NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS [16 February 2012]:

National Hurricane Conference To Have Ham Radio Workshops

(Courtesy of the ARRL ARES E-Letter for 15 February 2012)
The 2012 National Hurricane Conference, "the nation's forum for education and professional training in hurricane and disaster preparedness," will be held 26-29 March 2012 at the Hilton Orlando, Florida. A robust Amateur Radio presence and forums are always on tap. The primary goal of the National Hurricane Conference is to improve hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation in order to save lives and property in the United States and the tropical islands of the Caribbean and Pacific. In addition, the conference serves as a national forum for federal, state and local officials to exchange ideas and recommend new policies to improve Emergency Management. To accomplish these goals, the annual conference emphasizes:

• Lessons Learned from Hurricane Strikes.
• State of the art programs worthy of emulation.
• New ideas being tested or considered.
• Information about new or ongoing assistance programs.
• The ABC's of hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation -- in recognition of the fact that there is a continual turnover of emergency management leadership and staff.

Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, hosting ARRL Southeastern Division Director, reports that there will be several Amateur Radio activities going on during the week. "The National Hurricane Conference (NHC) leadership continues to recognize the valuable contributions of Amateur Radio and again invited us to participate with two sessions.", Sarratt said. Forums are:

NHC Session #1: Monday, March 26, from 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM, the main Amateur Radio session titled, "Amateur Radio Training Sessions: Disaster Communications Before, During and After Hurricanes."

NHC Session #2: Tuesday, March 27, from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM, at the National Hurricane Conference (NHC), there will be an Amateur Radio session designed for Emergency Management agencies called "Amateur Radio Rap Session --The Emergency Manager's Hidden Resource."

On Monday, March 26, 2012 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, the ARRL Southeastern Division and the Orange County EOC will host an interactive free NHC Workshop for all ARES-interested Amateur Radio operators at the Orange County Emergency Operations Center, 6590 Amory Court, Winter Park, Florida. You will be able to meet other like-minded hams and the presenters of the Hurricane Conference Amateur Radio sessions. The agenda will be:

introductions, conference presenters summarize the NHC Amateur Radio presentations, emergency communications discussion, questions & answers and door prizes.

All hams are invited at no cost to attend the National Hurricane Conference Amateur Radio sessions and Orange County EOC Workshop. For additional information:

National Hurricane Conference

www.southeastern.arrl.org/2012NationalHurricaneConferenceActivities.pdf

ARRL Southeastern Division

Hurricane Conference presenters are:

• Julio Ripoll, WD4R, WX4NHC Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator, National Hurricane Center
• John McHugh, K4AG, Coordinator for Amateur Radio, National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC
• Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net and ARRL SEC, Eastern Massachusetts
• Mike Corey, KI1U - ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager
• Greg Sarratt, W4OZK - ARRL Southeastern Division Director

Sarratt said "We encourage you to visit all the activities you can, learn more about Amateur Radio emergency communications and meet the folks doing it. Hope to see you there!."

ARRL Develops An EmComm Digital Technology Course

(Courtesy of the ARRL ARES E-Letter for 15 February 2012)
"This course is a great starting point for anyone interested in the public service applications of digital communications technology." -- Steve Ford, WB8IMY, course author and QST Editor/ARRL Publications Manager.

In this course, the student will be introduced to all the ways Amateur Radio operators are using digital technology as a valuable emergency communications tool. The topics discussed during the course include: Packet radio; APRS; Winlink 2000; IRLP; EchoLink and WIRES-II; D-STAR; APCO25; HF sound card modes; and Automatic Link Establishment (ALE). The course will help answer questions such as: Can you transfer supply lists or personnel assignments between emergency operations sites? Can you get critical e-mails to the Internet if a connection goes down? Can you relay digital images of damage at specific locations? Can you track the locations of emergency personnel and display them on computer maps?

Illustrations, screenshots, Internet links and audio files are used to demonstrate transmission modes and equipment configurations. Bite-sized learning units and interactive knowledge checks make learning interesting and fun.

See supplemental material and product support for The ARRL Digital Technology for Emergency Communications Course. Self-study. CD-ROM, version 1.1.

Your comments, suggestions, and ideas are all welcome by replying to satoday@uss.salvationarmy.org.

Check out Disaster.SalvationArmyUSA.org/ for the latest in news about The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services and SATERN.

Prayer Requests

Please keep in prayer those in The Salvation Army who are responding to disasters the world over.

