Guys and Gals,
Our next meeting of Cherokee County ARES will be held on Tuesday, March 8th, 2016 at 7 pm EST at the Robert Penland Senior Center in Downtown Murphy.
Thank you to all who participated in the SKYWARN Spotter Network for potential severe weather twice this past month.
Definitions and usage: ICS (Incident Command System) Forms and digital communication of same.
The Incident Command System involves the use of many standardized forms. The one we are most familiar with is the ICS-213 message form. However, the ICS-205 form provides for specific assignments of personnel and the ICS-309 is a communication log. There are other forms for other purposes.
The FLDigi suite of programs, including FLMsg, provides the ability to create blank forms, or form fill existing form types and send them digitally over HF or VHF using MT-63, which is an error-checking digital mode. These programs are available for free over the Internet. The forms can also be created and attached to a WinLink 2000 e-mail via radio.
Everyone involved in ARES/AUXCOMM should become familiar with these forms and be prepared to use them in an actual emergency. The official forms are three-part NCR paper with an original, a copy for the writer, and a copy for the message handler.
It is recommended that amateur radio operators passing these forms as messages include a word count and their call sign at the bottom of the message form. The word count DOES NOT include the actual word count and operator ID listed, and is based on the format used by the ARRL Radiogram form with the exception of ARL standardized message codes.
Kevin Heyboer KD4UYR
Acting Emergency Coordinator
[email protected]
828-494-4146
813-326-1400
See
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016:
Clay County ARES Emergency Net meets at 8:00 PM Tuesday nights on the Clay County ARES/AUXCOMM repeater K5PRE (146.955 MHz, - offset, 100 Hz tone). (Nets held most Tuesdays.)
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016:
Clay County ARES informal lunch meeting. Clay County ARES Informal Monthly Meeting 12:00 Noon at various locations. Check into the Tuesday night nets to see where the group is having lunch. (Lunch meetings most Wednesdays.)
Thursday, March 3rd, 2016:
Cherokee County ARES Emergency Net at 7:00 PM on the K4AIH repeater (147.045 MHz, - offset,151.4 Hz tone). This net meets weekly on Thursdays. On the first net of the month we encourage operating on emergency power. Inform the Net Control if you are on emergency power when you check in. (Nets held most Thursdays)
Friday, March 4th, 2016
Western Carolina Amateur Radio Group Net at 8:00 PM on the K4AIH repeater (147.045 MHz, - offset,151.4 Hz tone). (Nets held most Fridays.) After the regular 2m net there will be the 10m net every other Friday (March 11th and March 25th, 2016) on the technician frequency of 28.490 MHz. Everyone is invited to see how well they can communicate on HF locally on ten meters! Technicians should start asking for help, if needed, to get modest ten meter antennas in the air.
Saturday, March 5th, 2016
Smokey Mountain Net will be held on Saturdays at 8:00 PM on the K4AIH (147.045 - offset, tone 151.4) repeater. Check-ins welcome from the Tri-State area. Includes ragchew and radio swap shop. (Nets held most Saturdays.)
Tuesday, March 8th, 2016:
Formal meeting of the Cherokee County Amateur Radio Service Group at the Robert Penland Senior Center at 95 Alpine Avenue, Murphy, NC. The meeting begins at 7 pm EST and lasts approximately 2 hours. This month we will discuss the use of cross-band repeaters for both tactical and logistical use.
Saturday, March 12th, 2016
Western Carolina Amateur Radio Group Brunch meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10 AM at Main Street USA located on Hiwassee Street in Murphy.
Amateur Radio License Exam Session
Sponsor: Edwin Flowers, KG4LVO
Location: Andrews Public Library-Conference Rm
Time: 10:00 AM (Walk-ins allowed)
Saturday, March 19th, 2016
Cherokee NC ARES Social Brunch on the third
Saturday of each month. This is an opportunity for a
social gathering and it will not involve any formal
presentations or training. All those interested in
amateur radio or just a good meal and fellowship are
invited to attend. XYLs welcome! This month we will meet
at 10 AM at Main Street USA located on Hiwassee Street
in Murphy.
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016 (0000 UTC):
The Vernal Equinox: Welcome back, Spring….we have missed you!
Coming up on April 18th, 2016:
Smoky Mountain Net Annual Ramp Picnic:
This event is held every Spring at the Clay County
Recreation Park on Myer’s Chapel Road near Hayesville.
This is a pot luck luncheon combined with deliciously
prepared ramps open to all amateur radio operators,
their spouses, and their families. This is the
primary fund raising event to support the K4AIH Joanna
Bald Repeater on 147.045. In addition to bringing
a food dish, please also bring cash to donate in support
of the repeater. The event officially begins at 11
am, but come early for good fellowship with ham
operators from Georgia , Tennessee , and of course,
Western North Carolina . This a great chance to
meet and greet the folks you speak with on a regular
basis. You DO NOT have to be a member of any
organization to enjoy this event.
Don’t Forget: The North Carolina Tarheel Emergency Net is conducted nightly on 3.923 MHz at 7:30 pm EST. All appropriately licensed ham operators are welcome to check into the net. You do not have to be an appointed officer in ARES to participate. This is a great way to check your HF equipment on 75 meters. Persons checking in are requested to provide their name, location, ARRL appointment (if any), provide their EM area (we are Area 14), list any traffic for the net, and can stay in for an informal ragchew after the formal portion of the net if they wish.
The Tarheel Emergency Net has been in existence for more
than 60 years and is the primary point to point long
distance communications frequency in the event of a
disaster creating a communications emergency within
North Carolina .