|
The View from
Flagler County
The almost-incomprehensible Haitian earthquake
destruction is among the worst I've seen in my three decades of association with
ARRL and disaster management/Amateur Radio communications. I monitored the Net on 14.265
MHz, and the on 14.300 MHz, where a Flagler County amateur Bill
Sturridge, KI4MMZ, was performing a fine job relaying communications with
Jean-Robert Gaillard, HH2JR, and others. I heard HH2JR, who had a good signal,
say he was OK and didn't need anything at the moment, but had no power and
no phone. The 14.300 MHz frequency is one of the three global "center of
activity" disaster frequencies set aside by the International Amateur Radio
Union (IARU). (For more on this plan, see the lead story below).
I also followed developments on the site, and the site. The
IARU Region 2 Area C (which includes Haiti) Emergency Coordinator is
long-time friend and emcomm veteran expert Arnie Coro, CO2KK, who requested
amateurs to keep 3720 kHz and 7045 kHz frequencies clear for emergency
communication until further notice. The overall IARU Region 2 Emergency
Communications Coordinator (EMCOR) is Dr. Cesar Pio Santos, HR2P. I also found SITREPs
on the .
A post to the Region 2
Web site reported this: "After arriving to Port au Prince an HI8RCD/HH team
had to abort their mission due to the present insecurity. The eight member
team arrived safely back to Jimani, Dominican Republic. The team installed
a VHF repeater that covers both Port au Prince and Santo Domingo (DR) and
is in use for the Red Cross and the Civil Defense.
"Victor Baez, HI8VB, Secretary of the Radio Club Dominicano (RCD) reported that
the RCD with UDRA, the Uni Dominicana de Radio Aficionados, had
prepared to go to Port au Prince last Friday to install the emergency station
HI8RCD/HH and a mobile station. Victor has a [in Spanish], which hopefully he will update with
more news from Haiti. The IARU Web site also suggested hams follow the
news of the support radio amateurs are providing in Haiti on Twitter ."
The ARRL encouraged US amateurs to be aware of emergency operations on
the following frequencies: 7.045 and 3.720 MHz (IARU Region 2 nets),
14.265, 7.265 and 3.977 MHz (SATERN nets), and 14.300 MHz (Intercontinental
Assistance and Traffic Net); the International Radio Emergency Support Coalition
(IRESC) is also active on EchoLink node 278173.
ARRL
Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, stated "The ARRL has
been in contact with communications leaders of the American Red Cross and
Salvation Army, as well as other key Amateur Radio operators throughout the
region. As teams from the hundreds of responding agencies worldwide are
formed for deployment, many will have Amateur Radio components. ARRL is
committed to providing communications aid to our served agencies and working with
the international community in this time of crisis. At this time there are
no known requests from agencies for amateurs to travel to Haiti, but this
can change. If it develops that there are ARES assignments for a deployment
in Haiti, these will be vetted and processed through each Section's
Section Emergency Coordinators."
I wanted to be involved, but
listened only, and did not transmit on any of the emergency frequencies as
there was nothing I could contribute. Actually, when you think about it,
not transmitting is a de facto contribution. I did make a donation to
Doctors Without Borders, and that made me feel part of the relief
effort.
_________
In other news,
congratulations go to veteran ARRL leadership official Kay Craigie, N3KN, who
was just elected President of the organization. Craigie was chairman of the
ARRL National Emergency Response Planning Committee, which released a
landmark on major disaster
communication issues in January, 2007. Her selection bodes well for the ARES
and Amateur Radio disaster communications communities as I'm sure they
will remain priorities for her new administration.
Outgoing ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, who did not seek re-election, was
also a proponent of Amateur Radio emcomm programs and oversaw the significant
surge of interest in ARES and emergency communications by Amateur Radio
over the past decade. Craigie, like Harrison, came up through the ranks of
ARES and the ARRL Field Organization to rise to the top elected position in
the organization.
_________
In This
Issue:
?
__________
"Center of Activity" Frequencies for Disaster
Communications
The (IARU) Administrative Council (AC)
held its annual meeting in mid-October, 2009, in Christchurch, New Zealand.
