Hi everyone!
I was unavailable to put out the SEC notes for April, so let's get back on track with a
post Dayton report:
Here for the hours for April, as reported to the ARRL:
Number of Drills/Tests/Training Sessions: 438
Volunteer Hours: 3408
Number of Public Service Events: 15
Volunteer Hours: 327
Number of Emergency Operations: 10
Volunteer Hours: 673
Total number of operations for April: 463
Total number of volunteer hours for April: 4408
Notes from around the districts:
DISTRICT 1 (Submitted by K8ARL/DEC)
========================================
Cuyahoga County - No EC / being selected
The DEC is registering ARES members and is also accepting applications or referrals for
the EC position. Send info to K8ARL@ARRL.NET
===============================
Erie County - Bob Heim K8HLH EC
4/1/08 Norwark Skywarn meeting
4/9/08 Erie Cnty Skywarn training
4/11/08 Skywarn Net up
4 Sunday nets
We asked all members to renew their ARES membership to see if they were still able to do
ARES. Received 34 renewed applications so far.
====================================
Hancock County - Bill Davis N8PTJ EC
We gained 3 more ARES members this month since the Findlay Radio Club W8FT has been giving
classes for different license grades. We also handled 8 radiograms this month. I think
some are getting more interested in the emergency part of communications. This is great.
==================================
Huron County - Steve Buss KG8BT EC
No report submitted.
==========================================================================
Lorain County - Brian Hellinger N8VUB EC (Bob Parker KB8ZXB AEC reporting)
4 LCARA Sunday Evening Nets
3 Lorain County Skywarn Nets
1 District 2 Skywarn Net
==================================
Lucas County - Bill Sido WN8RUG EC
Lucas County received approval from the National Weather Service in Cleveland to be called
Storm Ready. On April 11 A EF1 tornado was sighted in the Reno Beach area in the eastern
part of Lucas County. Some buildings were damaged along with some trailers being blown in
the water. Lucas County ARES has many public service events on the calendar which means we
will be putting in many man hours in the last half of 2008.
============================================================================
Ottawa County - Vincent Vasello KB8TEP EC (the EC position is in transition)
The DEC is accepting ARES EC and membership applications. Send information to K8ARL@ARRL.NET
========================================
Sandusky County - Dave Gierhart W8DAG EC
Sandusky County has a new repeater and controller with more capabilities and
coverage. Our Skywarn Coordinator setup Skywarn and ARES modes with unique
ID\'s and messages during activations. We also link to two other area repeaters
to cover our entire county with HT access.
Assisting the Sandusky County EMA, the first Saturday of every month our ARES
group deploys to every county weather siren and reports active and non-active
sirens back to the EOC.
=====================================
Seneca County - Mike Klaiss KC8BUJ EC
6 FORMAL TRAFFIC PASSED ON OUR NETS
1 ADMIN NET
1 SIMPLEX NET
4 ARES WEEKLY NETS
1 SENECA COUNTY CITIZEN CORP MEETING
1 CLEVELAND NWS SKYWARN COORDINATORS MEETING
1 ARES STANDBY AND WEATHER MONITORING FOR EMA HAZMAT EVENT
===================================
Wood County - Bob Schumann W8NYY EC
EC, W8NYY, was out of the country in Brazil for a week on business but back-up personnel
conducted the monthly ARES meeting. Plans were established to support a Red Cross/Boy
Scout event coming up in August and contingency plans were established for the Toledo
Airshow in case it\'s moved to Metcalf Field as rumored.
Repairs made to the Sheriff\'s Office back up antenna due to the unauthorized removal of
the antenna by communications contractors.
Skywarn training conducted at Rossford FD. Attended by 100 participants including many
emergency response personnel. This was the second Skywarn training held this year in Wood
County.
============================================
Northwest Ohio ARES Traffic & Training Net - ??? man-hours. No report received.
============================================
District 1 Comments - Karl Erbland K8ARL DEC
Everything is going well in the district.
DEC is preparing a number of projects for the summer season including the annual Sandusky
River Clean Sweep cleanup program. K8ARL will chair the Clean Sweep committee and
incorpaorate Amateur Radio operators in the planning committees and for the communication
crew on the event day. Over 300 people help clean the Sandusky River of trash along a
15-mile length of the river.
