Training & Certification News

by Eli W7ELI on 2015-06-22

The June meeting will be presented by Adam. I’ll let him tell you about it:

The training topic for June is going to be a little different. We’ll be talking about how to program the memories of your radios with a computer. We’re also going to quickly break into a programming party for those of you who would like to get your radios programmed with the latest ARES frequency template.

As you are aware, setting up the memories in your radio via your computer is so much easier and faster than manual entry, especially if you have several hundred memories to set up. Programming via computer also makes it harder to make mistakes, since the program is watching that you don’t enter crazy stupid things – like trying to set a frequency of 100,000 GHz for example.

Programming via computer also makes it more likely all the ARES members have similar setups. If there’s a strong culture of programming in the unit, leadership can just start to send out template file updates for events, drills and incidents that use different frequencies than we have in our “standard,” eliminating the need for you to spend an hour the morning of the event trying to get the frequencies set up, or showing up without the frequencies set up at all and looking around for people to program your radio for you. At the meeting, we’ll be talking about the programs you can use to program your radio, systems to organize and manage your frequency templates, factory vs RT vs Ebay cables, and similar topics.

If you bring your radio and your programming cable, there will be stations available to get your radio updated with the current template at the meeting. If you don’t have a programming cable for your radio, someone might have one that you can borrow to get your radio flashed at the meeting. But you should get a cable, if you don’t have one, as soon as you can.

If you are an old hand at programming your radio, we’d love your help for the meeting! Bring your laptop and cables and help us program radios! If you’re interested, drop kf7ljh [at] arrl [dot] net a note and we can talk that through.

Adam KF7LJH

We now have 56 ARRO certified, 15 Net Control certified, and 13 HF certified members.

All members should have received the revised training schedule. The Traffic Handling training has been rescheduled for the August meeting and the NTS Traffic Drill From Home has been moved from June 20 to September 12.

I’m excited about the Radio Camp Out August 15-16. We’ll play with our HF and 2 meter go kits, HTs, and the trailer. Robert and Adam will be training on HF and signing HF certification check sheets for those who want their HF certification. Or just come and hang out in the woods with us for the day or overnight.

Membership News

by Deb KK7DEB on 2015-06-18

Steve W7SRH is our new Public Information Officer. He will be getting us more coverage in the media via press releases of our activities, articles for QST Magazine, and other recruitment and public awareness activities.

Marino KG7EMV is assuming the role of Net Manager for our weekly ARES and NET net. He will be bringing more fun and informative content to the net. Look for the net to be more than just a check in exercise. Thanks to Julie W7OW for her service as net manager these past many months.

Reminder: Multnomah County ARES apparel is available to all members. We are all excited about the new design with the embroidered logo on the front. T-shirts are $14, polo shirts are $23, and ARES high-visibility vests are $22. Sweatshirts and other apparel are also available. See Deb or email her at dprovo [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Radio Camp Out

by Robert WX5TEX on 2015-06-15

Have you been wishing Multnomah ARES would have a fun family social event? Have you been wanting to get your feet wet in HF operation, but don’t know where to start? Are you experienced with HF operation and ready to get your HF Operator Certification? Have you actually tried using your go-kit? On August 15 and 16, Multnomah ARES is holding our first (hopefully, annual) Radio Camp Out!

Nestled among the Douglas fir trees and flanked by the Zig Zag River, the Tollgate Campground is an easy drive, less than an hour east of Portland on Highway 26, just two miles outside of Rhododendron. We have reserved a couple of tent campsites for those who would like to make the most of the weekend and stay overnight Saturday night.

There is a $5 day-use parking fee, or $8 to stay overnight. Also be aware that there are no utilities available at this campground, but there is a beautiful river!

We will be taking our new ARES trailer up into the Mount Hood Wilderness to test its capabilities as a remote communications station. In addition to the trailer, we will have a couple of portable HF stations set up to provide HF training and certification for those who want it. We will hold training sessions on the afternoon of Saturday, August 15 and on the morning of Sunday, August 16. We will also set up a 2 meter base station so hikers can stay in touch on their HTs.

