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The ARES E-Letter

July 20, 2016
Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE

In This Issue:

 *  Pikes Peak ARES Provides Major Support to International Hill Climb
 *  Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon: Run to Remember
 *  Letters: A Proposal for an ARES Standard Headset
 *  FEMA Mobile App for Apple, Android, Blackberry Platforms


We hope that you value the ARES E-Letter as your source for current events,
after action reports, tips, and developments in the amateur emergency/disaster
communications community. Can you think of anything we could do to improve the
newsletter? We would appreciate your opinion! Please click on this link to
take a brief survey. Thank you for subscribing to the ARES E-Letter! -- Rick
Palm, K1CE

One survey respondent wrote "my main feedback is the lack of Lessons Learned
from the various events reported. It's great that the overall result of these
events was successful, but hams can almost always see ways to improve their
response 'next time.' Most of those of us who have been in ARES(R) for some
time know what we should do. It is What Went Wrong from which we can learn. It
is those Lessons Learned that could be helpful to everyone else. Keep up the
good work." - Rich Stiebel, W6APZ, Palo Alto, California [We took Stiebel's
suggestion, and added a lessons learned summary at the conclusion of the
Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon communications report in this issue - ed.]

Steve Hansen, KB1TCE, of Knox and Waldo counties (Maine) ARES/RACES, wrote
"The ARES E-Letter should provide some coverage to the National Traffic System
(NTS(TM)) as both ARES and NTS are public service entities of the ARRL . . ."
[A recent ARRL news item reported "NTS was formally created by ARRL in 1949.
It continues the long-standing tradition of formal message handling via
Amateur Radio, an integral component of the Amateur Radio Service. NTS would
not be possible without the thousands of volunteers who keep the distribution
network running."] Other NTS news: ARRL Programs and Services Committee
Appoints Bud Hippisley, W2RU, as NTS(TM) Eastern Area Chair; and ARRL Programs
and Services Committee Expresses Appreciation, Support of NTS.]



ARES Briefs, Links

Philippines Ham Emergency Radio Operations Network Bracing for Effects of
Super Typhoon (7/8/2016); West Virginia ARES Units on Alert for Possible
Activation in Wake of Flooding (6/28/2016); Nepal Amateur Radio Earthquake
Response Presentation Available (6/27/2016); Dog Head Fire Largely Contained,
ARES Teams Expected to Stand Down in a Few Days (6/22/2016)



2016 ARRL Hurricane Season Webinar: Tomorrow Night!

The ARRL will sponsor a 2016 Atlantic Season Hurricane Webinar on Thursday,
July 21, at 8 PM ET (0000 UTC on Friday, July 22, UTC). The approximately
90-minute session will address the role of Amateur Radio during the 2016
Hurricane Season. Anyone interested in hurricane preparedness and response is
invited to attend this online presentation.Topics will include a
meteorological overview of the upcoming season; Amateur Radio station WX4NHC
at the National Hurricane Center: Who We Are and What We Do; ARRL Media and
Public Relations; the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN); theVoIP Hurricane Net, and
ARRL coordination and interface.

The program will include presentations by representatives of the National
Hurricane Center and WX4NHC, the VoIP Hurricane Net, the HWN, the Canadian
Hurricane Centre, and the ARRL. Webinar registration is open to all, but
should be of particular interest to radio amateurs in hurricane-prone areas.
The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session. For additional information,
contact ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U.



Contesting as Training for Public Service -- Webinar, This Sunday!

A free ARRL webinar "Contesting as Training for Public Service," hosted by
Ward Silver, N0AX, will take place on Sunday, July 24, 8 until 10 PM EDT
(0000-0200 UTC on July 25). All are invited to join the audio-slide
presentation online or via telephone.

"Think of contests as a ham radio fitness center," Silver said. "Public
service teams are always looking for enjoyable activities to improve operator
skills. Just as sports provide good physical exercise, contests are great at
developing radio skills, and both are a lot of fun." Silver pointed out that
contests originated as a way to hone traffic-handling skills and develop an
effective station.

