November/December 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.
Due to the holiday season, we have decided to combine the November and December newsletters into this one special holiday edition. Our training meetings, usually the last Thursday of the month, will resume in January 2022. We will, however, have our 60m training net on Sunday, 12/12 as scheduled. See details at the end of this newsletter.
No matter how you celebrate, Georgia AUXCOMM wishes you a Happy Holiday season. See you next year!
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Georgia AuxComm at the Stone Mountain Hamfest on November 6, 2021
It was great to see so many of you at the Stone Mountain Hamfest and ARRL State Convention on November 6-7 at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds in Lawrenceville, GA.
Georgia AUXCOMM Manager John Davis, WB4QDX, and PIO Joe Domaleski, KI4ASK, led a forum entitled - "AUXCOMM: ready to put your training to work? Learn how you can participate in official state deployments as a certified Auxiliary Communicator" at 11:00am on Saturday, 11/6.
Georgia AUXCOMM Manager (ACM) John Davis, WB4QDX, speaks at the forum.
Georgia AUXCOMM PIO Joe Domaleski, KI4ASK, speaks at the forum.
Click here for a PDF copy of their presentation.
Members of the Georgia AUXCOMM leadership team with new Georgia Section Manager Jim Millsap, K9APD, in the center. (L-R) Joe Martin, WB4S, Deputy ACM; John Davis, WB4QDX, ACM; Jim Millsap, K9APD, SM; Joe Domaleski, KI4ASK, PIO; David Benoist, AG4ZR, ASM.
We enjoyed seeing everyone, especially those who are regular readers of this newsletter. Here's a few selected images.
ARRL Southeastern Division Director Mickey Baker, N4MB, gives the keynote address at the Stone Mountain Hamfest.
Newly elected Georgia Section Manager Jim Millsap (K9APD) COML, COMT, AUXC, speaks to the group during the Georgia AUXCOMM forum.
Mary Catherine (KI4HHI) and Joe (KI4ASK) Domaleski (in the gray hoodies) with the Georgia ARES leadership team (L-R) - Frank Dean, K4SJR, SEC; Larry Whited, AB4NX, DEC; Felton Floyd, AF4DN, DEC.
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Georgia ARES State Meeting on 1/8/2022
Many of you reading this newsletter are members of Georgia ARES. Georgia AUXCOMM wants to encourage you to attend the Georgia Section State ARES meeting scheduled for Saturday, January 8, 2022 at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in Forsyth, Georgia. It's a great event with lots of relevant emergency/auxiliary communications training. This meeting did not happen in 2021 due to COVID-19. It was last held in January 2020.
Complete information and a link for registration can be found on the Georgia ARES website.
 January 11, 2020 - Georgia Section Manager David Benoist, AG4ZR, and Section Emergency Coordinator Frank Dean, K4SJR, open up the ARES meeting.
 January 11, 2020 - Members of Georgia ARES listen intently during the keynote session.
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Georgia AUXCOMM deploys in support of Operation Golden Horizon
During the months of October and November, a large contingent of Georgia AUXCOMM members deployed to Brunswick, GA in support of Operation Golden Horizon with Georgia Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (GEMA). The AUXCOMM team supported communications within the Community Coordination Center (C3).
Publicly released information about this operation can be found on the Glynn Unified Command website.
Bob Herrin, KE4JLL, prepares cabling for use in the C3.
Bob also literally "raised the roof" installing the communications cabling.
As more pictures and details of this operation become available, we will share them in an upcoming edition of this newsletter.
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Members of Georgia AUXCOMM team up with the Athens Radio Club to support the Georgia Bulldogs
During University of Georgia Bulldogs home football games, members of the Athens Radio Club work in partnership with UGA Police, Athens Piedmont Hospital, Red Cross, and other served agencies to provide communications support.
Our own Bob Herrin, KE4JLL, who's also a member of the Athens Radio Club, gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of their operations during the last home game of the regular season on 11/20/21. Yes, Bob is a busy man!
Bob Herrin, KE4JLL, (2nd from left) and Joe Domaleski, KI4ASK, (next to Bob) with members of the support team. Bob served as primary net control and used amateur radio UHF simplex frequencies to coordinate amateur radio checkpoint locations.
Incident Command located within Sanford Stadium. Members of the ICC team watch a bank of video monitors.
Here's a view of the video monitors within the Sanford Stadium Incident Command Center. They're watching more than just the football game.
(L-R) Georgia AUXCOMM PIO Joe Domaleski, KI4ASK, pays a visit to Lewis Patterson, WD4GTY, who's manning one of the checkpoints. Lewis is positioned near an ambulance, a full medical support team, and campus security. He and other members of the Athens Radio Club help support the security and safety of the fans in and around Sanford Stadium.
Go Dawgs! And thank you Athens Radio Club.
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REMINDER - Georgia AUXC Monthly 60m Net - December 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.
Last month, we held our net on Sunday, November 14th and effectively covered the state using 60m. Net Control Edwin Whitworth, KJ4KKB, was located in Brunswick, GA.
Pictured above, 60m net control Edwin Whitworth, KJ4KKB, and Bob Herrin, KE4JLL, lead the 60m net while deployed to Brunswick in support of Operation Golden Horizon.
Our PIO Joe Domaleski, KI4ASK, was located on a farm in northeast Georgia operating QRP during the net. His IC-705 sits atop a fence post on the farm. The antenna is a homemade 60m resonant dipole using speaker wire.
Our net takes check-ins via 60m Channel 5 Phone (5.403.5 MHz, USB) and Winlink to the tactical address GAAUXC. 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, December 14th at 2pm (local) on 5.403.5 MHz, USB (Channel 5).
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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
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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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