Last webpage update – 12.1.24 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SC.Midlands.ARES
Please notice! Links to most recent check-in logs:
SC Midlands ARES Training Net (2nd and 4th Thursdays 7 PM) 10.10.24 SC Midlands ARES Training Net Central SC VHF Simplex Net (1st and 3rd Thursdays 7 PM) 10.17.24 Central SC VHF Simplex Net Statewide HF ARES Net (Tuesdays 6 PM) 11.26.24 SC Statewide ARES HF Net SC Winlink Tuesday Net (All-day Tuesday) @ Weeks 12.3.24 SC Winlink Tuesday Check-in Summary and Map
Net Control Station Coverage
– Would you like to be a Net Control? The position of Net Control is crucial to effective emergency communications and a skill we all need to attain. Our weekly nets are the place to learn and perfect that skill and we encourage each member to sign up for one of the nets with which you feel comfortable.
Training is a purpose of the nets so no one is expected to be skilled at it before they sign up.
To be added to this schedule, Email Joe Wilson, KO4WAA, at jwilso75@yahoo.com or Mark Goddard, KN4KRZ, at goddard.mw@gmail.com.
SC Midlands ARES Training Net Script
Blank version of the script for Net Control Station operators to fill in, linked here:
SC_Midlands_ARES_Training_Net_Script
Announcements / Important Dates to Save
- New CERT Member Orientation – December 5, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM – Orientation training for the new group of CERT volunteers will take place in the Richland EOC located at 1410 Laurens Street in Columbia. Current CERT members are certainly welcome to attend this training, but it is not required.
- Doug Anderson Spotter Appreciation Day – Saturday December 7th from 8am until 12pm – Carolina Room at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. This event is exclusively for our SKYWARN Spotters and HAM Radio operators and their families. It is not open to the general public. A tentative agenda is attached. Please RSVP using the link in the attached file by December 1st. If you are unable to attend, but would like to contribute to the Doug Anderson Tribute, please email your response to me and I will add it to the presentation. Let me know if you have any questions. We hope to see you there. Register Online at: https://forms.gle/zR8dKZkQpC6RGFhX6 – If you cannot register online, please RSVP to Steve LaVoie at steve.lavoie@noaa.gov by December 1st. Let us know if you are planning on bringing anything.
- Basic SKYWARN Spotter Training – Wed, Dec 11, 2024, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM EST – This is the Basic course geared towards people interested in becoming a SKYWARN Spotter for NWS Columbia. All Emergency Response members are strongly encouraged to become a trained Spotter, begun with this course. To attend you must register at this site. – https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8523808206526243931
- Another New Richland EMD HAM Repeater – We now have an additional repeater, K4MWN that is operational and ready for your use. It will eventually become part of the EMD Ham repeater network that will serve as our primary Richland County ARES designated repeater for emergencies. The frequency is 145.370, negative offset, DCS/DPL code is 311.
Plans are also underway to make improvements to the antenna of our other recently added repeater W4DZF to enhance coverage.
If you do not already have it programmed into your radios this is the information. The Repeater Input: 144.6700 Mhz / Output: 145.2700 Mhz / DCS Code: 632.0
If you are not familiar with DCS, this is a good link for information: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/DCS - Richland County CERT – EOC Familiarization Initiative. – Beginning December 12, on Thursday mornings from 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM, there will be a new opportunity for the Richland CERT members
to spend time in the radio room and gain experience with the equipment, as well as a better understanding of the responsibilities of CERT members who may be helping in the EOC during an event.
Reminder: You are asked to preregister with Mark, KN4KRZ at goddard.mw@gmail.com. - Greenwood Amateur Radio Society Hamfest – Saturday, January 11, 2025, 9:00 a.m. − 2:00 p.m. – St. Mark United Methodist Church Rivers Street Campus, 1633 Rivers Street, Greenwood, SC
- The new ARES Database system is now live. If you have not already, register on the site and, add your contact information, training and certificate and capabilities. Please feel free to navigate around the new system and get familiar with it. This system, and the information it will contain, are vital to managing ARES volunteer resources for training and activations.
To access the portal: Go to https://portal.aressc.us
It is still somewhat under construction so if you notice bugs or opportunities for improvement please reach out to it’s developer, Billy Irwin at: k9oh@arrl.net - QRP Vintage Meetup – Every Saturday, 10 to 12 https://qrpsc.com is our new website.
