SEC/IL QST080504

ILARES HF Net 5/04/08 1630L 3.905 MHz LSB +/-
  The Illinois Section ARES HF Net meets on the 1st and 3rd Sundays on
3905 KHz to test HF NVIS propagation for the emergency. The next
regularly scheduled session of the Illinois Section ARES Net will be
on this first Sunday, May 4, 2008, at 4:30 PM local time on 3905 KHz,
plus  + or minus - for QRM. This statewide net is a regular on the air
meeting of Emergency Coordinators and their EC liaisons, including
Official Emergency Stations around the section. Roll call of District
and Local EC (or their net liaison) is first made in the directed
portion of this net, and then recalled for brief reports. Following
these EC reports, OES/IL and ARES may check in the latter open part of
the net, time permitting.

April 2008 EC Report -
  Friendly reminder, the April 2008 Monthly EC Report for each ARES
jurisdiction is due on May 2, 2008. Help your team efforts count and
get your completed FSD-212 form in to your DEC, with a copy to the
SEC. Send it email and save on the USPS postage increase. Eight EC
have already reported early, and this month am posting them in order
received until cutoff.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p3-T-6k0mddnDQ5h40ljXLw

ARES E-Letter -
  The ARES E-Letter of April 22, 2008 Rick Palm, K1CE, Editor
published and released, and if you are not signed up for them, see
them on the web at:
http://www.arrl.org/ares-el/

ARES-IL Web Pages -
  Updates made at last to the ARES-IL Web Pages, including the EC
list. A special thanks to our host at www.qsl.net, who has been
gracious in their free service to all amateurs, and apologies for
losing the link to make these updates, and more updates to follow:
http://www.qsl.net/ares-il/

Are You Ready? -
  In ARES, we spend some time making sure our stations are ready, and
ARES go-kits contain what we need to operate away from home in the
emergency.  But, before you go, are you ready at home? Preparedness is
everyone's job. Not just government agencies but all sectors of
society -- service providers, businesses, civic and volunteer groups,
industry associations and neighborhood associations, as well as every
individual citizen -- should plan ahead for disaster. During the first
few hours or days following a disaster, essential services may not be
available. People must be ready to act on their own. An In-depth Guide
to Citizen Preparedness is posted at the following link:
http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/index.shtm

Echolink -
  Echolink users should note the Emergency Comms Conference Server via
Echolink Node 88953 by AB2M is a conference server for emergency
communications use. To reserve this conference during an emergency,
email ab2m_at_ab2m_dot_net. AB2M is also remembered here for setting
up the national amateur radio volunteer database used for response to
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
  Also, Russ Thomas WI9B as the Effingham County EMA, recently hosted
a wide area meeting in March that promoted use of Echolink for
outlying counties served by the NWS Weather Forecasting Office out of
Lincoln, IL to send in WX reports. This was hosted by Russ WI9B, with
Benjamin J. Voelker KC9HHO local EC/IL, with many counties and Pat
N9PN, Assistant SEC attending for the section.
  EchoLink is software which allows Amateur Radio stations to
communicate with one another over the Internet, using voice-over-IP
(VoIP) technology.  The program enables worldwide connections to be
made between stations, from computer to station, or from computer to
computer.
http://www.echolink.org/

Armed Forces Day Crossband Test -
  Military/Amateur Radio Crossband Communications Test - Listen on a
military HF frequency, transmit on a ham frequency named by the
participating station. This annual Armed Forces Crossband Test
reinforces a skill that may be useful in the emergency to help
coordinate rescue operations with military or MARS users while using
HF in our own bands, and listening to military units on their approved
frequencies just outside the amateur bands. Scheduled for May 10, 2008
http://www.netcom.army.mil/MARS/docs/ARMEDFORCESDAYFinal.pdf

ALERTS -
  Tom KA9QPN, our Section Manager, posts periodic alerts on the
Illinois Section News pages. Keep an eye on:
http://www.arrl.org/sections/?sect=IL

ARECC -
  Registration remains open through Sunday, May 4, 2008 for these on-
line course sessions beginning on Friday, May 16, 2008: Amateur Radio
Emergency Communications Level 2 (EC-002); Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Level 3 (EC-003R2); among others listed at:
http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html

2008 Dayton Hamvention®. -
  Those EC going to Dayton this year are reminded to leave an AEC in
charge back home, and provide AEC contact information to their DEC and
SEC. Do take HF along, and check out the many offerings special to US
amateur radio operators, including forums.  Don't miss the ARES Forum
with speaker Dennis Dura, K2DCD, ARRL Emergency Communications Manager
Friday, May 16, 2008 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM - Forum Room 3, if possible to
attend. And turn on those APRS equipped radios and trackers  en route
or coming home.
http://www.hamvention.org/

Calendar:
5/02/08 -  Monthly EC reports due for April
5/03/08 -  IARU EmComm Party on the Air
5/03-4/08 SEC Travel to MO
5/04/08 -  Hamfest at Sandwich, IL
5/04/08 -  ILARES HF Net
5/10/08 -  SEC Report due at ARRL HQ for April
5/10/08 -  Armed Forces Crossband Test
5/16-18/08 - 2008 Dayton Hamvention®
5/18/08 -  ILARES HF Net
5/26/08 -  Memorial Day (Observed)
6/01/08 -  Hamfest at Princeton, IL

SEC adds:
  Appreciate the chance to visit to Godfrey Hamfest hosted by the
Lewis & Clark ARC there, and good to see retiring EC Tod West KB9AIL
and incoming Acting EC Dave Miller K0RJL for Madison County.  Curtis
W5DTR  DEC South West Illinois assisted in presentations to both EC,
and even brought along the Illinois Region 16 ITECS special
communications trailer for exhibit to hamfest goers. Also, IEMA Region
16 Unified Command Post also was present at this hamfest.
  Enroute, noticed great APRS activity with tactical calls used for
the Lincoln Trail Hike with the hams supporting scouts along the
twenty mile trek. Expiring link of listed stations in and around
Springfield - click on the individual stations to see each listed, or
the link at the bottom of page to see all stations mapped at the APRS
FindU pages at:
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/near.cgi?call=N9PUZ

Keep up the fine business

vy 73 de Pat Ryan KC6VVT
ARRL Illinois Section Emergency Coordinator
SEC/IL  ARRL                Phone: 815-442-3373
P. O. Box 24                    e-mail: kc6vvt_at_sign_arrl_dot_net
Tonica, IL 61370-0024

ARES®-IL URL:  http://www.qsl.net/ares-il/
Echolink: Node 78208; packet: KC6VVT@KA9FER.#CIL.IL.USA.NOAM;
APRS: Mobile 144.390 w/100.0 Hz APRS-Alert, 146.52/446.00 FM or local
repeater
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=KC6VVT*