Monday, June 5, 2017

The Ohio Section News Update – June 5th Edition


Inside..

- Hurricane Season Has Started
- AllStar Link Analog Bridging System
- Tigers On The Air
- One Question Survey
- Ohio Responds
- NIMS / ICS Training
- Getting This Newsletter
- My Final

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Atlantic Hurricane Season Starts Today
(from ARRL Bulletins)

June 1st marks the official start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which continues through November 30. In an average season, based on data from 1981 to 2010, 12 named tropical cyclones should be expected, with 6 of these reaching hurricane intensity, and 3 developing into major hurricanes.

“This outlook is a general guide to the expected overall activity during the upcoming hurricane season,” the National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center says. “It is not a seasonal hurricane landfall forecast, and it does not predict levels of activity for any particular location.”

The official NOAA 2017 Atlantic hurricane season outlook indicates a 45% probability of an above-normal season, a 35% probability of a near-normal season, and a 20% probability of a below-normal season. This outlook calls for between 11 and 17 named storms. This already includes the pre-season Tropical Storm Arlene, which occurred in April. Of these named storms, between five and nine of them could reach hurricane intensity, with between two and four of these becoming major hurricanes — Category 3 or above.

Here are the names for 2017 Atlantic Storms: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harvey, Irma, Jose, Lee, Maria, Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince, and Whitney.

The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center points out that the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season outlook is produced in collaboration with hurricane experts from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the Hurricane Research Division (HRD). The Atlantic hurricane region includes the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is encouraging residents and businesses to prepare by understanding their risk, planning for the entire family, and downloading the FEMA App. It contains important information on what to do before, during, and after a hurricane. The App also allows users to receive weather alerts from NOAA’s National Weather Service, includes lifesaving safety tips, and provides access to disaster
To learn more about hurricane seasons in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, visit www.hurricanes.gov.

To learn more on how to prepare before, during, and after a hurricane, visit www.ready.gov— Thanks to National Weather Service-Boston Office; FEMA


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AllStar Link Analog Bridging System
(from Matthew Pitts, N8OHU)

Hello folks; my name is Matthew Pitts and my callsign is N8OHU. I live in Ashtabula County and am the Digital AEC for Ashtabula County ARES. I'm very much into digital modes on VHF and UHF, as well as interoperability between digital and analog. In 2013, I established one of the core analog bridge nodes that was part of a group throughout the US called The Experimenters Corner, though I shut down the digital bridge for a while. I mention this so you understand some of my interests in Ham Radio.

I am currently in the process of building a homebrew multi-mode digital repeater using the MMDVM software from Jonathan Naylor G4KLX which will be tied into my reconfigured AllStar Link node cluster. The system will eventually be accessible from Echolink (Echolink node 828057 N8OHU-L on AllStar node 28713), AllStar (node 28910 hub), D-STAR (XRF669 on AllStar node 28912) and DMR (talkgroup and time slot to be determined at this point on AllStar node 28913) .

The system will also have a homebrew DMR master for any in state MMDVM repeaters that want access to the analog bridge talkgroup. I may also permit access to MotoTRBO systems at some future point. If you wish to find out more feel free to email me at n8ohu@yahoo.com.

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Tigers on the Air
(from Shawn Donley, KE8ENU  Advisor/Trustee - K8TGR)

The Newton Falls Technology and Multimedia Club (K8TGR) will be hosting the first annual "Tigers on the Air" special event, Friday June 9 (2 p.m. EST - 18:00 UTC) - Saturday June 10 (2 p.m. EST - 18:00 UTC) to celebrate the establishment of our radio club here at the school. We invite any licensed Amateur Radio operator in the area to come out and either work one of our stations or bring your equipment out and get it ready for Field Day.   This will be located in the grassy area right outside of Tiger Stadium, and we will be operating on the air for 24 hrs.

Also, any resident in the area who would like to stop by and see what Amateur Radio is all about and what the club has accomplished this year, maybe even see about joining the club next year, you are welcome to stop and see what it is all about.  

We will be having a spaghetti dinner on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. as well for those wishing to stop by and grab some food while operations are going on.   Tickets for the spaghetti dinner and pancake breakfast are $8 at the door; however, we are selling pre-sale tickets for $7.   Please see a club member, Mr. and Mrs. Donley for tickets, or purchase tickets on the club’s website.

Those who wish to stay with us all night long and be a guest operator will have the chance to purchase a 24hr meal ticket for $20.   This will cover all drinks, snacks, the spaghetti dinner, the pancake breakfast, and lunch on Saturday.

