 ARRL offers online training for
hams who want to participate in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service.
Two courses make up the ARRL ARES® training program. Enroll Today! | |||
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The former Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications (AREC) series of three training courses has been reconfigured
into two courses: An introductory course and a course for leaders and
managers.
The course is offered online using the Moodle learning platform. The Introduction to Emergency Communication course has six sections with 29 lesson topics and a 35 question final assessment. Participants should plan on completing the course in approximately 45 hours over a nine week period. This is a mentored course, in which you may work according to your own schedule. Cost is $50 for ARRL members and $85 for non-members.
For start dates, registration deadlines and
more visit www.arrl.org/online-course-catalog
Now Accepting Enrollments for July and August Sessions. Register Today!
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Thursday, July 12, 2012
ARRL Offers Online ARES Training
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Training Comment for the SLC SE Division Net
for the Salt Lake City
By T. Mike Smith, KM7TMS
Awakening this morning to a cooler,
moist day was an unusual and pleasant experience. After so many days of high temperatures and
dry air, you probably savored the day as I did.
It has been a time of heat and fire.
Checking this morning I found active large fires spread across the state. The Church Camp, Clay Springs Millville American Fork Canyon
We have seen campfires, fireworks,
shooting, access and vehicle restrictions, along with various admonitions from
important people because of the extreme fire danger. We have seen thousands evacuated from their
homes and extensive property damage and public expense. This morning’s total acreage for Utah
Since our last Southeast Division Net, we have had a major Salt Lake Valley Utah CERT individuals responding. The
rapid response is credited for significantly reducing the fire damage. If you haven’t taken occasion to see some of
the many fine pictures, you might Google Herriman Fire 2012 for some great
response and fire-line images. A person
cannot view the latter and not be impressed with the life-threatening dangers
this type emergency poses. Having fought
grassland fires before, I know them as dangerous, hot and dirty.
As radio operators and CERT -trained responders -- for those of
us who are also the latter-- we are again reminded of the importance of our
skills which are repeatedly needed, especially when the emergency arrives in
our own neighborhood.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Ham radio still going strong
Ham radio still going strong -- and still useful -- in the age of the smartphone
A radio crackles.
“Victor echo three, radio charlie.”
Crackle, buzz.
“Victor echo, three, radio charlie. This is Victor echo three, radio charlie.”
More crackle, more buzz. Then, is that the faintest sound of a man’s voice?
“One bravo Illinois, is that a QSL?”
Crackle, buzz.
And then that voice again, this time clearer.
“One bravo Illinois, over.”
Greg Danylchenko smiles, pleased by this connection with another amateur radio enthusiast.
“Good luck to you,” he tells the disembodied voice of Illinois.
Crackle, buzz.
Scenes like this played out all weekend long as radio amateurs — or hams, as they are often known — participated in the annual Field Day activities, which saw them use off-the-grid power sources to communicate for 24 hours with other stations across North America in a simulation of what radio amateurs might do in the event of an emergency when normal lines of communication are either knocked out or overloaded.
The Ottawa Amateur Radio Club, one of several such groups in the area that participated in the event, set up behind the Oblate Fathers Les Deschâtelets building on Main Street, near the lush banks of the Rideau River.
It was a curious site, with a mishmash of tents and pop-up shelters, half a dozen homemade antennas and the constant hum of a generator, which powered all of the radio equipment and computers during the day (they used car batteries overnight so as not to keep the neighbours up).
From here, the goal was simple — reach as many stations and operators as possible. And so it was the Ottawa hams reached other hams in Puerto Rico, California, Arizona and Nevada, as well as closer to home in Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec and northern New York state.
The group made about 950 contacts last year and hoped to do the same this time around.
Although this is a hobby for most, radio amateurs can play an important role during times of crisis.
