Siren test monitoring resuming

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From our EC Jeff, KC1DWP:

The Williamson County Emergency Management Agency is ready for us to resume monitoring of the monthly siren test and they are greatly appreciative of the support we provide. The sign up system is active and an improved process is in place to inform us in the event of a siren test cancellation.

This is the link to the current sign up system:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4FADAC29A5FFCE9-owsmonthly


In the event the scheduled siren test is canceled, I will be notified by the On Call On Duty no later than 12:00 noon (i.e. one hour prior to the scheduled test).  An announcement will be made on the WCARES repeater system indicating either the siren test has been canceled or the siren test has not been canceled.


Please make every effort to sign up for a siren.  It’s an important part of making sure the siren warning system is operational and able to warn members of our community in the event of a dangerous weather event.  You may also find that it is a good time to take your significant other out for lunch or a picnic. 

Jeff Schwartz

Reserve Team Leader

Williamson County Emergency Management Agency​
ARRL Emergency Coordinator Williamson County TNARES

Update 2 – Winter Field Day 2023 Signup & WCARES details

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From Paul, KM4PT

Reminder that the last weekend in January (28 & 29) is Winter Field Day. You can go online to winterfieldday.com and pull up the 2023 regulations.

The sign-up sheet is available at this link.

WCARES-specific details from Paul are here (PDF).

CW and SSB stations which will be at the Public Safety Center in Franklin. These will be broken down into three hour time slots starting at 1 P.M. on Saturday 28 January and ending at 12:59 P.M. on Sunday 29 January 2023.

There won’t be any set-up or tear down.

WCARES Technician & General License Classes on in 2023 – Sign up now!

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WCARES will again be offering free classes to help prepare for the ARRL license exams for both the Technician (beginner) and General (intermediate) amateur radio licenses. The classes are open to everyone interested in getting their first license, upgrading or simply auditing the classes as a refresher.

You can find more details along with links to the sign-up forms here:
https://wcares.org/2023-wcares-university/

TVA: rolling blackouts ended

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The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA.com) and Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE.com) are both reporting via social media accounts that the rolling blackouts have ended (Sat. Dec. 24):

https://twitter.com/tvanews
https://twitter.com/MidTnElectric

Links to regional power companies are listed below.

Cold weather continues… see local forecasts on weather.gov, the OHX page at weather.gov/ohx and the NWS Nashville Situtation Report here:

http://www.weather.gov/media/ohx/briefing/SitRep.pdf

Cold Weather Safety:
https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold

 

 

 

 

Source: https://www.weather.gov/images/ohx/graphicast/image6.png

 

Additional Resources:

National Weather Service, Nashville Office (OHX):
https://www.weather.gov/ohx/

OHX Situation Report:
http://www.weather.gov/media/ohx/briefing/SitRep.pdf

Forecast for Nashville International Airport (KBNA):
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-86.67380332946777&lat=36.12867698311848

Regional low-bandwidth radar loops:
Nashville
https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/KOHX_loop.gif

Clarksville
https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/KHPX_loop.gif

Memphis
https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/KNQA_loop.gif

Huntsville
https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/KHTX_loop.gif

South Mississippi Valley
https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/SOUTHMISSVLY_loop.gif

Continental US
https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/CONUS_loop.gif
https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/CONUS-LARGE_loop.gif

Weather Prediction Center
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/

Storm Prediction Center
https://www.spc.noaa.gov/

 

Regional Electric Companies

TVA – Tennessee Valley Authority
https://tva.com/
https://twitter.com/tvanews

CEMC – Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation
https://www.cemc.org/outagemap/
https://twitter.com/CumberlandEMC

Dickson Electric System
https://dicksonelectric.com/power-outage-reporting/
https://twitter.com/DicksonElectric

MTEMC – Middle Tennessee Electric
https://mte.com/ServiceConcerns
https://twitter.com/MidTnElectric

NES – Nashville Electric Service
https://www.nespower.com/outages/
https://map.datacapable.com/i/nes/
https://twitter.com/nespower

 

Portable Ops November – Liberty Park

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Our EC, Jeff Standifer, WB5WAJ contributed this short video of a WCARES portable ops gathering at Liberty Park. The video was taken on 11/22/2022 and features Jon Kessell (KK4AIZ) at his rig while other WCARES members look on.

