Emergency Coordination

Previous articles can be found under the "Emergency Coordination" link

Files for download can be found at the bottom of this page.

The terms Amateur Radio Emergency Service and ARES are both registered trademarks of the American Radio Relay League Inc. and are used by permission.  

Questions and comments regarding the content of this web page and articles are always welcome and encouraged. 

Send an email to the address shown below.

Lew Maxwell, KB5HPT

Amateur Radio Emergency Service

DEC, District 6, WTX Section

Email: ldmax12@yahoo.com

++++++WINLINK TUESDAY++++++

This net will run each Tuesday (except 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s) for 24 hours. Check in anytime during the 24 hour period. Address messages to Lew, KB5HPT, DEC, Dist.6, WTX Section unless otherwise noted. 

If you are an ARRL Field Appointee please use your Position/Title for the messages. 

All others please use Radio Operator for your position/title. 

The stations checking into this net are encouraged to use their ARES GO-BOX with the NVIS antenna. The use of EOC and club  stations are also encouraged.

***Sending Messages***

Use VARA HF Winlink through a gateway or Telnet or VARA HF P2P. See below for VARA HF P2P information.

***VARA HF P2P***

My HF station will be listening to 7116.5 MHz center frequency, 7115.0 MHz (dial frequency). Bandwidth is 500Hz. 

***VHF/UHF***

[El Paso Locals] The VHF/UHF mode of the week will be VARA FM. Please use the KB5HPT-10 VARA FM RMS on 439.010 MHz simplex as primary target. 

***NOTE:*** 

MAKE SURE THAT THE REQUEST READ RECEIPT IS CHECKED AT THE TOP OF THE MESSAGE. DON'T FORGET TO MARK THE MESSAGE AS WINLINK MESSAGE, P2P WINLINK or RADIO-ONLY. TO GET CREDIT FOR THE NET ALL SENDERS MUST RECEIVE A MESSAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BACK. WE ENCOURAGE THE USE OF RF  UHF/VHF/HF RATHER THAN TELNET. 

***Form for the week of Dec 17***

***THE NEXT WINLINK TUESDAY WILL BE JANUARY 7, 2025***

Important! If the new message update or Winlink Express program update screen pops up when opening Winlink Express update them before beginning this exercise.

We all know that the American Red Cross could be one of our served agencies that we could be called on to support during a disaster. After attending Damage Assessment Survey training this is a task that we could do to assist them. We could send the form up their chain of command using the winlink system. 

For this exercise you have been given the information shown below and have been ask to fill out the Damage Assessment Form and send it to KB5HPT located at the American Red Cross Headquarters building.

On the Winlink Express page click on MESSAGE>>NEW MESSAGE>>SELECT TEMPLATE>>STANDARD TEMPLATES>>GENERAL FORMS>> DAMAGE ASSESSMENT.txt. Double click the form. The form will open in your browser window.

Fill in the Initial Damage Assessment Form as follows:

1. Click Setup on the top left side of the form. Enter "Winlink Tuesday Exercise". 

2. Jurisdiction: enter Central City.

3. Mission or Incident #: Enter 000486. 

a. Select (Default) Exercise

b. Event: Select Flood

c. Selected Other? Describe: Leave blank

d. Survey Area: enter Central City NE.

e. Survey Team: enter John Doe's team.

f. Start Date of Event: enter 2024-12-15.

g. Date of this Survey: should auto fill when the form opens up.

***BE SURE TO READ THE STATEMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO HELP YOU FILL IN THE CATAGORIES.***

4. Category: Select

a. MOBILE HOMES: select Total 100% (#) enter 20, Total Number (count) click on the box. The number should auto fill, $ Loss ($ Estimate) enter 800,000.

b. BRIDGES: select Totaled 100% (#) 2, Total Number (Count) click on the box. The number should auto fill, $ Loss ($ Estimate) enter 320,000.

c. SCHOOLS: select Major 50% (#) enter 1, Total Number (Count) click on the box. The number should auto fill, $ Loss ($ Estimate) enter 50,000. 

5. Comments: start any comments with EXERCISE, EXERCISE.

6. When finished click Submit then OK.

7. Close the browser window.

8. On the Enter a New Message page for the Send As: select either:

a. Peer-to-Peer Message if the message is being sent P2P or,

b. Winlink Message if the message is being sent via an RMS or Telnet.

9.  Be sure the Request Message Receipt box IS CHECKED. 

10. In the To: field send the message to KB5HPT or to my tactical address, TXEPCARESDEC. In P2P mode tactical address are not allowed.

11. Click on Post to Out box.

12. Listen for a clear frequency and Send the message.

P2P Information: ***(READ CAREFULLY)***  

On the Winlink Express page in the Open Session box select VARA HF P2P from the drop down menu. Then open the session. For the Send As: select Peer-to-Peer Message. The morning 40 meter P2P session is from  8AM to 10AM (MDT). Lew, KB5HPT will be listening on 7116.5 MHz (center frequency). For the Mode use USB-D. Bandwidth= ***500Hz***

In P2P mode even though you created one message and addressed it to two or more people when you post the message to the OUT BOX you will have two or more separate messages waiting to be sent.

Feel free to distribute this message to your friends/groups. They are invited to participate.

Go to https://www.hamradioelpaso.com/emergency-coordination for complete details on Winlink Tuesday.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all . Thank you for participating in the Winlink Tuesday.

Lew Maxwell, KB5HPT

Amateur Radio Emergency Service

DEC, District 6, WTX Section

Tactical Address: TXEPCARESDEC

TX. RACES: DRO-8A

++++++EPCARES Mission Statement:++++++

WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING A VIABLE ARES ORGANIZATION THAT IS PROPERLY TRAINED AND ADEQUATELY STAFFED WITH THE END GOAL OF FUNCTIONING PROFESSIONALLY IN ANY EMERGENCY THAT MAY COME OUR WAY.

Our Core Values Are: 

 Confidence             Commitment         Excellence

Respect                   Integrity