METERS Newsletter - August 2006

A monthly publication of the Middle East Tennessee Emergency Radio Service, Inc.
METERS is a registered non-profit service organization based in Knoxville, serving all the surrounding area.
Club call sign: KG4NLF Website: www.metersinc.org

Meetings are held at 7 PM, the 4th Tuesday every month. Our August 22nd meeting will be at the Tennessee Technology Center, 1100 Liberty Street, Knoxville, TN 37919. (See the website for directions, or watch the Net Reminder.)
Licensed Amateur Radio Operators are invited to join METERS and assist in meeting the needs of our served agencies.
Members’ submissions are invited for this newsletter, in .rtf, .doc, and plain text formats, subject to space available and editing.
Editor: Larry Osterman, W8JYQ, e-mail to w8jyq (at) arrl.net; Phone (865) 690-5096, or mail to: L. Osterman, P.O. Box 32587, Knoxville, TN 37930.

President's Statement for August 2006

METERS has made good progress on many fronts in the past few years but the job is never done. If you have watched the news here lately, the London authorities stopped a big plot to blow up ten planes coming to the US from England. The latest count is 23 who were arrested. These days we cannot be too vigilant or too prepared for disaster. As EmComm operators, we really need to have our kits ready so I am giving you some Go Kit and Equipment lists again in this issue of the newsletter. Also, if you have not taken the CERT course, now would be a good time to jump into it in the next class now being organized. The topics covered may be useful if you come upon a life-threatening emergency situation anywhere in your travels. Hope to catch you on the nets. 73

-- Alan Sims KG4MMG, METERS President and Knox County EC.

Secretary's Notes

--Larry W8JYQ

Treasurer Talk!

We still have some METERS logo patches available (for paid members only). These are Iron-On Patches, suitable for your favorite jacket, vest or even a shirt... to show your affiliation to METERS, and your commitment to emergency communications. METERS patches are $3 each, or TWO for $5. Some folks have already bought their supply, and once they're gone, it may be a while before we can get more. Add these to your garment and show your METERS pride! SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED, so get yours Today! (We also have a few METERS yellow T-shirts available and encourage you to ask me about availability of your size: $10 each.)
Thanks -

Dave KE4YBZ

Subject: Ready Kit for One Person

-- Alan, KG4MMG

Equipment List - The Basic METERS/ARES Package

There is a LOT of info out there on the "right" gear to carry but let's go LIGHT. For HT operators, here's my suggested Basic Package:

Folks, for my 12 volt HT's, I use a 2-amp/hour pocket battery. But, use whatever converter is needed to convert the 12 VDC from your car, to the power needed for your own HT, and try to have available a back up battery supply. All of your gear should fit in a Carry Bag. (Bag prices range from $10.00 and up.) -- Remember, a better antenna equals less transmit power needed, and less battery draw, which means longer use time. Also, if the signal received is broken up, it may also be on your transmit connection. Check your connections and antenna!

Base Station List

Now that we have our HT pack and our Battery pack, let's focus on the basic METERS Base station. Here's my suggested list (for portability):

-Alan KG4MMG

A Basic Tool Kit for METERS Operators

Here are some ideas for a small effective tool kit, which should accompany you at home or away.

Folks, this should be about all we need to fix quickly, anything that will pop up, but feel free to add whatever else you can get into your tool and repair kit. Keep it SMALL and keep it HANDY.

-- Alan KG4MMG

(I'd also suggest a needle nose pliers, a small fuse puller, spare fuses for your equipment, a set of small Allan and star wrenches, a small hammer, a small file or piece of emery cloth, and a small adjustable wrench, - if you can get all this in your kit. –Ed.)

Amateur Radio is Alive and Well in Rural America!

By Glen Sage, W4GHS (w4ghs (at) arrl (dot) net) (From Gary AG4XO for METERS Newsletter)

There are many people out in our communities who are interested in getting involved with Amateur Radio, but don't know how to get started. Some local Virginia 'hams' saw the need and filled it more than they ever expected.

When tuning across the ham bands, I find it is not unusual to hear people speak about the demise of Amateur Radio. The erosion of interest is usually blamed on the Internet or the lack of interest by youth. It is easy to shake your head in agreement and think, "This is just a sign of our times."

Thinking back to childhood and how I felt when I walked into the shacks of four local hams who lived within blocks of where I grew, I recall the feeling of excitement as I heard them speak to people across the country or around the world. As a kid in the 1950s, I felt that the license privilege was beyond my grasp. I just didn't have the ability to understand the electronic theory and I would never be able to afford the cost. Aside from those obstacles, how would I ever be able to make sense of all those strange sounds of Morse code?

