Training & Certification News

by Steve AF7DD on 2016-04-18

Both Adam KF7LJH and John K7TY have been preparing for our next general meeting. The topic for April is Winlink: Packet, Pactor, P2P, attaching files, templates, etc.

The WinLink Webinar for those of you who need assistance in installing and configuring the WinLink software on your computer, (no radio or TNC required) will be on Thursday, May 5.

MCARES has been busy creating and delivering opportunities for our membership to improve skills and knowledge. Some items under consideration include adding value to our weekly net meetings, new member orientations at the beginning of our monthly general meetings, and broadening our reach in the community.

Our weekly nets now include a brief topic of interest to ARO’s. These are 8-10 minute “knowledge drops” after all checkins and before we close out the net. We had Jeff Sperley discuss the MARS system recently. Other future topics include how the Forest Service operates in emergencies, how a hospital participates in relaying communications in an event, and basic radio operation. If you have ideas that you would like to see addressed please send me an email with a topic. If you have something you are passionate about and are interested in bringing that topic to the net, please contact me.

We have a standing meeting at 6:30 PM (before our general meeting starting at 7:00 PM) for all new or renewing members. We are here to answer questions and solve problems for all associate members as well.

Both Steve W7SRH and I have been working with Portland Public Schools to begin a new ham club. There will be an initial meeting on April 17 to introduce MCARES, to introduce membership, and also to help them get started with their first licensing event. See me with your training needs or ideas at our next monthly general meeting on Thursday, April 28 or email me at training [at] multnomahares [dot] org.

From the EC’s Desk

by Nathan NA7EE on 2016-04-15

In ARES we use many digital forms of communication. Primarily we use Winlink with packet TNCs, of course, to exchange email over radio. Soon (with this month’s training at our regular meeting) we will start to introduce sound card modes to our operations, using a digital radio interface and programs like MMSSTV and Fldigi to send text and images that way.

But we get a lot of questions about “digital voice” these days. Which technology is MCARES going to pick from D-STAR, DMR, Fusion, etc. and recommend to the membership? The short answer: none at this time.

The MCARES leadership team has made the decision not to incorporate any of the digital voice modes into ARES operations at this time, nor formally recommend any to our membership.

The current Multnomah ARES standard for voice is analog and will remain so for the foreseeable future. We came to this decision after reviewing the results of the membership survey, speaking with local repeater operators, and discussions internally with some of our technically minded members. Some of the key factors in the decision included:

  • The most important characteristic of ARES radio operations is compatibility; any certified ham radio should work in an incident.
  • Many of the advanced features of digital modes are repeater-dependent.
  • No huge benefit to digital voice over analog voice on simplex (although digital data modes do hold future promise).
  • No critical mass: The few MCARES members with digital radios are using pretty much all of the available technologies.
  • A number of strong opinions: Some members feel strongly about “their” choice, and we’ve got at least one of those for each digital technology. Making a decision is going to be a little bloody.

In summary, the leadership team doesn’t feel the new digital voice modes provide enough value to start integrating them into our regular operations yet or encouraging their adoption by the membership. But we encourage all members to explore and experiment with these digital voice modes because the day we’ll want to start leveraging them is not too far ahead of us.

We do note that Yaesu Fusion has by far the largest installed base of repeaters in the area. D-Star has the largest base of radios, however. And while the DMR contingent is growing, it’s got the smallest level of adoption of all the ham radio digital modes at the moment.

Thanks to all those who provided feedback during this decision process, and for your understanding as we work through technical and operational issues such as these.

Lewis & Clark Team News

by Julie W7OW on 2016-04-11

Lewis & Clark College stood by for Steve W7SRH at Warner Pacific College last week, checking in and monitoring MC 2. Helen KE7SCS will be firing up the station for the Oregon State ARES Spring SET, which is scheduled for Friday, April 22 and Saturday April 23. The college will participate on Friday starting at 1300 hrs.

Gresham/East County Team News

by Robert WX5TEX on 2016-04-09

Great news! We have received a small grant and the City of Gresham is in the process of purchasing six laptops to increase our digital capabilities. We should receive these and get them set up in the next couple of weeks.

For the Spring SET, we will activate the Gresham EOC for two hours on Friday, April 22. Expect activation around 3:00 PM. This is a 24-hour SET, and with the Walk MS event the following day, we have decided to activate the served agencies on Friday.

