Nov 22
Mark your calendar for these important dates. More details when we get a bit closer.
June 3rd – Saturday 10am quarterly ARES / AUXCOMM / COMU training AT EMD. Topics will be Shares, EMCOM trailers, Sat phone and more.
Watch your email for an opportunity to register. Keep your SPAM folder cleared so you will notice if something lands in there unexpectedly.
Mar 12
I hear a lot of “10 codes” used on the ham radio frequencies. These “10 codes” (10-4, 10-20, 10-100) were used in the CB language back in the 70’s when CB was the “Craze”.
CB radio still uses “10 codes” in their daily language. These codes are not really acceptable in amateur radio communities. As a matter of fact anyone using these “10 codes” or any other CB slang really defines the user of these languages as someone who has not “graduated” into ham radio.
Ham radio operators do not use “10 codes” or any other slang. We use every day language on the air like we are speaking to each other face to face.
When someone uses “10-4” or “10-20”, or similar CB language we know that they come from the unlicensed, unregulated CB channels. This is not to say that we don’t appreciate the CB bands…many of us came from there (me included).
What I am saying is that we as hams do not use 10 codes or any other “coded” language. We are going to “plain language” as the emergency communications folks are doing. When you say “10-4” on the ham radio bands you are identifying yourself as a CB operator who has not moved on to professional communications.
Q codes are meant for CW as they reduce time and effort. They have no place in the phone bands.
We are always looking for professional communicators…if you’re one of these we would love to have you in our ranks.
George Mudd, KK4F, ARES, Auxcomm , Sumter Amateur Radio Association
Feb 20
In an emergency communications (EmCom) situation connecting to a Amateur HF Winlink RMS Gateway might be your last resort to passing EmCom messages. Some RMS gateways will not allow you to connect if their internet connection is lost but some others may give you the box below. If the message you are trying to send is from a served agency then you want to CANCEL the connection and try a different RMS gateway. Reason being it might take hours or even days for that message to get forwarded to its destination. Remember Amateur HF is distant (DX) so look for an RMS station hundreds of miles away, not the closest one.
Feb 04
The WaveTalkers crew will be hosting a workshop called: Winlink for Emergency Communications: Beginners Workshop, on Thursday evenings in the Month of February 2023 beginning on February 16, 2023 at 7pm Pacific Time.
This Introductory Workshop is targeted at hams radio operators who are NEW to Winlink. The goal of this series is to get New-To-Winlink users familiarized with the power of Winlink and how Winlink can complement Emergency Communications. At the completion of this multi week workshop, you should be able to send and receive winlink email messages and submit information via standard Winlink forms.
Topics covered in this workshop will include:
You will need a valid amateur radio license and access to a Windows 10 or 11 PC that you can install the Winlink application and other supporting applications onto in order to participate in this workshop. You do not need a Radio with a computer interface to benefit from this class as we will start with training users on the power of Winlink and how it can help your Emergency Communications organization better assist their served agency.
The workshop will be conducted via Zoom and space is limited to 250 participants. An internet connected computer with the latest version of Zoom installed, a webcam, microphone and speakers/headphones will be needed to participate.
This workshop will be offered for FREE to the first 250 hams that signup using the form below. If you regularly check-in via Winlink for WaveTalkers LIVE or any of the Winlink Wednesday events then you are already familiar with the content that will be presented. Please pass this invitation to other hams in your club or organization that would benefit from this Beginners Workshop.
Sign up by completing the form below. A confirmation email with links to the Zoom and additional resources will be sent prior to the first workshop session. By signing up, you give WaveTalkers permission to send you emails related to this course.
http://cq.wavetalkers.com/
Thank you for joining us oun this journey into ham radio and emergency communications.
73!
Chris Mattia de W6AH
Ventura ARES Area 6 & ARES LAX NE/NW
Email: w6ah@wavetalkers.com
Jan 10
ARES and CERT volunteers assist Lexington EOC prepare for the VC Summer exercise. The radio room was staffed to support this exercise which will be conducted during the March statewide full scale exercise on March 7 & 8 2023. One or two loose ends to tie up and we are ready to roll.
Nov 29
Jan 24
New time and frequency has been announced 3.990 at 6pm Tuesdays for the ARES HF net originating out of South Carolina. All are welcome. Check netlogger for the frequency just in case we moved.
In the case of an exercise or actual emergency the frequencies in the Tactical Communications Plan will be followed.
Jun 13
click on the picture to watch the RatPac video