Space is limited, so if you would like to attend either one of the training sessions or camp out with us overnight, please reserve your spot soon by emailing Robert WX5TEX at RGAnglin [at] gmail [dot] com.

We think this will be a super fun weekend and hope you will make the short trip to join us! Not only will you gain valuable experience in HF operation, but this will also be a great opportunity to test out your go-kit and have some fun in the woods with fellow ARES campers!

Trailer Project Update

by Deb KK7DEB on 2015-06-08

We have the official confirmation letter that our $16,450 Homeland Security grant request has been approved and will be funded on or before October 1. This money is for equipment only and does not cover the trailer or its modifications.

Membership News

by Deb KK7DEB on 2015-05-28

Welcome to our newest members, Eric N9WJQ, Kent K7YXZ, and Dave KF7QYW. Congratulations to new ARROs Kevin KF7QGH on the PBEM Team, and Ross KD7TUR on the Lewis and Clark Team. Richard AE7BT has agreed to move to the Multnomah County ECC Team.

News from Around the County

by Deb KK7DEB on 2015-05-23

The new communications officer from Oregon Emergency Management, Terry Pietras W7JOC, will be attending our May 28 ARES meeting. I am sure he will have a few words about OEM for us. It is an honor to have him attend one of our meetings. I think it shows a positive step forward.

Stevie Bullock from Multnomah County Emergency Management (MCEM) is back to work after several months off following an automobile accident. It is great to have him back. He has always been a huge supporter of MCARES and is our liaison with MCEM.

April was indeed a busy month with Walk MS and the statewide SET. The ARES communications trailer was used for both of these events. I think all the net controls enjoyed the new space in spite of the temporary tables and chairs. Thanks to everyone for volunteering your time for both of these events. We are very fortunate to have such an awesome ARES group.

Our next big event is the Disaster Relief Trials which is usually in July, however this year it looks like the event is being moved to October. We will let you know when we have a confirmed date.

Training & Certification News

by Eli W7ELI on 2015-05-18

By request of the SEC, Vince Van Der Hyde K7VV, we have new instructions for how to use the ICS 309 Communication Log form. I have redone our version of the 309 to conform and I think it will be much easier to log messages this way. The form will be introduced at the May general meeting. It is already posted on the website. Please purge your electronic and paper files of all old 309 forms! You’re going to like the new one much better!

Training for the May meeting is Traffic Handling, and from the last SET and the Deployment Tour last Saturday, everyone needs a refresher. Please come and hone your traffic handling skills. We will divide into two groups, one for basic message handling presented by Michael AE7XP, and one for experienced message handlers which will cover book traffic, using ARRL numbered radiograms, more extensive NTS protocols for how to send email addresses and URLs in the text of a message and other nitty gritty details.

Trailer Project Update

by Deb KK7DEB on 2015-05-14

The white wall board is almost completely installed. John KF7ZWX and Adam KF7LJH are collaborating on the electrical design. Robert WX5TEX has almost completed a Gator Box with the donated equipment we have so far. The trailer was used for Walk MS and on Council Crest for the SET. It was great to have the shelter and we got a lot of attention, including from several dogs who came in for a look around. One even curled up under the table for a nap!

If you are interested in helping with the construction, you can contact the trailer crew at trailer [at] multnomahares [dot] org.

Thanks to all who have so generously donated to this project. Donations are still being accepted. Send your check to Portland Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 33454, Portland, OR 97292-3454. Please note on your check “ARES Trailer Project.”

Updates from the Web Manager

by Brian KE7QPV on 2015-05-04

Greetings, members! The role of Web Manager transitioned from Bruce N4PDX to me in December, 2014. I would like to thank Bruce for all his previous work, and for helping me take on his duties. Since the transition, I have been working hard to update and add new content to the website, and expand our use of Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr.

