August 2021 Newsletter
The purpose of Georgia AUXCOMM is to promote, support, and lead emergency communications activities that support community needs. This is our monthly newsletter.
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August 2021 Training Meeting - Thursday, 8/26 @ 8pm
9/11 - A historical perspective from an incident commander on the ground
Please join us online on Thursday, August 26th at 8pm for a very special monthly training meeting of Georgia AuxComm. This month's presentation is titled "9/11 - A historical perspective from an incident commander on the ground". It's been twenty years since 9/11/2001, a day that changed America and how we respond to incidents. Our presenter will be Dan Wills, IT Specialist at the U.S. DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Sedona, Arizona, United States.
Dan Willis is an IT Specialist at the U.S. DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in Sedona, Arizona. Over the course of his career, he has served in a number of leadership positions including: Communications Coordinator for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Battalion Chief for Sedona Fire District (most of his career), and as a Park Ranger / Law Enforcement for the National Park Service - Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. He has degrees from Northern Arizona University and Central Arizona College. Dan was one of the incident commanders during the aftermath and response to the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.
Georgia AUXCOMM August Training
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM (EDT)
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/694813493
You can also dial in using your phone.
(For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.)
United States: +1 (646) 749-3335
- One-touch: tel:+16467493335,,694813493#
Access Code: 694-813-493
This meeting is free and open to all who have an interest in Emergency Communications. You do not have to be a member of Georgia AuxComm to attend.
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Free give away!
As part of our 1 year anniversary (and to encourage you to read this newsletter), we're going to keep doing the special prize give away. How would you like to win one of these cool GEORGIA AUXCOMM tactical emblem stickers?
July 2021 winners were:
- Richard Beldyk, AJ4VX
- John Walker, NE4T
- Kathy Austin, N8JLJ
- Dick Peschke, N8JBC
- Sam Smith, KD4SHK
Congratulations winners, you all will be receiving a new tactical emblem sticker. Who else wants one?
Let's keep the contest going. The first five people who reply to this e-newsletter via email and include the following information, will win a free sticker with our NEW tactical emblem.
1. Name
2. Callsign
3. Mailing address
4. What is your favorite VHF/UHF digital mode?
5. Code word listed near the bottom of the email newsletter.
Winners will be announced in the next newsletter.
(NOTE - Georgia AUXCOMM leaders and previous winners are NOT eligible to win, you all already have a sticker!)
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Video from our July 2021 Training Meeting
COMU Briefing for FEMA Region IV by Pam Montanari
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GaAUXCOMM July 2021 Training Meeting (7/29) - COMU Briefing for FEMA Region IV
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Georgia AUXCOMM visits Lumpkin County ARES for a Winlink P2P Exercise.
Deputy AUXC Manager Joe Martin, WB4S, recently visited Lumpkin County ARES to participate in a Winlink Digital Mode exercise on Saturday, August 7th.
Pictured above, ADEC/Digital Aaron Conaway, KK4EHJ, briefs the team.
The exercise featured a scenario that required peer-to-peer Winlink communications, without the use of a gateway or digipeater. Four individual field packet stations were set up at designated locations. Winlink was used to pass a message through each station.
Led by Georgia ARES ADEC for Digital Communications , Aaron Conaway (KK4EHJ), Lumpkin County ARES has monthly exercises and is fast becoming one of the best trained ARES organizations in Georgia.
Did you know that AUXC certification is required for ARES Level III Position Task Book sign-off? AUXC and ARES work together in order to train and deploy for auxiliary and emergency communications!
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REMINDER - Georgia AUXC Monthly 60m Net - September 12th, 2021 (always the second Sunday at 1400 Local)
Georgia AUXCOMM has been conducting a monthly net on 60m Channel 5 on the second Sunday of each month at 1400 local. Recognizing the growing importance of 60m as an interoperability band, we've been practicing our own skills and testing our gear to ensure we can effectively communicate on 60m. We'd like to invite each of you to participate in the net. Please ensure that you have the proper radio licensure to participate. Amateur radio operators that are General class or higher are authorized to use the band. Please note that amateur radio is a secondary service on the band and must not interfere with other services such as government agencies.
