August ARES New 's:
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Hello ARES Friends:
Well summer is well on its way here and we can feel the heat. This is the time if you need to do some planning for repairing the antennas that was damaged by the summer storms you can get started. When we have some cool weekends get the work done so you can be on the air and enjoy amateur radio. I know of one new HF station on the air this summer KC7RIY got his new station on the air in June some time. Way to go David I bet you really enjoy the airwaves. David is one of our newest ARES members that joined the organization at field day weekend this year. Thanks Dave for all the help and wanting to be one of the ARES members of the Buffalo County ARES you are number 19 at this time.
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Public Service for ARES:
This summer and fall ARES has three events we will be helping with in the Kearney area. If you would like to help and want to know the dates check the ARES calendar for more information, there will be one in September and in October. The first summer event will be August 23rd. at the Kearney Mall. This is the COAD safety fair, this is where ARES will show the public what ARES is doing in Buffalo Co. and Kearney when the weather is in a bad mood for this area of Nebraska, and what Public service is all about. This will be from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Plan to help you will enjoy the day and see what other organizations are doing also in Kearney and Buffalo County.
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When Bad WX in the area:
When ARES is been activated or about to go into service checking the weather is important.
1. NWS puts the area in a Watch or Warning.
2. EC or AEC will get the alert from the EOC on the pagers.
3. EC will put the alert on 147.390 and announce the weather on 145.235 repeaters.
4. Check with the NCS to see if they are aware of the weather.
5. Check the NWS radar to see where the storm is from this area.
6. When the weather is closer call for spotters and see who is available for the alert.
7. When the storm is closer put the spotters out to the WX post.
8. NSC is ready to take WX messages as the weather comes this way.
9. When bad weather is reported, EC will relay this to the Buffalo Co. Emergency Management.
10. This is how EM knows when to turn the Out Door Warning systems on when needed in Kearney or Buffalo Co.
11. Some reports will come from other counties in Nebraska letting us know what is coming our way.
12. All reports are reported to the EM and they report them to the NWS.
13. And there are more at times.
After the storm has passed this area NCS will take a roll call to account for all the ARES spotters and there where about and will close the weather alert for this time. The Buffalo County ARES is averaging 7 to 15 radio operators and spotters and 3 to 4 counties on each alert this year so far. Then the paper work starts and all the logs are filed out before the next storm comes our way. As your ARES EC I want to thank everyone for all the reports on the weather this summer and your time and gas you used for helping your community. Most of the time all an amateur radio operator will get is a thank you from his community. So here is a BIG Thank You to everyone that helps with weather alerts.
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UNK Distal Drill 2010:
At the last ARES meeting it was decided that ARES would not take part in the Big Drill that is going to take place sometime around October 2010. There were several reasons we decided not to do this. The biggest reason was we don't have the local manpower that ARES may be ask to proved. ARES main purposes is weather spotting and Public Service with the local Police department in the fall of the year. At that time of the year we will be doing PS work for the City of Kearney.
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ARES Roster Information:
ARES keeps its information sheet up to date as much as possible. If you change your address, cell number or any thing that might keep you informed on ARES alerts and information, It is your responsibility to let the EC know so we can make the changes as needed.
At this time we are trying something new for ARES, on WX alerts when spotters are needed and we don't get any response from you on the 145.235 repeaters, your EC will send out a Tec message to notify you of the storm and spotters are needed. For some of you this will cost you 15 cents to get this message. If you haven gotten a Tec message you need to let the EC know what your cell number is and you server. I have most everyone's at this time. If you don't want to receive these messages you need to let your EC know so your number can be removed from the list. We have used this 2 or 3 times at this time, and it may take 5 to 30 minuets for you to get this message, not real good in my opinion for today's technology for communications in an emergency. That is why amateur radio is the most dependable communication in an emergency.
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Ham radio and Scanners:
You might ask what does ham radio and scanners have in common? When ARES is doing a weather alert for this area the amateur radio repeater are transmitting what we report and see on the weather. Since May 29th. there has been an increase of scanner listeners of the ham bands. I have heard some say this is where they get there early warning by listening to the ARES doing weather spotting for this area. When you are on the radio conduct your self as a professional, there are others listening be sides the amateur radio operators. The TV station Ch. 13 KGFW AM radio and NWS are monitoring the KCØWZL 145.235 repeater whenever storms are in the area. And there are a lot of general public also listening to what we are doing.
Be careful what you say and how you say it when you are reporting the WX you see and in your general radio use. Possibly they the public might want to be an amateur radio operator and get there ham ticket.
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Still waiting on some help:
I am still waiting for your news article from some of you folks; you can send it to me at ka0dbk@arrl.net by the 25th. of each month. Hope to see some news for the September ARES web page. Thank you for your help:
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News form You:
????
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This is all for this month I hope to here from some one to help with the news for this web page for September ARES web news. I hope you enjoyed this month news and 73 for now.
Buffalo County ARES EC
Nebraska ASEC
Danny Baer
KAØDBK