DuPage County ARES

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Happy Holidays

You all have seen Jean Shephard's "The Christmas Story" . . . but remember . . . little Ralphie was a ham:

http://hamtoons.net/little-ralphie-was-a-ham/?fbclid=IwAR3sY1SQxZsr2P5SFozAXwnZm0CMjG5DQkASNlqTsZ5kEneCp9YV-nh5rJ8

NEW DuPage WEATHER Net

CHeck out the new DuPage Weather net, in cooperation with DuPage OHSEM and the Wheaton Community Radio Amateurs.

7 PM on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month on the WCRA UHF Repeater 444.474 PL 114.8. Bring your expertise and interest in Weather. As they say, it isn't a question of "if" severe weather is going to hit us, but rather "when" and "how much!"

Introduction to Auxcomm Class

It looks as if things may be beginning to jell for an "Introduction to Auxiliary Communications" class to be given on Saturday afternoon, January 18, at a location in the Fox River valley area, near to the side of the WCRA Hamfest the following day. We'll post the details as things develop.

This is an introductory four-hour class developed by the State of Illinois covering how amateurs will interface with responders in an ICS environment. It is not the full 2-day FEMA AuxComm course.

If interested, contact kf9io@arrl.net.

UPCOMING PUBLIC SERVICE EVENTS

We are doing WINTER FIELD DAY January 25/26, 2020 at Bloomingdale FS 22 (corner of Lake Street and Keeney Road), where we had our Fractured Prairie SET exercise. Volunteers for the planning committee are needed: Contact Dave at kf9io@arrl.net Won't it be fun raising an antenna at 40 degrees below zero, with 35 mph winds, and 30 inches of snow. WETSU!

For info on Winter Field Day: https://www.winterfieldday.com/

To demonstrate how hard core we are: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBLHeAvZyh8 an old folk song in the American tradition of exaggeration (Paul Bunyan, Clementine, etc.

DuPage Amateur Radio Emergency Service Inc

12/9/2019

A nominating committee consisting of Dave Harr KF9IO, Mark Spoo N9VDQ, and Ron Delpiere Smith KD9IPO submits the following names of candidates for the Board of Directors and Officers of DuPage Radio Amateur Emergency Service, Inc.

President - David Harr KF9IO*

Vice President - Mark Spoo N9VDQ

Secretary - Scott Palluth K9SPP*

Treasurer - Dennis FInegan K9DPF*

DIrector - Tom Sarlitto - KD9JSA (new, replacing Roger Bassett W9RAF

Director - Ed Worst K9EW*

Director - Ron Delpiere-Smith KD9IPO

These candidates will be voted upon (finalized) by members of Dupage Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Inc. (“the Corporation”) at a meeting held in conjunction with the DuPage ARES Team Meeting on Monday, January 13, 2020

Activation Procedures

In the event of an area disaster or a need for an unscheduled callout, DuPage ARES leadership will start a net on W9AUX 2 meter repeater (146.655, minus 600 KHz offset, 107.2 PL), with the W9AUX 440 box (442.050, + 5MHz offset, 114.8) as first backup. If the repeaters are down, we will try to mobilize using simplex - IL2A in the IFOG (146.520 simplex). Since the W9AUX repeaters are on the same tower, we may try other repeaters such as the WCRA 440 box or one of the DARC repeaters to get things going.

Cnce you have found a DuPage ARES net, check in and advise as to condition and availability. Even if you will be responding to allout from another agency, such as a local EMA, advise us so we know who is available, and in turn, you can make or capabilities known to that organization. In general, DO NOT SELF-DEPLOY!

For a wide-scalr emergency involving more than the metropolitan area, Illinois ARES net will be functioning on 3.905 MHz LSB Voice.

Swedish Days Feedback

I received this in an email from Wally Moran, who was the SAG coordinator for the Swedish Days Bike Ride on Sunday:

"Just wanted to officially thank the ARES Team for being part of the Swedish Days Ride event once again! Having their staff in the cars, and at Kaneland H.S. & Harter M.S. and Klatt Field is a big plus for the event. Their communication and weather support are additional reasons why the event is regarded so highly by the attendees. We got some extra exercise this year when sweeping the routes thanks to Jerry’s expanded sign offerings!

Dave & Debbie, please forward the club’s thanks to your team members if they are not on this distribution list. It's a long day and we appreciate all the work the day of and your prep work beforehand."

______________________

From my EC point of view, it really helps that we're working with a group that understands how to use ARES hams as communicators.

For my part, I want to add my personal thanks to you who volunteered to work this even on Field Day Sunday: Bob, who handled the critical and sometimes confusing incoming messages from distressed riders; Debby, as net control and weather watcher (thanks for coaxing Mother Nature into giving us a break from the thunderstorms); Kent and "first timer" Damini as back up net controls, loggers and liaisons; Chris and Mike for being our "lonesome tight ends" staffing the "watering hole" at Klatt Field, down in a valley in Plano; George and Gus for patiently staffing an uneventful rest stop at Harter Middle School (we LIKE uneventful!!!); Bargo (who also set up the SAG radios), Don and Laura for providing clear, accurate, and timely communications from the SAG vehicles.

Again this year, I marvel how effective the area coverage of a good amateur repeater system can be in providing comms for an event such as this one which requires coordination over a wide area. And again, I was impressed with the conciseness and clarity of our comms - something that comes with practice, and is good preparation for any true emergency. Emergency preparation and public service go hand-in-hand!

But most of all, I relish being able to work with and learn from a team of great hams who really know what they're doing! Thanks.

Dave Harr

Emergency Coordinator

DuPage Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)

Who Are We?

From the Federal Communications Commission

"The FCC [Federal Communications Commission] established amateur radio as a voluntary, non-commercial, radio communications service. It allows licensed operators to improve their communications and technical skills, while providing the nation with a pool of trained radio operators and technicians who can provide essential communications during emergencies."

Our Meetings, Repeaters and Nets

Meetings

Team Meetings: 2nd Monday of Every Month, 7 pm

at DuPage Co. OHSEM, 418 County Farm Road

Wheaton, Il

Our Repeaters and Nets

W9AUX 442.050, +5MHz Offset, PL 114.8 Fusion (Mixed mode)

W9AUX 146.655, -600 KHz Offset, PL 107.2 Fusion (Mixed mode)

Nets are held:

7 PM - 1st Tuesday of the Month - Voice FM on W9AUX UHF Rptr (442.050 +5MHz Offset, PL 114.8)

and:

7 PM - 3rd Tuesday of each month on W9AUX VHF (146.655, -600KHz, PL 107.2) Digital nets alternate between MT63-2000L and EasyPal modes.

7 PM - NEW!!! 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month -DuPage Weather Net, in cooperation with DuPage OHSEM and Wheaton Community Radio Amateurs on the WCRA UHF Repeater 444.475 PL 114.8

Illinois State HF SSB Voice net on 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month at 4:30 PM local Illinois time, on 3,905 KHz LSB (alternate 7,230 KHz).

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