Hello to all...

The following was forwarded to me from Frank Murphy-N1DHW from SATERN on NIMS Training being offered by the Salvation Army. See information below:

Hello,
I wanted to inform you of an upcoming course being offered by the EDS department of the Salvation Army here in MA. Many of you have expressed interest in receiving further disaster service training, and this course will allow you to explore what takes place 'behind the scenes' at a disaster. This is a FEMA endorsed course and will give you national certification when completed.
IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction

Course Overview
On February 28, 2003, President Bush issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5. HSPD-5 directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and administer a National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS provides a consistent nationwide template to enable all government, private-sector, and nongovernmental organizations to work together during domestic incidents. You can also find information about NIMS at http://www.fema.gov/nims/.
During the course we will also have the time to look at case scenarios and apply what we are learning in class.

We are holding this at the Boston Divisional Headquarters (147 Berkeley St., Boston) on Thursday April 17th from 6:30-9:30pm. Please send an email to let me know you are interested in attending or if you have any further questions.

Chris Farrand
Program Manager
Emergency Disaster Services

The Salvation Army
Massachusetts Division
147 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116-5197

Phone: 617-542-5420 (ext.320)
Cell: 978-509-5665
Fax: 617-451-8195
Chris.Farrand@USE.SalvationArmy.org
www.salvationarmy-ma.org
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Hello to all....

The North Shoare ARES team led by North Shore ARES District Emergency Coordinator, Eric Horwitz, KA1NCF, and North Shore ARES Emergency Coordinator, Jim Palmer, KB1KQW, participated in a a mock exercise with Peabody Emergency Management held by the Northeast Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council. Below is a write-up of that report:

(PEABODY, MA) – Leadership officials from the North Shore Amateur Radio Emergency Service team responded today to a mock exercise being held by the Northeast Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council.

The exercise simulated a mock crash of a tractor trailer truck which carried and released a cloud of chlorine gas into the atmosphere prompting emergency response officials to coordinate efforts on a regional scale, in addition to simulated evacuations and shelter-in-place operations of community residents. Members of the Police and Fire Departments, Electric Light, Department of Public Works were primary responders along with numerous regional Chiefs and Officials from various other communities.

Eric Horwitz – KA1NCF, North Shore ARES District Emergency Coordinator, along with Jim Palmer – KB1KQW, North Shore ARES Emergency Coordinator staffed the Emergency Management desk at the operations center.

Meantime, Mike Griffin-KB1OHZ conducted a surprise resource call-up drill on the 145.47 NS1RA Danvers Repeater simulating an ARES activation across the area. At the ready to assist with shelter communications within an hour’s time were Nat Henricksen-NG1Z, Pete Aery – KI1P, and David Titelbaum – KB1MSR. The operations phase of the simulation kicked off at 10:00 and concluded at 13:00.

Testing our skills further, the exercise ended with a working fire in the Peabody area and we were able to transition to a more realistic operational phase while the scope and extent of the fire were ascertained by the various officials on site. The fire remained small and additional resources were not required from the Emergency Management resources on location for the exercise.

The exercise was considered a great success and all parties involved were able to walk away with various information to improve the efforts at the center. Jim-KB1KQW and Eric-KA1NCF promoted Amateur Radio’s role to the various attendees by teaching that we are available when all else fails. This information was well received and we hope that these officials will spread the word about our valuable role in emergency communications and response.

North Shore ARES has been continuously working on our relationship with Peabody Emergency Management, most recently activating the operations center for a recent Nor’easter on March 8th. No reports of flooding were received from that event but minor wind damage was realized later into the evening prompting an ARES/SKYWARN activation to monitor the storm. Our first activation with Peabody Emergency Management took place on Patriots Day 2007 with a significant Nor’easter which brought several episodes of urban/coastal flooding along with numerous reports of wind damage across the region. Since then we have participated in approximately 15 other activations, mostly for weather related incidents across the area.

###

Hello to all....

