Click
on the M.P.A.R.C. Logo to visit their WebsiteAmy: [Picture]
Licensed: August 8, 1997 as a Technician Upgrade: June 1, 1998 to Technician Plus Upgrade: August 12, 1998 to GeneralClick
on the M.P.A.R.C. Logo to visit their WebsiteThe M.P.A.R.C. operates a 2 Meter repeater on 145.37 (-600), located in Gloucester County VA.
M.P.A.R.C. Meets at 7:30pm on the 2nd Tuesday every month
in the Abingdon Volunteer Rescue Squad.
RATS meets at Derbyshire Baptist Church on the 3rd friday of the month, though recently the meetings have been quarterly, ask on the 88 machine for info or call: (804) 739-2269 mailbox 7287
ARES
/ RACES
W5YI
VECNOTE: As of January 1st 1998 the Tomato Net frequency is 146.565
What's
the purpose of the
Tomato Net ?
To promote amateur radio activities on HF, VHF and UHV:
FM, SSB, CW (yes CW!), AM, APRS, Packet, Satellites, DX and whatever else
there is.
To have fun and enjoy the amateur radio camaradery.
Any questions regarding station operation, station improvement, antenna construction, equipment or other amateur radio issues? Make a call on the Net frequency and you will find someone who can help (...been there, done that, here is how it works...).
Do you want to learn Morse code or increase your code speed to upgrade to a higher license class? There is regular CW practice on the Tomato Net frequency (146.565 simplex) Monday and Wednesday nights for 1 hour prior to the net, starting at 7:30pm working speeds from Novice (< 5 words per minute) to General (up to about 15 words per minute). Code practice is conducted by Lin (KT4JT) and he does an excellent job, you will learn and/or improve your CW Skills if you listen and record his practice sessions. CW is a skill and an art, it is very enjoyable if you stick with it long enough for it to get easier. Hope to hear you on the net!
The
ARRL
has represented Hams with the FCC
and other radio regulatory bodies for many years and
also offers organization and information related to almost every aspect
of the hobby. Get involved, if you are familiar with the league
and are not a member because you don't like the way the league is run,
jump in and help change things. The ARRL is made up of HAMS and
in needs the support and activity of the amateur community in order to
contiue to represent and serve us. Information about joining the league
is available on their website.
====================
When I received the Email from Tony Amato requesting a general call up for help for the city of Franklin and had four days before I had to back to work, decided it would be the thing to do. Called my wife and she thought it would be a great idea. The request stated ?come prepared?. After checking my supplies against the list supplied by Bill, K4BW, I sent an Email back and received an almost instant reply with instructions. So I packed up the truck and South it was.
From Rt. 58 things appeared to be normal but there was this smell. When I arrived at the Franklin make shift EOC and checked in, I found a fairly organized group managing operations. My first assignment was International Paper and was escorted by the Virginia State Police over there. The job was to pass information on the situation at the plant and any emergencies that might arise. We established our com post as International EOC. I was relieved the next morning at 10AM and returned to the firehouse which was the make shift EOC for Franklin. I found a corner to unroll my sleeping bag on the floor in a corner and got a nap.
The next shift was from 6PM to midnight at the Franklin EOC handling reports of looting, breaking and entering and health and welfare reports in and out of the area (this was where my army mars training with written formal traffic) was invaluable. Again found a corner to catch some sleep. The last day I relieved some of the new operators when necessary and got some really good pictures.
The local high school students were really great, they made the coffee, carried messages, got supplies and any other task they were assigned. The church across the street provided our food with local people, who were not directly impacted by the flood waters bringing in home cooked food and anything they had to help. This area had no telephone service, no power, no cable TV and many had lost everything. Due to the fact that area was not considered flood prone, most had no flood insurance. The news services did not do justice to devastation in and around the area of the City of Franklin.
Tony, as usual was at the other end of the radio making sure everyone was relieved and did not work more than an six hour shift. (Although I think he was working 24 hours). I was proud to be a part of the largest ARES/RACES call up ever and hope people never have to go though a disaster like this one again. But we know, nature can always throw us a curve like this again. We must remain prepared.
Dennis
KD4NVM
=======================
Frank Mackey - K4EC
Virginia ARES SEC
State RACES Officer
Amateur Radio Emergency Service of Virginia
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
The Federal Communications Commission
The Middle Peninsula Amateur Radio Club
The Richmond Amateur Telecommunications Society
The Tomato
Net (146.560 simplex)
