Henry Wyatt, K4YCR, SEC
| Total number of ARES members | 1142 | Change since last month | +17 |
| DECs reporting this month | 9 out of 15 Call Signs |
ARES nets active | 162 sessions |
| ECs reporting this month | 37 out of 75 Call signs |
Nets with NTS Liaison | most of these nets |
| Number of Drills, tests and training sessions this month | 83 | Person hours | 480 |
| Number of Public service events this month | 11 | Person hours | 343 |
| Number of Emergency operations this month | 0 | Person hours | 0 |
| Total number of ARES operations this month | 74 | Person hours | 823 |
ODEN
From K3EP: October 1st was emergency power night. We had 43 stations checking-in and approximately 75% were on emergency power. An excellent turnout!
The Virginia SET was held on October 6. The Section activated 3 of the 4 Old Dominion Emergency Nets (ODEN) on HF: ODEN/A on SSB, ODEN/C on CW, and ODEN/D on Digital (CHIP64). Over 50 different stations checked into the 3 nets, and passed 79 pieces of traffic. We had numerous stations who I had never heard passing traffic before on the regular NTS nets, doing a FB job during this SET
District 1
[Missed from the September Reporting] On 9/16, Clarke County ARES provided radio communications support for the Potomac Pedalars annual Century Ride in Clarke, Warren and Jefferson counties. Over 950 cyclists rode in the event. Present were 17 amateur radio operators, 13 Pedalars SAG support vehicles, and seven motorcycle
spotters.
- Ed Krom, WD4KHP, DEC Shenandoah District arranged for the American Red Cross to provide UHF 28 HTs, and to use local repeaters, for non-ham motorcycle spotters and for the Pedalers support vehicles. This joint exercise provided good drill in communicating with non-ham radio operators.
- Mark Gribble, N3MG, EC Clarke County organized support for the event and acted as Net Control Station. Net control used VHF simplex for the primary frequency to communicate with the three rest stops and SAG vehicles, and used APRS with UI-View software to monitor those hams with APRS in their vehicles. This was a very successful joint exercise with the ARC, and the Pedalers event coordinators were very happy with the communications support. Many thanks to all of the hams who volunteered their time from early morning until evening to make this event a success.
District 3
October SET was the most noteworthy activity of the month.
- AD6JV in Albemarle/Charlottesville - The ARES group of Albemarle County participated in the Virginia state-wide SET by activating four sites on UHF under battery power: the Albemarle-Charlottesville-UVA 911 center, the regional Red Cross center in Charlottesville, the evacuation shelter at East Rivanna Fire Company, and the Scottsville Rescue Squad. K4DND and WW4GW provided NTS liaison. Two or three ARES members staffed each of the activated sites to assure smooth flow of messages and to garner the maximum training potential from the event.
- WW4GW Buckingham/Cumberland Counties – It was another quiet month in Buckingham and Cumberland Counties. I did respond to a joint request from the FBI and the USMC to provide planning assistance for their communications during a homeland security exercise that will take place in Virginia. Through a series of meetings and conversations with other ARES members and officials, I was able to provide to the FBI the information that they needed to complete their exercise. A full report of this action is forthcoming.
- N3DFS Greene County - Three members participated in the ARES SET of October 6; however, one could not reach the UHF repeater. The EC was "Red Cross Central Virginia" and the AEC as "Greene Co EOC". Greene Co Emergency Net still maintained.
District 4
- Steve, KD4KNR, EC/RO, King George County: King George hams performed two events this month ...On Oct 6, several local hams met me at the new KG fire Company 1 and EOC to discuss antenna/workspace setup Hams that participated KD4KNR, KD4BYB, KG4SCP ... We also operated a public display station in the EOC during the firehouse ribbon cutting/open house on Saturday Oct 20 ... Hams that participated KD4KNR, KD4BYB, KG4SCP, N4WDC, KD4QNA, K8EAC, K4QS, WA3GIN
- Tom, KI4AFE, EC/RO, Spotsylvania County: We provided support to the Cannonball Century Bike Ride at the beginning of October. The RVARC also installed the radio equipment and antennas at the new Rappahannock Area Red Cross Headquarter in Massaponnax.
- Boyd, KO4WK, EC/RO, Caroline County: Another quiet month. Finally got much needed rain, praise the Lord. We had 10 net sessions, with 29 check ins, by 13 different hams. We have made use of EchoLink, allowing 2M check-ins from our old friends Howard K3DWW and Rhea K6DWW check from FL, and Damon W4HDM from GA. Then they also checked in on HF with "real" radio.
- Bart, N3GQ, EC/RO, Stafford County: October was a busy work month, so not much occurred in our county besides repeater work by our Technical Committee headed by Emmett, K3EP. On Veterans’ Day, we will install hardline into our Amateur Radio station room next to the new EOC in the new County Public Safety Building. The biennial TOP OFFICIALS 4 full scale exercise was a success and included an Amateur Radio vignette that I arranged for Portland, Oregon. The Commex successfully used RF links via ham radio and FEMA’s RF nets from the local incident scene to a location near Washington, DC. As a result of this success, I will work towards a more robust Amateur Radio involvement in future federal exercises.
District 5
The Oct. 6 SET was successful here in the district, not only for the practice of emergency traffic handling, but also for the opportunity to have involvement by the served agencies.
- AD4RG, Middlesex County EC, put in considerable time and effort this month, setting up the equipment in the EOC. He was specifically setting up computer, modem etc. for Digital Comm. Test messages were sent and received satisfactorily.