73
DISTRICT 2 (Submitted by K8FRS/DEC)
Henry County
For the month of April in Henry County:
1. Feedback requested from county hams regarding the best club meeting
time for the convenience of the largest number of hams so as to
increase interest and activity. Meetings now the first Tuesday evening of the
month instead of Saturdays.
2. Initiated search for Assistant EC
That's about it for April ... 73, Terry
Terry Huston W8FK
Allen County
Weather permitting. We will finish the Red Cross tower project in May.
Jon Soloman W8TY
Van Wert County
I am reestablishing the active members of ARES for Van Wert County.
Some of the 31 members reported last month have moved away or are
deceased. Every club meeting for the month of May I am having new
registration filled out.
Passed one piece of traffic this month.
Ralph Shields WB8YIH
DISTRICT 3 (No Report Received)
DISTRICT 4 (Submitted by N8TVU/DEC)
April 3, 2008 Butler Co ARES was alerted for an activation that was to take place on April
5th for a Health Department POD that was to be opened for a Hepatitis A vaccination. ARES
members visited the site on the 3rd with EMA and Health Department officials to determine
the pedestrian and traffic flow patterns for the complex. April 5th ARES arrived at 0830
to cone and barricade off the parking lot and placed operators a key traffic control
points. The operations went very well with no reported incidents.
April 8,9,10 ARES members attended a Weapons of Mass Destruction class for Public Works in
Butler County. They had the opportunity to explain the role of amateur radio should such
an event ever occur and provided some of the answers for the Texas A&M instructors as
to local EMA procedures, contacts, operations, etc.
District 4 ARES team members try to attend all classes presented by the local EMA and
other served agencies so we can keep up on the latest information being presented.
The District 4 Public Service Event season kicked off with a HFP triathlon in Oxford Ohio
from 7 to 10 A.M. with a little over 280 participants. All went well except for the
weather-it began to rain and turn cooler at around 09:15 hrs.
Hamilton Co ARES has been working with their Health Departments in planning for, testing
and having a simulated real time activation to provide county wide communication for the
health department and the satellite offices in the county.
April 28th ARES members participated in a tour of the radio station and facilities of 700
KHz WLW on Tylersville Rd in West Chester, OH – just east of the old Voice of America
Site.
The last eight days of April DEC Robert Spratt N8TVU, Hamilton County EC Don Ferneding
N8LMJ and Queen City Emergency Net Communication Coordinator Steve Lewis N8TFD worked to
get the operations ready for the 10th Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon event.
DISTRICT 5 (Submitted by KB8WPZ/DEC)
Counties Reporting: Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Mahoning, Portage, Summit, and Tuscawaras.
Ashtabula...Working with new EMA Director. Planning Drills.
Lake...Working on outfitting new communication trailer
Portage Still working on 440 repeater
DISTRICT 6 (Submitted by KC8GNL/DEC)
WYANDOT CO:
Wyandot Area Ham Operators Organization (WAHOO) had their monthly meeting
at the Wyandot Memorial Hospital on April 10th. The main topic of interest
this month was Field Day 2008. Club members are also looking forward to the
Wyandot County Skywarn Seminar on May 12th at the Wharton Fire Department
at 6:30 PM. "73"
(SEC Note - You gotta love the name "WAHOO" for a Ham Radio Club!)
MORROW CO:
We had our skywarn training was this month. 19 people were in attendance, a good mix of
ham's, CERT and weather hounds. The public safety were a no show but they dominated our
group last year. I attended the Atlantic Division EmComm Webinar, nothing earth shaking
but it was an hour well spent. I also finished up my is-100 training. We are finalizing
our field day activities, so Morrow County will be back on the map for field day again.
Our ham class is going well, only 1 person, but she is doing well and should be taking her
test in May.
MEDINA CO:
Had skywarn net for the emcomm listing
WAYNE CO:
Had planning meeting for the 100 mile run coming up in June. Anyone interested in helping
with this event should contact Duane Hart wd8bvv at wd8bvv@aol.com or give him a call. He is listed on the EC
directory under District 6 Wayne County. This is a long endurance type event and they can
use extra help. Date is 6/21 & 6/22. They also have GOBA the same weekend!!
