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MDC Section News
Vol. 16, No. 05
Thursday, May 17, 2019
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* MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET FRIDAY MAY 18TH
* YOUR SECTION MANAGER MOMENT
* UPCOMING HAMFESTS & CONVENTIONS
* RADIO EVENTS, ACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES
* T-MARC COORDINATION REPORT
* MDC SECTION ARES REPORT
* SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER'S REPORT

==> MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET FRIDAY MAY 18TH

This month's MDC section-wide EchoLink net will be held on Friday, May 18, 2019 at 8:00 PM ET on the EchoLink *WASH_DC* Node 6154. The MDC Section EchoLink net is always held on the third Friday evening of every month at 8:00 PM eastern local time. Next MDC Section monthly EchoLink Net is scheduled for June 21th.
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EchoLink Link Repeaters for Net
If you would like to join in on RF, the following repeaters and IRLPs have linked in for EchoLink nets:
- KA2JAI-R operates through the KB3CMA repeater 442.300(+), PL 107.2 Hz, in Annapolis, MD
- WB3GXW-R, 147.225(+), PL 156.7 Hz, located in Calverton, MD
- N3HF-L, 443.45(+), PL 151.4 Hz, located near Ocean City, MD
- N3HF-R, 443.45(+), PL 156.7 Hz, located near Silver Spring, MD
- W3ICF-R, 146.73(-), PL 141.3 Hz, located near Frederick, MD
- K3CAL-R, 146.985(-), PL 156.7, located near Sunderland, MD
- N3RO-L, 145.545, Simplex, Frederick Co, MD
- W3SMD-L, 147.51, Simplex, St Mary's County, MD
#NAME?

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Repeater owners are encouraged to join our MDC Section EchoLink Net group and link your repeater - TU!
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Everyone is encouraged to join in and give any updates on what is happening in your part of the ARRL Maryland-DC Section. If you do not have EchoLink on your Computer, Tablet or Smartphone, you may download the free software from: http://echolink.org/register_data.jsp or your App Store online.

As always, we thank John Creel, WB3GXW, for making the *WASH_DC* EchoLink server and his WB3GXW-R repeater available for the EchoLink nets.


==> SECTION MANAGER MOMENT

- EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE! Together with Radio and Tabletop Exercises, NIMS/ICS training and ARES® experience forms the backbone of readiness when called upon to serve our communities. Although Amateur Radio is a hobby our Emergency Communication is not so we have a to be prepared to respond to our served agencies, VOAD and NGO organizations. ARRL and FCC sign MOU for new enhanced Volunteer Monitor program, replacing the Official Observers (OO) program.
Prioritize, sequence, and focus response efforts towards maintaining or restoring the most critical services and infrastructure - Community Lifelines:
Safety and Security
Food, Water, Sheltering
Health and Medical
Energy (Power & Fuel)
Communication
Transportation
Hazardous Material
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Hamvention® is well underway for May 17 thru 19th. Friday events starts at 9 AM and “Open Gates To All" w/o charge, on Sunday, May 19, final day of the annual gathering in Xenia, Ohio.
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MDC Section-wide staff Eye-ball & meeting is scheduled for Saturday, June 8th from 11:00 until 4 PM. Contact your Section Manager Marty KB3MXM or Assistant Section Manager Ken KG4USN for details. All MDC Section appointed staff (ASMs etc.) are required in-person participate (or your alternate by invitation from the SM). No Online/Internet Video Conferencing or Telephone Conference Call.
This year is the 150-year anniversary of Hiram Percy Maxim death, born on September 2nd, 1869 in Brooklyn, New York. He is buried at Cemetery Rose Hill Cemetery, in the Hamilton family plot belonging to his wife's family at the oldest public cemetery in Washington County Maryland. Hiram Percy Maxim was one of the co-founders of the American Radio Relay League ARRL, founder of the Amateur Cinema League in New York, the Aero Club of Hartford and a respected Hartford scientist, radio pioneer, inventor, mechanical engineer. The W1AW, Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station represents both the legacy and the future of our wonderful fellowship
Please continue your support and JOIN the ARES-Connect Roll Out and complete your Level-1 thru Level-3 training. Contact your MDC ECs and ARES-Connect® team. Here are a few reminders and updates to pass on. Please distribute this to ARES leaders in your section and to users of ARES Connect. Web link for Video instructions. http://bit.ly/2Xcru8s . ARES® leadership are encouraged to continue your ARES® EC or MDC Section Staff training. Contact your SM, SEC or ASM to learn how.
Please have a wonderful and safe time at Hamvention 2019.
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Social Media is driving disaster awareness - join the trend!
Our Twitter is @MDCARRL - https://twitter.com/MDCARRL


