Santa Net 2024

Tony Protor, KF4KFQ has announced this years Santa Net:

Santa Claus is coming! … To a receiver near you.

This year the Santa Net will once again be soaring through the skies of Middle Tennessee. Each year Tony, KF4KFQ, presents the “Santa Net” escorting Santa across Middle Tennessee. Amateur radio operators will be able to contact Santa during his rounds on the 146.415 simplex and 446.415 simplex.

For those heading out of the area or for our non-ham listeners, the Santa Net will be simulcast on YouTube.

Just go to: https://youtube.com/c/braintrusts

The Santa Net will begin at 7 PM CST on December 24th (Christmas Eve, of course) and will continue as long as traffic holds. In addition to talking with old Saint Nick there will be skits and readings of traditional Christmas favorites.

Sometimes a great introduction to ham radio that entertains the younger set is to let them speak to Santa on the air. Hams are invited to allow 3rd Party traffic to talk to Santa, as well as, provide reports of Santa Sightings and other items of interest on Christmas Eve.


2024 Special Event station commemorates Battle of Franklin

Jeff, WB5WAJ will be hosting a special event station on SSB on 20m and 40m as N4S for the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Franklin.

You can find the details about the event and the participation certificate on the Events Calendar here.


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/


July 2024 presentation – Understanding Weather Radar

As amateur radio operators involved in weather spotting, many of us use free or low cost weather radar apps. But weather radar can be a complex tool. Meteorologist Davis Nolan will join us by Zoom to give us insights beyond basic viewing to properly interpret as we weather spot. Davis has been forecasting weather for over 42 years on Channel 2 WKRN-TV, and is one of the few broadcast meteorologists in the nation to earn “Certified Consulting Meteorologist” from the American Meteorological Society. Paul WD9IOK is coordinating this presentation, the third he has coordinated this year on weather-related topics.


July 2024 presentation – Antennas at the PSC

In this video, Cliff Batson takes the mystery out of the antennas and antenna routing at the Williamson County Public Safety Center… the HQ of WCARES.

Recorded on July 20th, 2024 after his presentation during the July 2024 WCARES monthly meeting.


WCARES Field Day 2024

2024 Field Day
June 22-23

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