF operations
Marc Stern WA1R HF operations
Bob Glorioso W1IS Stowe area
John O’Neil K1JRO South Shore Hospital
Charlie Bresnahan K1CB Falmouth Hospital
SEC Rob Macedo and W1SHS-Stu Solomon WX1BOX NWS station
N1EM Marlboro Eric Williams KV1J
Barry Hutchinson KB1TLR and Don Arthur K1DCA Cape area HF
Mike Wodynski, K2LEK Nantucket HF
Chuck Cotnoir KB1IHU Dukes County EMA Martha’s Vineyard
Frank O’Laughlin WQ1O Barnstable County Multi Agency Coordination Center (MACC)

Our thanks to everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules to help in the exercise.
The Cape and Islands ARES district will be having its Winter ARES filed exercise in late January or early February.

Respectfully submitted,

Frank O’Laughlin WQ1O
Cape Cod and Islands ARES DEC

Emergency Communications

Latest MARS Exercise Instructions

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Tom Kinahan, N1CPE, writes:
 
At this time, we are being asked to reach out to amateurs and capture the following information. There may be MARS operators gathering this sort of information using their amateur callsigns on amateur frequencies, or on 60 meters using their MARS callsigns looking for Amateurs station reports.
  • Status of 50 kW AM broadcast stations: This is for all of the stations in this category in New England. Are they on the air? Need county and city of reporting station.
  • Ping Time to 8.8.8.8. Bring up a command prompt and ping that IP address. The result is an average ping time. Report that, ISP name, town.
  • Grid Status: Report power voltage, frequency, power company name, city and county
  • Dial tone: Provider name, Local, Long Distance, type (landline, VOIP) city and county
  • NOAA Weather broadcasts on about 162 MHz: Report which frequencies that you can hear reports on, City and county you are located in.
  • Infrastructure reports: Any known failures of infrastructure: Water, power communications, broadcast, hospital, sewage etc, City and County.

The exercise culminates next Saturday night with a 60 meter broadcast.

The exercise takes a hiatus on Monday November 11, 2019, in honor of Veterans Day, and resumes on Tuesday.

 

-from wma.arrl.org

Emergency Communications

Amateurs to Contact Military Station on 60 Meters During Simulated Emergency Test, November 3, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Tom Kinahan, N1CPE, writes:

As you may know, WMA section is conducting an ARRL Simulated Emergency Test on Sunday [November 3, 2019]. As a connection to that, I am getting a government station on 60 meters to communicate with amateur stations on channel 1 at 9 AM tomorrow.

——

Amateurs Contact Military Stations on 60 Meters

A government station call up amateur stations on 60-meter channel 1 (Dial 5.3305 MHz) at 9am Sunday (11/3/19) for the purpose of getting situational awareness reports. Amateurs will be asked for any known failures of infrastructure in their county such as water, power, telecommunications, sewer, medical, and also their zip code. If they don’t know of any failures, then they report no failures. Reports of no failures are just as important as failures.

This call up will be shortly after the Western Mass Emergency Net on 3.944 at 8:30 AM.

There will be a 60-meter broadcast on Nov 17 at 0301Z. (That is Saturday night in two weeks.)

The broadcast will be voice and digital. The Digital mode is M110A, and the software is available on the usarmymars.org website under software.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1pYDj7kQbm-QAyY4RPtx0dOXKohjaEjq9

under x86 MS-DMT.

Amateurs can use this mode on 60 meters only, and will facilitate interoperation with Military and other government stations.

All reports must be real life reports. Do not make up situations.

[See also: MARS Members to Work with Radio Amateurs during SET and DOD COMEX 19-4]
 
Emergency Communications / Public Service

Eastern MA Hospital Net, November 2, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

John O’Neill, K1JRO, writes:

Good Morning Everyone,

Net Control for the November 2, 2019 Eastern MA Hospital Net will be Allan Cox K1VQ from the Mansfield Emergency Management Agency.

The net will commence at the usual time of 10:00 AM using the following repeaters / frequencies in the order listed: 

  1. Sharon 146.865 Mhz tone 103.5
  2. Bridgewater 147.180 tone 67.0
  3. Dartmouth 147.000 tone 67.0
  4. Simplex 147.42 Mhz

The Net will then return to the Sharon Repeater for final comments and Net closing.

NET Protocol: Please wait for Net Control to ask for Check-ins. When asked to check in please use the standard net check-in procedure which is:   Here is.., un-key, wait 3 seconds to check for doubling, then give your or your facilities call sign, your first name, and your facility’s name.

We extend an invitation to any health care facility or EOC of any city or town that is served by one of the participating hospitals to join the Net. We also extend an invitation to any RACES or ARES member to check in during the NET.

We are always looking for groups or organizations to try their hand at Net Control duties. If you are interested in joining the group please let us know. We can be reached by sending an email to ssharg@outlook.com. The goal is to rotate Net Control practice and the experience among as many individuals and groups as possible.

We thank the repeater trustees for their generosity in allowing us to conduct the monthly nets and the use of their systems in an actual event. The following list of repeaters is available for our use. Only a few systems are used each month with the selection of those used made by Net Control for that month.  More systems are being added to the list on a regular basis.

Repeaters

Attleboro 147.195 tone 127.3 (Sturdy Memorial Hospital)
Belmont 145.430 tone 146.2
Boston 145.230 tone encode 88.5 tone decode 100.0
Bridgewater 147.180 tone 67.0
Danvers 145.47 tone 136.5
Dartmouth 147.000 tone 67.0  
Fall River 146.805. tone 67.0
Falmouth 147.375 tone 110.9  
Mansfield EMA 446.925 tone 100.0
Mansfield 147.015 tone 67.0
Marshfield 145.390 tone 67.0      
Norwood 147.210 tone 100.00
Plymouth 146.685 tone 131.8
Salem 146.88 tone 118.8        
Sharon 146.865 tone 103.5    
Weymouth 147.345 tone 110.9 (South Shore Hospital)
West Bridgewater 146.775 dcs 244
Wrentham 147.09 tone 146.2

We look forward to hearing from you all on the Net.

Respectfully,

John O’Neill – K1JRO 

—

South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group – W1SSH
55 Fogg Road, Box 42
South Weymouth, MA 02190

Emergency Communications

Western MA ARES Simulated Emergency Test, November 3, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

From wma.arrl.org:

After a long hiatus, the Western Massachusetts ARES Section will conduct a simplified Simulated Emergency Test (SET) to determine our current capacities for communications within the 5 counties in the section.

The exercise will begin at noon local time on Sunday November 3 and last until approximately 3PM. Inter-section communications -MAY- be attempted in the 3PM to 4PM timeframe if the appropriate equipment can be put into place. More information on this will appear on this website prior to Nov 3 or be announced in an update during the regular ARES nets on the Sunday morning od the SET.

The SET will attempt to communicate across counties using our normal repeaters for an initial callup at 1200 local time, followed by county – to – county VHF simplex testing from 1230 to 1255.

[Full story]