Emergency Communications

Hello all,

On Saturday 04 Aug. 2012 at 1000hrs. the Eastern Ma. Hospital Net will be conducting their monthly exercise. The Net Control Station for this month’s drill will be St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford. I would like to invite all ARES and RACES Stations including EOC’s to participate in Saturday’s Drill.  The frequencies that will be used are listed below ,if you cannot make contact on a frequency please QSY to the next frequency or repeater and stand by for the net. The most important part of the drill will be the simplex portion of this test so we can see if there are stations out there that may be able to operate as relays between Hospitals if the need ever arises.This will be a great oportunity to test our ARES capabilities here on the South Coast. If anyone has any questions please feel free to contact me.The drill will begin on 147.180 Bridgewater repeater at 10am.

Frequencies to be used areas follows:

Bridgewater 147.180 pl 67.0
Sharon      146.865 pl 103.5
Attleboro   147.195 pl 127.3
Danvers     145.470 pl 136.5
Norwood     147.210 pl 100.0
Dartmouth   147.000 pl 67.0
Salem       146.880 pl 118.8
Wrentham    147.090 pl 146.2
Norwell     145.390 pl 67.0
Fairhaven   145.490 pl 67.0

SIMPLEX:
147.420
146.565

Again if there are any questions please feel free to contact me.

Submitted by,

Edward A. Caron (ka1rsy)
Bristol County, Ma.
Asst. ARES District Emergency Coordinator
ka1rsy@arrl.net
ka1rsy@comcast.net

Hello to all..

Cape Cod ARES will be holding an ARES drill this Saturday July 21st, 2012 and Amateur Operators and ARES members outside of the Cape Cod ARES district are welcome to participate.

Cape Cod ARES District Emergency Coordinator, Frank O’Laughlin-WQ1O said “We’ll be looking for other stations in MA/RI/NH for HF contacts. We will also be looking for stations on 2 meters in the Southeast Massachusetts area.”

A complete drill document write-up can be seen at the following link detailing what drill activities will occur and what frequencies and modes will be utilized:

http://ares.ema.arrl.org/local/CCARESdrill_47V1.3Doc07-17-12.pdf

Please take advantage of this training opportunity if possible. Thanks to all for their continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES.

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

Please see posting from John O’Neill-KB1QEM of South Shore Hospital on the Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net.

Good Afternoon Everyone,

We will be hosting the Eastern MA Hospital Net this Saturday July 7th commencing at 10am. If any group or organization would like to assist and run Net Control from your facility please let us know. It would be great to alternate or rotate months among several groups.

In addition to 2 meter voice communications in the future it might be beneficial to include voice communications using HF and also point to point (non-bbs) packet communications using 2 meters. We have tested some programs and RMS express has proven so far to be successful using both telnet and packet (BBS) and point to point (P2P) in addition to it’s ability to compress messages. Compressed packet messages may play a very important role in communications between health care facilities. We look forward to everyone’s thoughts on this as one standardized program and protocol should be used.

We would like to extend an invitation to all city or town EOC’s that are served by one of our participating hospitals to join the NET. During an event it is quite possible that these operation centers would be active also and the need to communicate between health care facilities and local government may be necessary.

We will be using the following repeaters in the order listed starting at 10AM. If you can not reach a specific repeater please monitor the next system in the rotation and wait for the net to arrive.

Repeater, frequency, tone
Plymouth 146.685 tone 82.5
W. Bridgewater 147.180 tone 67.0
Sharon 146.865 tone 103.5
Attleboro 147.195 tone 127.3
Danvers 145.47 tone 136.5
Norwood 147.210 tone 100.00
Dartmouth 147.000 tone 67.0
Salem 146.88 tone 118.8
Wrentham 147.09 146.2
Norwell 145.390 tone 67.0
Fairhaven 145.490 tone 67.0
Simplex 147.420
Simplex 146.565

We will return to the Plymouth repeater for final comments and net closing.

When checking into the Net please use standard net check in procedure which is: Here is, un-key, wait for 3 seconds to check for doubling, then give your call sign, Name, and facility or group represented.

