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All please see the attached schedule for Net Calling and sign up. 73 Alan KQ4ELM

Here is the updated list for net callers. Rick you are up for to night, also there will be a Routine message Tuesday night. My apologies for missing last week, We had family visit us. Alan Tuesday, March 18, 2025 Thomas KJ4RIF 11 Tuesday, March 25, 2025 Rick KN6OFH 3 Tuesday, April 1, 2025 Barbara KM4RBE Tuesday, April 8, 2025 Barbara KM4RBE Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Kade KQ4WVW 4 Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Dan KQ4MDH Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Rick KN6OFH Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Dan KQ4MDH Tuesday, May 13, 2025 Jimmie KN4QED Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Kade KQ4WVW Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Thomas N4MUL

March 1, 2025 Communications Drill Saturday, March 1, 2025, the Houston County W4DHN ARES Club conducted our first Communications Drill. At 0900 hours 11 Ham Operators manned 6 strategic locations around the Dothan area (American Red Cross Building, Dothan EOC, Farm Center, Westgate Rec Center, Southeast Health, and First Baptist Church) to test the efficacy of the 2M FM Repeater in the Houston County Alabama area as well as the Simplex capabilities of these operators spread throughout the Dothan area. There were a few glitches in getting started but once underway most signals were 5/9 with few exceptions. Operators followed the Script of the Drill making the connections as prescribed. Handhelds with rubber ducky antennas could hear others but did not have the transmitting ability to connect to others consistently especially on Simplex. Of note, the Southeast Hospital operator reported that from his vehicle (the adverse condition location) seemed to have a clearer signal than when in the building on the taller antenna. There were a few issues with radios jumping stations or squelch issues, but on the whole the drill ran very smoothly. We did have one outside contact from Troy, Alabama during the 2M FM Repeater part of the drill. We concluded the drill by 0948 hours. During the Hot Wash session at the Golden Corral in Dothan afterwards, comments and experiences were shared. It was agreed that the ARES group conduct another Drill within the next 6 months with a few tweaks and possibly some other locations added. Thank you to all the operators who came out and participated today! Great Job A few of the operators took selfies:

Please take pics of you and your partner at your location/station and send it in. Thanks! Barbara KM4RBE 352-258-2901

This Saturday is our ARES Communication Drill. Attached should be all the forms that you need. Please print them down so you can check the boxes when communications are made and for ease of use to add notes. As of right now we only have one operator at the Farm Center and no operator at Ridgecrest Baptist Church. We would like 2 operators at each location. I have attached the Sign-Up Sheet for identification help and in hopes some others may step up and help fill out the Drill. I have used names in some locations and others left open in case you want to switch with each other according to your radio abilities or preference. Please discuss with whoever is on your location so you are clear as to who answers which calls. When we move to Simplex, IF you do not hear someone during a particular contact, please wait until whoever is calling may say, “I do not hear anything from …….. Could someone verify that they can hear them transmitting?” If that happens, then please transmit your name and location and that you can hear them. The operator that cannot hear them, will then move to the next location and continue. This drill is to find out where there may be gaps or if there may be equipment issues, etc. Please make notes so that when we get together, we can figure out what may have worked better or maybe you might have a better idea of repositioning a location. If you have any questions or comments or corrections, please let me know before tomorrow night so I can address it. Thank each of you so much for your participation! Barbara KM4RBE

All, There are designated family zones that will have vendors, entertainment, and live music. In a post to Facebook, the Krewe of Kolosse said this will be the last time the parade will roll down Foster Street. The post did not mention any changes coming in the future. The 2025 Krewe of Kolosse Mardi Gras parade starts at 3:30 on March 1. 73 Alan

Please see the attached call list and Routine Message 2. 73 Alan

Like Charles, we should get the ARES net staffed for the next quarter. Alan and I will pick up the slack. JAN 7 - JAN 14 - JAN 21 - JAN 28 - FEB 4 - FEB 11 - FEB 18 - FEB 25 - MAR 4 - MAR 11 - MAR 18 - MAR 25 - Thanks to all of you! Barbara KM4RBE

I corrected the Simplex Frequency at the bottom of the first page. Thanks, Steve for noticing! We are still looking for a couple more volunteers. Steve, would you please man the Red Cross Building with Dan, possibly run the Adverse Situation from your vehicle? Ken Hosey, would you please link up with Rick Major at the First Baptist Church? At all the stations, besides Red Cross and Southeast, one operator could take the 2-meter and the other, the Simplex. Will that help out some? Let me know, Barbara KM4RBE

On March 1st, we will conduct a communications drill between 6 or 7 locations using our 2-meter repeater at 145.430 (-) 186.2 and on Simplex 146.540. Participants are to be in their station location by 0900CST. At 0900CST the Base Station (American Red Cross Building) Operator will begin by contacting (from inside the building on the W4DHN Ham Radio) each of the other locations on the list on 2-meter. As the operator at each designated station receives the request and transmits back successfully their call sign, they will check the box on their designated sheet for the 2-meter contact. The Base Station will then switch to Simplex and contact each of the other designated stations. Since Simplex does not use the repeater, the contact is subject to distortion and distance, so afterwards, each location will reach out in order to the next station to establish contact (i.e, after the Base Station has called all stations (Dothan EOC, Farm Center, Westgate Rec Center, Southeast Health, First Baptist Church, and Ridgecrest Baptist Church) then Dothan EOC will then call all the other stations (i.e., Farm Center, Westgate Rec Center, Southeast Health, First Baptist Church, and Ridgecrest Baptist Church), followed by Farm Center then calling: Westgate Rec Center, Southeast Health, First Baptist Church and then Ridgecrest Baptist Church; and so on in order remembering to check the appropriate box if contact is successful. When this part of the Simplex contacts are finished, then the Base Station (American Red Cross Operator) and the Southeast Health Operator will simulate "adverse conditions" and transfer to their back-up power, radio and antenna and repeat the exercise (2-meter repeater and Simplex) for those two stations, contacting each of the other stations. At the conclusion of this exercise, Alan (KQ4ELM) will call the end of our communications drill and release participants to meet up at the Golden Corral Restaurant in Dothan for our "hot wash" session while we eat lunch. (Alan will call ahead to see if we can get a back room or at least a group of tables together once we get a definite head count.) Attached you will find the Sign-Up sheet for the Drill. Ideally, we would like 2 operators at each site. If you can fill a spot or be a second on a site, we would appreciate it. Also attached are the Locations and Schedule Sheets. Please review them and ask any questions before the date of the drill, should you have any. Thank you, ARES Members for your dedication in preparing for whatever happens. It is greatly appreciated! BLC KM4RBE

Good evening Due to personal reasons, I will not be renewing my membership with the club or with the Aries group. We will be moving sometime within this month and I’ll be dismantling my tower so I will not be able to keep my commitment to call either the club net Or the Aries net for which I am sorry. I very much appreciate the time that I have had with the club and have learned a great deal and I will thank you all for the experience. If you would please remove my name from the groups io. Thanks and 73 Scott KQ4RUF

All, Please see the attached, Please review the routine message against what you had written down tonight. Note: it works best if you have a copy of the blank radiogram in front of you. 73 Alan

Good Afternoon, Please see the attached updated copy of the script. I have made several changes overall, and added the section for the routine message. I will read this message on Tuesday. Rick M. it is your turn to be net controller. If you have any questions please contact me. Cell 904-757-0301 Thanks for all you do, 73 Alan KQ4ELM