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Subj: ARES E-Letter March 20, 2019
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To : ARES@WW
The ARES E-Letter March 20, 2019
Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE
-Urgent Need for Mentors for Updated New ARRL Introduction to Emergency
Communications Course
-Don't Miss the 2019 ARRL National Convention at Dayton Hamvention©
Programs
-Ohio ARES Musters for January Snowmageddon
-Comments Due Friday on Proposed Updates to the National Emergency
Communications Plan
-Letters: On Doing Double Duty for Public Service and Personal Health
-Letters: On Possible Role in Opioid Crisis, Response
-ITU Teams with Americas' Telecoms and IARU, Promotes WinLink
-Iowa Water Utility Assisted by ARES for RFI Issue
-FEMA Releases IS-0200.c Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
-More Street Sense for Emergency Communication
-New Books: Energy Choices for the Radio Amateur, from ARRL
-K1CE For a Final: Anderson Powerpoles, GoVerticalUSA Products
Urgent Need for Mentors for Updated New ARRL Introduction to Emergency
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Communications Course
---------------------
High interest in the recently announced updated ARRL Introduction to
Emergency Communications (EC-001) course is prompting a call for additional
class mentors to help meet the demand, which ARRL Lifelong Learning Manager
Kris Bickell, K1BIC, says "exceeded our projections." As Bickell explains,
the course is designed to be interactive, with volunteer mentors guiding
each session.
"We appreciate the work of the mentors to make EC-001 an interactive
experience for the participants. The real-world experience they bring to the
course is very important to the learning process," Bickell said. "We look
forward to bringing in more mentors to help ARRL expand the reach of this
valuable emergency communications training." Bickell has developed a waiting
list for prospective EC-001 students, who will be notified as additional
sessions are scheduled.
The EC-001 course covers a broad range of Amateur Radio skills that may be
called upon to supplement communications systems following an emergency or
disaster. It will help the new radio amateur to be better prepared for such
events, and will offer the seasoned radio amateur new insights into the role
Amateur Radio plays in the response phase. Students will also be encouraged
to continue to develop their Amateur Radio skills and build their response
toolbox.
EC-001 mentors should be ARRL members, active, and experienced. A General
class or higher Amateur Radio license is required, and the applicant must be
at least 18 years old. Mentors should have experience in public service
communication and in Amateur Radio Emergency Service© (ARES©) activities and
come with the recommendation of their ARRL Section Managers.
In addition to the EC-001 course, prospective mentors should have completed
ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800; the FEMA Professional Development Series, and
National Weather Service SKYWARN© training. Professional experience in
emergency management, disaster response, training, or distance learning for
adults is desirable. Candidates should possess sufficient computer skills,
be able to interact with online-course students and with other mentors, and
be able to maintain adequate computer equipment.
Appointment as an ARRL mentor for the ARRL Public Service Communications
Training Program is for 3 years, renewable based on satisfactory performance
as an active instructor/mentor and the successful fulfillment of all current
qualifications and requirements.
Mentors are expected to maintain their qualifications and adhere to all
guidelines and standards of conduct for volunteers representing ARRL.
Apply online to become an ARRL mentor. For more information, contact ARRL
Emergency Preparedness Assistant Ken Bailey, K1FUG, (860) 594-0227.
ARES Briefs, Links
Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, Receives IARU Diamond Award (3/19/19) -- The
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Administrative Council has
recognized Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, for his success over many years in
raising the visibility at international forums for Amateur Radio's role in
providing disaster-relief communication. A presentation took place on
February 20 in Geneva. More here.
The Global Forum on Emergency Telecommunications (GET-19) took place from
March 6-8 in Balaclava, Mauritius. A special session on case studies and
lessons learned from the Caribbean region was held along with a number of
programs of special interest to Amateur service emergency telecommunications
providers on information and communications technologies trends. Proceedings
of the conference will be presented here as they are released.
Amateur Radio Volunteers Activate Following California Flooding -- Amateur
Radio volunteers with the Sonoma County, California, Auxiliary
Communications Service (ACS) rallied to assist in February after heavy rain
led to flooding. ARRL San Francisco Section Manager Bill Hillendahl, KH6GJV,
reported that while no actual communication emergencies occurred during the
weather event, Sonoma County ACS volunteers provided "needed eyes" and was
available in case further assistance was needed. Sonoma County ACS Radio
Officer Dan Ethen, WA6CRB, said heavy rainfall on fire-scarred areas
resulted in flooding along the Russian River. More here. [Sonoma County ACS
supplements government disaster communication on a volunteer basis. It is a
part of local government and operates under the authority of the Sonoma
County Fire and Emergency Services Department. Volunteers provide
communication between the County and its jurisdictions, county and city
governments, and neighboring county governments.]