On Friday at 2:30 p.m., we will have our opening ceremony with a tethered balloon launch.  This balloon will contain a local repeater that will allow operators to check in with us.  The talk-in frequency will be set to 146.650.   At 3:00 p.m. all operators will go on the air.  Anyone who is not a registered amateur operator can also participate getting on the air as well, or just listen in as the operators communicate globally. We will have demonstrations on digital communications and satellite tracking and communications throughout the entire night.
At 5:00 p.m. on Friday night, we will have a “capture the flag” fox hunt.   We will split up into multiple teams in order to find the other teams fox and bring it back to command central.   This is open to the public, so anyone wishing to participate is welcome.   The fox hunt will be a free event.

To purchase meal tickets, register for the fox hunt, register as an operator, or to find out more information, please visit the club website at: http://www.nfhstmc.org/index.php?p=13

- Hope to see you there, or make a contact with you on the air!

I will be there, will YOU??

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One Question Survey

Hey Gang,

Have you checked out the NEW Survey question on the website yet?. There is a new question up there for you to answer! You’ll find it on the left side of the main page..  http://arrlohio.org !!

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Ohio Responds Update

Ok.. Here’s the latest update on Ohio Responds. We now are at the 100 persons approved mark!! Let’s keep this going. We have over 500 with all their certificates on file. Let’s get everyone to get moving and sign up for Ohio Responds.

Signing up with Ohio Responds will give you liability protection under the State of Ohio. This is a real big things folks.. Where else can you get liability insurance for FREE.

Now, admittedly their system was designed for another purpose, so in some places it doesn’t match up well with Amateur Radio Operators and what we do. I have created a webpage where you’ll find all the pertinent information for getting registered on Ohio Responds website with as little issues as possible. You really do need to read this information BEFORE you attempt to register, and you will need to have all 4 of your NIMS courses completed and in our statewide database first! There’s some very specific information up there that you’ll need to know to correctly complete the registration process since it doesn’t match up well in some places with what we do.  Here’s a link to that webpage… http://arrl-ohio.org/ohio-responds-page.html   You can also find this link on the main page of the Ohio Section website as well.

How do I know if I’m on the list or not? Here’s the link to the list.   
http://arrl-ohio.org/SEC/special/nims_roster.html  Don’t see your name on the list, and you’ve submitted your certificates? Contact me immediately!

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NIMS / ICS Training Update

The numbers are continuing to grow!  Here’s what we have on file as of today :   Members in database: 754; Active Members: 741; Members NIMS complete: 545 and for the biggie..  Total Courses Taken: 4,992. These numbers just keep growing, and that’s really the best news of all to tell you!

We need to be prepared to help in a professional and TRAINED manor now days, and the only way of getting that training is to start taking these courses. We have a lot to be proud of, and a lot more work to do. Every ARES member in Ohio now MUST have these courses to be a part of the Ohio ARES program and to be registered in the Ohio Responds database!

How do I know if I’m on the list or not? Here’s the link to the list.  
http://arrl-ohio.org/SEC/special/nims_roster.html  If you don’t see your name on the list, and you’ve submitted your certificates? Contact me immediately!

For those of you just starting out now that you have a real incentive, we have a webpage with all the information about how to get started..  http://arrl-ohio.org/SEC/training.html. This page contains a lot of information about what is needed. Each course takes about an hour or so to take, that’s really not much to ask now is it? You spent way more than that to get your Amateur Radio operators license!

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Are you getting those emails from me?

If not, all you need to do is to “Opt-In” to receive them. Heck, just send me an email:  n8sy@n8sy.com and let me know that you want to be added. It’s just that easy. Please, if you know of anyone that would be interested in this information, feel free to pass it on to them. You don’t have to be an ARRL member or even a ham to receive these emails. I want every ham and interested person in Ohio and beyond, to get these emails!!

You are always free to “Opt-Out” at any time if you feel this is not what you were expecting. Just send me an email with the email address that you used to opt-in on, and you will be removed. It’s that simple.

Also, are you viewing the Ohio Section Website on a regular basis? You should, it changes all the time. Here’s a link to it.  http://arrlohio.org

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My Final..   

Amateur Radio has a serious side, but it can also have a FUN side too. I hope that this News Update has been informative and fun for you to read.  So, as we go through our training and exercises, learning from the past and from those who are willing to take the time to teach us, let’s remember to have FUN too! It’s what keeps us alive and vibrant!

Got questions, concerns or would just like to sit and chat awhile, give me a call at (419) 512-4445 or email me at:  n8sy@n8sy.com   Want to sit and just chat awhile? I’m available, Heck, I’ll even buy!!


73,

Scott, N8SY..

PS>>  I have to say this Go CAVS!!!  Beat Golden State!!

eof..