Getting Started

In 1976, living in Henry County,Virginia, I read of a ham "novice" class being taught at the local community college. Quickly, I enrolled and my fascination grew with each session as the strange theory began to unfold in a very logical way. (My instructor did a great job.) After passing the Novice exam, I waited patiently for my license and call letters to arrive. Six weeks later, I was WA4WXN. I already had my station set up and was on the air that afternoon making CW contacts on 80 meters.

Recently I was reflecting on my early experiences with Amateur Radio and I wondered if some people in the 21st century wouldn't still share some of those same feelings about Amateur Radio as that kid back in West Virginia. On one hand, the voice was saying, "Young people are just not interested in Amateur Radio anymore," but on the other hand was my excitement about something I love. It was then I became "motivated" and decided to start a license class in my local community in Carroll County, Virginia.

Passing the Torch

I enrolled as a certified instructor with ARRL and read the advice on the League's Web site about planning and conducting a class. I began planning in Spring 2005. I knew that to have good enrollment, I must publicize in the broadest way possible. Our recent local license exams had been attracting almost no one from our local area. To ensure growth within Amateur Radio, new hams had to be recruited countywide. I decided to place brochures at local libraries, doctors' offices, lube centers, barber shops and electronics stores. I had an article published in the paper and ran notices on the county Web site. I was hoping that six to eight people might enroll for the class. I tried to allow the brochure and articles to tell the story of how much fun Amateur Radio could be, and also pointed out its public service aspects. I explained that anyone who was having difficulty with the material would get special attention. If someone really wanted a license and was willing to work and study, our instructors would continue to work with them until they passed the Technician test.

As the cut-off date for enrollment approached, I watched registration numbers grow. We soon had 10 people, then 15, 20 and at last 25 students for the class. More than half were already involved in public service such as fire, first aid, search and rescue, and E-911. This suggests strong interest in Amateur Radio among public service groups in communities across America.

Following the cut-off date, others let us know they wanted to take the class when it was offered again. All of this took place in a small rural Virginia county with a population of less than 29,000.

Bigger and Better

We soon had several volunteers from the local club who offered to assist in different ways. Several club members dropped by the classes to offer encouragement to the new students. Some taught on antennas, propagation and DXing. Others helped by teaching electronic theory. I filled in by teaching some remaining chapters. Each instructor presented his subjects in a positive way with a sense of excitement about Amateur Radio. At the end of the course, 20 students showed up for the test session, and another took his test two weeks later. These students ranged in age from 12 to about 80. They all passed their Technician test and received their license. All the students had expressed an interest in serving in emergency communications, ARES, and SKYWARN. Our local ARES/RACES unit doubled in size in just one week. Some of these students have gone on to register in the ARRL Emergency Communications Course EC-001.

Near the end of the class each student was assigned a mentor from the club. These mentors assisted the new students in setting up their stations and getting on the air. In some cases, equipment was loaned to the new hams. Prior to the last class session we had an antenna building party. The students gathered at my home and joined together in building dual band 144/440 J pole antennas from copper tubing. These antennas were constructed at a cost of about $10 each. Almost all of these new hams are now running these antennas as their primary base-station antenna.

We also started a "New Hams Net" on one of our local repeaters. This net provided a non-threatening environment for these new hams to make their first contacts and gain confidence in operating within a formal net. After the early jitters were abated, we moved on to message handling, "go kits", and other aspects of emergency communications.

"Influx of New Life"

Amateur Radio, ARES, SKYWARN, and our local club, have all received a boost from this influx of new life into our ham community. No one has been a bigger winner than those of us who worked with this class and witnessed their progress each week. We have also enjoyed working them on the air. It is difficult to describe the strong sense of satisfaction you get as an instructor when students say to you, "You have helped me to fulfill a lifelong dream in becoming a ham."

Getting new hams licensed is only the first step. That is not the time to "cut them loose" to sink or swim. Too many of our communities are loaded with licensees who are never heard on the air. Some receive their license and never make a single contact. We can all make a difference by teaching, mentoring and encouraging these new hams. That is how we can continue to retain them as an important part of our ranks. Working with a positive spirit, and lots of mutual encouragement, you can build strong teams in your local community.

Experts Say: London plot not Osama's encore!