West County Field Relay Team News

by Steve W7SRH on 2016-04-07

We will participate in the April 22/23 SET. The team will set up and operate from Council Crest. It will be a good opportunity for the team to practice a variety of skills including setting up a digi-peater, a cross-band repeater, long distance VHF with directional beam antenna, as well as HF operations. We will have our plate full.

Membership News

by Deb KK7DEB on 2016-03-25

Please join me in welcoming our newest members, Mark KE7NKZ, Rich (no callsign yet), and Owana, supporting member.

Congratulations to Rolf KI4HOP, Steve W7SRH, Kent K7YXZ, Monte KG2RS, and Jeff N7TTQ who have earned their HF Operator certificates.

One of our 2016 goals is to expand our membership. If you know another ham, please encourage them to join us. If everyone brings one new member, we will be able to staff all our served agencies and field teams.

Featured Member Profile: Steve AF7DD

by Steve AF7DD on 2016-03-21

As the new MCARES Training Manager, I’m focused on building on the extensive and valuable content that Eli Pride has provided the organization. We have an ambitious year ahead for the organization, and I’m confident we can achieve our goals with the help of our talented membership.

I’m originally from Boston, MA (longtime Celtics fan). I have business degrees from Ohio University, Babson, and The Wharton School – University of Pennsylvania. For the following 25 years I pursued career opportunities in the financial services industry. Roles that I’ve held include the responsibility for recruiting, training, and development for a Fortune 50 company, sales and marketing executive for a large financial products company, and a business consultant for an international consulting firm.

I left the corporate world to try my hand at entrepreneurship. Two companies were built from scratch, one sold to The Hartford Insurance Company and the second to the AICPA (American Institute for Certified Public Accountants).

I’m currently a college professor teaching business courses at Portland State University and Mount Hood Community College.

My wife and I moved to the northwest over 12 years ago. Deb joined a friend to start a business. They were the first franchisees in the northwest for what is known as Curves for Women circuit training. We live next to the Glendoveer Golf Course with our children and three noisy dogs.

Four years ago I began to pay more attention to how communities and families prepare (or aren’t prepared) for natural disasters and events. At the time the Portland NET program had a waiting list, so I completed the CERT program for Clark College (Vancouver). Later I completed the Portland NET program as well.

During the time I was participating in the NET program, I had a discussion with a firefighter regarding communications during a disaster. He strongly encouraged me to investigate amateur radio. I ended up taking the PBEM test prep, led at that time by Nate Hersey. While preparing for the test a fellow ARO suggested I prepare for all three test levels. It wouldn’t cost any more, and I could take them all in one sitting. My wife suggested that taking all three would be too much, and I should only focus on the Technician level. That’s all the motivation I needed. With my pride on the line, I prepared for and passed all three. Pride and panic set in because I was now legal to do something I had no idea how to do. I didn’t even have a radio yet!

So after some time and experience I’m much more confident about the role of amateur radio and participating with other hams. I am also aware of what I don’t know, and the importance of pursuing continued education and opportunities to gain experience. For reliable emergency communications, I’m convinced that amateur radio has the critical support role. This role is so important that as members of ARES, we must continue to work on improving our accuracy and professionalism in the execution of the activities to which we have committed. Lives may depend on us.

Being a licensed pilot, I consider the pilot training I received to be similar to the ARES radio training.

Most of the education and training to fly was about mastering emergency procedures, e.g. how to land a helicopter safely when the engine quits. Part of preparation included a catastrophic engine failure. I was trained to take a perfectly good helicopter up, and – at 1,000 feet – turn the engine off. You had to learn to instinctively put the ship into what is called autorotation and land safely. As a student pilot you would continue to “shoot autos” until you could do it without thinking. The most anxiety producing training: doing autorotations at night!

I see mastering emergency radio communications in a similar way. We need to be ready and act instinctively, and to act with great precision. To achieve this will take good practice. Good practice will generate confidence.

As the Training Manager, I’m committed to providing quality learning opportunities for each member, to learning and mastering skills, and gaining confidence in the execution of the role as an Amateur Radio Operator and member of ARES.

Leadership News

by Deb KK7DEB on 2016-03-17

It has been a very busy month for the leadership team. Our PIO Steve W7SRH has arranged public service radio interviews with KKPZ and KINK; great fun and a wonderful way to spread the word about ARES and ham radio.

