Category Special Events

Special Events For The Amateur Radio Community

Sep 11 2015

COAD Event Sept 30th

Team,The Greater Patchogue Community Organization Active in Disaster (COAD)

Some of you may remember that Ken and I met with Marian Russo of the The Greater Patchogue Community Organization Active in Disaster (COAD).

We originally planned to hear Marian’s presentation at the September SCRC meeting but that appears to have fallen through the cracks.

Although the North Patchogue Fire Department held some promise, we were unable to secure those locations for meetings. Since that is the case, our team is unable to ask COAD for a presentation. 

Despite our inadequacies, COAD continues to march on with their September 30th event in Patchogue.

Since COAD is participating in that event, I am asking if any Team members would be interested in setting up and ACT table or a demo of some kind.

If a few of us can spare a couple of hours to promote our team and show COAD what we are capable of, I will contact Marian to see how ACT may fit into the event.

Let me know no later than September 18th.

From the last COAD email the Team received:

The plans are moving forward for the PrepareAthon on September 30th.  Partners interested in participating please let me know.

The COAD will have a table at the St. Liberata Festival on September 26th.  Please let me know if you have an hour or two or three to share preparedness information with the community.

October 24th is the Red Cross Fire Safety event.  Attached is the flyer.  Please share it with your members, friends, and congregants.  We are focusing on single-family homes in the Village of Patchogue.  If someone is outside they can provide their information so we can find out where the need may be and if a follow-up event is warranted.  We are also looking for volunteers for this event.

The next COAD meeting is November 30th at Briarcliffe.  Please save the date.  Meanwhile, be safe.

Jul 5 2015

Suffolk County Marathon For Veterans – Sept 13th 2015

Suffolk County Marathon 9-13-15

On September 13, 2015 the Suffolk County Marathon will take place.This year 5,000 runners are expected to participate in the run on Montauk Hwy from Oakdale to Patchogue and back.

You can imagine the multiple access point to the Hwy to secure. There will be festivals sponsored by the towns along the way.There is a call for Amateur Radio Operator volunteers for communications.

Please consider helping.

On 9/13/2015 you will be asked to be at an assigned post at 6 AM so radio check in can start, the race starts a 7 AM.  Depending where you are assigned, you may be at your post until noonish.  You will need a dual band HT with a high gain antenna due to the wide area of the race and location of the repeaters (VHF and UHF repeaters are being used).

The organizer current understanding is that cars will not be allowed on the sides of the road, so HT operation with HIGH Gain antennas are needed(not the stock HT antenna).  Your mobile rig will likely not be of use due to the parking restriction on Montauk Hwy for the event  You might be able to set up a portable antenna with an HT/battery powered rig, just don’t for a lawn chair :). it would be a great time to test your go kit.

To provide help with communications, please register at http://www.islipares.org/. You can request a location that might be closer to your home.  If you are a member of ARES, please state so in the comment box.  Assignments will be sent out later on by email.Details on the Marathon are provided at http://www.suffolkmarathon.com/

Joe,
AC2ND

Jun 4 2015

Special Event – Hurricane Watch Net 50th Anniversay

Here is an article on the HF Band National Hurricane Network. Operating frequencies are listed at the bottom of the article.

A ham radio group dedicated to tracking Atlantic and Gulf hurricanes is celebrating a 50th anniversary, with a special event weekend June 13-14.

The Hurricane Watch Net is made up of ham operators across the U.S., Caribbean and Central America who track storms in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, taking notice when storms come within 300 miles of landfall.

Formed in 1965, the group has become larger and more formalized over the years, providing information to the National Hurricane Center station in Miami via spotter stations in the affected areas. The net also receives reports digitally over the Internet, to supplement what is received by radio, says Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, the HWN manager.

Over the five decades, there have been 581 storms in the coverage area, and 131 of those have come ashore as Category 1 hurricanes or higher, according to the HWN website newsletter. The work can be rewarding and stressful, in the business of saving lives and mitigating property damage.

“Every veteran HWN member has his or her own poignant memories of different storms,” Graves said on the website. “Others recall communicating with the flight crews of the hurricane hunter aircraft as they flew into storms…to maintaining communications with a ham in an upstairs room of his home, operating with a wire antenna and a battery as he watched as his neighbors’ homes were ripped apart by the fury of the storm.”

During June 13 and 14 event, the group will use the call sign WX5HWN to make contacts on 14.325 MHz – the normal daytime net frequency – and also the nighttime frequency of 7.268 MHz.

Apr 19 2015

Team Holds Missing Child Drill – 4/18/15

Missing Child Image

A Missing Child Photo From Web

The Amateur Communications Team held an on the air missing child drill on 4/18/15. The drill commenced on 10:15 AM. The drill was made up of a 5 year old with blue eyes and blonde hair lost in Southhaven County Park.

The drill simulated that the ACT Team was working in conjunction with the Suffolk County Park Police and the Bellport Community Group. The ACT command center was located at the entrance to the park. Art W2ALW acted as net control.

11 Team members responded and manned various locations within the park. The Team members were, Gary KE2YK, Joe W2OFD, Art W2ALW, Vinny KC2WPP, John KD2DZY, Ken KD2DZZ, Gary N2TBC, John KD2GIK, Gil KC2CWB, Tony KC2VZG and Cheyanne R.

Tony KC2VZG’s Bellport Community Group assisted by manning the outside perimeter of the park.

Gil KC2WCB was asked to report to the ACT command center with his portable repeater as a backup. However it was not needed. It was suggested that the Team run additional tests with the portable repeater from various locations within our area to insure reasonable coverage.

The child was found sleeping in the area of the Park’s Steamer Trains at 10:25 AM. All team members were then asked to report to the command center for debriefing.

The drill was monitored by a Professional Emergency Communications Expert and a review will be forthcoming. Lets use the review to improve our procedures going forward.

I’d like to thank Art W2ALW for running the net and to Joe W2OFD for setting up the drill. I’d also like to thank Tony KC2VZG for having the Bellport Community Group at our disposal.

The drill was secured by net control at 10:33 hours and the W2DQ repeater was returned to normal Amateur Radio communications.

Dec 5 2014

January 4th, 2015 – Ham Radio University

Ham Radio University

“A day of education to share ideas, experiences, knowledge and fellowship among Amateur Radio operators“

It’s time to plan your day at: Ham Radio University.

2015 will mark HRU’s 16th year at Briarcliff College in Bethpage NY.

 

Ham Radio University 2015

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