Call Richard Kline for more info – 803 347 5566 – ..bring your rigs. Also, for new hams. We will have instructions and how to operate both phone and CW.
Heyward Community Park, 312 Savany Hunt Creek Rd, Gaston, SC (Exit 119 0n 26 S, 21 / 176 S ~ 4.2 mi, Turn R) - 2025 – Near Term Activities (More information to follow as these events get closer)
January 2, District 3 Zoom Meeting – 1900 hrs
January 4, Saturday – Harbison 50 K
January 25 & 26 – Winter Field Day weekend
January 29 & 30, Wednesday & Thursday – Communication Interoperability Workshop
January 30, SC Midlands ARES Dinner and Social – 1800-2000
February 8, Saturday – ARES/AUXCOMM Quarterly Training
March 11, 12, 13, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday – SCEMD – Full Scale Exercise
March 15, Saturday – Commex
Notice: For anyone interested in receiving an email summary of announcements in advance of the SC Midlands ARES Training net, please contact Joe Wilson, KO4WAA, jwilso75@yahoo.com to be added to the distribution list.
Other recent announcements and/or near-term business
- New Richland EMD HAM Repeater – The new repeater has been installed and is up and running for testing. There are some enhancements planned and additional testing before it will be ready for primary use. However, if you have not already, program their radios to be prepared.
Details: The Repeater Input: 144.6700 Mhz / Output: 145.2700 Mhz / DCS Code: 632.0
If you are not familiar with DCS, this is a good link for information: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/DCS
- Hurricane Preparedness – South Carolina has a new online home for hurricane preparedness. Visit https://hurricane.sc/ to know your hurricane evacuation zone and to get started on your hurricane safety plan. Find all of the information in the official South Carolina Hurricane Guide and more at https://hurricane.sc/ whenever you need a quick, online resource to prepare for a hurricane in the Palmetto State.
Based on forecasts that have been released, this season is expected to be quite a busy one for these waters. Now is a good time to start thinking about it and prepare for your safety and to serve in our ARES role. There is also a website devoted to being ready for an emergency that is a great source of information. https://www.ready.gov/
If you have not already, this is also a good time to consider getting the SKYWARN training. https://www.weather.gov/skywarn/
Monitoring/Reporting – Although our area was spared the worst of the recent tropical storm, we saw how important this subject and skill is to ARES volunteers. Next time could be our turn so we want to remain vigilant.
I want to call your attention to the article from the most recent ARRL newsletter, that I attached last week. One key point in the article: “The NHC would like more hams to provide information if they are in an affected area. There are many ways to do it. The simplest is over high frequency (HF) amateur radio bands. There, you’ll find a dedicated team running the Hurricane Watch Net. The net, which uses 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz, depending on propagation, is usually active any time a hurricane is within 300 statute miles of a populated landmass, or at the request of NHC.”
For the full article: (Hurricane Reporting and Monitoring Resources.docx) - Winlink Training – Because of its importance during emergency communications, there has been a push to get all ARES/CERT members trained in Winlink, both the Application Functionality and transmission methods. There are a number of opportunities to participate which can fit most any schedule.
SC Winlink Tuesday – Our local homegrown effort to promote learning and practicing Winlink. Please take time on Tuesdays to practice using Winlink. Send a message to someone, reply to a message, add a form (template) any mode is fine. Here’s a link to a Google sheet any user can update and use as a reference to know who is available and when: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19Uv2PQK2T_H6lgi6dLHAC5OaLvXA-eLktoyLLsALMtQ/edit?usp=sharing Please edit to reflect your availability.
Other opportunities/days/timeslots:
Winlink Wednesday: https://winlinkwednesday.net/docs/All_About_Winlink_Wednesday.pdf
Florida Winlink Net – Any day – https://w4akh.net/
Winlink – All about Winlink
SC Winlink Tuesday Practitioners Guide (2-pager) SC Winlink Tuesday Practitioners Guide (2-pager), & Appendix A Rev. 9.4.24 – Google Docs
Why Winlink? Voice is not always the optimal communication option. Consider: you’re on a noisy HF band requiring repeats and/or relays, or you have a long list of supplies needed for an evacuation shelter, or you want to send a photograph from a disaster scene to emergency management. Winlink is a practical and reliable option in these instances.