Don't Miss the 2019 ARRL National Convention at Dayton Hamvention© Programs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 2019 Dayton Hamvention© hosts the ARRL National Convention this year,
and features a treasure trove of exhibits, programs and forums of interest
to the Amateur Radio emergency/disaster response community - don't miss it!
Special exhibits include a showcase of communications vans and strategies
from across the country. Click here if you have a vehicle that you would
like to have showcased at the event. There are many ARES and other groups
that are building out vehicles and would benefit from ideas from the
operators of the displayed units. Groups bringing their vehicles to exhibit
should have their units fully staffed, functional and demonstrated so that
its capabilities can be observed throughout the show.
The forums schedule is coming soon, according to the Hamvention forum
schedule page. Check here for further information.
The 2019 ARRL National Convention at Dayton Hamvention© is Friday, May 17,
through Sunday, May 17, at the Greene County Expo Center, 120 Fairgrounds
Road, Xenia, Ohio, sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association. [I am
hoping to meet and greet readers at Dayton in just a couple of months. See
you there! - K1CE]
Ohio ARES Musters for January Snowmageddon
------------------------------------------
Ohio ARES members stared down "Snowmageddon" 2019, the mid-January blizzard
that blanketed the lower Great Lakes region. Based on ominous forecasts and
discussion with Assistant SECs across the state, Section Manager Scott
Yonally, N8SY, and the Ohio Watch Desk, SEC Stan Broadway, N8BHL, asked ARES
operators to provide observations and reports to assist decision makers at
the Ohio state EOC and county EMA centers. Broadway said "We could do this
safely from our homes, and integrate our reports (remotely) into the state's
WebEOC management system, which could be read by the Ohio Watch Desk and any
other emergency official around the state." Broadway said "We had never
tried this, and it seemed like a great way to promote the Amateur service's
ability to provide situational awareness on a wide scale." "Conditions could
have resulted in an emergency," Broadway said, adding the storm warranted a
statewide ARES response.
A statewide net was convened at 1500 local time on Saturday, January 9, as
conditions deteriorated. Amateurs quickly began checking in and reporting
their local conditions with specific details. The reports were compiled by
Ohio's AuxComm Team station, W8SGT, which was operated from Broadway's
residence from 1500 through 2130 on 80-meters, and the VHF/UHF Digital
Mobile Radio (DMR) network (the Ohio Talk group), simultaneously. By
nightfall, storm conditions had stabilized, and reporting slowed to the
point that the statewide net could be closed. Many county-level nets were
also in operation.
The Ohio "Snow Net" received 131 reports from 44 of Ohio's 88 counties,
split evenly between HF and DMR. The short-notice net was entered into the
ARES Connect system and more than 50 amateurs signed up for the net event.
There were several other local snow nets entered for county events also. The
statewide reports were logged and submitted every few hours to the state
Homeland Security/Emergency Management Agency Watch Desk through WebEOC.
Broadway reported receiving compliments from EMA directors around the state
who were impressed that the Amateur service could furnish reports with such
detailed information. Broadway thanked the state's ARES volunteers for their
enthusiastic response, and noted what went right and what could be done
better for the next incident.
What Went Right
The HF (80-meter) capability to reach across the state was a proven asset,
with effective communications in all directions. The DMR system functioned
much like Ohio's public safety radio system, connecting nearly 80 repeaters
across the state through the internet. This service had been untested and
this event created the perfect proving ground: "we needed dependable
statewide communication where all stations would benefit by hearing reports
as they were filed," Broadway said. "The Ohio Talk Group was used with great
success -- we had no known problems with dropout or system faults.
Communication proved reliable even with the severe weather threatening power
loss and antenna corruption."
Ohio ARES operators provided a broad range of information including snow
depths, wind speeds, and "Level 3" declarations, closed airports and more.
[Under Level 3, non-essential personnel on roadways are subject to arrest.]
Specific entries were made to WebEOC on major items, and the entire log was
submitted in three segments over the time period. ARES leaders were able to
stay logged into WebEOC and to the Wilmington and Cleveland National Weather
Service chat channels to pick up on any reports there. ARES filed specific
reports to Wilmington as blizzard conditions worsened.
What Could Be Better
More aggressive alerting of District and county ECs would have given them
more time to prepare. More guidance for local nets might have contributed to
more realistic expectations and efficient operation -- the specific weather
information sought and time frame of operation anticipated.
