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 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 for the week of Apr 29***

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

The form this week will be the ARC Disaster Requisition-Form 6409. In today's world ACCOUNTABILITY is important. The Shelter Manager has to account for all items issued out and received. The warehouse clerks have to account for all items issued. There is a form for that and a form must be received before anything gets issued out. Before starting to fill out the ARC 6409 requisition form take a look at the (ARC FORMS>>ARC 6409 Work Flow Chart.txt) it will better explain how todays exercise will work and what to expect in an actual deployment.

You are the radio operator (RDO) for the Central City ARC Shelter. You have been given the information shown below and ask to send the ARC Disaster Requisition-FORM 6409 to KB5HPT located at the Distribution Point. The ARC Disaster Requisition-FORM 6409 is found in the Template Manager.

1. Click on MESSAGE>>NEW MESSAGE>>SELECT TEMPLATE>>STANDARD TEMPLATES>>ARC FORMS >>ARC 6409 Requisition Form.txt. Double click the form. The form will open up in your browser window.  

2. The DR# is 0001.

3. The DR Name is Winlink Tuesday Exercise.

4. Click on the Date: box to get the current date.

5. The Requisition # enter 0987

6. For the Requestors Name: enter Joe Tentpeg.

7. Leave Signature: Blank. In a real situations however, be sure this box has the requestor's signature in it. 

8. In the Title: box enter Supervisor.

9. For a Phone: enter (123) 456-7890.

DELIVERY INFORMATION

10. For the Site POC Name: enter Simon Crum. 

11. For the Phone #: enter (098) 765-4321.

12. For the Email: enter simon.crum@certeralcity.gov.

13. For the Address: enter 123 Elm St.

14. For the City enter Central City.

15. For the State: enter TS

16. For the Zip: enter 07001

17. DISCRIPTION OF PRODUCT(S) AND/OR SERVICE(S) 

Line one.

a. Stock No: enter 654321

b. Quantity: enter 50

c. Unit of measure: enter each

d. Total QTY (each): enter 50

e. Description: enter Super Meals.

f. Date Needed: Apr 29, 2025  

18. In the Special Instructions box: enter EXERCISE, EXERCISE Please Reply.

19. Approver Name: enter Sara Cannon.

20. Signature: Leave blank. In a real situations however, be sure this box has the Approver's signature in it.

21. Title: enter Warehouse Supervisor.

22. Phone: (345) 123-6789

23. Leave the Procurement Method information part of the form blank.

24. Go back and review the form to make sure everything is correct.

25. When finished click on SAVE 6409 Requisition DATA button. This will save the form data so it can be reloaded later in a new ARC 6409 form. 

26. Click on SUBMIT and then OK.

27. Close the browser window.

28. In the ENTER A NEW MESSAGE page 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.

29. Be sure the Request message receipt box is NOT checked.

30. In the TO: block send the message to KB5HPT or to my Tactical Address (TXEPCARESDEC). 

31. Post the message to the outbox then listen for a clear frequency and send the message. 

32. Instead of receiving an ACK back I will initiate an ARC 6409B Receipt form and send that back to you. 

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 MHz (center frequency). For the Mode use USB-D. Bandwidth=***500Hz ONLY***. 

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