Homeland security officials doubt the terror plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes over the Atlantic was Osama bin Laden's encore to 9-11. The White House described the foiled plot as "a second September 11."

But officials say bin Laden is preparing a larger strike on U.S.soil targeting major U.S.cities. They cite his message in January in which he warned, "Operations are under preparation, and you will see them on your own ground once they are finished, Allah willing." (Some translations have him saying "in the heart of your land" or "in your houses.") The London plot, which may have rivaled 9-11 casualties, still did not involve ground targets. "While impressive in scale, the damage on the ground would have been limited if anything," a U.S. official said. "It's not the spectacular attack he (bin Laden) is looking for to do maximum damage to our economy." "There may have been money or a blessing from al-Qaeda, but I doubt that this was an operation run by al-Qaeda Central, or by bin Laden himself," says Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA's bin Laden unit. "It simply wasn't a big enough operation for what they intend, and it didn't occur inside the United States."

Other experts said theLondon plot appeared too ad hoc. Planning began only a year ago on the heels of the London subway bombings. Bin Laden's major attacks in the past have involved several years of planning. They've also been led by the A-team of al-Qaeda's Martyrdom Brigade, who coordinated with seasoned lieutenants in the network to finance and refine the mission as it developed. The Londonbomber cells, in contrast, appear to have been composed of fresh recruits who were less disciplined, which may explain why they were caught. "They're second-stringers," an official said. "He's holding his top operatives in reserve for a bigger operation."

An FBI spokesman said there's no evidence al-Qaeda has sleeper cells in the U.S. Of course, that's what the bureau said before 9-11. Former senior DHS official Clark Kent Ervin says the bureau knows of at least 1,000 al-Qaeda sympathizers in the U.S. today – a figure he calls "low." And the CIA has presented the FBI director with a list of possible sleeper cell candidates, but he has rejected going after them, arguing they had not yet committed a crime.

Scheuer (ex-CIA) says bin Laden is lining up his ducks for a massive attack possibly using radiological weapons. The first step, he says, was getting a green light from Saudi clerics to kill possibly millions of Americans with such weapons. Then he offered the U.S.a truce and even recently invited President Bush to convert to Islam – all in keeping with jihadi military doctrine. And he has directly warned the America people on at least two occasions. As absurd as such moves sound, they are necessary to satisfy any theological concerns among Muslim clerics, Scheuer says. It's more about "preparing Muslims" for the doomsday attacks than Americans.

Experts agree a plausible nightmare scenario involves al-Qaeda shipping dirty nukes in un-inspected cargo containers bound for ports in New York,New Jersey, Miami,Los Angeles, Houstonand near Washington, and then detonating them once they are in position. The technology used could be as simple as GPS transmitters and cell phones. The radiological fallout from the blasts could render the cities uninhabitable for years, crippling the economy. While the disrupted airliner plot is good news, it's not exactly comforting. In 1995, authorities disrupted al-Qaeda's so-called Bojinka operation to down planes over the Pacific. Al-Qaeda came back six years later with the events of 9-11.

Notes from The ARES E-Letter from ARRL

(While seemingly far away from Knox County, TN, the experiences described, and some of the resulting suggestions for improvement, may be useful for local adoption, if not already in place!?! – Larry Osterman W8JYQ)

THE VIEW FROM FLAGLER COUNTY

Northern Florida ARES officials met at the State EOC in Tallahassee, on June 27. Attendees included SM Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, SEC Joe Bushel, Mr. Fleming and other EOC personnel, DEC's from the northern part of the peninsula, myself, and my long-suffering XYL Joanne, W1GUN.

I had never been to Tallahassee, let alone the state EOC. It was a good opportunity to see the facility, and talk to the section's key ARES people, and battle-hardened veteran emergency communication professionals. The EOC is huge, with a wide array of communication systems, including top-secret modes, and a well-equipped amateur station positioned at the State Warning Point.

After Hubbard explained the ARES organizational structure and section plan, he emphasized the fundamental concept of the EC having total responsibility for the functioning of his county program, and reiterated the section policy of supporting all modes of communication for ARES operations. The latter has sadly been a source of controversy recently. Hubbard called for reconciliation so that the section's Amateur Radio emergency communication community can focus on its mission.

Hubbard discussed the purpose and functioning of the State Tracker System (STS), which provides for the registration of needs by counties, and the subsequent assignment of assets with STS tracker file numbers.

