Welcome to the Wednesday edition of “Big Island ARRL News.” Views expressed in this amateur/ham radio news summary are those of the reporters and correspondents. Topics in today’s post come from the current issue of the “ARRL E-Letter.”
Source: http://www.arrl.org/ares-el?issue=2019-01-19
Editor: Rick Palm (K1CE).
Accessed on 16 January 2019, 1710 UTC, Post 837.
Please click link to read the full article.
Here are the main points covered in the current issue of the “ARRL E-Letter” for 16 January 2019:
- Mesh Goes to the Twin Cities Marathon
- Spotlight: The ARRL Ohio Section, Not Just Home to the Dayton Hamvention®
- 2019 Florida Ham Radio Emergency Communications Conference
- Street Sense for Emergency Communication
- Product Review: W6ON Radio Covers
- Section News
- K1CE For a Final: ARES Connect Works Well — Use It!
FEMA COMMEX on 60-Meter Channels Today
FEMA Region 10 will conduct monthly communications exercises (COMMEX) on the third Wednesday of each month, starting on January 16, 1730 – 1900 UTC. (That’s today!) Amateur Radio operators are invited to take part. The intent of these exercises is to test and exercise interoperable communication (federal/state/local/tribal/Amateur Radio) during a major disaster in which the communication infrastructure is significantly damaged or destroyed.
FEMA Region 10 will use the call sign WGY910. Other stations associated with agencies and organizations that provide response support in accordance with the National Response Framework are encouraged to participate.
The COMMEX will use these “dial” or “window” frequencies on 60 meters — including 5,330.5 kHz, 5,346.5 kHz, 5,357.0 kHz, 5,371.5 kHz, and 5,403.5 kHz — as part of the exercise. The area of operation is the continental US.
Winter Field Day: Practice Emergency Communications in Winter
The Winter Field Day Association (WFDA) sponsors the 2019 running of Winter Field Day, January 26 – 27. The ability to conduct emergency communication in a winter environment is just as important as the preparation and practice that take place each summer, but with some additional unique operational concerns. The Maxim Memorial Station W1AW will be active. More information here.
ARRL Board of Directors May Consider Draft ARES Strategic Plan at This Week’s Annual Meeting
Last July, at its second regular meeting of the year, the ARRL Board noted that the Public Service Enhancement Working Group (PSEWG) has spent the last two years defining, beta testing, and refining an ARES Strategic Plan. The Board commended the PSEWG on its work, and established a three-month general comment period for the draft Plan. A final plan based on the comments received is designated for consideration for adoption by the full ARRL Board of Directors at this week’s Annual meeting. Watch for news of related Board actions. Readers can review the original draft ARES Strategic Plan here, but please note that it was drafted before the three-month comment period, so the new draft to be presented to the Board may differ from the original.
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ARES Annual/Monthly Reports — For November 2018, 41 of 71 ARRL Sections reported their ARES members’ volunteer work. Reporting is a critically important responsibility of section ARES officials, and it is anticipated that the new ARES Connect system will make reporting easier, more automated, and consequently more efficient, resulting in a more comprehensive picture of ARES activity across the country.
Archives of the ARRL ARES E-Letter back to the original issue (September 2005) are available for download.
ARRL ARES Emergency Coordinators may register their group herefor a group ID.
For the latest Amateur/Ham Radio news and information, please check the blog sidebars and links. These news feeds are updated daily and weekly. Thanks for joining us today.
Aloha es 73 de
Russell Roberts (KH6JRM)
Public Information Coordinator
Hawaii County, ARRL Pacific Section