In addition, ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, is seeking
anecdotes from radio amateurs who have activated an emergency operations
center (EOC) for a bona fide contest, such as ARRL November Sweepstakes or a
state QSO party -- but not ARRL Field Day, a SET, or SKYWARN Recognition Day.

"Just a brief overview of event, results, number of participants, interesting
outcomes," Corey said, in describing what he's looking for. Contact Corey via
e-mail.

The presentation will be available via YouTube following the webinar.

Upcoming Meetings

 *  Aug 14 - Aug 17: Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials
    Annual Conference & Expo - Orlando, FL
 *  Sept 8 - Sept 10: 30th Anniversary National CERT Conference - Universal
    City, CA

__________


Pikes Peak ARES Provides Major Support to International Hill Climb

If this were a video, a baritone voiced announcer using an ominous tone and
deliberate articulation would lead off the narration - "Over twelve miles
long, with one hundred and fifty-six turns, and four thousand seven hundred
and twenty feet in elevation gain . . ."

June 26, 2016, saw the 100th anniversary of the Pikes Peak (Colorado)
International Hill Climb. First held in 1916, it is the second oldest
motorsports event in the United States; only the Indianapolis 500 has been
around longer and only by about 3 weeks. One hundred vehicles would make the
race from the starting point at 9,390 feet above sea level to the 14,110 foot
summit. That is, if they make it to the top - not all do. For many, a good run
is under 10 minutes, though two made it in under 9 minutes this year.

The race would be impossible for organizers to conduct without an army of
volunteers. Though the race occurs the same day as Field Day, members of
Region 2, District 2 Colorado ARES were glad to once again support the Hill
Climb, as we have done for years. Otherwise known as Pikes Peak ARES, Region 2
District 2 deployed 27 operators along the course to provide vehicle tracking,
alternate communication, course status, weather observations, and other
functions. One operator comes from Texas each year to support the race, while
most of the others are locally based.

The radio calls start off slowly: "Start nine nine start," "roger, nine nine
start." Once there are multiple vehicles on the course at the same time, the
pace of radio communications and messages becomes lightning fast:
"Eighteen-Mile, three nine Eighteen-Mile," "Devil's one zero Devil's," "Ragged
one seven four Ragged", and the replies "roger, three nine at eighteen mile,
one zero Devil's, and one seven four Ragged - there was a double, other
station go." "Low Gear two seven stopped in the groove above Low Gear," and
the reply "copy two seven in the groove above Low Gear."
"Liaison," "Liaison go," "Course is red, Liaison," "Control copies course is
red." That entire exchange would consume only 20-25 seconds! Such exchanges
can run together very long stretches of time unless something happens to stop
vehicles. The pace is so fast that only tactical calls are used with FCC i-d's
announced every ten minutes to stay legal.

With vehicles launching from the starting line as frequently as every 60
seconds, this is not an event for a novice operator; it calls for strict net
discipline, use of very specific terminology, being able to pick out hard to
read vehicle numbers as they go past at speeds of over 100 mph, noticing if
something is amiss with a vehicle like a leak, loss of power, etc, and being
ready to quickly adapt from normal race pace to a full-on emergency in
seconds. Led by veteran race operators Don Johnson, K0DRJ, at Net Control, Al
Glock, KC0PRM, at Liaison with race officials, and Dan Martin, KD0SMP, as the
Mission Coordinator, the team handles many hundreds of calls during the event.
Listening to K0DRJ work, one imagines an operator with four hands - he is not
unlike those operators who can keep ten calls in their head as they work a
contest pile-up.

When a racer slammed into a guard rail and needed to be helicoptered off the
course, the ability to get the initial report to race officials and to
maintain control of the net was a testament to the skills of all the
operators, especially the reporting station and the three leadership
positions. This can very easily be a life or death situation; in 2014 a racer
crashed and died during the race and in 2015 a racer crashed and died during a
practice run. In 2013, a vehicle rolled and flipped about 12 times in a
non-fatal incident. The amateur radio operators also were the first to notice
debris and fluid on the course, alerting Race Safety officials who closed the
course until the hazard could be cleared. There were no fatalities this year
and the racer who was evacuated appears to be doing better at this writing.

