Go Away Sandy!

OK Folks, this looks like it might “hurt” if the projected paths hold true. We all know these can change at any moment but we must be aware of situations as they arise. Take precautions, you and your family first of course and the check all those necessary radio equipment checklists. Hopefully Sunday and Monday will just be another Wet n Windy November Maine day! 73 de W1KRP

Sunday Session=Cross Band Repeaters

Sunday Sessions are gearing up. Last Sunday a group met at the EAWA/EMCOMM meeting place, Meadow View Apartments at 25 Tweedie Lane in Ellsworth. The past session included work done on portable cross band repeaters being built locally using commercial radios available after the recent narrow banding wave in public service sector! Using Motorola VHF and UHF radios and interfaces purchased off EBay (Cheap!), programming done by local Sunday Session gurus Mark N1MEA and Bob AA1PI, a power supply they are ending up with tidy portable packages allowing placement in local and remote locations expanding coverage! Neat stuff happening around here folks, if you want to join in the fun show up around 1 PM on Sundays, but first check with Mark N1MEA at n1mea@myfairpoint.com to make sure there is a session scheduled!

COML & Hancock County EMCOMM!

September 18th thru the 20th was a three day event that six local Hams, Rob W8HAP, Chris AB1PZ, John KB1PXP, Mark N1MEA, Andy KB1TGL and myself Dick W1KRP found out about a place called “Central City’ a fictional city of 100,000 people. As far as we could tell, Central City was having a major “melt-down’. What is this all about, well we were fortunate enough to participate in a FEMA Communications Unit Leader(COML) three day course held here in Ellsworth. Thanks go out to Andy Sankey, KB1TGL who is the Director of Hancock County Emergency Management Agency (HCEMA) for getting the training held locally. What is a COML; well directly from the book….**Plan and manage technical and operational aspects on communications functions during an incident or event **Prepares Incident Radio Communications Plan (ICS 205) **Establishes Incident Communications Center (ICC) **Orders and manages personnel and equipment **Establishes needed capabilities and participates in incident action planning., prerequisites for this training included ICS 100, ICS 200, ICS 300 and NIMS 700. For Hams the ICS 300 was waivered. The level of training was quite high, some of us may not proceed on to Certification to COML level (it requires completion of a Task Book being signed off which is quite a task in itself!) BUT, the training has better prepared the six of us for actual participation in training sessions and actual incidents at the EMCOMM level, giving us the knowledge and confidence to deal with these matters in a professional manner. We came away with knowing the importance Hams play in the overall plans of actions. Their importance was stressed to all the class members who also included, US Army, CDC, EMA Directors and Regional Communications Center Directors. Again, Thanks Andy for allowing us the opportunity to be part of the puzzle and the plan to solve it!

Federal Communications Commission DA 12-1342

“This report contains the FCC’s “ review of the importance of emergency Amateur Radio Service communications relating to disasters, severe weather and other threats to lives and property in the United States; and recommendations for enhancements in the voluntary deployment of Amateur Radio operators in disaster and emergency communications and disaster relief efforts; and recommendations for improved integration of Amateur Radio operators in the planning and furtherance of initiatives of the federal government.” It also required “that the study identify impediments to enhanced Amateur Radio Service communications and provide recommendations regarding the removal of such impediments.”~ARRL This 15 page document shows that the Government has taken a closer look at the importance of Amateur Radio and it’s role in Emergency Communications. Take the time to read this document at the ARRL website: http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-releases-congressionally-mandated-study-on-amateur-radio

FIELD DAY 2012..Lamoine ME..Be There!

EAWA, Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association will be participating in the annual ARRL Field Day along with thousands of others across North America. Hams go out into the field and use their equipment as efficiently as possible while operating on supplemental power sources. For some it’s a test of preparedness, others it’s a contest and for all a great social event that unites hams from all areas to have a good time, make new friends and of course eat some great grub! EAWA will be operating from Lamoine State Park in Lamoine almost to the end of Route 184..the end is easy to spot…it’s the Atlantic Ocean. Anywho, we will be setting up Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. This is a great time to see how things go together and learn a lot in the process. Operations start at 1400 hours June 23rd, Saturday afternoon and officially end at 1359 hours on Sunday, June 24th. Help is always appreciated during set up and especially during teardown times. We will be operating a SSB Phone station out of Club President Mark Albee, N1MEA’s trailer, the Hancock County EMCOMM Communications trailer will be there as well housing the CW station. We will also have a GOTA (Get On The Air) station for those that are new to the HF part of Amateur Radio and for those not licensed to give Ham Radio a try (you will get hooked, just fair warning!) Saturday at supper time we will be having our pot luck supper if you wish to join in the fun! Any questions contact me, W1KRP at res@gwi.net or 460-0093, or President Mark N1MEA at n1mea@myfairpoint.net