"Winter storms are part of the Ohio landscape, and we don't propose ramping
up a net for every snowfall. But when the forecasts call for extreme
conditions, ARES operators have now proven we can be a true asset for our
served partner agencies. Additionally, we've tested DMR operation under
heavy load successfully". - Stan Broadway, N8BHL, COML, AUXCOMM, Ohio
Section Emergency Coordinator
Comments Due Friday on Proposed Updates to the National Emergency
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Communications Plan
-------------------
The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Security Agency (CISA) is seeking feedback on proposed updates to the
National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP)--the Nation's strategic plan
to improve emergency communications.
CISA is leading a national effort to update the NECP, which was last revised
in 2014. The updated NECP aligns with the Communications and Information
Management component in NIMS (National Incident Management System) and
strives to prepare stakeholders for a rapidly evolving emergency
communications landscape. Proposed updates reflect the expanding ecosystem
of people, technologies, and functions involved in supporting emergency
communications to aid public safety entities with addressing today's
challenges while also planning for future advancements.
Informed by stakeholder input and a nationwide emergency communications
survey, the NECP provides guidance to those that plan for, coordinate,
invest in, and use communications to support response and recovery
operations. This includes traditional emergency responder disciplines (e.g.,
law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, dispatch) and other
entities that share information during emergencies, such as medical
facilities, utilities, nongovernmental organizations, as well as the media
and private citizens. To provide comments on the updated NECP, complete the
feedback form on the DHS website and submit it to OECNECP@hq.dhs.gov by
March 22, 2019.
[The Amateur service is referenced on page 71: "volunteer organizations such
as community emergency response teams and auxiliary communications
volunteers play key roles in emergency communications and preparedness.
Volunteer emergency communications operators and groups using amateur radio
have been providing backup communications to event planners, public safety
officials, and emergency managers at all levels of government for nearly 100
years. Often, amateur radio services have been used when other forms of
communications have failed or have been disrupted. Today, nearly all the
states and territories have incorporated some level of participation by
amateur radio auxiliary communication operators into their Tactical
Interoperable Communications Plans and Statewide Communication
Interoperability Plans, allowing them to quickly integrate the operators
into response efforts, which can strengthen communications and operations
during incidents of any scale." - ed.]
Letters: On Doing Double Duty for Public Service and Personal Health
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I enjoyed your editorial in last month's issue advocating using bicycle
mobile operators in MS150 bicycle events. Actually, this is not a new
concept. Back in the 90's, I operated bicycle mobile on a number of MS150
rides in Colorado. I don't know if they are still using bicycle mobile ops
or not but we had around three at events at the time. Around 2004, I was one
of three bicycle mobile operators on a two day ride in North Carolina on the
Blue Ridge Parkway. The bicycle mobile operators could often report the need
for SAG wagons between rest stops on the route and get resources deployed
faster. - Steve Johnson, N0AYE, Livingston, Texas
Letters: On Possible Role in Opioid Crisis, Response
----------------------------------------------------
Amateur Radio emergency/disaster response is significantly geared toward
naturally occurring disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes,
earthquakes, etc. There are also the man-made disasters: I can think of
urban fires, collapse of dams, explosions, wrecks of various types,
terrorist acts, and so on. In many, the Amateur service can and does play a
support, response and recovery role. A man-made emergency that has emerged
in recent times is the exponentially expanding opioid crisis that perhaps
warrants an amateur response component based on proper training. Is there
room for one? I believe yes, there is.
The spool unwinds to death from an overdose rapidly. Yet a timely dose of
naloxone (Narcan) nasal spray or auto plunger shot administration can
reverse its lethal effects in seconds. The trick is to be at the right place
at the right time. The generic naloxone is now available over the counter in
46 states and by prescription everywhere. It is close to idiot-proof to
administer. Training on and incorporating this life-saving capability may be
appropriate components for ARES teams and CERTs. -- Scott Reaser, K6TAR,
Pacific Palisades, California
[According to CDC data, in 2017, the number of overdose deaths involving
opioids was six times higher than in 1999. On average, 130 Americans die
every day from an opioid overdose. We recommend CPR and Basic First Aid
training for ARES participants; it may be time to recommend training for
opioid overdoses and reversal, too. - ed.]
ITU Teams with Americas' Telecoms and IARU, Promotes WinLink
------------------------------------------------------------
In 2018, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the specialized UN
agency, teamed up with regional telecommunications bodies and the
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) to set up an alternative
telecommunication system for use in times of emergencies. The system does
not rely on conventional means of communication such as the internet, but
rather on Amateur Radio systems.