There has been a movement in the last several years to try to identify
"centers of activity" frequencies across all three IARU regions that can be
used in disaster relief operations. It has at times been difficult to arrive
at a consensus on what frequencies should be used. The IARU Administrative
Council noted that all three regions have now reached consensus on three
global Center of Activity (CoA) frequencies for use in the event of
emergencies: 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz. When no emergency operations are being
conducted, these frequencies are open for normal amateur usage. However, -09 calls upon
IARU member-societies, among others, "whenever emergency communications are
being conducted on frequencies that propagate internationally, to use any
available real-time communications channels, including but not limited to
e-mail bulletins, web-sites, social networking and DX-clusters to draw the
attention of the largest possible number of Amateur Radio operators to
on-going emergency communications, in order to avoid interference with emergency
traffic." Member-societies are being encouraged to develop an effective
method of notifying amateurs within their own country of any such emergency
traffic being handled on the CoA frequencies, or elsewhere in the amateur
bands. - IARU Electronic Newsletter, November 2009
NHC to Provide Greater Lead Time for
Watches, Warnings
Beginning with the 2010 hurricane
season, in Miami will issue watches and warnings for
tropical storms and hurricanes along threatened coastal areas 12 hours earlier
than in previous years. According to NHC experts, advancements in track
forecasts are making it possible for forecasters to provide greater lead time.
Tropical storm watches will be issued when tropical storm conditions are
possible along the coast within 48 hours. Tropical storm warnings will be
issued when those conditions are expected within 36 hours. This is an increase
of 12 hours from those issued in previous years.
Similar increases in lead-time will apply to hurricane watches and warnings. The
hurricane watches and warnings will generally be timed to provide 48 and 36
hours notice, respectively, before the onset of tropical storm force
winds. That additional time will also allow people preparing for the storm --
securing oil rig platforms, getting food and water stockpiled, boarding
windows and such -- enough time to finish preparations and get to safe
shelter.
According to Coordinator John McHugh, K4AG, the NHC has improved
the track accuracy in their forecasts over the past few seasons, cutting
the error rate to roughly one-third its level in 1970 and half the level of
15 years ago, thanks to advances in computer models and increased satellite
measurements of atmospheric conditions. (WX4NHC is the Amateur Radio
station at the NHC). "The extra 12 hours that has been added to both the
tropical watches and warnings will be of benefit to the Amateur Radio volunteers
of WX4NHC who have for the past 30 years supported NHC in their mission,"
McHugh told the ARRL. "This increase in time will allow us to better schedule
their operating time along with those of our supporting groups of the
Hurricane Watch Net ()
and the VoIP Hurricane Net () and allow people to better plan the release from
their day jobs."
Hurricane season runs from May 15-November
30 in the Eastern Pacific and on June 1-November 30 for the Atlantic
Basin. - ARRL Letter
Michigan
EmComm Group Recognizes One of its Own
Muskegon, MI,
December 27, 2009 -- The Muskegon County Emergency Communication Services,
a local non-profit Amateur Radio group involved in providing emergency
communications, has awarded James Wolffis, KD8DLQ, the "Al Ronning Outstanding
Service Award." The award is given each December to a member of the group
that has gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to this
organization. Recognition is given in memory of Al Ronning, K8AER, who was a member
of the group who died in an automobile crash in 2006. "Ronning was an
inspiration to other members of the group in his tireless effort towards public
service," said James Duram, K8COP, Muskegon County EC. Duram presented the
plaque at the group's December meeting.
is a
volunteer group of Amateur Radio operators that provides non-commercial
communication services for public service events, walk-a- thons, and emergency
communications to public safety agencies. - MCECS press release
North Florida Digital Group To
Present D-STAR Academy
The will
present a Introduction and Training
Academy on February 6, 2010, from 8:30 AM until 5 PM EDT, in Tallahassee,
Florida.
The training academy is designed to inform
amateurs on everything they need to know about D-STAR from its concept to
operating equipment proficiently.
From the amateur who doesn't
know what D-STAR is to one who wants to become expert in its operation and
the amateur who wants to understand the system first before jumping into
this aspect of communication technology, this is the Academy to attend.
Ray Novak, N9JA, Division Manager of Icom Amateur and
Receiver Products, is the featured speaker. Other notable speakers and
instructors are also expected.
This is an information and
training academy only. There will be no equipment sales. The goal is to inform
and teach everyone interested in understanding and using D-STAR. Attendees
will be provided training sessions along with hands on instruction on how to
use and operate the D-STAR radio of their choice.
Areas
of instruction will include: descriptions of the modes of operation;
programming D-STAR radios using a computer program; field programming while on
the go; using call sign routing and its programming; setting up repeater
linking; using reflectors and their usage protocols; low speed data
communication using the UHF and VHF radios; using 1296 MHz high speed data and
internet access; using the D-Rats data program; using the DVDongle on a computer
to access the D-STAR gateway; introducing the new DVDongle with its own
transceiver to provide short range hand-held coverage; and setting up and
configuring a D-STAR repeater system for internet operation.