Portable Ops November – “Music” & “Going to the dogs”

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Melanie, Rick and Jeff enjoy music in the park while Jeff, Jeff, Doug and Paul have gone to the dogs while operating POTA on the Natchez Trace Parkway at the 1812 Memorial Monument! Pictures by Jeff ‘DWP and Doug.

WCARES SET 2022 Pictures

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  • Jeff Standifer (WB5WAJ) delivers a briefing at the start of the SET.
  • Tim Kreth (AD4CJ) meets with Gino Fantoni (EMA) at Franklin Fire Station #2.
  • Tim Kreth (AD4CJ) meets with Gino Fantoni (EMA) at Franklin Fire Station #2.
  • Laura Marler (N4CLO) running Net Control
  • WCARES members gathering at the EOC prior to the exercise.
  • Gene Cheatham (K4ARC) delivers a message to the 911 Supervisor.
  • Gene Cheatham (K4ARC) copies a message in the 911 center to relay it to the 911 Supervisor.
  • Doug Miller (W4DML), JK “Hoop” Hooper (K9QJS), and Michelle Wright (N2IDK) at the Shelter at Williamson County Fire Station 24. (Present but not pictured: John Farrish (NM4N))
  • Tim Kreth (AD4CJ) deploys his Go-Kit at Franklin Fire Station #2 as Gino Fantoni (EMA) looks on.
  • It can get crowded in the Auxcomm Room during an exercise!
  • James Smith (KD4KMM) and Andy Rudolph (KY4DF) at the Shelter at Williamson County Ag Expo Park.
  • James Smith (KD4KMM) and Andy Rudolph (KY4DF) at the Shelter at Williamson County Ag Expo Park.
  • Tim Kreth (AD4CJ) demonstrates his Go-Kit at Franklin Fire Station #2 to EMA Specialist Gino Fantoni.

WCARES SET 2022 Summary

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From Jeff, KC1DWP:


Our 2022 SET demonstrated that WCARES has the skills, depth, and commitment to serve our community in a time of need when communication support is necessary. During the SET exercise, 8 mobile radio operators connected 10 Emergency Response partners from multiple municipal agencies to the Williamson County ECOMM 911 center. This was an important first step demonstrating proof of concept in the development of the procedures and application of technology to provide continuity of communication in the event of a catastrophic Public Safety radio system outage.


Three simulated shelters were activated in response to a simulated flood event. Seven radio operators established stand alone radio operations at the three sites using their own power and radio equipment to provide vital status reports back to Net control and the Williamson County Emergency Management Agency.


Seven radio operators comprised the Net Control Team utilizing multiple modes, including the WCARES repeater system and back-up repeater, DMR and Winlink to manage communications from the 3 shelters, the 10 emergency response partners, and other participating WCARES members providing requested information regarding shelter status, weather and flood conditions as well as the status of public utilities. Vital information was able to be obtained from field sources and provided to the Williamson County Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service.

 

WCARES Members enjoy their classic rigs on AM

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By Doug Miller, W4DML

Ron Howes and I enjoy vintage AM radio. On September 30, Ron used his Johnson Viking seen in the first photo and I used my Johnson Valiant on the top center of the second photo.

These are both 1950’s transmitters. The receivers that we used are also vintage. We had a great QSO and lots of fun! We have done this a few other times on other vintage AM gear.

  • Ron Howes, KD4MV uses his Johnson Viking seen on the top shelf to the right.
  • Doug Miller, W4DML uses his Johnson Valiant located at the very top of this rack.

No monthly meeting in October due to SET Exercise

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There is no monthly meeting in October due to the SET exercise (see link below).
The next WCARES Monthly meeting is Saturday November 19, 2022.

Click here to read all the details and sign up to take part.