73,
Marty, KB3MXM
ARRL MDC Section Manager

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READ MORE > More Mentors Needed for New ARRL Emergency Communications Course Sessions. http://www.arrl.org/news/more-mentors-needed-for-new-arrl-emergency-communications-course-sessions
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==> RADIO EVENTS, LICENSE EXAMS, ACTIVITIES, OPPORTUNITIES & SPECIAL RADIO EVENTS

Starting in May 2019, the following Web-links will replace the Section New list of MDCs HAMFEST, EXAMS, & CLASSES announcements:
http://www.arrl.org/hamfests-and-conventions-calendar
http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session
http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-class

Memorial Day Hamfest - Date: 05/26/2019 - 8AM to 2PM, West Friendship, MD 21794
W4OVH Manassas Hamfest - Date: 06/15/2019 - 06:30AM to 14PM, Manassas Park, VA
Father's Day Hamfest at Arcadia - Date: 06/16/2019, Upperco, MD 21155
Somerset County, Pennsylvania Hamfest - Date: 07/21/2019, Somerset, PA 15501
CVARC HAMFEST - Date: 07/27/2019 - 8AM to 12PM - Food @ 6:30AM, Chambersburg, PA 17201
69th Annual Berryville Hamfest - Date: 08/04/2019 - 6AM to 2PM, Berryville, VA 22611
70th Annual Gabfest - Date: 08/31/2019, Uniontown, PA 15401
CARAFest 2019 - Date: 10/06/2019 - 6AM to 2PM, West Friendship, MD 21794
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VEC Amateur Radio FCC License Examine
http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/search/page:1/Location.section_id:MDC/model:Event
https://www.laurelvec.com/
05/18/2019 | Laurel MD 20707
05/25/2019 | Centreville MD 02161
05/28/2019 | Linthicum Heights MD 21090
06/01/2019 | Catonsville MD 21228
06/08/2019 | Davidsonville MD 21035
06/12/2019 | Fort Washington MD 20744
06/15/2019 | Forest Hill MD 21050
06/15/2019 | Laurel MD 20707
06/22/2019 | Essex MD 21221
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For this month our MDC SM adds On-Air Events. For our section members interested in other types of RF communication, events and activities related to the RF spectrum. Please send your upcoming ARC events, suggestions and comments. Please include our ARC Events. You may view upcoming Hamfests which are being held in the MDC Section and nearby in Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and northern Virginia area by clicking on either: MDC SECTION Hamfests or the ARRL's Hamfest and Convention Calendar at Convention Calendar. I, as the MDC Section Manager, Marty Pittinger, KB3MXM, and/or a designated ARRL representative(s) plan to attend all Hamfests in the ARRL Maryland-DC Section. We hope to see you there and bring a fellow Ham and friends.
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Look for these radio, educational and science events:
ARRL Event Website: http://www.arrl.org/special_events/search/page:3/model:Event
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Daily posts via MDC Section Twitter @MDCARRL https://twitter.com/MDCARRL
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==> T-MARC COORDINATION REPORT

