Good Stuff!

By J.M. Rowe, N5XFW - Arkansas Section Manager

Hello all:

I have a new resource that was made public this last week. Tom K5WTH developed a list of EMCOMM nets by state. It was hard for me to believe that such a list did not already exist! Thanks to Tom for the work in gathering and verifying that information, and thanks to John KE5NZY for getting it on the internet in an indexed document and a PDF. http://www.arkansas-aresraces.org/NARRLEFL.htm

Several of you were at the Arkansas Interoperable Communications Conference a couple of weeks ago, and I am sure you remember that Tony Hayes of Cambridge Wireless Communications gave away a Kenwood portable for AWIN in a drawing. Edwin Lyons was the winner of the drawing, and then he gave the radio to Arkansas ARES/RACES! The radio has been programmed with the Command and Control template. John W5JLG, the SEC, will have the radio, and it will be used to help maintain situational awareness. This makes the second AWIN radio for us; the ADEM ARES/RACES Officer is issued one. Thanks to Roger N5QS for his part in getting this done.

I am sure most of you have heard we are going to have a DEC/EC meeting on Sunday November 14 at ADEM to discuss the National Level Exercise in May. Ken Gibson, the Information Technology division chief at ADEM, will give us an overview of what is expected of ham radio in the event of an earthquake on the New Madrid Seismic Zone. May seems like a long way off, but it will be here before we know it! As of today, 46 counties are participating, and I am not sure how many non-governmental organizations will be involved. If you are coming to the meeting, please be familiar with the Arkansas Plan http://www.arkansas-aresraces.org/AresRaces/aresracesplanarkansas.pdf and the Standard Operating Procedures http://www.arkansas-aresraces.org/aresracessop.pdf . For your information, the message standards have changed due to ADEM moving to WebEOC, and that will be reflected in both the plan and SOP as soon as possible

I hear the Stuttgart Pumpkin Patrol went well, and Bill W5WPN reports another successful race in Cross County! I think that’s great!

This is from N5JFD:
NEARC will hold its fall Tailgate swap meet Nov. 20th. From 9-12 am. The location is Trinity Church 701 E. Highland Drive, Jonesboro, AR. 72401. Testing will be at 10 am for all classes. We will be giving away an antenna book, no purchase needed (Thanks to ARRL for donation of antenna book). Talk in will be on 443.150, any info needed contact Travis Williams 870-931-8743 or email n5jfd@arrl.net

As always, I am happy to publicize ham radio events, so let me know about them!

That’s all for now.

Thanks and 73,

J.M.