All;

I have met recently with Laurie Meier N1YXU the EC for Orange Co. We have developed an idea to offer joint training opportunities on a monthly basis for both organizations and will alternate training site locations each month so, 1 month in Durham Co, and the next month is Orange Co.

When reviewing the upcoming training opportunities, a pattern revealed that during the odd months we'll be in Orange Co, and the even months we'll be in Durham Co.

For example; Next Sat. July 31st Orange Co is offering a training session on HSMM, then Sat Aug 28th in Durham at the Red Cross, there is a joint training class offered by the Red Cross on Mass Care and Shelter Ops and this class is targeted towards ARES members. The in Sept the location will be back in Orange Co. Topic TBA.

The 4th Sat of each month seems to work-out for most people for the Sat morning training and by training together we get to know one another as if an event occurs in either county, it most likely will affect both our areas. Plus according to grant funding from NC EM, we're both in the same area and training together is a plus when writing grants.

Any questions or particular topics you would like to see, let me know and we'll get them on the schedule.

73's
Randy K4XRM

Weekly Net Report for July 25th, 2010 8pm

KB4NQH - Ben NCO
KD4AGQ - Dan
K4XRM - Randy

Topic: General Interest, Current Wx

Total Time 11 mins.

Greetings ALL;

At our leadership meeting July 24th, it was decided to move the weekly Durham
ARES net to the 147.225 MHz repeater, from 145.450 MHz repeater.

The 145.450 MHz repeater will continue to be our Primary Repeater during an
activation in Durham Co. and the move to the 147.225 MHz repeater at 8pm for our weekly
ARES net, is to allow greater operator participation as some of our ARES members
have stated they have difficulty reaching the 145.450 MHz repeater for the
weekly net.

So, we'll try this move and see if net participation improves and gives us
better coverage, beginning with the August 1st , 2010 net next Sunday evening.
This move has been reviewed and approved by the DFMA Board.

Hope more of you can check-in and join us.

73's
Randy K4XRM
EC/Durham Co ARES

Hello All; Orange Co ARES has invited us to their Sat July 31st Ready Rally...here are the details;

On Saturday, July 31st, we will be holding an ARES Ready Rally at the Orange County EOC, 510 Meadowlands Road, Hillsborough, NC.

The topic for the Ready Rally will be High-Speed Multi-Media MESH (HSMM-MESH), which NCOCRA ARES is exploring for back-up Internet connectivity.

We will begin at 9:00am, with an overview of the HSMM-MESH technology, taken from materials at this site: http://www.hsmm-mesh.org/hsmm-files.html

After the overview, we will break into teams, and deploy into the surrounding Meadowlands complex for some hands-on experience with the HSMM-MESH technology. We will be finished with the exercise by 12:00 noon.

We will be using a Tactical Net for the team exercise, so bring your HTs or mobile radios. We will either use the 442.150 repeater, or operate simplex.

If you have already ‘flashed’ a Linksys WRT54GL as an HSMM-MESH node, please arrive 30 minutes early (8:30am ), and we will use it in the exercise. If you have the WRT54GL, but have not yet “flashed” it with the HSMM-MESH image, we will not use it during the exercise, but will work with you afterwards.

I will be uploading an HSMM-MESH “cheat sheet” to the Files area of the Yahoo reflector, and will bring some hard-copies to the Ready Rally.

I expect that this will be a fun, learning experience.

Ken – KR4FM

Reprint from ARRL Letter

Connect with the National Scout Jamboree via Amateur Radio
TAGS: amateur radio, ctcss tone, D-Star, national scout jamboree, radio merit badge
07/20/2010

The National Scout Jamboree takes place July 26-August 4 at Fort AP Hill, Caroline County, Virginia. A myriad of exhibits and activities await the close to 40,000 Scouts, leaders and staff. Coming from all 50 states, territories and foreign countries, they will have the opportunity to live, work and play together in an atmosphere of Scouting fellowship. And just like the National Scout Jamborees in 1973, 1981, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2005, the 2010 event will feature Amateur Radio.

A team of 17 Scouters and two Scouts will activate K2BSA as a demonstration station at the Jamboree. According to K2BSA Staff Member Larry Wolfgang, WR1B, they will be demonstrating various operating modes to the visiting Scouts, with activity primarily on HF, around the published Scout frequencies. Wolfgang is the ARRL Liaison to the National Scout Jamboree. Another group of 17 Scouters and one Scout will assist other Scouts in earning the Radio merit badge, while seven Scouters will be offering classes and will help administer Amateur Radio licensing exams.

K2BSA will also operate an EchoLink station at the Jamboree on 444.425 MHz simplex, with a CTCSS tone of 100 Hz on the Jamboree equipment. The EchoLink node number is 307770 and the IRLP node number is 3011.