In 1998, when the ice storm paralysed much of the city — and its ability to communicate — they provided an important link between individuals and took some of the strain off the official communications channels. A ham would contact a ham in another part of the city, pass on a message and that ham would deliver it in person to the recipient.
The same would likely happen again if there were an earthquake, tornado or some other situation that struck down communications systems.
“Towers and power all blow down, but we’ve got our antennas and generators and we can often have them up following a disaster in a couple of hours,” Danylchenko said.
But in the age of Twitter — when a person in Ottawa can get instant updates from Tahrir Square or the soccer pitch in Ukraine — are hams still relevant?
Danylchenko and Glenn MacDonell, the club’s president, smile wanly. It’s a question they’ve heard before.
Smartphones, social media websites and the like all depend on infrastructure most people take for granted, Danylchenko said. “If they’re overloaded or have been destroyed, you don’t have any of that stuff.”
McDowell mentions a recent incident in the Belleville area to underscore the point. Telephone service in parts of Hastings County was disrupted after a fibre optic cable was cut, so the emergency planning co-ordinator called up some hams to drive to several communities that were cut off and establish radio contact, so there would be coverage in case of an emergency.
Radio amateurs must pass an Industry Canada test to be licensed and obtain a unique call sign. There are more than 70,000 active licences in Canada.
Operators also provide communications assistance at a range of events, including the CN Cycle for CHEO and the Canadian Ski Marathon, much of which occurs in places where cellphone coverage is spotty.
Danylchenko and MacDonell acquired their enthusiasm for ham radio honestly. Both had shortwave radios when they were young and could tune in to stations and public broadcasters from around the world.
“From there, you want to get on the other end of the microphone,” said Danylchenko, known on-air as VE3YTZ.
Article posted from http://www.ottawacitizen.com
A radio crackles.
“Victor echo three, radio charlie.”
Crackle, buzz.
“Victor echo, three, radio charlie. This is Victor echo three, radio charlie.”
More crackle, more buzz. Then, is that the faintest sound of a man’s voice?
“One bravo Illinois, is that a QSL?”
Crackle, buzz.
And then that voice again, this time clearer.
“One bravo Illinois, over.”
Greg Danylchenko smiles, pleased by this connection with another amateur radio enthusiast.
“Good luck to you,” he tells the disembodied voice of Illinois.
Crackle, buzz.
Scenes like this played out all weekend long as radio amateurs — or hams, as they are often known — participated in the annual Field Day activities, which saw them use off-the-grid power sources to communicate for 24 hours with other stations across North America in a simulation of what radio amateurs might do in the event of an emergency when normal lines of communication are either knocked out or overloaded.
The Ottawa Amateur Radio Club, one of several such groups in the area that participated in the event, set up behind the Oblate Fathers Les Deschâtelets building on Main Street, near the lush banks of the Rideau River.
It was a curious site, with a mishmash of tents and pop-up shelters, half a dozen homemade antennas and the constant hum of a generator, which powered all of the radio equipment and computers during the day (they used car batteries overnight so as not to keep the neighbours up).
From here, the goal was simple — reach as many stations and operators as possible. And so it was the Ottawa hams reached other hams in Puerto Rico, California, Arizona and Nevada, as well as closer to home in Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec and northern New York state.
The group made about 950 contacts last year and hoped to do the same this time around.
Although this is a hobby for most, radio amateurs can play an important role during times of crisis.
In 1998, when the ice storm paralysed much of the city — and its ability to communicate — they provided an important link between individuals and took some of the strain off the official communications channels. A ham would contact a ham in another part of the city, pass on a message and that ham would deliver it in person to the recipient.
The same would likely happen again if there were an earthquake, tornado or some other situation that struck down communications systems.
“Towers and power all blow down, but we’ve got our antennas and generators and we can often have them up following a disaster in a couple of hours,” Danylchenko said.
But in the age of Twitter — when a person in Ottawa can get instant updates from Tahrir Square or the soccer pitch in Ukraine — are hams still relevant?
