SEC/IL QST080217 and ILARES HF Net 2/170/08 1630L 3.905 MHz LSB +/-

[R. Patrick Ryan]

SEC/IL QST080217 and ILARES HF Net 2/170/08 1630L 3.905 MHz LSB +/-
The next regularly scheduled Illinois Section ARES Net will be on this
third Sunday, February 17, 2008, at 4:30 PM local time on 3905 KHz, plus
+ or minus - for QRM.

Severe Weather Spotter Training -
The remaining 2008 severe weather spotter talks for the Illinois
counties serviced by the five NWS Weather Forecasting Offices for
Illinois ARES District are:
Central District - NWS Linciln, IL
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ilx/?n=spotter
NE District - Chicago, IL
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lot/?n=spotter_talks
NW District - NWS Quad Cities Cavenport, IA
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dvn/?n=dvnoutreach
Southern District - NWS Paducah, KY
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pah/?n=spottertraining
SW District - NWS St. Louis, MO
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lsx/?n=schedule
Note that these links may change or updates may be made, so drill down to
your local area to find updates or last minute changes from your
servicing NWS WFO at
weather.gov

Annual Weather Service Net 3/04/08 -
At 10:00 AM on the First Tuesday of the month is the test of local
sirens recommended by IEMA. The First Tuesday of March, 3/04/08 is the
traditional annual tornado siren test signal. Also, a test of NOAA
Weather Radio may be conducted, and further test of the Emergency Alert
System (EAS) on radio and television may be conducted. Monitor and report
all test alerts heard on your county Skywarn nets or via your
ESDA/EMA/OEM/EOC.
As usual, a Weather Service Net will be held on 3.905 MHz on/after the
10:00 AM CST alert for our local Emergency Coordinators, or their local
net to HF liaisons, to report. Report should be by county or jurisdiction
participating in the annual drill. Items to report include reporting
County, Count of local Net check ins, Count of trained WX observers, if
tornado warning sirens heard?, if EAS heard?, if NOAA WX Radio Tornado
Test heard (with SAME code used), and callsign of their local WX net
reporting.

EC Reports -
Thanks to all for their fine efforts in these ARRL data calls. Apologies
for not being able to acknowledge most of the 2007 Annual EC Reports and
the January Monthly EC Reports received this cycle. Those callsigns for
reporting EC in each data call are listed here.
January 2008 Monthly DEC/EC Report copies received from:
N9XDC, K9CSO, WB9UDJ, KQ9DX, K9CNP, N9HHU, N9NL, KA9MZJ, KB9EZZ, K9DRW,
K9ML, K9GPC, N9ORQ(KB9APW), N9VKO, WA9APQ, AI9H, WB9NEY, WA9RUM, WA9TZL,
N9PN, W5DTR.
Annual EC Report copies received from:
N9XDC, N9YRX, WB9UDJ, KB9ZDM, W9OES, N9SJ, KQ9DX, K9CNP, N9HHU, N9NL,
W9NDW, AB9EE, KA9MZJ, KC9FQV, K9DRW, K9ML, KC9FLK, N9JWI, K9GPC,
N9ORQ(KB9APW), WA9APQ, AI9H, WB9NEY, WA9TZL.
The SEC report for the Illinois Section for January 2008 to the ARRL
also lists the call signs above. The January 2008 SEC/IL document was
published on February 10, 2008 and posted at:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhnwzsr5_1f9xxc2
The January 2008 EC Report numbers from FSD-212 copies used to generate
this monthly SEC report to ARRL were entered on a spreadsheet published
on Feb 10, 2008 and viewable at:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p3-T-6k0mddnDQ5h40ljXLw
As a bonus, the 2007 ARRL Annual EC report spreadsheet attempts to
tabulate all the EC responses received by the SEC. This 2008 spreadsheet
is keyed to the ARRL Form C, and also has the 2006 and 2005 Annual EC
Reports to view all section ARES groups. These spreadsheets are posted
at:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p3-T-6k0mddmBZvCVfZPnRA
Well done to the many EC who were able to provide both EC Reports - hope
I did not miss listing your call.

Training -
Thanks to Jim K9CNP, EC/IL Sangamon County for a report on their recent
training day. Here is an expanded agenda for training days - consider
topics like: Skywarn; (WSEC program; local spotter maps; upcoming
weather classes; spotter safety, WX Net conduct); How to Build a Packet
Station (What is packet; Why we want to use; Packet demo; Winlink via
packet, packet programs); Traffic Handling (Message format, Break out
session with each group to prepare message, practice sending and relay of
message; each group to receive another group's message, deliver the plain
text message); Building To Go Kits (Radio kit, Personal kit); Preparing
Home Station for Battery Power (Batteries and Battery Safety, common use
of Anderson Power Poles); APRS (Tracking System, Tiny Tracker,
messaging, bulletins); Review latest "rig in a box" kits and have
demonstrations; Add some door prizes generously provided by ARRL ordered
well in advance, including EmComm Handbook, ARES Field Resources Manual,
Emergency Reference Information card FSD-255 and provide a URL list of
e-books for all.
Any more ideas for a fun and fast paced annual training day?

