Most of the attendees felt that we needed to focus on practice within their own counties. This will hone each of our
counties on passing/receiving traffic especially during emergencies.  Good Job Team.

SET Drill please don't forget to complete the forms and mail a copy to ARRL and a copy of to me.  So far Gaston and Lincoln County has completed their forms. Would like to have all Counties completed and mailed by December 15^th.
this should keep us from interfering with Christmas.

Thanks to all the operators that attended the Area-12 meeting. Here is the list of those that attended.

Cabarrus KA4ATT - Sam
Gaston KC4YOT - Milton, KG4AWO - Mike, W4RDT - Rick and KG4IMC, Gene
Lincoln WD4PIC - Cliff, KE4RCO-Kevin, KE4YYJ-Elaine, KB9ASA - Marc
Mecklenburg KD4GCF-Lee and KE4IYH-Steve
Stanly K4HTJ - Med
Union WA3RTC - Steve, K4RLD - Bob

Elmo - KB5WY

Total Attendees = 16

Here is the copy from input provided during our Area-12 meeting. Most of these was from the resent SET Drill. I have also included topics on Packet and APRS.

1. Most of the attendees felt that we needed to focus on practice within their own counties. This will hone each of our counties on passing/receiving traffic especially during emergencies.

Radiograms appears to be one of the hotter topics.

1. Each County feels they need to improve the shills for sending and receiving messages. EC's felt each county should set a target of sending/receiving 2 or 3 messages per month. I feel that the more messages that we send the better we will all become. Using different operators to send/receive messages will improve the operator doing the sending/receiving as well as those operators listing.

B. During our SET drills regardless of the scenario the first two words of the text part of the message on the Radiogram format should state "TEST MESSAGE". So normally we send up to 25 word minus the TEST MESSAGE would allow us 23 words. The group felt that any operator that may be listening would automatically know all text was part of the TEST MESSAGE.

C. Precedence should be a "R" for Routine, Priority "P" message should not be sent as the precedence during our drills. The "R" along with the first two words TEST MESSAGE in the text

should make it clear that we are testing the system.

3. The group felt that all six counties should use the same Scenario for our yearly SET drill. On our next SET Drill the DEC and one of the other counties will, prior to the drill, determine the Scenario.

4. The group felt the SET Drill date should be announced by all 6 counties a few weeks  before the drill is scheduled to start. I will take this under consideration for the next years  SET Drill. What turns me off some is the concern that announcing the date a few weeks before the drill to all ARES members in 6 counties would be detrimental to the results that we may achieve from the test. The total points for the SET Drill could be a false indicator as to our readiness during real emergencies.

5. H.F. Frequencies that are to be used for the drill should have an assigned NET Control operator. We could rotate the assignment from county to county for yearly SET Drill. Each county EC will know the frequency that we plan to use. Two of the counties will provide a NET control operator for the SET Drill. All counties will assign NET control operators for the two-meter frequency that they are using prior to the SET Drill.

6b  Packet it looks like that we have two plans on the use of packet . KD4GCF-Lee and KE4IYH-Steve presented their plan on the use of Packet. Their plan was modified from the plan that Elmo (KB5WY) had provided. Their plan includes macros they have written or modified for their use. The macros used allows what they feel is a quicker connect for their group. Lee and Steve, offered their assistance for any county that wants to adapted to their plan or use their method. I'm not sure about what type of software they are using. It appears to be unique to their plan. After the discussing the SET Drill and the amount of time remaining it did not allow me time to record all the information they provided. My brain was fried by then anyway. Maybe we can get them to post their plan. The AREA-12 meeting was just too short for me to cover all the details. I will check with Lee and Steve and see if I can load their plan to the web page.

6c Elmo (KB5WY) has a plan that he put together and has been distributed to most in the surrounding counties. Elmo's plan does not require the use of macro's. His plan also uses different type of software that are in use and available for packet use. Advantage to me (I'm some what bias as working with the Badin folks) seems to be what ever software that you are custom to using would be an advantage. Stanly County is looking at providing communications for Badin Logistic Area in New London. The TNC is a high focus item for the Badin site. The TNC is capable of using different types of software packages. The Stanly group and I feel that it is advantageous for the Badin Site to follow Elmo's suggestions. Elmo has played an interracial part of making recommendations to the Stanly County ARES group at the Badin Site. The requirements to provide coverage of the site will require operators for possibly a long period of time (TWENTY-FOUR by SEVEN DAY). Stanly county will need help from operators from each county in Area-12 to provide this type of coverage if needed. Packet will be required to pass a number of messages, some are lengthy in context estimations of up to a page of data, containing material requested and shipping to location. It appears that communication will focus into Raleigh and the some of the eastern parts of the State. I will check with Elmo to see if I can load his up to date copy to the web page.

Will be March 2003, name, date and place will be provided by Daryl (W4OH) who's representatives agreed that he will host the site for the quarterly meeting. I let you know the Details in the future.

KD4OZI - Paul

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