The alternative telecommunications system used is amateur-developed WinLink,
a worldwide email service that uses radio pathways and is capable of
operating completely without the internet. Winlink is well-known for its
role in emergency and disaster relief communications, providing its users
email with attachments, position reporting, weather and information
bulletins. The system is built, operated and administered entirely by
licensed volunteers.
WinLink has a proven track record for emergencies. As recently as 2017,
WinLink was extensively used in the aftermath of the high-impact hurricane
season in the Caribbean and also after the earthquake in Mexico.
Nodes are an important part of the WinLink system. A node is a point of
connection within the network and are the major centers through which
internet email traffic is typically routed.
At the beginning of 2018, ITU started to implement the project using WinLink
in cooperation with IARU and the Federaci¢n Mexicana de Radio
Experimentadores (FMRE). ITU and FMRE worked in collaboration with the
Regional Telecommunications Commission of Central America (COMTELCA) to
define system specifications.
Governments have played an important role in project implementation. This
was necessary for effective coordination among telecommunications
authorities, organizations responsible to respond to emergencies and
radio-amateur associations. Governments have also provided some equipment
and carried out preliminary work to start operations. National partnerships
were built among relevant entities to procure the needed equipment, deliver
training, and increase awareness of WinLink.
The project has built and strengthened synergies among different entities at
the national, regional and international level and helped highlight the role
of amateur radio systems in disaster management. ITU stands ready to expand
this project in all beneficiary countries, and counts on the cooperation of
IARU and FMRE to bring this solution to the whole Americas region. - source:
ITU News, Emergency Comms, March 5, 2019
Iowa Water Utility Assisted by ARES for RFI Issue
-------------------------------------------------
Des Moines (Iowa) Water Works (DMWW) uses secured radio telemetry to send
information from remote sites to its Control Center. The telemetry is used
to monitor various attributes of remote sites so staff can be alerted to any
problems and ensure systems are running optimally. In recent months, DMWW
experienced periodic and sometimes total failure of the radio system that
communicates to several facilities and water tower sites.
When no solution could be found, staff reached out to radio sales
representatives and technical resources to assist with the problem, along
with the Des Moines Police (DMPD) radio department, Polk County Emergency
Management, and the FCC.
Polk County ARES was brought in. Eight operators assembled to track down the
signal interference plaguing DMWW over the course of about three weeks.
DMWW, DMPD radio department, and the FCC continued to assist during the
workday, while the amateur volunteers worked the late shift.
After a process of elimination the volunteer group pinpointed the signal to
defunct equipment on top of a downtown Des Moines building that was causing
the unintentional interference. The team contacted the owner of the license
associated with the equipment and got permission to disable it, and DMWW
confirmed the signal interference was gone.
Collectively, the Polk County ARES volunteer team spent approximately 70
hours to assist DMWW. "We are just a handful of folks who are willing to
help out if we can. We heard of a need, thought maybe we could help, and
caught a couple of breaks to solve a problem," said Polk County EC Scott
Kirstein, N0OOD.
After the experience, DMWW installed a more robust radio system with
encryption and a stronger relationship with several entities that can assist
if a similar problem happens in the future. DMWW thanked DMPD, Polk County,
FCC, and Polk County ARES in locating the signal interference and working to
find solutions for DMWW's communications systems, which are a vital element
to the work of delivering safe drinking water to 500,000 central Iowa
customers. - summarized from H2O Line, January 2019, News and Updates from
Des Moines (Iowa) Water Works
FEMA Releases IS-0200.c Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
FEMA released IS-200.c this past week. IS-200.c, Basic Incident Command
System for Initial Response, ICS 200, is designed to enable personnel to
operate efficiently during an incident or event within the Incident Command
System (ICS). This course focuses on the management of single resources.
IS-0200.c provides training on and resources for personnel who are likely to
assume a supervisory position within the ICS. EMI will be hosting Rollout
Webinars on March 21, 2019 (that's tomorrow) at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm (EST)
here: NIMS ICS Training Forum. The Adobe Connect platform is for displaying
visuals and for chat room only. Audio will be provided using the following
conference call line and pin #: Conference Telephone #: 800-320-4330, with
pin #: 884976. More info can be found here.
If you have successfully completed a previous version of this course there
is no FEMA requirement to take the revised version of the course. However,
because this course contains new information based on the revised NIMS,
October 2017, you may find it informative to review the new version. The new
material is available through the EMI website.
More Street Sense for Emergency Communication
---------------------------------------------
Duane Mariotti, WB9RER, is a biomedical engineer supporting hospitals, and
has experience in communications during numerous disasters. He is currently
coordinator of the Kaiser Permanente Amateur Radio Network (KPARN) in
California.