Net Control Operators Needed

The Southern Territory SATERN Nets - both HF Voice and HF Digital - are in search of SATERN members who are experienced with being a Net Control for either a HF Voice or HF Digital Net.

If you are interested in participating in this manner, please contact Southern Territory SATERN Net Manager Ken Standard - AD5XJ - at AD5XJ@ARRL.net.

The following is republished by the WebMaster as a reminder for SATERN members and digital mode operators:

Southern Territory SATERN Now Hosting A Digi-Net

In December, 2010, the Southern Territory SATERN Coordinator, in consultation with key leaders of the Southern Territory SATERN Net, made a decision to build and strengthen the capabilities of SATERN in the Southern Territory to utilize digital communications modes. Two key decisions were made at that time. One was to make WinLink and WinMOR key elements of the digital communications strategy while not excluding other digital modes. The second was to begin hosting a Southern Territory SATERN HF Digi-Net in addition to the already operational HF Voice Net.

I am happy to report that the Southern Territory SATERN HF Digi-Net is now in operation. According to Southern Territory SATERN Net Manager Ken Standard - AD5XJ, "The Southern Territory DIGI Net is a digital communications net that functions as a digital medium for Health and Welfare messages in support of The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services response mission or an adjunct function of any emergency agency requiring messaging functions or radio e-mail. At other times, it functions as a training net for amateur radio operators interested in digital communications over HF radio."


Here are the key facts about the Southern Territory SATERN Digi-Net:

FREQUENCY:  14.065.0 MHz

TIME: 12:00 Noon (Central)

DEFAULT MODE: OLIVIA with 8 tones, 500 wide, offset by the standard 1000 Hz (Set your dial frequency to 14.065 MHZ USB). TxID will be sent on for each transmission by NCS. Configure FLDIGI RxID on all the time. Do not turn on TxID unless acting as net control.

SOFTWARE CONSIDERATIONS:
The preferred software for use on the Net is FLDIGI / NBEMS which is available for free at www.W1HKJ.com/download.html. Standard states that, "This software is easy to use, it's free, and has macros for receiving and creating all of the useful ICS (Incident Command System) documents (e.g. IC-213).". The software works on Windows XP, VISTA, Windows 7 and Linux. Although FLDIGI is the preferred software, it is not required. It is the recommended software due to the built-in capabilities to create, receive, and format for printing, Incident Command System (ICS) messages and the use of standardized macros between Net Control Operators (NCOs). Although it may be possible to use MixW, MultiPSK, HRD-DM780 or any other software capable of sending and receiving OLIVIA and MT-63, bulletins and other important messages will be sent using the wrap functions that are a part of NBEMS and automatic mode control using the Reed Solomon TxID encoding by Net Control Stations. To fully participate, please use the recommended software.

If the software being used is capable of sending and receiving an RSID, set RxRSID to ON and master / slave to SLAVE (if appropriate for the software). NCOs will precede each transmission with an RSID for coordination of exact bandwidth, offset and number of tones. The operating software should adjust accordingly. If individual operators need any assistance in setting up or installing the software on their system, they can contact AD5XJ by e-mail at AD5XJ@ARRL.net.

Training or emergency bulletins will be sent in MT63 / 500 only. Those who join the Net must use software capable of both OLIVIA and MT63 to fully participate.

NET OPERATIONS:

The Net is informal but requires that all communications be directed by the NCO who is usually AD5XJ located in Houma, LA. Relays may be used for weak or unheard signals.

To check in: Respond to the NCO's CQ or calls to check-in with (a) Call sign, (b) name and (c) state only. If the check-in station has traffic, add the additional word "TRAFFIC". The NCO will call for comments at a later time in the Net. [Note: Be sure to delay transmissions a few seconds to allow for software latency and to spread out the signals. While we as operators can separate several signals with our ears, digital software cannnot.]

If stations wishing to participate cannot hear the NCO, feel free to check-in remotely using WinLink2000 in WinMOR mode sending to AD5XJ@winlink.net. Any e-mail received via WinLink in WinMOR mode is counted as a check-in for Net totals if sent within 2 hours after net time.

During emergencies or disasters, WinLink2000 and WinMOR will be the preferred method to transfer Health and Welfare messages by Internet e-mail from remote or deployed stations. Fixed stations will relay WinLink messages when necessary and appropriate. Local and tactical messages will use the OLIVIA mode unless otherwise directed to another mode or frequency by local SATERN coordinators.

