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Marlborough Emergency Management – Amateur Call N1EM
Report of Communications Drill – 06 May 2023
Location – EOC – Central Fire Station – Maple St, Marlborough

This was a drill to activate the EOC, test radio communication setup, train new operators and partner with the Stow/ West Middlesex team. The Stow net information will be in the Stow report.

Setup – 9:30 AM to 10 AM
Drill – 10 AM to 12 Noon

Participants at the EOC:
Geroge Conrad N1ABC
Glenn Ghidaleson WA2KRS
Susan Benua WB2OSY
Frank McInnis K1IX
Eric Williams KV1J
EMA Director Fred Flynn
Participants at the Crow Island auxiliary location:
Ron Lahti N1CNG
Steve Babbitt KC1LPZ
Howard Shpegel AC1MN

VHF – 147.435 MHz (W. Middlesex Net) – 1000 -1030 hrs:
Checked into the net using the W1STO remote base. Jeremy, W1NJD, was the net control from the Stow Fire Station.

UHF – 446.675 MHz (N1EM/R Marlborough) – 1030 – 1045 hrs:
George N1ABC ran the net for area check-ins.
There were a total of 13 check-ins.

VHF – 147.240 MHz (KV1J/R Marlborough) – 1045 – 1100 hrs:
Glen WA2KRS ran the net for area check-ins.
There were a total of 12 check-ins.

HF Radio – 75 Meters – 3930 KHz:
Radio – IC-7300 into the Off-Centered Dipole.
Frank K1IX called for stations. Contacted WG1V, KC1RP and W1STO, all in Stow MA

HF Radio – 60 Meters – 5330.5 KHz:
Radio – IC-7300 into the Off-Centered Dipole.
George N1ABC called for stations. Contacted K1QAR in Fairhaven MA and K1OF in Westport CT.

HF Radio – 6 Meters – 53.310 MHz Mt Wachusett Repeater
Radio – IC-7300 and IC-706 into the Off-Centered Dipole.
Heard W1IS, WG1V and N1WSD. Had problems with the memory setting on the PL tone on the IC-7300 and by the time we had it switched to the IC-706 the stations were gone. The action is that we need to get the memory channels for 75, 60 and 6M programmed in the new IC-7300.

Radios – Non-Amateur:
MEMA State Control was contacted on the State/MEMA 800 MHz frequency for a radio test.

EOC Computer Capability:
We logged into the MEMA WebEOC system. Information was projected on the EOC large display.

We met all our objectives of activating, testing the different communications systems at the Marlborough EOC and collaborating with the Stow ARES team. For our operators running the two nets on UHF and VHF it was a first time for them operating at the EOC. They were given an assignment with no prewarning or preparation and needed to figure out how to make it happen with a minimal instruction. This simulates the reality that we will face when we get called in to assist with communications during an incident especially in an environment that we are not familiar with. Thank you George and Glenn!

After lunch, Carl, WG1V, gave an excellent presentation on Winlink Basics. There were 15 attendees. His slides and more information are on the web at – www.wg1v.org

Submitted by – Eric Williams KV1J
Communication Officer – Marlborough EMA

From Jeremy, W1NJD, with a few comment by Bob, W1IS

The West Middlesex ARES Net was opened at 1000 hours (All times reported as local time) on May 6, 2023. 
Net Control was Jeremy (W1NJD) with Bob (W1IS) assisting, operating from the Stow Fire Station through the remote base, W1STO. 