The state EOC is not involved in lower level incidents, which are managed by the county and district entities. However, if the State is asked for assistance, the tracker system is employed. Fleming emphasized the importance of good relationships between the county Emergency Management officials and their ARES counterparts: The state EOC formally communicates directly with the county EmergencyManagement official only.

The group discussed the need to pre-plan and coordinate the use of radio amateurs by served agencies that tend to usurp them, undermining the authority of the designated EC's and DEC's. The specific example of the Red Cross was discussed.

A brief discussion of Hurricane Katrina activities followed, with the State of Florida officials concluding that they would not be sending assets out-of-state in the future owing to the need to have enough here in the state for their own disaster responses. Fleming also emphasized that the state EOC will not be involved in deploying radio amateurs in future events, stating that the function should be performed by a national-level entity.

A protracted discussion of the training and certification of deployable radio amateurs led to the conclusion that the FEMA courses IS-100 and IS-200, or IS-700, be required along with the ARECC Level One course. The State has made grants to counties to fund these training courses.

It was a good meeting, and it was nice to see the amateur station in such a prominent position within the EOC, just a few feet from where Governor Jeb Bush addresses the media during major events.

– K1CE

JUNE ARES REPORTS:

Field Day 2006 turned from exercise into an actual emergency when ARES supported a flooding event in Sussex County, Delaware. Some areas received 15 inches of rain from the stalled weather system.

Emergency Management had a difficult time providing road and medical crews to the affected areas due to the high water. Communications were disrupted by the volume of water affecting both microwave relay and buried phone lines that were severed.

During the event, amateurs stood by for communications assistance needed, on frequency and ready to go. Information was passed in tactical mode, with no formal messages. The National Weather Service requested that Delaware SkyWarn be activated: Amateurs relayed reports of rainfall as well as roads impassable from high water and washed out bridges. Some operators were mobile in the affected areas giving NWS important reports. Thanks to the NWS, messages were relayed to the Sussex EOC making this a full circle of information sharing.

-- Justin T. Kates, KB3JUV, Military AAT3OT, Communication

Corps Coordinator, Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA)

EDITORIAL: KNOW YOUR CONSUMERS

The purpose of ARES is to provide a service -- communication. To facilitate this, we educate our members, drill net protocols, practice message passing, and learn emerging technology. But how many can say they know anything about the entities ARES serves?

Unless having completed the FEMA ICS courses, little is likely known about a system used by many emergency management offices. While operationally significant, the Incident Command System only gives a partial picture of emergency management communication needs. While radio amateurs are practiced net control operators, how many have the exposure to public safety protocols and procedures to be an effective dispatcher if the county 800 MHz trunk system fails?

Another primary consumer of ARES services is the Red Cross. How many ARES operators know what services the Red Cross provides in a disaster relief operation? How many know how a Red Cross operation transitions when its National headquarters becomes involved? Unless the ARES member is also an active Red Cross volunteer, the answer is likely very few.

As communicators, why should we care? Because knowing the operational protocols and procedures of those we serve will increase our effectiveness as communicators for them. What does it take to be trained on ICS or the Red Cross' procedures? Time. FEMA has the ICS courses available free at their online Emergency Management Institute. The Red Cross' Introduction to Disaster Services course is available free online at the national Red Cross website. The Red Cross' Logistics Overview and Shelter Operations courses, which provide the basics of the operations for which ARES mainly would be moving traffic, are free through the local chapter.

The other key aspect to knowing your consumers is making sure they know you. If the only time government agencies and organizations see or hear from ARES is as a disaster operation executes, they have little reason to have confidence in ARES' capabilities. In some cases, if there has not been regular collaborative contact before a disaster, ARES may not even be included in their operational plans.

Bottom line, ARES groups need to build and maintain a collaborative environment with the agencies and organizations they wish to serve or risk finding themselves sidelined.

-- Michael Potaczala, KC4NUS, AEC, Orange County, Florida

EDITORIAL: MANDATES FOR TRAINING

My day job requires me to work closely with federal law enforcement, as well as leading emergency managers. In after-work conversations with them, I hear mixed emotions towards Amateur Radio.

They are quick to praise our response, and usually point out that in the first few hours/days after a major event, we are often the only show in town---but in the next breath they will all recite horror stories of poor training, lack of preparation, and unprofessional behavior.

Critical to changing this attitude is a real push by the League to mandate standards that reflect the needs of our served agencies. That means ICS/NIMS compliance. It also means adopting standards for digital communications. I personally saw the value of Winlink2K in Hancock County after Katrina.