“We will also be on the air via D-STAR from the Jamboree site,” Wolfgang said. “We will be using the WS4VA 2 meter repeater (145.320 MHz, -600 kHz split), located 35 miles north of us in Stafford, Virginia, which in turn will be connected to D-STAR Reflector 30B.” The K2BSA repeaters will operate on 145.17 MHz, with a -600 kHz shift and 442.90 MHz with a +5 MHz shift; use a 100.0 Hz CTCSS subtone for both repeaters. There will be a Jamboree Net at 1900 (local time) each evening.

Some K2BSA staff will be equipped with APRS. Click here for to view APRS activity at the National Jamboree.

The K2BSA staff would like to thank ICOM America for the generous loan of some D-STAR equipment, the Stafford (Virginia) Area Radio Association (SARA) and SARA Trustee Emmett Price, K3EP, for the dedicated use of one of their D-STAR repeaters, as well as Gateway, Robin Cutshaw, AA4RC, and John Davis, WB4QDX, for the use of D-STAR reflector 30B. K2BSA also thanks the following companies and individuals for their assistance with their operation at the Jamboree: Array Solutions (W3NQN Bandpass Filters), Buckmaster, Cushcraft, Flex Radio, Heil Sound, HRO in Woodbridge, Virginia, Hy-Gain, MFJ, QuickSilver Radio Products, Steve Gwilliam, G8XGG, Ten-Tec and Yaesu USA.

Weekly Net Report

K4XRM - Randy, NCO
KD4AGQ - Dan


Total Check-ins 2

Time 9 minutes

Topic- Wx Channel show about Dust Bowl of 1930's

Durham County EM now requires NIMS/ICS compliance for amateur radio operators who will be interacting with govt agencies during events. This issue has been around since 2006 ,(see also the discussion in the forum) and Durham EM needs to supply numbers back to FEMA by December 2010 regarding compliance data for everyone and agencies invloved not only with day-to-day operations such as Police/Fire/EMS, but also agencies such as Durham ARES who basically are involved during an event.

The data that I currently have on-file shows Durham ARES at 40% compliance as of today. Additionally an ICS-704 has been added that specifically address communications issues during an event. Thus ICS 100a, 200a,700, 800b and now 704 are now the standard for NIMS/ICS compliance.

All of these courses are on-line, they are not that difficult to complete and once completed you're done, no refreshers needed.

Therefore, in-order to interact with any govt agencies during and event or disaster response you will need to be NIMS/ICS credentialed. So, being deployed to a shelter that is operated by Durham EM, Durham EOC, or the RedCross-EOC (because they interact with Durham EOC), you will need to be NIMS/ICS credentialed.

Now, if you are deployed to a Red Cross shelter and communicate with the Red Cross EOC, currently Red Cross does not required operators to be NIMS credentialed, the requirement is only for interaction with govt agencies.

NC State ARES has been requiring NIMS/ICS compliance of ARES members and any operators wishing to help outside of Durham Co, will need to be NIMS/ICS credentialed.

Many of you are still asking Why? Why should we have to become credentialed to volunteer our time and efforts?

The NIMS/ICS compliance by everyone invloved within a geographical area, in our case Durham Co, provides a measure of response involvement and is used when reviewing disaster / responder funding to our area. Funding goes to areas that are compliant with funding guidelines, and NIMS/ICS compliance is one of the guidelines used.

If I can help anyone get / complete this training contact me ec@durhamares.org and I'll do what I can assist you.

Again, Review the discussion here on this website in the forums section about getting your NIMS/ICS done.

73's
Randy K4XRM
EC/Durham Co ARES

Durham ARES needs member attendance at two events in August.

1st Date; Sat August 21st, 2010 9am-12n at Durham County EOC , 2422 Broad Street, Durham NC 27704
Agenda: General Membership Meeting, Durham Co ID Badges to be issued to eligible* ARES members
Meet and Greet with new ARES Area 10 EC Dwayne Ayers N4MIO (Also invited Orange Co ARES members, and other Area 10 EC/AEC staff.
( * Eligible ARES members will be those who have completed NIMS/ICS compliance training requirements)

2nd Date; Sat August 28th, 2010 9am-1pm at Central NC Red Cross HQ, 4737 University Dr. Bldg #3, Durham 27707.
Agenda: ARES Specific Training for Red Cross Shelter Operations, "Mass Care and Sheltering Course"

This is a joint training opportunity for Durham Co and Orange Co ARES groups, and will most likely end before 1pm. as course is 3-3.5 hrs in length.

Weekly Net Report 2000 hrs

W4DAP - David , NCO
K4XRM - Randy
KD4AGQ - Dan
KB4NQH - Ben

4 Checkins
Topic: Latest activities related the amateur radio

Total Time: 14 mins

Weekly Net Report

K4XRM - Randy, NCO
KD4AGQ - Dan
KB4NQH - Ben
N4TMD - Thomas

Check-ins 4

Topic: Informal reports on recent activity and 4th of July celebrations

Time: 15 mins.