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 of the Week for Apr 1***

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

Your served agency has handed you the information shown below and instructed you to send an American Red Cross (ARC) ARC 213 message form to KB5HPT located at the Chapter Headquarters. Instead of sending a Winlink Acknowledgment back to you I will send a reply back using this form granting your request.

The ARC 213 form is found in the Template Manager.

1. Click on MESSAGE>>NEW MESSAGE>>SELECT TEMPLATE>>STANDARD TEMPLATES>>ARC FORMS>>ARC 213 MESSAGE.txt. Double click the form. The form will open in your browser window.

2. Red Cross DR#. Enter 00123.

3. The Incident Name: enter Winlink Tuesday Exercise. 

4. Message #. Enter 981.

5. The Precedence is Routine. 

6. To (Name/Position): Manny Dodge/Logistics Manager.

7. From (Name/Position): Enter Joe Tentpeg/Shelter Supervisor.

8. Subject: Enter Supply List.

9. Date will auto fill when you open the form.

10. Time will auto fill when you open the form.

11. In the message box begin message with Exercise, Exercise. 

12. Message: Enter the following.

Blankets 20 ea.

Cots 20 ea.

Comfort Care Kits 20 ea.

Meals 20 ea.

13. End the message by typing REPLY REQUESTED in the message box.

14. Approved by: Enter Joe Tentpeg.

15. Position/Title: Enter Shelter Supervisor. 

16. You can save the HTML data to a text file by clicking on the Save ARC 213 Initial Data button at the bottom of the form. Then later open a new ARC 213 Form and import the data by clicking on Load ARC 213 Initial Data button at the top of the form. When reloading the data into a new form the saved data can be edited to reflect any changes/updates that need to be made. Be sure to save the new data before sending the new form.

17. When finished click on Submit then OK. Close the browser.

18. In the Enter a New Message form in Winlink Express be sure the Send As: block is correct.

a. Peer-to-Peer Message for sending P2P mode.

b. Winlink Message for routing message via an RMS.

19. Be sure the Request message receipt: box IS NOT checked. 

20. Address the message to KB5HPT or you can use my tactical call sign TXEPCARESDEC then Post the message to the out box.

21. Listen for a clear frequency and send the message. 

Remember this template has two parts, the "INITIAL" template and the "REPLY" template. To reply to the message after reading the INITIAL message close the template. With the template still in the In Box double click the message and select REPLY on the page that pops up. The form will open in the browser. Make your comments in the REPLY portion then send the REPLY back to the sender.

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. 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 friends/groups and ask them to participate.

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