Portable Ops February 2023

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Tim W4BAX, Jeff WB5WAJ, Doug W4DML, Paul KM4PT, Rick WX4UKE and Andy KY4DF enjoying portable ops at Liberty Park.

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

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/

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.

Sept. 2022 In-Person & Virtual Monthly Meeting: VarAC

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Tim, AD4CJ gave a talk introducing a new use for the VARA HF protocol: the VarAC HF chat application created by by Irad Deutsch, 4Z1AC. The website for VarAC is: https://www.varac-hamradio.com and includes a list of features, the download for Windows, FAQs, user manuals and a community forum etc.

Tim then played a portion of the September 5th, 2022 Tonight @ 8 video from RSGB (Radio Society of Great Britain): Back to the keyboard! by Mike Richards, G4WNC. Mike gives an overview and examples of digital modes, required equipment and radio connections for keyboard QSOs and then walks through the features of VarAC and provides some operating tips for keyboard QSOs.

The complete video is well worth watching especially if you are new to digital modes:
https://youtu.be/SC0UxNG2itE
or skip ahead to the section on VarAC with the embedded video below.

The RSGB website is: https://rsgb.org/ and more videos from RSGB can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheRSGB/videos.

The VarAC portion of the video starts around the 29:45 mark:

WCARES and The Boy Scouts, Sept. 2022

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WCARES took part in the Scouting event this past weekend in Franklin. Jeff Schwartz, KC1DWP who headed up the WCARES effort had this to say after the event:

I want to thank you all for turning out on a very rainy day and providing an engaging experience for the scouts, their parents, and the scout leaders who stopped by our three pop ups. In spite of the challenging conditions, we were able to get all of the planned stations up and operational and even had some of the Scouts make their first on-air contacts.

Nick Darnell, Cubmaster for Pack 131 was asked to coordinate getting all of the public safety departments to attend. He was the Scouts event contact for WCARES, met with WCARES at the site on Wednesday before the event, and provided the site needed to set up all of the gear, especially the antenna field.

Nick shared the following with Jeff after the event:

Thank You and everyone that came out. I heard a lot of talking about the “radio men”. I thought that was an awesome title. Some of the boys were so intrigued that everything was running off batteries. WCARES made a great impression, maybe next time it won’t rain all day.

 

Photos by WCARES members and Eric Strickland, Scout event photographer

  • Jeff, KC1DWP and Ronnie, N4PHL hosted the WCARES information table with Karen, K4IRS talking to the Scouts about antennas, the electromagnetic spectrum and pursuing their license. Photo: Eric Strickland
  • Trey,KI4ZIN demo-ing VHF/UHF & Ed, WB4RHQ demo-ing HF Comms. Photo: Eric Strickland
  • Jon, KK4AIZ and Jim, WA0PUG. Photo: Eric Strickland
  • Blake, KN4VKY (Foreground) WILCO Fire & Rescue (Background) Photo: Jon, KK4AIZ
  • Left to right: Doug, W4DML, Jim, WA0PUG, Tim, AD4CJ and fellow ham. Photo: Jon, KK4AIZ
  • Left to right: Doug, W4DML, Jim, WA0PUG, Tim, AD4CJ and fellow ham. Photo: Jon, KK4AIZ
  • Background – KK4AIZ SOTA BEAM Bandhopper on 40′ mast on drive-over stand, with coax run to (Foreground) tent on left. Photo: Jon, KK4AIZ
  • Trey,KI4ZIN Demo-ing VHF/UHF & Ed, WB4RHQ Demo-ing HF Comms. Photo: Jon, KK4AIZ
  • Jeff,KC1DWP and Ronnie, N4PHL at the WCARES Information tent. Eric Strickland, Cub photographer standing in front of Karen, K4IRS. Photo: Jon, KK4AIZ
  • Doug, W4DML and Jim, WA0PUG. Photo: Jon, KK4AIZ
  • “Unofficial” photo of “Official” event photographer, Eric Strickland. Photo: Ed, WB4RHQ
  • HF Comms. station. Photo: Ed, WB4RHQ
  • Photo: Ronnie, N4PHL
  • Photo: Ronnie, N4PHL
  • Photo: Ronnie, N4PHL
  • Photo: Ronnie, N4PHL

Antenna Party

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WCARES members helped Hoop, K9QJS raise an Off Center Fed dipole. Jon, KK4AIZ supplied the pictures and reported that a good time was had by all. The antenna was recommended by Ted W3TB and in attendance were:

Paul – KM4PT;
Doug – W4DML;
Jon – KK4AIZ;
JIM – WA0PUG;
Dennis – WB9PJZ;
Jeff – WB5WAJ; and
Hoop – K9QJS

Field Day: Submitting your Log

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From Paul, KM4PT

Congrats!  The twenty-four-hour event has come to an end and you’ve got some contacts to contribute to the group score.  Awesome.

