Emergency Coordination

Previous articles can be found under the "Emergency Coordination" link

Files for download can be found at the bottom of this page.

The terms Amateur Radio Emergency Service and ARES are both registered trademarks of the American Radio Relay League Inc. and are used by permission.  

Questions and comments regarding the content of this web page and articles are always welcome and encouraged. 

Send an email to the address shown below.

Lew Maxwell, KB5HPT

Amateur Radio Emergency Service

DEC, District 6, WTX Section

Email: ldmax12@yahoo.com

++++++WINLINK TUESDAY++++++

This net will run each Tuesday (except 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s) for 24 hours. Check in anytime during the 24 hour period. Address messages to Lew, KB5HPT, DEC, Dist.6, WTX Section and Jim, NE8U, Radio Operator, Dist. 6, WTX Section unless otherwise noted. 

If you are an ARRL Field Appointee please use your Position/Title for the messages. 

All others please use Radio Operator for your position/title. 

The stations checking into this net are encouraged to use their ARES GO-BOX with the NVIS antenna. The use of EOC and club  stations are also encouraged.

***Sending Messages***

Use VARA HF Winlink through a gateway or Telnet or VARA HF P2P. See below for VARA HF P2P information.

***VARA HF P2P***

My HF station will be listening to 7116.5 MHz center frequency, 7115.0 MHz dial frequency, and Jim, NE8U will be listening on 7063.5 MHz center frequency, 7062.0 MHz dial frequency from 8AM through 10 AM (MST).  Both frequencies bandwidth will be 500Hz. 

***VHF/UHF***

[El Paso Locals] The VHF/UHF mode of the week will be VARA FM. Please use the KB5HPT-10 VARA FM RMS on 439.010 MHz simplex as primary target. 

***NOTE:*** 

MAKE SURE THAT THE REQUEST READ RECEIPT IS CHECKED AT THE TOP OF THE MESSAGE. DON'T FORGET TO MARK THE MESSAGE AS WINLINK MESSAGE, P2P WINLINK or RADIO-ONLY. TO GET CREDIT FOR THE NET ALL SENDERS MUST RECEIVE A MESSAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BACK. WE ENCOURAGE THE USE OF RF  UHF/VHF/HF RATHER THAN TELNET. 

***Form of the Week for Apr 23***

Important! If the new message update or Winlink Express program update screen pops up when opening Winlink Express update them before beginning this exercise.

This week we will use the Winlink Check in Form. 

Click on MESSAGE>>NEW MESSAGE>>SELECT TEMPLATES>>Expand STANDARD TEMPLATES>>Mapping-GIS Forms>>double click Winlink Check in.txt. The form will appear in your browser window.

1. Click on SETUP in the top left corner of the page. Enter Winlink Tuesday Exercise.

2. Section 1. Station

a. The current Time/Date should autofill upon loading

b. To: enter NE8U;KB5HPT 

c. From: Enter your callsign

d. Station Contact Name: Enter your name

e. Initial Operator(s): Enter your callsign

3. Section 2 Session

a. Type: Select Exercise

b. Service: Select Amateur

c. Band: Select the band used to send this message.

d. Session: Select the session used.

4. Section 3 Location

a. Location: enter your City/Town, State. 

Enter your GPS Coordinates either from a GPS device or manually.

b. Latitude: enter your Latitude. EX: 31.895833

c. Longitude: enter your Longitude. EX: -106.458333

d. MGRS should autofill

e. GRID should auto fill

5. Section 4 Comments

Answer the following questions. 

1. What amateur radio activities do you or you club/group have planned for the next month?

2. What class of station will you be using for these activities?

6. You can save the HTML data to a text file by clicking on the Save Check-in Data button at the bottom of the form. Then later open a new Check-in Form and import the data by clicking on Load Check-in Data button at the top of the form. When reloading the data into a new form the saved data can be edited to reflect any changes/updates that need to be made. Be sure to save the new data before sending the new form. Data from the Check-in Form can be imported from or exported to a spreadsheet.

7. When finished click on Submit then OK. 

8. Close the browser window.

9. In the Enter a New Message form in Winlink Express be sure the Send As: block is correct.

10. Be sure the Request message receipt box is checked.

11. Address the message to NE8U;KB5HPT or use my tactical address, TXEPCARESDEC. In P2P mode tactical address are not allowed.

12. Post to Outbox.

13. Listen for a clear frequency and send the message. 

P2P Information: ***(READ CAREFULLY)***  

On the Winlink Express page in the Open Session box select VARA HF P2P from the dropdown menu. Then open the session. The morning 40 meter P2P session is from 8AM to 10AM (MDT). Jim, NE8U will be listening on 7063.5 MHz (center frequency). KB5HPT will be listening on 7116.5 MHz (center frequency). For the Mode use USB-D. Bandwidth= ***500Hz ONLY for both sessions.*** 

***There will not be an evening session.***

In P2P mode even though you created one message and addressed it to two or more people when you post the message to the OUTBOX you will have two or more separate messages waiting to be sent.

Feel free to distribute this message to friends/groups and ask them to participate.

For detailed information on Winlink Tuesday go to https://www.hamradioelpaso.com/emergency-coordination.

Lew Maxwell, KB5HPT

Amateur Radio Emergency Service

DEC, District 6, WTX Section

Tactical Address: TXEPCARESDEC

TX RACES: DRO-08-A

++++++EPCARES Mission Statement:++++++

WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING A VIABLE ARES ORGANIZATION THAT IS PROPERLY TRAINED AND ADEQUATELY STAFFED WITH THE END GOAL OF FUNCTIONING PROFESSIONALLY IN ANY EMERGENCY THAT MAY COME OUR WAY.

Our Core Values Are: 

 Confidence             Commitment         Excellence

Respect                   Integrity