The website now has a Training tab, under which you will find details about our training plan, training calendar, certifications, traffic handling, ICS courses, and licensing.

Two other notable additions are under the Resources tab. The Nets section lists several area nets which will be of interest to both new and experienced ARES members. The Equipment Manuals section contains links to manuals for radios and other equipment at our served agencies. The calendar has been updated with meetings, drills, nets, events, and volunteer opportunities, as well.

Robert WX5TEX created the Multnomah ARES / RACES Facebook page to help get the word out about our Trailer Project fundraiser campaign. The page drove additional traffic to the campaign, and was directly responsible for donations totaling $275! It has surely proved to be a valuable asset. We now have 69 followers on Facebook, and each week brings more.

We are now using Flickr for organize our photos from meetings, events, and exercises. These photos are an excellent tool to show people what we do, and can be used on the website, in social media, and in training and promotional materials. Several members have contributed and we now have over 160 photos sorted into albums. Please take some time to browse through the photos and let me know if you have any to share.

Some members have voiced concern over our adoption of Facebook as a communications tool, fearing it might replace existing communication methods. Rest assured, the website and email distribution list will remain our primary means of disseminating information to Multnomah County ARES members; we have absolutely no intention of replacing them.

While participation in the email list is only open to active and supporting members, social media provides opportunities to demonstrate our role and value as emergency communicators to a wider audience – people who are not members and who may not even be familiar with ARES or Amateur Radio.

Our Facebook page, Twitter feed, and Flickr photo albums are public, so you do not need to register with those services to view the content. If you do have accounts, however, please consider Liking/Following us to help increase our exposure.

Featured Member Profile: Marino KG7EMV

by Marino KG7EMV on 2015-04-29

Hello! My name is Marino. I am 49 years old and live in SE Portland (Woodstock neighborhood) with my wife Laura and our two young men, Bruno and Giulio. I am originally from Italy from a town in the northeast of the country called Treviso, not too far from Venice.

After completing my studies (Computer Science) and starting work, I moved to the States in 1993, first to Chicago, where my wife worked at the time, and later in the same year to Portland, where her family is originally from. I work in Information Technology as a System Engineer in Wilsonville for a major local company in the electronic design automation business.

I became interested in Amateur Radio a few years ago after a tragedy involving a California family lost in the southern Oregon wilderness. It took me a few years to act upon this emergency preparedness urge and finally in July, 2013 I took and passed the Technician exam.

From there the path has been the same beaten by many before me: the first trip to the local radio store (aka The Candy Store), the programming of the first HT, finding the frequencies of the local repeaters, listening – lots of listening. And, the experience of the first check-in, the frustration about not being heard and more trips to the store to get a better antenna, more cables, more books and so on.

Along the way something happened. I met people. Welcoming people; people helping out; and people explaining things and willing to see past the blunders of the new operators.

With time I realized how much dedication and passion for amateur radio there is in these individuals: the guy who every day orchestrates the rag chew net around commute hours; the folks who every day tirelessly and with infinite patience teach the art of passing formal NTS traffic; the repeater operators; the folks who teach classes in preparation for the license test; the guy who coordinates a VE team; the perpetual tinkerers and experimenters; and those who organize the work of others.

Despite all the jokes about amateur radio operators being a dying breed, I see encouraging signs all around me. Prompted by renewed focus on emergency preparedness, more people than ever are approaching this hobby. More and more “computer techies” are learning about the world of RF; exploring the airwaves by using a $20 digital TV USB dongle and turning it into an SDR receiver.

Overall I am very impressed by this Multnomah ARES group. We are a diverse bunch with people of all ages and backgrounds. Our leadership team is strong and I believe our growing ranks are proof of its effectiveness.

As for myself, this journey of exploration continues. After passing the General test this past January, I have started tuning into the HF bands. Every day I find something new to learn, forcing me to push myself harder and I could not be happier.