- Lancaster County: Sacha, W2SJB, ANDY, W3UAL and Jeff, KD4QIT EC for Northumberland County have completed the setup of the EOC radio equipment in Lancaster County. They now have full communication capability, voice and digital. They also applied for and received an FCC license for the facility. The call sign is WE4LC.
On Oct. 23, WE4LC/W3UAL attended the county emergency coordination meeting representing the amateur radio operations. - Northumberland County EC KD4QIT: Worked the Oct. 6 SET, but was only able to work one hour, checking in from the Northumberland County EOC using personal radio equipment. It was a very useful exercise. Hope to recruit more members and convince county officials to purchase amateur equipment for installation.
- Westmoreland County: We now have 3 ARES members in the county and I hope to be able to recommend one for EC by the first of the year.
District 8
The Eastern Shore ESHARC ARES/RACES group supported two public service events in October … Twelve hams supported the Eastern Shore Harvest Festival near Cape Charles, VA and four hams supported the Eastern Shore Heart Run in Onley, VA. Considerable work was also done in upgrading and testing our emergency communications setup in the Accomack County EOC and in six shelters in high schools and middle schools. Eight Hams were in the EOC/Shelters successfully carrying out the testing phase. Many more hours were spent installing antennas, cables, radios, etc in preparation for the testing.District 9
- Portsmouth - Participated in VDEN Emergency Set, Portsmouth Lighthouse Special Event Station, "Walk for Hope" and "Driver Days" in Suffolk, VA. Note: Portsmouth Regional Drill has been postponed until the 1st of the year.
- Norfolk - Participated in Boy Scouts "JOTA", speaker for CERT Classes, and Airport Emergency Drill.
- Virginia Beach - Airport Emergency Drill (simulated plane-on-plane collision with fuel spill and injuries) and with the Boy Scouts "JOTA".
District 12
The Lynchburg ARC presented George Rose W4GCE, former EC for Lynchburg, with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the club meeting in October. George has been a mainstay of AREC (for those of you who remember that term ...) and ARES activity in this area for more than 40 years. He was one of the primary operators during the Hurricane Camille disaster in Nelson County, and was a prime mover in getting emergency Amateur stations established at local hospitals and EOC's. A retired RF engineer, George holds an Extra class license and is a licensed PE. He has been an LARC member for more than 40 years as well, and an ARRL member for longer than that!
District 13
The major activity during the reporting period was the October 6th Section-wide Simulated Emergency Test which provided an outstanding multi-jurisdictional training opportunity.
- Craig County: All was quiet in Craig County this month.
- Franklin County: Participated as the "Roanoke Staging AREA" as well as the Franklin County Red Cross on October 6th.
- Wythe County: On the emergency SET on October 6th, everything was duplicated in all modes concerning the passing of traffic. What was sent on CW was duplicated on SSB and digital and visa versa. I believe it would have been better that each different mode had its own traffic that needed passed on each other mode used.
- Patrick/Henry Counties: Things are looking good in Patrick & Henry County EMS Agency. The new ES Managers in both Counties are more cooperative and interested in ARES than their predecessors. Montgomery County: We welcome a new member this month, Carter Craigie, N3AO to Montgomery ARES. Carter comes to us from Pennsylvania where he was an EC and SkyWarn Coordinator for Chester Co. Events this month included the section wide SET and our support of the annual Rowdy Dawg mountain bike race outside of Blacksburg.
District 14
[We] participated in the Section-wide SET on October 6 with large volume of traffic passed on 2 meters, HF and digital. We had excellent coordination with ARES and agencies in adjacent counties and around the state. Most of the hams were licensed after 2003 in Carroll County and gained valuable experience. Glen Sage, W4GHS [SM] and I Visited the Pennington Gap, Lee County Amateur Radio Club and registered 16 new ARES members. We also addressed problems they have in establishing contacts with emergency agencies/responders and had 5 new EC's and AEC's from adjacent counties in attendance. Total attendance was 23.
D-14 added a new EC this month, Charles Peake, K4CWP, Russell County. D-14 now has nine of twelve counties with EC's.
- KD4CZE, Robert Jones, EC Washington County- MEARS had a busy month during October. Four members participated in the SET. We had four stations operating – 2 HF and two on 2 meters. One set of stations was on emergency power. There were fifteen 2-meter and ten HF contacts on 80 meters. It was a very good training session. MEARS also held the monthly meeting with good attendance. Plans were finalized for the Gray Hamfest. MEARS had both club items and member items for sale. There was good attendance and fellowship at the hamfest. We have also been contacted again this year for communications for the Husky Serum Run which will be held in January. This will be a 2-day event. MEARS plans to honor this request.
- KB4KTH, Donnie Dotson, EC Dickenson County- I had to call several times about the hospital radio, but it is repaired and back in the hospital. I talked to Dave W4DJP about VA ARES and he has joined us. Ronnie Yates KI4ENM and I went to the Pennington Gap VA ARES meeting.
- Howard Roland, KI4LWA, EC Smyth County - Recently appointed to EC position around mid-month, participating in one net thus far. Accompanied DEC and VA Section Manager to meeting in Pennington Gap, VA for a day. Discussed ARES membership with 3 additional hams here locally. Met with Marion Life Saving Crew representative, discussing ARES and requested follow-up meeting. Upgraded shack with HF amp, tuner and additional HT capability. Ongoing study of EmComm Manuals and other material.
- Jeff Sexton, KI4TSK, EC Carroll and Grayson Counties - Computer crashed, Tom MacMullan, KI4ONE taking report totals over phone and submitting report for me this month.
Thanks to all those submitting their reports and activities.
Submitted:
Henry L. Wyatt, K4YCR
SEC VA ARES