REPORTS AND NEWSLETTERS

2010 MEETING SCHEDULE   OCEC/RACES

JUNE 16

REPORT REPP DRILL FOR JUNE 16, 2010

The following RACES radio operators were in place and ready to operate.

Ed Proto, AF2N and Dave Robinson, N4UR were at the JIC.

Henry Loura, KC2SUL and Mark Chamberlin, WB2PKO were at the EOF.

Tim DeMaris, KC2SKG, Dave Anthony, AC2CM and Bob LaMay, WA2AFF at the EOC.

John Darling, K2QQY, RACES RO was also at the EOC to back up the operators there.

Judy LaMay, KC2SUM was on loan to the Ops Section.

We communicated via digital packet between the three sites and had voice communications to the EOF. Voice communications to the JIC were not usable due to lack of an outside antenna.

We handled approximately 28 practice messages among the three sites.

We did a call out to surrounding counties to simulate a stand by for mutual aid and in case we needed a net control that would be in a safe area. We got responses from Lewis, Onondaga and Broome counties. We also had a station check via an internet connection into the packet system from on-board a ship in the Caribbean (John Driscoll, N2MKH was the station)

We were connected via the internet to the NWS Buffalo radar watching the storms progress to our area.

We will be conducting some checks and making some adjustments on the equipment at the three locations during the summer to have them better prepared for operation. The need of an antenna at the JIC is till at the top of the list to bring that location into top condition.

JUNE 26 - 27  FIELD DAYS

This years operations were hosted by the LaMay's at the end of their runway.  This made for some exciting ideas to be tried. A 160 meter dipole fed with open wire was one long piece of wire and did a great job for the event.  An inverted Vee hung off the trailer tower and provided many contacts across the country.  The all band HF Comet was at the top of the tower and was used on bands away from the other transmitting stations.  Consequently 160 thru 70cm had skyhooks  deployed. Some of the operators were, Bob, WA2AFF; RickWA2LBE; Rich, KC2UZS; Ed, AF2N; Tim, KC2SKG; Keith, WB2NVY; Dave, K1YHR; Dave, N4UAR; and Ramsey, WB2GRV.

August 4  Special packet meeting

A very interesting group of 14 met to discuss what problems they were having, to troubleshoot their particular equipment ( like a TNC from hell) and computer interfacing with various packet programs.  At least three different types of TNC packages were there to look at and diagnose there behavior.  Some problems were fixed, but those that were not,  left with more possible solutions to try at home.  All in all this raises our packet operations to a better level for semi secure communications.  Present were: Dave, AC2M; Rick, WA2LBE; Fred, KA2HPG; Tim, KC2SKG; Judy, KC2SUM; Bob, WA2AFF; Henry, KC2SUL; Mark, WB2PKO; Dave, N4UAR; Mark, KC2JNI; Ed, AF2N; Rich, KC2UZS; John, N2MKH and John, K2QQY.