EmergencyEmail.ORG
"FBI Issues Valentine's Day Email Warning - Feb 12, 2008 Internet
Alert: St. Valentine's Day E-Card Carries Storm Worm Virus." Be wary of
any e-mail received from an unknown sender, especially during holidays.
Be careful when opening any unsolicited e-mail and do not click on any
links provided unless you know the sender who should list the complete
URL.
http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=283&z=1
Note that www.emergencyemail.org is still a free service that will allow
you to pick one local county for email alerts.

Review of ARES Registrations -
Thanks to Don K9DRW, EC/IL Lake County, IL who has already bit the
bullet and reported a large loss in his ARES/RACES group due to new
criteria. All EC needs to review the active ARES Registrations
periodically. This is usually best done by the local EC after the Annual
EC Report is in, and the new year has begun. The active file and count
of ARES should always be based on the date of the ARES Registration,
which is the ARRL Form FSD-98 signed and dated by each member. For all
EC/IL If this date of the ARES Registration is over two years old, remind
your individual team members to renew with an updated ARES Registration.
If the ARES Registration is over three years old, the registration should
be moved to the inactive files that are kept by the EC. As always, the
local EC may use additional local criteria, such as training, meetings,
and records of ARES participation in their local jurisdiction to
determine those active in ARES. Remember always that current ARES
Registrations are held and maintained by the Emergency Coordinator for
the ARRL. Larger organizations have Assistant EC that may assist the
local EC in this periodic review in staff meetings, but this task is
always the responsibility of the ARRL EC.

Section ARES totals -
To aid and encourage this annual review of ARES Registrations as a
local EC record maintenance - Any ARES totals reported by EC for 2007,
the previous year, will be reset to zero (0) starting in February, 2008.
Only 2008 Monthly EC Reports that are provided with ARES totals will be
used in this year's Section reports. All Emergency Coordinators should
move the outdated ARES Registrations out of their active file, and only
submit the count of the remaining current active ARES totals to "get on
the 2008 board". This zero basing is a courtesy to all EC who hate to
post a minus or loss for the month. It will be done for you!

EC Comments also noted:
Bob AI9H writes how " Wabash County works with Lawrence, Edwards and
Richland counties in storm watching and other weather events. We hold
joint meetings and field day etc together many times each year . Most of
our operations are on the AI9H 146.94 / 442.325 repeaters located in
Wabash County." Good teamwork here.
Gene WA9TZL EC/IL St. Clair County reports The "Earthquakes Mean
Business" seminar that was to be held on Feb. 1, 2008 was canceled due
to the Winter Storm Warning issued for the St. Louis Metro area on the
preceding Thursday Night / Friday. Not to worry, Gene, we will have our
ARES annual Earthquake drill "EQ V" on the IEMA exercise calendar later
this year.
Jim K9CNP EC/IL Sangamon County reported on their all day ANNUAL
REFRESHER CLASS.2008 held January 19th, 2008. More below, thanks to Jim
and all for the Training inspired paragraph.

"From the Top" -
Our ARRL Section Manager Tom KA9QPN posts a fine article every month
titled "From the Top" that the ARRL emails out to ARRL members subscribed
on their Members page. Competition is fierce for the limited email size
each month. The Field Organization reports are just a part when space
permits, but is chronicled at the more complete Section News and reports
posted at:
http://www.arrl.org/sections/?sect=IL

SEC Calendar -
2/17//08 - ILARES HF Net
3/02/08 - ILARES HF Net
3/04/08 - Annual Weather Service Net for Tornado Test (Traditionally
10:00 AM local on the first Tuesday of March)
3/16/08 - ILARES HF Net (ANCO/DEC needed)
3/30/08 - Special Fifth Sunday drill net

vy 73 de Pat Ryan KC6VVT

ARRL Illinois Section Emergency Coordinator
SEC/IL ARRL Phone: 815-442-3373
P. O. Box 24 e-mail: kc6...@arrl.net
Tonica, IL 61370-0024 ARES®-IL URL:
http://www.qsl.net/ares-il/
packet address: KC6VVT@KA9FER.#CIL.IL.USA.NOAM
Monitor 146.52/446.00 FM & APRS mobile KC6VVT-14 on 144.390 w/100.0 Hz
APRS-Alert