Our net takes check-ins via 60m Channel 5 Phone (5.403.5 MHz, USB) and Winlink to WX4GMA. Most of our operators check-in using both SSB and Winlink. Winlink check-ins should include your location, power level, and equipment used. The net starts with a preamble, roll call of AUXC leaders, and then open check-ins. If Channel 5 is not available, the backup is 60m Channel 4.
Want to know more about the 60m band?
We hope you'll join us for the next net, scheduled for Sunday, September 12th at 2pm (local) on 5.403.5 MHz, USB (Channel 5).
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COMING SOON - AUXC Field Day and AUXC Training Classes!
COVID-19 really put a damper on our plans to have more deployments, training days, and official AUXC training classes in 2020 and 2021. We started Georgia AUXCOMM at the beginning of 2020, just before the COVID pandemic. The pandemic really made it challenging to train and practice our skills in person. That's about to change.
Picture from the November 2019 AUXC class.
We are in the planning stages to conduct two activities this fall.
- AUXC Field Day - a one day, in person event to demonstrate and practice emergency communications skills AND provide Position Task Book (PTB) sign-offs. We'll definitely be able to sign-off on AUXC PTB, but are working with ARES to possibly handle ARES PTB sign-offs as well. (NOTE: ALL of our AUXC members are ARES members and many are ARES leaders as well).
- AUXC Certification Class - attending the AUXC class is a requirement to be a member of Georgia AUXCOMM. We know that many of you want to attend the class and it's been a source of mutual frustration that we were not able to host any classes during the pandemic. This affected not only the AUXC program, but many other training programs across the state. Because the class has to be planned, budgeted, and approved - it takes time. A proposal to conduct classes before the end of the year has been submitted to the State of Georgia. At a minimum, it'll be AUXC - but may include COML and COMT as well. Stay tuned for a future official announcement about training classes and thanks for your patience!
If you have some thoughts about where you'd like to see the field day held, please reply to this newsletter. We're currently looking at either Chattahoochee Bend State Park or Hard Labor Creek State Park, but are open to your ideas!
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Who's going to the Huntsville Hamfest on August 21 & 22, 2021?
The Huntsville Hamfest is one of the largest hamfests in the country and it's usually well attended by amateur radio operators from all over the southeastern US. They didn't have the event last year due to COVID. It's back this year and bigger than ever!
(L-R) Ryan Bibby (KN4RQL), Frank Dean (K4SJR), Greg Smith (KK4YLX), and Joe Domaleski (KI4ASK) at the 2019 Huntsville Hamfest
Do you plan on attending? If so, we'd love to know and perhaps we can setup an AUXC get together.
Our own PIO Joe Domaleski, KI4ASK, and his wife Mary Catherine, KI4HHI, will be leading a forum on Saturday morning at 10am in the Redstone Room entitled "Having Fun with Portable Ham Radio, including POTA".
Mary Catherine (KI4HHI) and Joe (KI4ASK) Domaleski at the Huntsville Hamfest.
For more information about the hamfest, including the schedule of events and forums, please visit the official Huntsville Hamfest website at https://hamfest.org
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GaAUXCOMM needs your support!
We have established a non-profit membership organization to support our mission. Consider becoming an early bird member with a $30 donation. We need your support so we can continue serving the community. Here's a link you can use to apply for membership and make a donation.
https://gaauxcomm.org/membership
CODE WORD: use60meters
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FAQ and Social Media
Keep in touch with Georgia AUXCOMM! We've prepared a handy FAQ about the organization and will regularly communicate updates from this monthly newsletter and via social media outlets.
This newsletter is our primary official communication outlet. If you're getting this newsletter, then "you're on the list". Feel free to share this newsletter.
Other information sources include:
Website
https://gaauxcomm.org
FAQ
https://www.gaauxcomm.org/media/GaAUXCOMM-FAQ-Version12-2020-April.pdf
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/georgiaauxcomm
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwtgAs5ps7IZI-zSRPMZqiA
Twitter
https://twitter.com/gaauxcomm
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/georgiaauxcomm
Please direct all general questions and press inquiries to Georgia AUXCOMM PIO Joe Domaleski, KI4ASK, at joe.domaleski@gaauxcomm.org.
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