There will be a social get together on Friday evening. Contact Donna Barker, WQ4M, for
updates, questions or additional information. Letters
Power versus Volt Amps
I read the ARRL ARES E-Letter on a regular basis and
appreciate your hard work. I was disappointed in the technical aspects of the
emergency power article in the last issue; specifically in the discussion of the
available "power" from the generator and the "power" needed by a load.
Simply put, when dealing with AC, the voltage times the current is only
loosely related to the power the device needs.
In any AC
equipment that yields the total Volt Amps needed by the equipment, the
importance is that it sets the wire size needed to connect the device, but does not
tell you how much real power is going to be consumed by the device. The
power (expressed in Watts) needed can vary from 0 to the VA number. It can
never be higher than the VA rating. Unless one knows the power factor of the
equipment you have no way of knowing the power requirement. Power factors
run from a low of about 0.55 up to 1 and can be leading or lagging. The VA
rating is only equal to the power rating if the load has a unity power
factor. Incandescent light bulbs have a unity power factor. Typical power
supplies have a power factor of around 0.6 unless they are power factor
corrected.
Running leading and lagging power factor loads in
parallel lets the two power factors offset each other, raising the resulting
power factor towards one. A unity power factor results in the lowest input
current possible at a given voltage for a given power load. That is why the
electric utility will periodically hang large capacitors on their lines:
the capacitive reactance power factor offsets the inductive power factor of
motors in the system. Reducing the system current draw makes it more
efficient since the line distribution losses go up as the square of the current.
Generators also have two ratings: the power they can
deliver as well as the total VA rating. The power is a function of motor size
driving the generator. The amperage rating is a function of the wire size
and magnetics used in the generator itself. Generator manufacturers often
don't distinguish between the VA rating and power rating in Watts, so you
aren't alone in this thinking. In some cases the manufacturer only gives a
single rating which means the rated load must have a unity power factor to
avoid overloading the generator. My Generac 4000, for example, has a rating of
4000 watts and a VA rating of 4000 as well. I suspect that the current
rating would be the real limiting factor and the maximum power for a non-unity
PF load should be derated.
Your conclusions are
generally correct, but it misleads the reader in thinking you are talking power
when in fact you are talking volt amps. In other circumstances (such as
determining what size wire is needed for a given power level) the difference
can be vital. I am also of the opinion that technical information ought to be
technically correct. -- Jim Russell, NQ5L, Georgetown, Texas
More 220 MHz Rigs Needed
I have been looking for
dual band 144/220 radios for several months now. I can't find them, even
on eBay. I think we should start a nationwide ham uprising to get the
various manufacturers to make dual band and tri-band mobile radios again. Without
these we are using only 2/3 of the capability. My TM-742 had to go back
for repairs because the 2 meter section quit. We use 220 MHz here in New
Mexico as sort of a "private" frequency to send critical messages that the news
media cannot hear: They don't have the 220 MHz frequencies programmed into
their scanners. - Bob Skaggs, KB5RX, Santa Fe, New Mexico
WXSpots
In re last month's lead item on the
Blacksburg, Virginia, SRD activity, I get reports on 2 meters, and especially on
WXSpots. The WXSpots program has worked out to be a supreme system for us
here in the Blacksburg CWA. I get all the reports, and then telephone them
into the NWS Forecast office. The forecasters are very appreciative, and have
actually changed their messages they send out to the media, based on what
our people have reported in. When things are serious, and I can't get down
my steep driveway, and therefore, can't get into the SKYWARN Desk itself at
the NWS, I make periodic telephone calls into the office. And that system
has been working well for us. -- Carter Craigie, N3AO, Blacksburg, Virginia
SKYWARN
[WXSpots is free software and can be found . It has seen
significant enhancements since its original release. I have been a user. From
its Web site: "WXSpots is free software that all responsible weather
enthusiasts are welcome and encouraged to use. The software runs on your PC and
connects to a server so that you can join our weather community. All
observed reports of severe (and routine) weather are relayed to everyone
connected. WXSpots will also connect to your home weather station and automatically
report when you are experiencing strong winds. Reports can be screened by
State, County or a list of Counties. The WXSpots community includes weather
hobbyists, SKYWARN observers, meteorologists, meteorology students, and
those interested in severe weather observations.
"In
addition to observed reports, WXSpots includes messaging features so that
everyone can talk about the weather they are seeing, share links and information
on forecasts and thoughts on future weather developments." - ed.]