John O’Neill
KB1QEM

—

Cape and Islands ARES DEC Frank O’Laughlin, WQ1O writes:

Hello to all,

If you have time this weekend, please participate in the Cape and Islands ARES district exercise being held this Saturday from 10 AM through Noon. Feel free to contact Cape Cod ARES as listed in the document at the link below and here is Frank O’Laughlin-WQ1O Cape Cod ARES DEC messasge on the exercise:

http://ares.ema.arrl.org/local/CCARESdrill_45V1.2Doc01-26-12.pdf

Cape and Islands ARES district will be holding its winter exercise this Saturday from 10am-12pm. We will be setting up an outside field station and operating on 2 meter FM, 6M repeater, FM and SSB. We will also be on HF. Please feel free to contact us as listed in the document.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

73′ Frank WQ1O Cape and Islands ARES DEC

Hello to all,

If you have time this weekend, please participate in the Cape and Islands ARES district exercise being held this Saturday from 10 AM through Noon. Feel free to contact Cape Cod ARES as listed in the document at the link below and here is Frank O’Laughlin-WQ1O Cape Cod ARES DEC messasge on the exercise:

http://ares.ema.arrl.org/local/CCARESdrill_45V1.2Doc01-26-12.pdf

Cape and Islands ARES district will be holding its winter exercise this Saturday from 10am-12pm. We will be setting up an outside field station and operating on 2 meter FM, 6M repeater, FM and SSB. We will also be on HF. Please feel free to contact us as listed in the document.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

73’ Frank WQ1O
Cape and Islands ARES DEC

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…

Attention all North Shore Amateurs! North Shore ARES has been contacted by the City of Peabody Emergency Management department to provide LIMITED support during the funeral procession of the fallen Peabody Firefighter being held on Friday, December 30th from 7:00am until approximately 1:00pm.

This will be a relatively easy and informal event to support. All that is required is any amateur interested in attending the event is asked to bring their HT’s along with them and tune to the 145.47 (-) 136.5 PL NS1RA Danvers Repeater. We will also attempt to monitor the 146.88 (-) 118.8 Salem repeater as well in the event we run into any issues on the Danvers frequency. As with previous events in the City of Peabody, we will be looking for the following information…

– Check-in with us to tell us you are along the funeral procession route and let us know your location.
– Check-out with us when you leave.
– Watch out for Health and Safety…if you see something that requires attention…let us know!

Net Control will be operating at an undisclosed location. Due to the nature of the event, we are unable to discuss it over the air…so please do not ask, nor discuss it on air.  Also, please dress appropriately/respectfully for the procession (and the weather) if you will be along the route.  If you have any questions about this event, please let either me or Eric-KA1NCF know and we will do our best to answer them for you.

Thanks again to all for their continued help and support of North Shore ARES.

Jim Palmer – KB1KQW

Hello to all..

***EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARES STANDBY LIFTED AS POWER IS RESTORED TO MUCH OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RESTORATION CONTINUES IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS***
***APPROXIMATELY 69000 REMAIN WITHOUT POWER MAINLY IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS (APPROXIMATELY 37,000 WESTERN MASS ELECTRIC, 32000 NATIONAL GRID)***

With power mostly restored in Eastern Massachusetts, the Westford shelter operation ending (further details to follow below) and the possibility of an ARESMAT to neighboring sections decreasing, the Eastern Massachusetts ARES stand-by has been lifted. There are still 69,000 without power in Massachusetts and 250,000 in Connecticut at the time of this message but no calls for communication assistance have been received since the possible need for support for a Red Cross shelter in Sturbridge in the Western Massachusetts section on Wednesday so while there is still a low probability of a call for support, with power continuing to be restored and shelters closing, this call for support is growing less likely to occur. Connecticut ARES remains on stand-by per the web site this evening in case support is required in their section.