Any one who has additional questions about the Southern Territory SATERN Digi-Net should contact Southern Territory Net Manager Ken Standard, AD5XJ - via e-mail at AD5XJ@ARRL.net.

Net Reports For Last Week

Here is the Southern Territory SATERN Net Report for both the HF Voice Net and the HF Digi-Net for the previous week.

SATERN Southern Territory 40 Meter SSB NET:

NET SESSION: 11 February 2012 10:00 CST
NET CONTROL: Ken Standard, AD5XJ
NET FREQUENCY: 7.262 MHz
NET SESSION ENDED: 10:42 CST
COMMENTS: AD5XJ Net Control conducted training on use of ICS-213 form on emergency situations on SSB and Digital radio. Conditions were marginal to fair. All but one station heard by NCS.
Net Check-ins:

CallSign	Name	State	C O M M E N T S
AD5XJ	Ken	LA	in Houma, LA Digi Net Reminder to all.
WA4UJC	Charles	GA	in Covington, GA Rain overnight but sunny now.
KG4OPM	Marc	NC	in Weaverville, NC weak but readable.
WB8BZH/5	Bill	MS	In Jackson, MS doing work ahead of conference this week.
AI4RT	John	NC	In Wakeforest, NC
N7INO	Jim	LA	in Bastrop, LA 58 deg and overcast. Expecting rain later.
K4DCF	David	VA	in Roanoke, VA no traffic
NR4J	Mark	AL	near Birmingham, AL Good signals. no traffic.
KF5JRE	Mark	TX	in Huntsville, TX 55 cldy doing ant work.

SATERN Southern Territory 20 Meter DIGI-NET:

NET SESSION: 11 February 2012 12:00 Noon CST
NET CONTROL: Ken Standard, AD5XJ
NET FREQUENCY: 14.065.0 MHz USB OLIVIA 8/500 +1000
NET SESSION ENDED: 12:42 CST
COMMENTS:
SATERN DIGI Net Manager, AD5XJ

If there is anyone who would like to volunteer to be a net control operator (NCO) for this net on a rotating basis, please contact me at my ARRL mailbox ad5xj@arrl.net or
my WinLink mailbox ad5xj@winlink.org (subject: //WL2K NCS).

20 meter conditions were fair today. Very quiet. One bulletin sent. Several stations copied the traffic 100% but some got the message text OK. Three e-mail confirmations on training as 100% via OLIVIA and MT-63. Several report 60% and above via PSK-250R. All report text 100% intact.

CALL	NAME	QTH	COMMENTS
KC5MWZ	Gerrald	OK	In Oklahoma City, OK
KF5KCE	Pat	TN	In Springfield, TN 100% copy.
WA4BDS	Roy	TN	in Maryville, TN 100% copy.
W9IB	Harry	IL	In Arlington Heights, IL 1st time check in.
K7CWA	Warren	AZ	in Mesa, AZ Retired from Salvation Army. Now in SATERN. Stronger sigs today.
KG6YHH	Doc	CA	in Meadow Vista, CA
KT4BW	Pete	TN	in Crossville, TN good sigs
KM5HH	Ron	NM	in Abiquiu, NM
WØJG	Jack	AR	In Holiday Is. AR
K4DCF	David	VA	In Roanoke, VA
WW9E	Maj. Pat	MI	In Coloma, MI
WB5BNV	Fred	MS	in Meridian, MS
WA4UJC	Charles	GA	in Covington, GA via WinLINK had to be NCS for local net.

TRAINING MESSAGE:

On 12 January 2012, The Salvation Army debuted a new podcast on YouTube called SALVATION ARMY TODAY. Each week, a new podcast is being posted with news about The Salvation Army from around the world at www.youtube.com/salvationarmy.today.

So far, there have been episodes abaout the new Kroc Center being built, stories about lives that have been changed by Salvation Army programs, new approaches to emergency housing, the response of The Salvation Army to the 23 January tornado outbreak, Salvation Army education initiatives in Fiji and many other similar stories.

Your comments, suggestions, and ideas are welcome by replying to satoday@uss.salvationarmy.org

de AD5XJ - OLIVIA 8/500 +1000, MT-63, PSK250R

..........end

Best Regards and 73, From


Divisional Emergency Disaster Services Director
Divisional SATERN Coordinator
Alabama - Louisiana - Mississippi Division
Territorial SATERN Coordinator
The Salvation Army, Southern Territory
P.O. Box 4857 - Jackson, MS 39296-4857
Office: 601-969-6868
E-Mail: Bill_Feist@USS.SalvationArmy.org.