There have been changes in the Winlink 2000 Airmail End User Setup. The setup changes can be seen on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES Web Site under the Main Menu below Departments/Programs under the Winlink 2000 link as well as through the original announcements posted back in the August/September timeframe. This information was provided by Tom Kinahan-N1CPE, Massachusetts State RACES Radio Officer.

Existing users should be sure to change their settings and folks interested in Winlink should check out the information in Winlink 2000/Airmail via the Main Menu link on the web site. Thanks for your continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator

Hello to all....

A reminder that the monthly ARES Net for March is rapidly approaching. The monthly ARES Net for March is Monday March 3rd, 2008, at 8:30 PM on the MMRA Repeater system. This is after the RACES Nets earlier in the evening.

Make the first Monday of the month, "Emergency Communications Night" and check into your local RACES Net and then check into the ARES Net on the MMRA Repeater System. We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net.

We will have several interesting announcements for the net that evening and we look forward to everyone's participation. Updates will be posted via email and on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES Web Site at http://ares.ema.arrl.org

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org
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Hello to all....

The following is a posting for the Advanced Emergency Communications Workshop scheduled for Saturday April 12th, 2008 in Walpole, Massachusetts. See announcement below:

Advanced Communications Workshop (ACW)
Saturday, April 12, 2008, 9AM to 4PM

The Walpole Emergency Management Communications Group will be hosting an Advanced Communications Workshop (ACW). Rob Macedo, KD1CY and the Eastern Massachusetts ARES District Emergency Coordinator staff of instructors will present this program.

The ACW will be held on Saturday from 9 AM-4 PM, April 12, 2008, at the Walpole Senior Center, Walpole Town Hall, 135 School Street, Walpole, Massachusetts.

Lunch will be provided at no coerced charge to those participating in the workshop, but we appreciate and accept donations from whoever can provide them.

Topics in the workshop will include:
Applications of VoIP modes (EchoLink, IRLP and D-Star) in Emergency Communications
Packet Radio
Winlink
Advanced Go Kits
We also hope to be able to answer many of your setup and operational questions on digital modes.

This program will be of particular interest to anyone involved in Emergency Communications, Digital Communications, ARES, RACES and/or the National Weather Service SKYWARN Program.

In order to plan for handouts, etc., pre-registration is requested.

Directions to the Walpole Town Hall:
http://maps.yahoo.com/
http://www.mapquest.com/

From Boston:
Take Route 95 south to Exit 10 - Coney Street. Turn right at top of exit ramp.
Turn left at the lights on to Route 1. (The Walpole Mall will be on the right)

Take Route 27 (High Plain Street) at next set of lights at top of hill.
Big Y is on left. Route 27 X through 3 sets of traffic lights. Route 27
(High Plain Street) merges left onto East Street. Take left onto School Street (after passing Blessed Sacrament Church on left at Diamond Street).
The Town Hall (former school building) is on right. Parking is in the rear.
Entrance to meeting room is on left as you face the rear of building.

From the South:
Take Route 95 north to Exit 9 - Route 1.
Take Route 1 north to lights at Route 27 (High Plain Street) (Applebee's on your right). At lights take left onto Route 27(High Plain Street). Big Y is on left. Route 27 X through 3 sets of traffic lights. Rout 27 (High Plain Street) merges left onto East Street. Take left onto School Street (after passing Blessed Sacrament Church on left at Diamond Street). The Town Hall (former school building) is on right. Parking is in the rear. Entrance to meeting room is on left as you face the rear of building.

From the west - Medfield - Route 109
Take Route 27 to Walpole Center. Through set of lights at Route 1A, (Main
Street). School Street is the next intersection. Right onto School Street. The Town Hall (former school building) is on right. Parking in rear. Entrance to meeting room is on left as you face the rear of building.

There will be talk-in on the 146.895-Walpole Repeater, PL: 123.0.

For additional information and registration contact:

W1ZSA-Roger Turner rfturner@gis.net or wlp1ema@aol.com
K1HRV-Dave Doe d.doe@comcast.net
KD1CY-Rob Macedo rmacedo@rcn.com

There will be talk-in on the 146.895-Walpole Repeater, PL: 123.0.

