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

TX RACES: DRO-8A

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 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). Bandwidth is 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 Nov 10***

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

If you do not receive the Form of the Week from the CMS on Monday morning go to https://www.hamradioelpaso.com/emergency-coordination and scroll down to the Winlink Tuesday posting. You will find the form of the week there.

This week we will take a look at the General Message Form (ICS 213). This is a radio delivery based ICS213 template. It is as close to a FEMA ICS213 as possible within the constraints of Winlink Express.

This initial 213 HTML can be used outside of Winlink Express. So a non Express user can create an initial ICS213, SAVE the data, and then pass that SAVED data to the radio operator, The radio operator can LOAD that data file into their ICS213 to send it via Winlink. Any reply that comes to the radio operator, will have to be returned to the originator as a PDF, saved HTML, or just plain text. Outside of Express the ICS213 reply and view HTML features do not function, so the reply info below is not applicable.

Treat the instructions below as though your served agency staff person has handed you these instructions and asked you to fill out an ICS 213 form for him/her. This Winlink Tuesday session will give you an opportunity to send a message using information recovered from local sources. Follow each step fully before going on to next step.

Scenario:

During the last few weeks little to no rainfall has happened to many counties around the United States. Fire conditions are at a HIGH level and many counties are in a Burn Ban status.

1. To begin this exercise you will need to find the following information for your County;

a. Your County Burn Ban Status YES / NO

b. Last Reported Rainfall Date/Amount _____________

c. Highest Forecast Temp for today ___*

d. Current Humidity ___%

2. Next, find ICS-213 in the WinLink Template Manager. This is located in: New Message > Select Template > Standard Templates > ICS USA Forms > ICS213 General Message.txt.

3. a. Click on Setup button at the top left corner and enter WINLINL TUESDAY EXERCISE

b. Check block: THIS IS AN EXERCISE

1. Incident Name: enter COUNTY BURN BAN

2. To: enter KB5HPT 

3. From: enter Your Callsign

4. Subject: enter COUNTY BURN BAN

5. Date: click on the box to get the Current Date

6. Time: click on the box to get the Current Time

7. Message: Copy items a. – d. above in step #1 and Paste with new information into block 7.

8. Approved by: enter Your Full Name / Callsign

8b. Position/Title: If you are in an ARES leadership position use your title. If you are a RACES member use your UNIT NO. Otherwise us RADO.

Make sure your LAT / LON, MGRS, GRID are current for your location. (Use Decimal degrees format EX. XX.xxxxxx, -XXX.xxxxxx). The MGRS and Grid will auto fill. 

OPTIONAL. Save this form for later use. After filling out the form the HTML data can be saved to a text file by clicking on the Save ICS213 INITIAL Data button at the bottom of the form. Then later open a new ICS-213 and import the data by clicking on Load ICS213 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. 

11. Click on Submit. Then OK.

12. Close the browser window.

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

a. Peer-to-Peer Message for sending P2P mode.

b. Winlink Message for routing message via an RMS.

14. Be sure the Request Message Receipt box IS NOT CHECKED. I will send a Reply back using the Reply feature on this form.

15. Address the message to KB5HPT or to my tactical address TXEPCARESDEC.

16. Post the message to the Out box.

17. Listen for a clear frequency and send the messages. 

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

On the Winlink Express page in the Open Session box select VARA HF P2P from the drop down menu. Then open the session. The morning 40 meter P2P session is from  8AM to 10AM (MDT). Lew, KB5HPT will be listening on 7116.5 KHz center frequency, 7.115.0 MHz dial frequency. For the Mode use USB-D. Bandwidth=500Hz ONLY.  When sending the message to an HF P2P station try to maintain an average level 5 (177bps) after you start SENDING the message. [SENDING (msg no)] is displayed on the Session window.  The P2P message window is only 2 hours long. We want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to send their message during this time. 

Be sure to set your Retries (VARA Modem>>Settings>>Retries) to 3 or 5. If your are going to have a successful connection in P2P mode VARA will connect on the first or second try.

While connected in P2P Mode keep your ALC setting to 3 on the ALC Scale. Adjust your DRIVE LEVEL on the VARA MODEM SOUND CARD page. You can do this while connected.

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

Feel free to distribute this to friends/groups. Ask them to participate.

Lew Maxwell, KB5HPT

Amateur Radio Emergency Service

DEC, District 6, WTX Section

Tactical Address: TXEPCARESDEC

TX. RACES: DRO-8A

++++++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