The following stations checked in:
(1) Stations with Emergency or Priority Traffic:  None
(2) Senior Neighborhoods:  None
(3) New Hams / Newcomers:  None

(4) Portable / Mobile:
W1DJR, Colin, Portable, Crescent St., Stow, All Is Well
W1IS, Bob, Mobile, Parking lot of Stow Fire Station, Stow, No Traffic
KC1LPZ, Steve, Mobile, Stow Cafe, Stow
KC1RP, Mike, Packard Rd, Stow, All is well
KA1GFN, Ken, Mobile, Bolton
N1CNG, Ron, Crow Island, Stow, Erected station for today’s exercises
WB2OSY, Sue, Mobile, Hudson

(5) Others:
WG1V, Carl, Birch Hill, Stow
KB1HKN, Dirk, Lake Boon, Stow, Battery Power
N1EM, Marlborough Emergency Management, Marlborough Fire Station
W1RBO, Glenn, Gleasondale, Stow

Announcements:
[W1STO] – Today’s drill will continue with Marlborough EMA nets at 1030-1045 hrs on N1EM repeater (446.675 MHz, PL 88.5 Hz), 1045-1100 hrs on KV1J repeater (147.240 MHz, PL 71.9 Hz). Followed by HF tests at 1100-1200 hrs on 75 meters (3930 or 3940 Khz+-), 60 meters (5330.5 KHz), and 6 meters through the Mt Wachusett MEMA repeater WC1MA (53.310 MHz, PL 71.9 Hz). At 1200 hrs. We welcome people to travel to Marlborough Fire Station for a 1 – 2 pm presentation about Winlink presented by Carl, WG1V.

The West Middlesex ARES closed the net at 1015 hrs

After the net, W1STO continued operations in the drill with checkins on nets hosted by Marlborough Emergency Management (N1EM) from the following repeaters:
Checked into N1EM repeater (UHF: 446.675 MHz) 1030-1045 hrs.
Checked into KV1J repeater (VHF: 147.240 MHz) 1045-1100 hrs.

75 meter, 60 meter and 6m operations and tests 1100-1200:
Since we’ve had problems interfering with the PA and alert system in the Stow Fire Station we ran only 30 watts on HF.
The noise level from equipment in the building was S-9 making it nearly impossible to hear most stations including N1EM.
Check in was only possible with a relay through WG1V..  The hunt for the noise source will continue.

75 meters (3930 KHz)
60 meters (5330.5 KHz)
6 meters Mt Wachusett Repeater (HF:53.310 MHz) – Checked into N1EM, We ran a 5 watt HT into a tri-band vertical at 25 ft.  Signals were dead full quieting, very much different from HF!

Several of us then traveled to the Marlboro EOC for lunch and an excellent presentation by Carl, WG1V, on WinLink.

73, Jeremy (W1NJD), Bob (W1IS)

John O’Neill-K1JRO, Eastern Mass ARES District Emergency Coordinator – Hospital Liaison writes:

Good evening,

On Saturday May 6, 2023, the South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group will hold an Eastern MA Hospital Net commencing at 10:00AM. We realize that the usual locations for some individuals and groups are still unavailable due to ongoing COVID restrictions. We encourage everyone who is affected by these restrictions to utilize their home or mobile stations to check into the net.

We will use the following repeaters and NEDECN DMR system in the order listed.
1. Bridgewater Repeater 147.180 tone 67.0
2. Boston Repeater tone encode 88.5 tone decode 100.0​
3. DMR -Talkgroup 8851 Time Slot :1 on the following NEDECN repeaters: Boston 449.175 -5.M CC:1, Hingham 146.430 -1.5M CC:1, Dennis 146.470 -1.5M CC:11, East. Falmouth 145.210 -0.600 CC:9, Martha’s Vineyard145.180 -0.600 CC:10, and Walpole 145.380 -0.600 CC:12.
4. Plymouth Repeater 146.685 tone 131.8
5 Bridgewater Repeater for 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, EOC of any city or town as well as RACES or ARES members 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 trying your hand at Net Control please let us know. We can be reached by sending an email to ssharg@outlook.com or replying to this message. 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 these monthly nets and the use of their systems in an actual event.

We hope to hear you Saturday.

Jeff N1SOM, Secretary, and the SSH group
N1SOM – W1SSH

South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group
55 Fogg Rd. Mail-Stop 42
South Weymouth, MA 02190