We published ten operating tips from Mariotti in the January 2019 issue.
Here are ten more.
1. Document your Communications Plan on ICS-204, 205, 205A forms, with
command and tactical channels, etc., listed. Minimally, every event requires
a command and tactical channel and secondary channels of same. Some
incidents require additional information, resource, logistics, and other
channels. Put them in the plan.
2. Select a primary repeater, a secondary repeater and a go-to simplex
frequency, and document them on the ICS forms. More if needed.
3. Have a power contingency plan: battery, generator, solar. Know how many
hours your generator and battery can run, based on current draws from the
various loads.
4. Use tactical call signs. For things that do not move, use a specific,
well-known location such as "high school," or "fire station #22" - they
should be pre-planned and documented in the plan. For things that move,
decide how you will identify them -- typically use street, eg, "Westwood
Road." Do not assign different tactical names for every event - too confusing.
5. Use a tactical call sign to start a transmission - your FCC ID finishes
it. You only need call signs at completion of traffic and every ten minutes
- stop using your call every microphone PTT press.
6. Remember, everyone knows what a cell phone is - it is duplex
communication. With few exceptions in amateur communication, which is
semi-duplex, only one person can talk at a time and no interruption. Keep it
short and remind people that when other people are talking no one can hear
them.
7. The world does not revolve around 2-meters and 440 MHz. The 6-meter and
220 MHz bands, along with 900 MHz and 1.2 GHz are also available bands with
unique characteristics. In urban areas 1.2 GHz is said to have the same
coverage as 440 MHz with some other benefits.
8. If you are planning on using a certain repeater for incident
communications, know something about it: its exact location, height above
average terrain (HAAT), coverage footprint, effective radiated power (ERP),
modes (DMR, D-STAR, P25, Fusion, FM analog, etc). Remember, Amateur Radio is
interoperability king -- create an FM analog "access channel" as is now
common in public safety so various systems can find each other quickly, sort
of a rally point of contact. Amateurs need to have defined and monitored
"access channels" per organization.
9. If you publish an access channel - monitor it always!
10. Do not forget the auto patch - just because everyone has a cell phone
does not mean that auto patch, properly configured, would not be a tool when
local cell coverage is non-existent. Know how to use the autopatch function
on your repeaters.
New Books: Energy Choices for the Radio Amateur, from ARRL
----------------------------------------------------------
Revolutionary changes are taking place in the way we produce and consume
power for our homes, transportation, and the technology that we use every
day. A new book, Energy Choices for the Radio Amateur by Bob Bruninga,
WB4APR, who developed the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS), explores
ongoing changes in the world of power and energy and takes a careful look at
the choices we can make. Concepts in the book can help prepare for emergency
and backup power at home and in the field.
K1CE For a Final: Anderson Powerpoles, GoVerticalUSA Products
-------------------------------------------------------------
Some recent, personal experience with two popular products may be of
interest to emergency communicators. I've installed dozens of Powerpole©
connectors successfully; they are an excellent ARES standard connector, with
many devices and cables pre-prepared with the connectors. I've had great
luck with them for years. Recently, however, I was in a hurry during an
install, and left the exposed, un-insulated ends of the wires too far out of
the red and black plastic housings. The exposed wire extended out of the
housings perhaps only as much as 3/16", but it was enough to result in a
short, with my solar regulator/charger detecting the fault and automatically
disconnecting. The short posed a serious safety issue. Lesson learned: Make
sure all of the exposed wire is protected inside the housings; and in
general, always take your time to do any job right! Additional Powerpole
tips can be found here.
Also recently, I discovered and have been experimenting with GoVerticalUSA
products. The Pennsylvania-based company sells new, used and surplus heavy
duty mast sections, tripod/base components, guy rings, cable, accessories,
etc. I discovered their products at a recent emergency communications
exercise, but I also saw their outdoor booth at Orlando Hamcation© a few
years ago.
I purchased the Antenna Tower Aluminum Tripod base and a set of four used
48" fiberglass mast sections to use as the three legs of the tripod. These
products are heavy duty and easy to put together in seconds. I ran my
existing antenna support mast up through the middle hole of the tripod base
and mounted my 2-meter beam on top. The mast is supported at the top by a
U-clamp on the side of my roof. My next purchase will be for their smooth
walled aluminum mast sections and the 12" base that holds the antenna mast
on the ground, with guy rings, guy wires and stakes to allow my installation
to be erected independently of my house.
These products would serve ARES operators well when quick set-up of masts
and antennas are indicated in the field: at disaster areas and public event
checkpoints, etc. - K1CE
_____________________________________
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