This training should be a worthwhile endeavor for anyone interested in learning more about emergency communications and amateur radio in general.

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org
1

Hello to all....

A reminder that the monthly ARES Net for February is rapidly approaching. The monthly ARES Net for February is Monday February 4th, 2008, at 8:30 PM on the MMRA Repeater system. This is after the RACES Nets earlier in the evening.

Make the first Monday of the month, "Emergency Communications Night" and check into your local RACES Net and then check into the ARES Net on the MMRA Repeater System. We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net.

We will have several interesting announcements for the net that evening and we look forward to everyone's participation. Updates will be posted via email and on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES Web Site at http://ares.ema.arrl.org

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org
1

The Marathon Amateur Radio Communications (MARC) consortium is looking for ham radio operators to assist at the 2008 Boston Marathon. The Marathon is held annually on Patriots Day, this year that's Monday, April 21. We need people to provide communications is support of three areas:

START LINE (Hopkinton)
Runner & observer safety & security, parking lots, VIP escorts

COURSE (Hopkinton to Boston)
First Aid & Water station coordination

FINISH LINE (Boston)
First Aid, safety & security

If you are interested in any of these positions, please visit the MARC website to sign up:

http://marc.amateur-radio.net

73,
Bob - K1IW
MARC Recruitment Coordinator 1 1 1

Hello to all....

The following is from Frank O'Laughlin-WQ1O, Cape Cod ARES District Emergency Coordinator.

The Cape Cod and Islands ARES district will hold its Winter field exercise on Saturday January 26th starting at 10am. In addition to the normal VHF/UHF/ NVIS operations, We will be attempting Winlink operations from the field on a small basis. Messages will be sent via Airmail packet client up the chain during the morning.

We are also looking for any HF voice stations willing to participate on 40m 7232khz and 75m 3925khz. We will have NVIS stations on the air from the Cape and Nantucket. I know band conditions have been flimsy at best and that 40m is likely to be bad. Try 75m after 10:20am if 40m is unusable (pretty likely)If anyone is around on Saturday, please feel free to try contact on 40/75m. Thanks!

In addition, 146.955 Simplex will be utilized for this exercise and maybe another means for folks to participate who may have 2 Meter/440 gear and not HF. The following is a link to the exercise document Frank-WQ1O put together in PDF format:

Cape Cod ARES Exercise Document

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org

Hello to all....

The following is an update from Shawn O'Donnell-K3HI on Massachusetts Cell Phone Bill H-4477, which passed the State House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed H-4477 today by a vote of 107-47. The members passed several amendments to the bill before the final vote and some encouraging news...

I have been forwarded a message from a staff member of Representative Hynes (see below.) Representative Hynes's amendment was indeed approved by the House. Pending confirmation of the precise text of the amendment, we can declare a tentative victory.

If we have succeeded, our next order of business is a measured campaign to ensure that our exemption survives Senate deliberations.

--Shawn

Thanks to Gordy Bello, K1GB, for forwarding the message from the State House.

At 6:01 PM -0500 1/23/08, bello wrote:
From: Verseckes, Michael (HOU) [mailto:Michael.Verseckes@state.ma.us]
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 5:13 PM
To: gge1@comcast.net
Subject: amateur radio

Hi Gordon,

My name is Mike Verseckes and I'm an aide to Rep. Frank Hynes.

I wanted to let you know that the amendment Rep. Hynes filed that would exempt ham radio operators from House Bill 4477 was adopted and the bill was engrossed today. So now it's on to the Senate where they should take it up some time soon.

Thanks for contacting us.

Mike

Hello to all....

A reminder that the monthly ARES Net for January is rapidly approaching. The monthly ARES Net for January is Monday January 7th, 2008, at 8:30 PM on the MMRA Repeater system. This is after the RACES Nets earlier in the evening.

Make the first Monday of the month, "Emergency Communications Night" and check into your local RACES Net and then check into the ARES Net on the MMRA Repeater System. We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net.

We will have several interesting announcements for the net that evening and we look forward to everyone's participation. Updates will be posted via email and on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES Web Site at http://ares.ema.arrl.org

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org
1