Ohio's Tenth District
Forms EmComm Promotion Task Force
Effective January
23, a new committee in the Ohio ARES Tenth District will work to promote
emergency communications. The mission of the task force will be to promote
ARES, public service communications, and disaster communications by Amateur
Radio. The task force will be headed up by a new Assistant DEC to be
announced at a January 23 training session. The goal is to reach out to new
licensees and educate seasoned veterans. Anyone interested in learning more about
the EMCOMM Promotion Task Force should contact the new ADEC, but can also
contact the DEC for more information. - Matthew Welch, W8DEC, DEC; District Sound Off,
January issue Job Opening at
HQ
The ARRL currently has an opening for an
Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager to be based at ARRL HQ. The
successful applicant will represent the League with governmental and
non-governmental emergency and disaster response organizations and partners -- primarily
at the national level - for planning, continuity and operational
purposes.
Job requirements include developing plans, protocols
and procedures to address Amateur Radio's role in emergency communications
operations at the multi-section, regional, and national level, as well as
leading and training the ARRL Headquarters Incident Management Team to provide
support and coordination for multi-section, regional or national incidents
in the planning, mitigation and response phases. The position requires
maintaining and reporting situational awareness through disaster intelligence
collection during large disaster and emergency circumstances that require a
multi-section, regional or national response.
The
Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager will also create and improve
operational solutions and processes for ARES, including training and operational
standards consistent with NIMS/ICS response protocols in conjunction with
ARRL staff and members of the Field Organization.
The
successful applicant will represent the ARRL at national (and regional, when
requested) Amateur Radio organizations, served agency partner meetings,
conventions and exercises, and provide assistance and guidance to Section
Managers and Section Emergency Coordinators regarding emergency preparedness
and response.
Applicants interested in this position
should hold a General class license or higher and have a Bachelor's degree, at
least five years experience with Amateur Radio emergency communications in
ARES (or equivalent) and have successfully completed the ARRL EmComm Level
I course. Experience as emergency communications professional and/or first
responder desired, including knowledge of and experience with ICS and NIMS.
Completion of FEMA Courses IC-100, IC-200, IC-700, IC- 800 and IC- 802 is
highly recommended.
MARS Name
Changes
On Wednesday, December 23, the
Department of Defense (DoD) issued an Instruction concerning MARS, effective
immediately. This Instruction gives the three MARS services -- Army,
Air Force and Navy/Marine Corps -- a new focus on homeland security and a
new name: Military Auxiliary Radio System. The Instruction is
the first major revision to MARS since January 26, 1988 -- as such, the
first revision since the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina, two major events
that changed the way Amateur Radio dealt with emergency communications. In
the past, MARS had focused primarily on emergency communications and
health and welfare support. The DoD's Instruction now directs the three
MARS services to provide "contingency radio communications" to support US
government operations, DoD components and "civil authorities at all levels,"
providing for national security and emergency preparedness events. MARS
units will still continue to provide health and welfare communications support
"to military members, civilian employees and contractors of DoD
Components, and civil agency employees and contractors, when in remote or isolated
areas, in contingencies or whenever appropriate." MARS must also be capable
of operation in "radio only" modes -- without landlines or the Internet --
and sustainable on emergency power (when public utility power has failed);
some MARS stations must be transportable for timely deployment. - ARRL
Letter
K1CE For a Final
The ARRL is culminating its massive two-year effort to
completely re-design its very popular Web site with a launch date of February
3. The site has been completely re-done from the ground up. With the ARRL
staff working with Fathom, a Web site development company in Hartford,
Connecticut, it has taken over two years to revise it. The new Web site will
feature more than 20,000 pages of content. The navigation and architecture has
been vastly improved, and the content has been completely updated. I can't
wait to see it!
______
I've always
been a Cushcraft fan, but recently when I called to order another in a long
line of 2-meter FM Ringo Rangers I've owned over the years, Ham Radio
Outlet was out of stock, and the sales rep recommended a Diamond antenna
instead. I ended up purchasing a Diamond X30 144/440MHz ground plane antenna. The
height is about 4 feet. The three radials are 7" long. Its rated wind
velocity is 134 miles/hour. The antenna is encased in a fiberglass outer shell.
It works as a wavelength at 2-meters and 5/8 wavelength at 40 cm.
I really like this antenna! It took about 5 minutes to put
together, and another couple of minutes to install it on top of a pipe
mast. It works great, is well-built and simple, and is also inexpensive at
about $65. These antennas would be perfect for field deployment in disaster
situations. And no, I am not paid to endorse Diamond or any other brand of
amateur equipment.
I'm also working on drafting QST
Product Reviews of two Yaesu radios: the FT-250 and the FT-270. I haven't tried
them yet, but when I do, I'll pass along some thoughts on their suitability
for rigorous disaster use. The hand-held 2-meter walkie-talkie is the
mainstay of emergency communications, of course.
See you
next month! 73's from Flagler County, Florida - Rick, K1CE
| 
John Brown