The ARRL wants you to use their web app form to submit your entry at: https://field-day.arrl.org/fdentry.php

When you go there in your browser, you’re going to be asked to fill out a form AND to submit your contacts.  

You can give them your contacts in the form of a Cabrillo formatted log OR a “Dupe Sheet” (which is simply a text file of your contacts categorized by band/mode with the call signs sorted alphabetically).

N3FJP can create Cabrillo files. And, on that same screen where Cabrillo files are created, there is a button labeled “Write Dupe File” that will create a Dupe Sheet for you.

  • Export your log using the Web Applet in a “Dupe Sheet” format

  • Use ARRL web app to submit your entry (and upload your log)

 

To submit your Field Day entry to the ARRL, do this:

  1. Delete any contacts from your log that you know need to be deleted.  (This could include any early contacts you created while testing.)

  2. In the N3FJP software, click the File menu and choose “Write Cabrillo (Contest Submittal) File…”
  3. In the pop-up form that appears, you can ignore all of those data entry fields!  (You’re going to fill out those fields online on the ARRL website.)
  4. At the bottom of the screen, click the button labeled “Write Dupe File” and you’ll be prompted to save the Dupe Sheet file to your computer.  (This is a text file that you can open with Notepad or any text editor.)
  5. You may also want to click the button labeled “Write / View Summary File” as this file contains a breakdown of the number of contacts per band/mode that you’ll need when filling out the ARRL web form. (You can derive this information from the Dupe Sheet but it’s broken down into a more easily viewable table in the Summary file.)

Okay, you’ve got your Dupe Sheet (or Cabrillo formatting log file) and you may also have your Summary file. It’s time to go to the ARRL Field Day data entry form to submit your entry.

https://field-day.arrl.org/fdentry.php

The one important thing to remember when you submit your entry is to enter “WCARES-TN” in the field labeled Club or Group Name.

 

Following are the official ARRL rules for Field Day QSO submission
 

8. Reporting:

     8.1. Entries may be submitted to the ARRL via:

          8.1.1. Field Day Web App at https://field-day.arrl.org/fdentry.php or

     8.2. Entries must be postmarked or submitted by Tuesday July 26, 2022. Late entries cannot be accepted.

     8.3. A complete Field Day Web Applet Submission site entry consists of:

          8.3.1. An official ARRL summary sheet which is completed via web app at https://field-day.arrl.org/fdentry.php;

          8.3.2. Supporting information uploaded via web app. Supporting information must include:

               8.3.2.1. An attached list of stations worked by band/mode during the Field Day period (dupe sheet or an alpha/numeric list sorted by band and mode – a Cabrillo log can be submitted in lieu of a Dupe Sheet/Calls list by band/mode); and

               8.3.2.2. Proof of all bonus points claimed (copies of visitor logs, press releases, NTS messages handled, photographs, etc).

               8.3.2.3 The web app will display a confirmation number and email a confirmation of your Field Day entry to the email address entered via the app. Please be sure to record this confirmation number and/or save the confirmation email.

     8.4 While the preferred method of submitting entries is via the Web Applet, entries and/or supporting documentation may alternately be submitted via email to fieldday@arrl.org. A complete non-web-app email submission consists of:

          8.4.1. An electronic copy of an ARRL summary sheet completely and accurately filled out;

          8.4.2. An attached list of stations worked by band/mode during the Field Day period (dupe sheet or an alpha/numeric list sorted by band and mode); and

          8.4.3. Proofs of bonus points claimed (copies of visitor logs, press releases, NTS messages handled, photographs, etc).

     8.5. A complete land/postal-mail or delivery non-electronic submission consists of:

          8.5.1. A complete and accurate ARRL summary sheet;

          8.5.2. An accompanying list of stations worked by band/mode during the Field Day period (dupe sheet or an alpha/numeric list sorted by band and mode); and

          8.5.3. Proofs of bonus points claimed (copies of visitor logs, press releases, NTS messages handled, photographs, etc).

     8.6. Complete station logs are NOT required for submission, and ARRL does not use the logs. The club should maintain log files for one year in case they are requested by ARRL HQ. However, a list of stations worked sorted by band and mode (dupe sheet) is required.

     8.7. Cabrillo format log files are NOT required for Field Day entries, but they will be accepted in lieu of the dupe sheets (but do not constitute an entry unless the web app (or a corresponding summary sheet with complete mailed entry) is also submitted.

     8.8. Digital images of proof of bonus points are acceptable.

     8.9. Electronic submissions are considered signed when submitted.

If you have other questions please contact Paul Tampien KM4PT (KM4PT@arrl.net) .