Weather on "America's Mountain" can be temperamental. It can be 70+ degrees
down at the start line and 40 degrees at the summit. Even though it was the
end of June, the start of the race was delayed as snow and snow melt was
cleared from the top of the course. Afternoon storms can build up quickly,
dumping rain, hail, and snow on an area in minutes. Lightning is always a
concern, especially above tree line and at Devil's Playground, so named
because of the propensity for lightning to jump from rock to rock. In 2015,
six people in a car were struck by lightning just hours after the racer
fatality during practice. As the clouds began to build up, the weather
spotting skills of Pikes Peak ARES operators came in to play. With just a few
racers left to go, snow pellets, rain, and hail began to fall and while the
precipitation was nowhere near the reportable conditions for the National
Weather Service, it was a huge concern for the racers.

Last year a storm cell moved in during the race and dumped so much hail that
the snow plows could not get the road cleared and the race was shortened to
only six miles. This year, the only car to not go to the summit due to weather
was an exhibition vehicle driven by a quadriplegic, which stopped half way up.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb makes for a long day - getting in
queue at the gates at midnight to head up the mountain at 2 AM, finding
positions in the dark, being completely self-sufficient for the duration, and
not coming down until after the downhill parade of race and support vehicles
are past -making it back through the gates to the mountain about 17 hours
after heading up. This, while tens of thousands of operators around the rest
of the country enjoy Field Day festivities. The mountain and Colorado weather
often throw curveballs at us. Spectators often do things they are not supposed
to. Racers crash and vehicles break.

Through it all, Pikes Peak ARES and associated amateur radio operators perform
magnificently, providing a vital volunteer service year after year. We were
excited to be a part of the 100th anniversary of such a prestigious event and
look forward to next year! - John Bloodgood, KD0SFY, Emergency Coordinator,
Region 2, District 2, Colorado ARES (Pikes Peak ARES)



Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon: Run to Remember

April 26, 2016 saw the 16th running of the Memorial Marathon for the
destruction of the Murrah Federal Building and the loss of lives that occurred
in 1995. Since its first run in 2010, the role of the Amateur Radio community
has grown as the Marathon has grown.

After the first few runs and as the number of runners increased, the
organizers realized that a better communication system needed to be developed.
In the initial years, contact between the Start/Finish line and various points
on the course were attempted by cell phone, which proved to be unreliable,
with many areas not able to contact the Control's base. Thus, event
organizers/managers turned to radio amateurs for more reliable communication
services.

As the Marathon grew from several hundred runners to today's 25,000+, and as
additional courses/runs were added, the communications requirements have
become more demanding, complex and critical. The Marathon itself consists of a
full 26 mile course, with a half Marathon of 13 miles as well as a "walker's
course" and a children's course, all starting, at various times from the same
point, returning to that point, but using slightly different course layouts.
In addition to the single runners, there is also a Relay course for team
participation. The coordination of radio communications along the various
courses as well as between the police, fire and EMS service for the City of
Oklahoma City has grown into a complex, but interoperable system.

Primary communication is handled through the Office of Emergency Management
(OEM). The OEM is tasked with overseeing cooperation/coordination among all
involved City, County and State organizations as well as keeping the Marathon
officials informed of any emergency situations/conditions and traffic that may
impact the runners on, and the spectators along the Marathon course. There are
several radio amateurs assigned to the OEM base of operations who are
responsible for getting messages out to on-course directors to ensure public
safety.

Working down to the next level, the amateurs establish stations at several
points on the course. Other operators are assigned to the Medical Tent (the
"MASH") located at the start/finish line. This group keeps the Medical teams
informed of any emergent situations on the courses involving runners and
spectators. If an injury occurs, the MASH is informed of the person's
condition and if EVAC transport is needed. This information is radioed to the
MASH from operators assigned to the First Aid stations positioned along the
course.

Communications for SAG vehicle dispatch and coordination are handled through
the SAG net control point located near the start/finish line. Each SAG has an
operator on board who maintains contact with the SAG net. Each vehicle has an
APRS/radio station aboard and active so that SAG control can look at a
computer screen and determine which vehicle is closest to where a pick up is
needed. This system has been used successfully for the last several years. One
rule for SAG pickups: all runners picked up must be transported and seen at
MASH to ensure health and safety.