Danylchenko and Glenn MacDonell, the club’s president, smile wanly. It’s a question they’ve heard before.
Smartphones, social media websites and the like all depend on infrastructure most people take for granted, Danylchenko said. “If they’re overloaded or have been destroyed, you don’t have any of that stuff.”
McDowell mentions a recent incident in the Belleville area to underscore the point. Telephone service in parts of Hastings County was disrupted after a fibre optic cable was cut, so the emergency planning co-ordinator called up some hams to drive to several communities that were cut off and establish radio contact, so there would be coverage in case of an emergency.
Radio amateurs must pass an Industry Canada test to be licensed and obtain a unique call sign. There are more than 70,000 active licences in Canada.
Operators also provide communications assistance at a range of events, including the CN Cycle for CHEO and the Canadian Ski Marathon, much of which occurs in places where cellphone coverage is spotty.
Danylchenko and MacDonell acquired their enthusiasm for ham radio honestly. Both had shortwave radios when they were young and could tune in to stations and public broadcasters from around the world.
“From there, you want to get on the other end of the microphone,” said Danylchenko, known on-air as VE3YTZ.
Article posted from http://www.ottawacitizen.com
Ham radio field day turns into real life training
The Mississippi Coast Amateur Radio Association scheduled a field day for this weekend in Gulfport. And the Jackson County Amateur Radio association had its exercise in Gautier. The idea was for ham radio operators to set up radio stations in unusual locations, and make contact with others to practice their emergency communication capabilities.
During the middle of the training, the National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning for the coastal waters of Mississippi, and for large chunk of Louisiana. Suddenly, the ham radio field day has a lot more significance.
"The hams provide emergency communications for many government and civic organizations in disasters," public information officer Harry Samuelson said. Just in the last few months, ham radio operators have played critical roles reaching out to people trapped by wildfires, floods, storms, tornados and other crises.
Both amateur radio associations will wrap up their field day training exercises Sunday morning.
Article posted from www.WLOX.com
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Field Day 2012 - Utah Amateur Radio Club
Field Day 2012 with UARC
June 21 - June 24
Mount Nebo Scenic Loop, Payson
When: There will be activity on the site from at least Thursday, June 21, through Sunday, June 24. Equipment setup begins at noon on Friday the 22nd. Actual operation starts at noon on Saturday, the 23rd, and runs through noon on Sunday, the 24th. Tear-down takes another 2-3 hours after that.
Where: The Field Day site is on the Mount Nebo Scenic Loop, which starts in Payson.
For more information, visit the Utah Amateur Radio Club website at: http://user.xmission.com/~uarc/
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Salt Lake County ARES® Volunteers
Link to the website: http://www.slcoares.net/
Country Fest Parade - The City of South Jordan
At our in-person meeting it was announced that South Jordan City needs some operators as indicated below. I have done this event in the past and they have bee easy to work with not to mention it was a lot of fun! Pat
The City of South Jordan is requesting 4 Amateur Radio operators on June 16 from approximately 0830 to 1100 hrs.
They would be providing communications for the Country Fest parade like the OLRC has done in years past.
Please let me know as soon as you can if ARES can help support this event.
Brett Neilson (KC7IIB)
801-414-9734 C
brett@brettneilson.com
Salt Lake County ARES® D-RATS Training
Message from Salt Lake County ARES®
Link to the website: http://www.slcoares.net/
D-RATS Training
When: Sat Jun 2 8:30am – 11am Mountain Time
Where: 10001 Hook Dr, South Jordan, UT 84095 (map)
Where: 10001 Hook Dr, South Jordan, UT 84095 (map)
Bring your laptop and we will connect to the Ratflector that is now set up for SLCoARES at the UofU. Our focus for this next year will be digital communications. This will enable us to better serve our served agencies. That is the direction disaster communications is going due to its efficiency and less susceptibility to human error. So come and join the fun!
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