The one active operation involving Amateurs in Eastern Massachusetts was with the shelter in Westford being manned by PART members who are also a part of Northern Middlesex County ARES. Terry Stader-KA8SCP reported Thursday that they have stood down from that operation and the shelter has been closed and thanked the section for being willing to support their operation if it was required. The closing of this operation was another factor in lifting the stand-by as stated previously. The following Amateurs from PART/Northern Middlesex County ARES participated in the operation:

KB1KTP-Carsten Turner
N1QGE-Hugh Maguire
W1AHM-Alan Martin
KB1FFM-Ken Rolt
KA8SCP-Terry Stader
W1IR-Dave Welsh

A link to the latest post historic October major nor’easter coordination message and ARRL web story on the Amateur Radio response to the major nor’easter and the are listed below:

Post Historic October Major Nor’easter Coordination Message #4: http://www.wx1box.org/node/1542

ARRL Web Story – Amateurs Assist with Comminications in Aftermath of Rare October Nor’easter : http://www.arrl.org/news/amateurs-assist-with-communications-in-aftermat…

The ARRL web story may be updated early next week and there may be one more post storm coordination message from a SKYWARN perspective that may be posted to wx1box.org late Sunday Evening or during the upcoming week. This will be the last update from an Eastern Massachusetts ARES perspective. We appreciate all those who stood by and were prepared in case a deployment was required and thanked those that gave their availability to the ARES EC/ADEC/DEC for their area. Thanks for your continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES!

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..

***EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARES REMAINS ON STAND-BY FOR ALL AREAS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO IMPACTS FROM MAJOR NOREASTER IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND***
***POWER BEING RESTORED HOWEVER OVER 180,000 REMAIN WITHOUT POWER IN MASSACHUSETTS AS OF WEDNESDAY EVENING***

In the aftermath of the significant early season nor’easter, several shelters continue to be open to assist people that had no heat or electricity at their residence.  Additionally, numerous roads remain blocked due to downed trees and wires. If you have any pictures of storm damage, please continue to send them to pics at nsradio.org and credit will be given to the spotter when forwarding to media, emergency management, and the National Weather Service unless otherwise noted.  Here is the latest Post Historic October Major Nor’easter Coordination message that includes the latest Local Storm Reports and Public Information Statements from NWS Taunton and other important resources that may be useful to people in the affected area and also includes a link to the ARRL web story on the Amateur Radio response to the major nor’easter which is also included separately in this message:

Post Historic October Major Nor’easter Coordination Message #3: http://www.wx1box.org/node/1539

ARRL Web Story – Amateurs Assistat with Comminications in Aftermath of Rare October Nor’easter : http://www.arrl.org/news/amateurs-assist-with-communications-in-aftermath-of-rare-october-nor-easter

Most communications infrastructure remains in-tact throughout the region although there have been localized groups supporting communications needs in isolated areas in Massachusetts.  It is possible that additional requests may come in throughout the next day or two and ARES leadership continues to closely monitor the situation in the event additional requests for support are in fact received.

We received word shelter operations in Lexington Massachusetts appear to have ended. This is because the shelter has been closed and most of the power in Lexington has now been restored.

Shelter operations in the town of Westford continue and are expected to continue through at least Thursday Morning. Power is being restored in the Westford area as Terry-KA8SCP and others reported getting power back this evening. Terry Stader-KA8SCP shelter operations update appears in the ARRL web story and in Tuesday’s Eastern Massachusetts ARES Stand-By Message.

In Western Massachusetts, ARES had received a request for Red Cross shelter communications support in the Sturbridge area. Western Massachusetts ARES lined up a few Ham Operators to support the effort but the Red Cross determined that they had enough communications support and cancelled the Ham Radio support request. The situation will be monitored in case the need for Ham Radio communications is required later for this area or other areas.

In Connecticut, there are still over 490,000 without power. Connecticut ARES is in a level 2 stand-by and is monitoring the situation but have no unmet needs at present. Eastern Massachusetts ARES will continue to monitor that situation in case support is needed in Connecticut as the situation in Eastern Massachusetts continues to stabilize.

It is expected that EMA ARES will remain on stand-by through at least Friday largely monitoring the need for ARESMAT support to Western Massachusetts and/or Connecticut but also monitoring the situation in Westford though conditions appear to be improving there. We continue to compile a list of availability for ARESMAT deployment if needed for various local EOC’s, Red Cross, Salvation Army, NWS Storm Survey Teams, and hospitals as required. 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. We ask that as you contact your DEC, please send a copy of the message to aresmat@nsradio.org where multiple members of the EMA ARES Leadership will be able to access your availability.  As always, 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://ares.ema.arrl.org and monitoring local SKYWARN/ARES/RACES frequencies for any updates on this developing situation.

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.

The next update to this message will be issued no later than Friday Evening. Thanks for your continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES!

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