On-line resources to learn about Winlink:
Winlink Basics
In about 10 minutes, this YouTube video will help new users install Winlink software and set up an account to be able to send traffic using Winlink Telnet which requires only a computer with internet access: no radio is required. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=qSLghO6RgFU
Beyond Winlink Basics After you’ve learned Telnet, you’ll want to expand your capabilities by adding your radio. Some radios are equipped with sound cards needed for digital traffic. Others will need an interface such as a SignaLink a Digirig or a DRA. Several excellent online resources that you can reference to help with this include Winlink.org, RATPAC, and Wavetalkers. Consider also
Members of local clubs and/or ARES groups who have Winlink experience and expertise can help you learn Winlink and help you successfully connect your radio. Lastly, you can certainly search Google, YouTube, IO Groups, even Facebook to find resources and online communities that can provide helpful information on Winlink or pretty much any aspect of the amateur radio hobby.
Winlink practice opportunities:
SC Winlink Tuesday – Our local homegrown effort to promote learning and practicing Winlink Please take time on Tuesdays to practice using Winlink. Send a message to someone, reply to a message, add a form (template) any mode is fine. To be included on the weekly SC Winlink Tuesday check-in summary and map, be sure to include the email address scwinlinktuesday@gmail.com on the Cc: distribution.
Here’s a link to a Google sheet any user can update and use as a reference to know who is available and when (like “spotting”): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19Uv2PQK2T_H6lgi6dLHAC5OaLvXA-eLktoyLLsALMtQ/edit?usp=sharing. Please edit to reflect your availability.
Winlink Wednesday – Another option (Optional) for those wanting additional practice. Originating from Virginia since 2016, Winlink Wednesday provides another opportunity to practice using different modes. Instructions: https://winlinkwednesday.net/ Most recent check-in map: https://www.qsl.net/kw4shp/WinlinkWed/WWmap.html
Florida Winlink Net – Yet another option (Optional) for those wanting even more practice. Check in to this net any day of the week W4AKH Winlink Net Map of last 14 days of check-ins: W4AKH Florida Winlink Net
National Weather Service – SKYWARN
NWS 7-Day Forecast 34N 81.05W (weather.gov)
Blitzortung.org – Live Lightning Map
NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
NWS Hazardous Weather Outlook for Columbia, SC
Atlantic 7-Day Graphical Tropical Storm/Hurricane Outlook (noaa.gov)
Skywarn Storm Spotter Program (weather.gov)
Weather Spotter Field Guide NOAA NWS June 2011
Skywarn Storm Spotter Training Schedule 2024 (weather.gov)
Information for Amateur Radio Operators (weather.gov)
NWS spotter refresher training For those of you who have not taken the spotter training in a while and feel you may have forgotten some of the aspects of the training, we have uploaded a video to our YouTube page which serves as a short refresher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVF3_8nRkP4&t=7s
Storm Spotter Facebook page If you are interested in joining the Storm Spotter Facebook page, please follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/586466339632587
Other links worth knowing about
Space weather – From Spaceweather.com – SpaceWeather.com
RATPAC Radio Amateur Training Planning and Activities Committee available online here: RATPAC (google.com).
RICHLAND CERT – Communications Emergency Response Team
Richland ARES CERT
Congratulations to the first group of Richland ARES members to join the Richland County Communications Emergency Response Team (CERT). An important role for ARES is to help with emergency communications of “served agencies.” Richland County Emergency Services is certainly a served agency that we want to be able to help when the need arises. With guidance from David E. Bagwell Jr., W4DZF, this group has completed established prerequisite requirements to work in the Richland EOC and assist with emergency communications. We look forward to learning to operate communication systems in the Richland EOC and we are exploring other opportunities to collaborate with Richland County Emergency Services. If you are interested in joining this group, there will be additional opportunities. Please contact Mark, KN4KRZ, at goddard.mw@gmail.com. Pictured (Left to right): W1GTT, W4GWH, KN4KRZ, KK4HTR, W1MRC, KM4RCN, K4AJJ
How to join the Richland County Communication CERT:
1) Complete and submit the application (CERT Application linked below) Forward the completed application to: Bagwell.David@richlandcountysc.gov
2) Attend the FEMA online class IS 317.a, linked below / Provide a copy of a completion document. https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-317.a
3) Pass the background check.
4) Attend the RC CERT /EOC Training at the RCEOC (3) hours. Feel free to share. We will set a class date as soon as we get some applications back.
D.E. Bagwell Jr. Division Captain, Richland County Emergency Services Department
Link to CERT application: CERT Application