New for this year, the amateur group was asked to provide additional operators
to help move supplies, water and ice among the various check points. Last
year, some check point staffs ran out of ice, water and other supplies while
others had too much. A "water net" was established to cover this issue, and it
worked successfully.

Hard data: Ninety operators were deployed this year, with more being needed.
Ten primary repeaters were employed, with many simplex frequencies and backup
repeaters available in case there was a failure.

Lessons Learned

All communication systems remained open and viable over the event's course,
thanks to advance, rigorous direction to all operators that the various nets
were strictly controlled. Net and operator discipline prevented informal cross
talk and mixed or missed messages, thus promoting smooth and reliable traffic
handling with no garbled nor duplication of messages, and allowing for
response times to be kept as short as possible. This was particularly
important for emergency/priority messages/calls for the SAGs to pick up and
transport runners who needed assistance and keeping the MASH informed of the
runner's condition on route and ETA.

We also returned to the practice of using runner bib numbers for
identification purposes to reduce confusion and duplicate calls, and ensure
that the correct person was picked up at the right station. There was one
incident where the station calling for assistance did not give the bib number;
there were two runners that needed assistance at one station at the same time.
One runner left the check point on their own (only to need pick up further
down the route) and the case of the other runner who was picked up by a SAG
vehicle should have been referred to EMS/EVAC for pick up due to the severity
of the runner's medical issue. This incident will be studied by the amateurs'
administration and medical staff for protocols review and improvement for next
year.

The final key point that came out of this year's marathon was simple: The
separation of special services (SAG, water, medical and control) made it
easier to achieve one of the best marathons run yet in Oklahoma City. Planning
before the event and a thorough review and anticipation of possible problems
were also very helpful. Two things hold true for this and any other incident,
event or exercise: First, you can never plan for all contingencies (but you
can try), and second, you can never have too many radio operators! -- Carl
Rod, AB1IG, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma




Letters: A Proposal for an ARES Standard Headset

In response to a letter from Douglas McCray, K2QWQ, in June 2016 QST, and
study by the San Luis Obispo (California) Emergency Communications Council,
the council has put forth a proposal for an ARES standard headset connector.
As an example of a good ARES standard, the ARES/RACES standard Powerpole(R) DC
connector is now well understood, accepted and used in the field. Also, of
course, there are a number of time-tested, well-accepted standard RF
connectors on the back panels of our radios, such as the SO-239, and on the
ends of our HF coax - the ubiquitous PL-259 or "UHF" connector, for example.
But, as McCray points out, what about the microphone? This is the most
complicated connector to standardize so it's not surprising that it's the
last. But can we do it? There are lots of different mic connectors in use in
the field -- some are easy to obtain, such as the RJ series connector, while
others are more difficult to come by. There is a wide range of audio levels to
consider: from about -60 to about -20 dBm. Further complicating things is that
there are several different push-to-talk (PTT) schemes; some mic elements need
power, some don't; and some mics have lots of extra functions.

We are asking your readers for feedback on our proposal, which can be found
here. A survey platform for submitting feedback can be found here and/or
readers can e-mail me at wb9vxy@arrl.net Thank you! -- Tom Tengdin, WB9VXY,
San Luis Obispo, California



FEMA Mobile App for Apple, Android, Blackberry Platforms

The FEMA app is available with the following features:

 *  Alerts from the National Weather Service: Receive severe weather alerts
    for up to five locations across the U.S. and see information about how
    to stay safe.
 *  Disaster Reporter: Upload and share photos of damage and recovery
    efforts.
 *  Maps of disaster resources: Locate and receive driving directions to
    open shelters and disaster recovery centers.
 *  Apply for assistance: Easily access DisasterAssistance.gov to apply for
    federal disaster assistance.
 *  Custom emergency safety information: Save a custom list of the items in
    your family's emergency kit, as well as the places you will meet in case
    of an emergency.
 *  Safety tips: Receive safety and preparedness reminders and learn how to
    stay safe before, during, and after over 20 types of hazards, including
    floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes.

______


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____________________________________________________________________________


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