April 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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Free give away!
As part of our 1 year anniversary (and to encourage you to read this newsletter), we're going to have a special prize give away. How would you like to win one of these cool GEORGIA AUXCOMM stickers?
The first five people who reply to this e-newsletter via email and include the following information, will win a free sticker.
1. Name
2. Callsign
3. Mailing address
4. What you enjoy most about amateur radio.
5. What you enjoy least about amateur radio.
6. Code word listed near the bottom of the email newsletter.
Winners will be announced in the next newsletter.
(NOTE - Georgia AUXCOMM leaders are NOT eligible to win, you'll be getting a sticker anyway)
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April Training Meeting - 4/29/2021, 8pm
FEMA Region IV
by: Jo Robichaud & Donnie Monette, Telecommunications Specialists with FEMA Region IV
Please join us online on Thursday, April 29th at 8pm for the monthly training meeting of Georgia AuxComm. This month's presentation is titled "FEMA Region IV".
Our presenters will be Jo Robichaud & Donnie Monette, both Telecommunications Specialists for Disaster Emergency Communications with FEMA Region IV.
(Image: DHS / FEMA)
Joanna "Jo" Robichaud is a Telecommunications Specialist with the Department of Homeland Security / Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IV. She is a licensed amateur radio operator, callsign KJ4DRV.
Donnie Monette is a Telecommunications Specialist with the Department of Homeland Security / Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IV. Donnie has been with FEMA since 2008. Prior to his work with FEMA, Donnie served as a Telecommunications Operations Chief for the U.S. Army and retired after 20 years to begin his second career with FEMA. He is a licensed amateur radio operator, callsign KK4GDS.
Connection Information
This online meeting is open and free for interested amateur radio operators, ARES members, and anyone else with an interest in Emergency Communications. You do not have to be a member of Georgia AUXCOMM to attend. We hope you'll join us. Here's the connection information:
April AUXCOMM training - FEMA Region 4
Thu, Apr 29, 2021 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM (EDT)
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/801649405
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (571) 317-3122
Access Code: 801-649-405
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/801649405
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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Georgia AUXC Participates in American Red Cross Portable Winlink Exercise
Friday, April 9th , 2021
Members of the GA AUXC team participated in the American Red Cross Winlink Exercise #7 - sending traffic from a portable location. David Benoist (AG4ZR) and Joe Domaleski (KI4ASK) received permission from Fayette County Fire/EMS to setup a portable station at Fire Station #11, near Piedmont Fayette Hospital in Fayetteville, GA. Equipment used:
- Icom IC-705 transceiver (10 watts)
- Bioenno Power 4aH LifePo4 battery
- Off-center Fed Dipole antenna (80-6m)
- LDG 100 tuner
- Windows laptop running Winlink
- VARA HF software modem
They connected to an HF gateway on 40m and sent the Winlink traffic via VARA HF. Here's a few pictures of David and Joe participating from the parking lot of Fire Station 11 in Fayetteville, GA.
Mark Bell (N7GRB) did a mobile deployment from his Church office. Mark always travels with a little go-bag - laptop, iPad, Kenwood TH-D74 HT, USB and HDMI cables, extra batteries, ICS forms. When he got to the Church office, he pulled the laptop out, set the HT to KISS mode and a local RMS gateway frequency (his own N7GRB-10 a few miles away), and participated in the exercise as well. Here's a picture of Mark and his setup.
Details about the drill here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SNmec5oWFY7RgyIXA0tPMPMu8GK7YswH/view?usp=sharing
Details about the organization here:
http://arc-emcomm-training.org
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Georgia AUXC Member Serves as NCS for the KA6LMS Last Man Standing Special Event Station
March 27, 2021
Georgia AUXCOMM Deputy AUXC Manager John Davis (WB4QDX) is a well known national expert on D-Star and was invited to serve as the national Net Control Station for the KA6LMS special event station on D-Star. The KA6LMS Special Event commemorated The Last Man Standing TV show final season. The Last Man Standing was a TV show starring Tim Allen in which amateur radio had a prominent role. The TV show has provided great PR exposure for amateur radio. Here's a short video showing the KA6LMS net preamble, as read by NCS John Davis (WB4QDX as KA6LMS) and fellow AUXC member Joe Domaleski (KI4ASK) checking into the net.
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Deputy ACM John Davis (WB4QDX) as Net Control for Special Event Station KA6LMS
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Georgia AUXC Monthly 60m Net - 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.
Most modern HF transceivers will operate in the 60m band. Some of our members operate from home and recently member Joe Domaleski (KI4ASK) operated QRP using a homemade resonant dipole antenna from Old Fourth Ward Park (across from Ponce City Market) in Atlanta.
Want to know more about the 60m band?
We hope you'll join us for the next net, scheduled for Sunday, May 9th at 2pm (local) on 5.403.5 MHz, USB.
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Georgia AUXC Field Day - June 26-27, 2021, Save The Date!
Georgia AUXCOMM will be returning to Cloudland Canyon State Park to participate in the ARRL 2021 Field Day Event, always held the fourth full weekend in June. The dates for this year's event are Saturday, June 26 through Sunday, June 27th.
Some of our planned activities include:
- Position Task Book (PTB) sign-off opportunities
- Fox hunt
- Digital mode operations
- Traditional HF field day contacts and DX
- Amateur radio satellite operations
- SOTA / POTA activation
- Waterfall hike
- More
We're still formulating plans, so go ahead and save the date. We'll have something more definitive to announce next month in our May 2021 newsletter.
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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: auxcomm2021
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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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