Planning for Walk MS and the Spring Statewide ARES SET (April 22 and 23) is in full swing. Both events being on the same weekend poses a challenge and an opportunity. The PBEM trailer will be the net control hub for Walk MS and the ARES trailer will handle the many needs for the SET. We are going to be operating a full 24 hours around the clock, from 13:00 Friday to 13:00 Saturday with constant HF voice contact with OEM in Salem. Some of the local voice and Winlink contacts will be Friday, with Winlink HF Pactor and more local contacts on Saturday. This will be the first operations test for the fully equipped ARES trailer. Our West Side Relay Team will be deployed both days to set up a crossband repeater and a digipeater from Council Crest.

We have a big turnout of volunteers for Walk MS, thanks to everyone who has signed up to help!

Planning has also started for the June 8 and 9 Cascadia Rising exercise. Multnomah County Emergency Management has invited us to join them in the planning process. We are hoping to start recruitment for this event at the beginning of May so stay tuned.

Clark County Friday Night Roundtable Net is Worth a Listen

by Lori W3LOR on 2016-03-11

One of the Nets that has captured my personal interest is the Friday Night Roundtable offered by the Clark County Amateur Radio Club on the second, third, and fourth Fridays at 7:00 P.M. on 147.24+ (tone 94.8). All stations are welcome and encouraged to participate, even if they are not club members.

What’s so great about it? Everyone participates as much or as little as they want! Less experienced hams that feel shy about speaking on the air will find it to be a friendly place, as well as a wonderful source of tips and insights. Experienced hams will find an eager audience that wants to learn from their experiences.

Net Control chooses the subject, and suggestions for subjects may be submitted to roundtable [at] w7aia [dot] org. For the past several weeks, subjects have included etiquette and protocols to use on the air, how to participate in a net, and unusual things that can be used for antennas.

For more information see http://www.w7aia.org/nets.htm.

An Offline Document Vault for Your Go-Kit

by Marino KG7EMV on 2016-03-06

What documents and files would you want with you after a big disaster strikes, when you have no access to your computers or the Internet?

When I attended the PBEM NET training, I heard the suggestion of having a USB flash drive containing digitized copies of important vital records, passwords, and other important information that could be useful at a time when your computers have been destroyed, and access to the Internet made unavailable.

I think the same concept can become useful within the context of ARES and amateur radio operations.

As a member of Multnomah ARES, you may be asked to deploy in locations and situations where you do not have ready access to the documents and tools you need. Why not have those files with you at all times?

On my laptop, I have a “ham radio USB key” folder structure, under which I organize a variety of sub-folders.

Under “Personal” I keep digital copies of any IDs and certificates that I may need to present to an Incident Commander when deployed: copies of my FCC licenses, copies of my Multnomah ARES certifications, certificates of completion of FEMA training, etc.

Under “ARES” I keep copies of the Multnomah ARES Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), ICS forms, copies of Net scripts/preambles, and copies of the regional ARES frequency template.

Under “PBEM” I keep documentation regarding the NET program, including the new “Section 900” detailing the practices of AROs within the PBEM NET guidance.

Under “Manuals” I keep PDF copies of the user’s manual for all the equipment (transceivers, tuners, analyzers) that I personally own, I may have to operate at a Fire Station or Served Agency, and any popular product that I may encounter during emergency operations.

Under “Reference” I have several of the ARRL published band charts, a digital copy of the ARRL Handbook (when you buy a copy of the book you get a CD-ROM with the PDF files) and the Antenna Book.

Under “Software” I keep binary installers for popular ham radio software I may need, including RMS Express (to operate Winlink), CHIRP (to program radios), LibreOffice (to interoperate with Word and Excel documents), a PDF reader, 7-zip (to expand ZIP archives), MSSSTV, Easypal, my favorite text editor, FLdigi, and so on.

Every time I find something new that I consider useful, I add it to this folder structure then, two or three times a year, I perform a sweeping review of the files in it. I may delete some information that has become obsolete, refresh the SOP with the new one, add a new copy of the HRO PDF catalog and delete the old one… you get the drift. When I am done, I take the entire folder structure and copy it to an 8GB USB flash drive that I have with me at all times.