WCARES Field Day 2025

Get Ready for Field Day 2025!
June 28, 1PM – June 29, 1PM

Where:
3000 BrightStone Pkwy
Franklin, TN 37064
Click here to see the location on Google Maps

Work a station
We will have 2 stations setup in the climate controlled comfort of the Williamson County EMA Communications Trailer. Signup to operate a 2 hour shift, No Sweat! You can also help with setup and tear down – Sweat included at no charge.

Signup here:
CW Station
SSB / Phone Station
Setup / Teardown

Drop by, socialize, see the setup, bring a friend
Field Day is a great time to connect with fellow Hams and see an ARES remote setup. Bring a friend who may be interested in Amateur Radio and ARES.

Get On The Air – GOTA Station
Michael KJ4TFV will be working with visitors to Get On The Air. Bring your neighbor, kids, grandkids, in-laws, friends and show them how to GOTA.

Saturday evening fire pit rag chew
7-9 PM – Just show up no RSVP needed

SEE YOU AT FIELD DAY!


WCARES members attend EMAT 2025 Conference in Murfreesboro

From Jeff Standifer, WB5WAJ

Ed Hudgens, Steve Waterman, Paul Tampien, Jeff Schwartz, Randy Moore, Cliff Batson and myself attended the 2025 EMAT [Emergency Management Association of Tennessee] conference for emergency management agencies.
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of this week we attended several sessions on different EMA topics.


February 2025 presentation – The Williamson County Emergency Operations Center

How does the Williamson County EOC actually operate during an emergency activation? There are many tables and computers, but how does it all come together to support the mission? Ed Hudgens (WB4RHQ) and Jeff Standifer (WB5WAJ) give us a great overview of how it works.


WCARES licensing classes 2025

WCARES is again 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/wcares-university/


Severe Weather Awareness Day 2025

Severe Weather Awareness Day (SWAD) is a free event open to weather enthusiasts of all ages.
This event is hosted by NWS (National Weather Service) Nashville and Trevecca University and encourages weather safety and prepardness as we head into the peak severe weather season.

Register Here

When:
Saturday, February 22, 2025 9AM to 4PM CT

Where:
Trevecca Nazarene University
Boone Business Center
333 Murfreesboro Road
Nashville, TN 37210

For more details check out the official SWAD webpage here:

https://www.weather.gov/ohx/swad


Updated sign up link for Siren Test Monitoring

There is a new link for the Siren Test Monitoring sign up page and you can find this in the updated Event calendar entry here:

https://wcares.org/events/siren-test-monitoring/


August 2024 presentation – Getting on the air on 630m

Andy KY4DF ventured into ham radio wilderness with the design and installation of an antenna 630 meters and its successful use. Whether you are experienced or new to the ham radio world, you’ll find that we can all learn a lot from Andy’s presentation on this adventure.


SET 2024 – UPDATE (PSC parking changes) – WCARES Simulated Emergency Test Tomorrow 11/ 02 /2024

PSC parking for tomorrow

They will be painting parking stripes in the PSC visitor parking area tomorrow. If you are participating in the SET deployment you will need to park in the employee parking.

1 Go Past Charlie Meeks Blvd to end of CulDeSac
2 Turn right on driveway heading north
3 Go to end of drive and park.

Talk In: use the WCARES repeater for talk in if needed.
Alternative contact the EC Jeff Schwartz by phone at 860-235-5030


Please read the below information carefully for instructions relating to the SET Exercise. You may download a copy of the instructions here.

There are three ways for you to participate in the SET:

1 Come to the Williamson County Public Safety Building Saturday morning at 07:00 and participate in person. No need to register or sign up.
2 As a mobile station.
3 Check In to the SET from your home.

Mobile Stations – You will drive to different communities (e.g. Franklin, Fairview, Nolensville, etc.) and give Command Net Control your name, call sign, location and a weather report. Please visit as many communities as you can and check in with Command at each stop. The exercise net will be opened at 08:00 for mobile station check-in and will be asked to secure at 10:00.
Home Stations – The net will open up at 10:30 for check-in by those operating from home. Please provide your name, call sign, location, and a weather report to Command.

*** REMEMBER TO BEGIN AND END ALL MESSAGES WITH “THIS IS AN EXERCISE”***

2024 SET SIT REP
THIS IS AN EXERCISE – THIS IS AN EXERCISE – THIS IS AN EXERCISE

Friday November 1st 2024
Williamson County and its surrounding areas have been affected by the remnants of Hurricane Jeffrey, which moved through as a Tropical Depression on Thursday night. Reports indicate that high winds have damaged cell towers and caused numerous trees and power lines to fall. Flooding risks are also increasing, with the Cumberland, Duck, and Harpeth rivers approaching record flood levels. The combination of flooding and high winds has led to widespread outages of cell phone networks and most internet service providers in the county.

Williamson County EMA (WCEMA) has asked WCARES for assistance. Our activity begins on November 2nd at 09:00, when we will establish communications at several WCEMA-selected sites. WCARES will collaborate with WCEMA staff to create a vital link between these locations and the Williamson County Emergency Operations Center. We will be among the first teams deployed to ensure reliable communications are set up quickly before WCEMA sends assets to the affected areas.

Please report to the Williamson County Public Safety Building at 07:00 on Saturday morning, November 2nd, for more information and to receive your assignments. Be prepared for a six-hour deployment and ensure you are fully self-sufficient, as the sites will lack public utilities and cell/internet service. WCEMA is working to provide generator power at each site, but those generators have not yet been deployed.

THIS IS AN EXERCISE – THIS IS AN EXERCISE – THIS IS AN EXERCISE
—————————————————————————————————————

***Be sure to have a copy of the WCARES Emergency Operations Plan with you***

*** REMEMBER TO BEGIN AND END ALL MESSAGES WITH “THIS IS AN EXERCISE”***


August 2024 presentation – Ham Clock overview

Randy Moore (KK4SRO) gives an overview of the software-based Ham Clock by Clear Sky Institute
( https://www.clearskyinstitute.com/ham/HamClock/ )


Volunteers needed for the Bike MS Jack and Back 2024

Volunteers are needed to support the Bike MS (Multiple Sclerosis): Bike to Jack and Back 2024 on October 5-6, 2024 from Eagleville to Lynchburg, Tennessee. We will need volunteers to help out in a variety of positions including co-event coordinator, net control, alternate net control, rest stops, and mobile sweeps/rovers. No experience is needed, just a technician class license. We will give you all the training to be successful!

Questions? Contact Preston KN4BVA at kn4bva@gmail.com

If you are interested in helping out, the sign up page is here:
https://nashvilleamateurradio.club/index.php/2024/08/15/bike-to-jack-and-back-2022/