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AE5ME > ARES 23.04.16 00:05l 59 Lines 8650 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 4YEJX0XE5THC
Read: GUEST
Subj: ARRL ARES E-Letter April 20th Part 3 of 3
Path: IZ3LSV<ED1ZAC<CX2SA<HG8LXL<N0KFQ<AE5ME
Sent: 160422/2244Z 36154@AE5ME.#NEOK.OK.USA.NOAM BPQ1.4.64
Letters: ARDF and SAR
I read with interest your story in last month's issue of the efforts of the ARRL Maryland-DC Section ARES in supporting the search for an autistic man wearing a radio beacon leg bracelet. It was another fine example of an opportunity for ARES to work shoulder-to-shoulder with an agency to save lives and serve the public. For the best chance of success in such incidents, there needs to be advance coordination, planning and training. That is exactly what has happened in some places such as San Luis Obispo County, California. I wrote about the hams there who regularly support Project Lifesaver in my Homing In radio direction finding column in CQ-VHF Magazine for winter 2008. That article is on my web site here.
I hope this article serves as an inspiration for ARES groups in other areas served by Project Lifesaver to get involved with it and to equip them in advance with appropriate radio direction finding equipment for the most rapid response. (For example, the "phase Doppler radio direction finder equipment" mentioned in your story is not the best RDF method for this application, as my article explains.) I would welcome the opportunity to correspond with hams and ARES groups who seek to support Project Lifesaver in their own localities. -- Joe Moell, K0OV, ARRL ARDF Coordinator www.homingin.com
Tech Tip: ARES/RACES Powerpole Configuration
I switched all of my DC power connectors to Powerpoles years ago. I found that descriptions of configurations like "tongue up, hood down," etc. were not clear. I ended up looking at a picture for the correct configuration. An easy way to remember the ARES/RACES Powerpole orientation is: Red on Right, Letter A Up on both connectors. You cannot confuse the hood or tongue, etc.-- Lew Wallach, N9WL, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Letters: Of Tone Squelch Systems and Alerts
When Citizens Band (CB) became available in the late 1950s, operators wanted to eliminate the constant chatter but still have their radios on to hear a family member or a friend calling. Two-tones transmitted at the start of a transmission brought up the desired station, leaving out the undesired. For those who had radios without the built-in selective calling capability, they used an external box that connected to the ear-phone jack, which contained the tone decoder, an audio amplifier and loudspeaker. When the proper tones were received, the audio signal from the radio was passed to the audio amplifier in the box and out the box's speaker.
Today we have more sophisticated methods, such as Digital Code Squelch (DCS or CDCSS), CTCSS (sub-audible tones), and other digital modes that could provide a reliable way to activate ARES/RACES program hams for a drill or an emergency. I've wondered why hams still rely on cell phones and other non-amateur technology for such purposes when we could be using our own amateur systems.
Having a reliable selective calling system would enable hams involved in emergency communications to monitor one or more frequencies 24/7 yet not disturb their families with routine ham communications. Why isn't such a system currently in use? Why don't we see articles on how to implement selective calling in the literature? -- Rich Stiebel, W6APZ, Palo Alto, California
Letters: Check Laws before Spiking the Ground
As a CERT instructor, Amateur Extra class licensee and the Project Facilitator/Utility Cut Inspector for the City of St. Joseph, Missouri, I read your warning to check for underground facilities before driving in a ground spike. In Missouri, an excavator must call the One Call Center at least two and not more than ten (10) working days prior to disturbing soil. Setting up a portable antenna for a disaster does not meet the definition of an emergency on the excavator's part.
With all of the fiber optic and plastic lines being bored in, it would be dangerous to drive the ground stake in without waiting the two day minimum. This law includes homeowners working in their own yard. There are only two exceptions to the law: (a) a homeowner planting a garden or (b) a farmer plowing less than 16 inches deep. I am not familiar with the One Call laws in other states. -- John Bowser, N0YXG, Missouri Valley Amateur Radio Club [I found a homeowner's guide to California's DigAlert one call notification center laws and protocols here. Other states have their own systems and laws. -- ed.]
FEMA Bulletin: Learn to Protect Yourself in a Tornado Situation
Plan ahead! Your primary goal is to go to the safest place for protection before the tornado approaches and take additional measures for personal cover. If a tornado warning is issued, immediately move to the best available protection.
Having advance notice that a tornado is approaching your area can give you the critical time needed to move to a place with better protection. The best protection in all tornadoes is to seek shelter in a structure built to FEMA safe room or International Code 500 storm shelter standards.
If you're unable to get to a safe room during a tornado, move to an interior windowless room on the lowest level of a building, preferably the basement. Take personal cover under sturdy furniture such as a table. Cover your head and neck with your arms and place a blanket or coat over your body.
The America's PrepareAthon! How to Prepare for a Tornado guide provides preparedness tips if you live, work, or travel through an area that is susceptible to tornadoes:
?Know how to stay informed, including monitoring weather reports provided by your local media;
?Consider buying a National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio All Hazards receiver, which receives broadcast alerts directly from the National Weather Service and offers warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
?Download the FEMA mobile application for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips;
?Know where you would go to have the best level of protection from a tornado for every place you spend a lot of time, such as home, work, school, or place of worship;
?Practice how you will communicate with your family members in case you're not together during a tornado; complete the Family Emergency Communication Plan;
?Store at least a 3-day supply of food, water, medications, and items you may need after the tornado passes; and
?Store the important documents on a USB flash drive or in a waterproof container that you will need to start your recovery.
?Some locations don't provide protection from tornadoes, including: manufactured (mobile) homes/offices, the open space of open-plan buildings (e.g., malls, big retail stores, and gymnasiums), vehicles, and the outdoors. An alternative shelter should be identified prior to a tornado watch or warning.
You can find additional resources online, including a tornado checklist that provides guidance on what steps to take before and after a tornado. -- FEMA
Parting Shots
Cape Cod (Massachusetts) ARES held its winter exercise on January 30. Operations were based out of the Sandwich EOC and run by Cape Cod ARES with support from the Sandwich emergency management agency. More than 30 stations were contacted on VHF and HF bands, with the furthest VHF direct contact being the South Shore Hospital (40.3 miles) in Weymouth and into Maine on HF. Narrow Band Emergency Messaging Software (NBEMS) was used during the exercise. Operations were conducted using a backup portable emergency generator. -- ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section News
The Midwest's Sioux City area is unique--there are three states separated by rivers just across from each other. Until recently there has been little club activity on the Nebraska side. All that changed recently when the Emergency Management Director of Dakota County, Nebraska asked that the ARES program be rebuilt to support county emergency communications needs.
To meet the request and add new hams and ARES members to the area, it was decided to hold a Technician class; several Emergency Management and Health Department officials wanted to take the class, too.
A flyer with class information was sent to other emergency managers and on social media with the result that potential students from as far as 75 miles away registered for the class.
Students started the two classes, including the county sheriff and a local police officer.The classes were held in the South Sioux City Law Enforcement Center training room, with logistics support courtesy of the Emergency Management Director. Nineteen new Technician class licensees (and ARES candidates) were the happy result. -- ARRL Nebraska Section News
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