DISTRICT 7 (Submitted by N8WL/DEC)
DELAWARE CO:
Membership reduction due to re-locations, deaths and unit restructuring. Under the
tutelage of Brian Galligher, Delaware EMA director the ARES group is receiving training in
the NIMS program. The American Red Cross, Delaware District has moved to newer
Headquarters on Hills-Miller Rd in North Delaware.
LOGAN CO:
The VEC group had a testing session during the month with 5 candidates responding. Four of them passed or upgraded, one failed. A
bike race was held in our area. One member at our EMA site and
several out on the circuit. I don't have the exact number.
DISTRICT 8 (Submitted by N8SUZ/DEC)
GALLIA CO:
ARES Planning Committee members participated in a Weather Spotter class, MRC Orientation,
local radio club meeting, monthly ARES Planning Committee, and published a bi-monthly
newsletter.
HOCKING CO:
Our Field Day activities will be held at Kacklemaker Park right next to US 33 at the St Rt
93 exit in Logan. Any and all are welcome to attend and join us for some fun on the radios
and a great potluck dinner at 6:00 pm Saturday.
PIKE CO:
Test radios at EMA and mobile EOC. Radiation detector training.
ATHENS CO:
Had 22 operators assist with the Annual Athens Marathon. Several new hams participated.
Athens Hamfest was well attended. Basic SKYWARN class for April 28 was advertised and had
five attendees - 3 hams.
DISTRICT 9 (Submitted by N8MGW/EC, KC8PWW/EC, AA8BN/AEC, KC8SBB/EC)
JEFFERSON CO:
Installing a VHF radio at the Jefferson County 911 site, we are also later to install a HF
radio ...other equipment will also be installed.. We will still keep our other station at
the Jefferson County Highway Complex as a backup.
COSHOCTON CO:
During most of the month the primary ARES repeater 145.23 was not operating at full
potential and eventually was off the air. We used our backup, the 147.045 (W8CCA
club),repeater as the ARES repeater. During the month several of our weekly ARES nets had
message handling instruction. We also held another ARES planning committee meeting.
On the 26th we conducted a tornado drill siren net with reports taken from 9 Hams
in the county, which were turned into the EMA and Sheriff Dept. Coshocton County ARES was
represented at the ARES conf and we came away with a lot of good information.
---------------------------- END OF DISTRICT REPORTS
---------------------------------------------------
FIELD DAY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Field Day will be held June 28 and 29 this year (in case you've been in a cave). Get your
ARES group active and participate! Nothing else brings Amateur Radio in front of the
public better than this drill. If you haven't started planning, it's not too late. If you
do operate, be sure to check into a traffic net, and send a radiogram to my station!
OHIO ARES CONFERENCE WAS A SUCCESS!
I know this happened in March, but with not getting April notes out, I have not had a
chance to thank everyone who came out for the March 29th session in Reynoldsburg. We had a
great turn-out, and details of the event are on the Ohio ARES website (www.ohioares.org)
NEW EC APPOINTED TO THE OHIO SECTION
Please welcome the following new Emergency Coordinator!
Rick Colburn, N8LGB as EC for Brown County
NEW ADEC's APPOINTED TO THE OHIO SECTION
We have had our first batch of Assistant DEC's officially appointed in the Ohio Section.
They are:
Fred Stone, W8LLY - District 3
Lee Haefer, KC8PFC - District 2
RED CROSS RESPONDS THE ARRL REGARDING BACKGROUND CHECKS
In early May, The American Red Cross contacted the ARRL and indicated that the company
conducting the background checks for the ARC has removed the portion of the legal waiver
that included Credit and Mode of Living checks. This is indeed good news, for it now
allows the ARC and the ARRL to continue talks to develop a comprehensive Memorandum of
Understanding.
While we believe that the Red Cross is implementing some changes that will
address some of the concerns expressed to them by ARRL, at this point, it is work in
process. There are many questions yet to be answered, but we believe that the Red Cross is
progressing in good faith to complete the changes to their policy and their background
check consent form, which was the primary concern expressed to the Red Cross by ARRL.
There will be more clarifications and information in the near
future. Please keep an eye on the ARRL web site for updates as we know them.
That's all for now. Keep up the great work, and let's be careful out there!
73, Frank Piper KI8GW
ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator - Ohio