Apr-19
Applications in Process:
K4GTF – Sent Construction Coordination for 145.1500-
KB3FN – Sent Construction Coordination for 441.8000+
Univ. of Delaware – Received application for 2-meter pair at Newark, DE. Sent notice to neighboring coordination group and TMARC Co-Channel. Objection received from co-channel in TMARC area. Will put applicant on waiting list. Suggested SNP
N3YMS – Received application narrow-band UHF pair at Eden, MD. Sent notice to neighboring coordination groups. Sent Construction Coordination for 441.8875+. On air confirmation received. Sent Final Coordination.
N3YMS – Received on air confirmation of 448.0750- at Hazlettville, DE. Sent Final Coordination
N3YMS – Received on air confirmation of 442.0500+ at Laurel, DE. Sent Final Coordination
N3HQJ – Received application for 2 Meter pair in Tyaskin, MD. Sent notice to neighboring coordination groups. Sent Construction Coordination for 146.8650- MHz
KA3LAO – Received on air confirmation of 441.8875+ at Damascus, MD. Sent Final Coordination
Marine Corps ARC – Received on air confirmation of 442.4875+ at Stafford, VA. Sent Final Coordination
Rappahannock Valley ARC -- Received on air confirmation of 443.8500+ at Fredericksburg, VA. Sent Final Coordination
W4ALT – Received application for 220 pair in Lewes, DE

On Air Status Requests sent to:
447.3250- K3ERA Lanham, MD

Coordination Cancelled:
444.7375+ N3YMS Princess Anne, MD

Other:
South Eastern Repeater Assoc.: Received 1 proposed coordination for 6M

T-MARC
The Mid-Atlantic Repeater Council
www.tmarc.org


==> MDC SECTION ARES® REPORT

2019 April MDC SEC Narrative Report

EmComm Events and Comments from around the Section

de Section Emergency Coordinator WB3KAS:

Reporting

Twelve of the 18 appointed ECs submitted their monthly ARES County reports this month, or 66%. That's two thirds folks!! The previous high was 14 in January 2016. Appreciate hearing we haven't heard in a dog's age. Thank you.

How can we improve the desire to provide what is requested by the League regarding you sphere of influence?

Use the fillable pdf ARES-002 (1/17) monthly report form to send me your county activities every month. Download it at:

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%20Service/2017%20Forms/Monthly_DEC-EC_Report.pdf

Save the file in the form as follows: YYYY-MM<4-ltr cnty code> EC Report.pdf and sent it to me. It is important that you follow this convention. This makes it extremely fast and easy for me to do my work. We now have one county that still needs to convert over to the fillable form.

It's extremely important that your constituents hear what is going on relative to EmComm in their community. If nothing more, tell us what meetings you hold, when, where and what repeaters you can be found on. I'd like to hear from the rest of you. At a minimum, tell us the details of where you hold the ARES meetings; nets you hold, VHF/UHF or HF; any weekend breakfasts or other social gathering.

Two MDC DEC positions (Western, and Eastern) are now filled and would like to have some one step forward and consider heading up the Central DEC position. Make sure you put them on email copy for all that your county correspondence.

There are seven counties that do not having an Emergency Coordinator. They are ALLE, CARO, DORC, KENT, QACO, SOME and WORC. As you can see 6 out of the 7 are on the Eastern Shore and is a grave concern from a weather perspective. They dodged a bullet this time with Florence, but what about the next one?

I say this every month because this is gravely important this time of year. If you live in any of these counties, please consider getting involved with emergency communications and sign up to assist the hospitals in your area. Contact me for more information at wb3kas at arrl.net.

In the future, selected County ECs will be dismissed due to inactive required monthly reporting and neglecting to respond to SEC emails. It is important that we hear your commitment to supporting your community.

SEC Presentations

If your Group is interested in getting started with Winlink 2000, or perhaps a refresher session, please let know.

Wanda, KA3AHI, and I continue to schedule visit to as many ARES and club groups as possible. We have two presentations I think would be worth your while to hear. One on Section Interoperability and the other is the Section Health Care EmComm Program. If you have interest in this, and have room on your meeting agenda for us, please contact me. I have an Introduction Winlink 2000 Lecture and a Winlink Class where we get you set up to run Winlink Telnet and obtain a Winlink account- - -all for free!

MDC Section Reflectors - SEC Report

We introduced a new MDC Section reflector, ARRL MDC Section Winlink Training Group for P2P and Hybrid networks, or MDCQRV for short. Please make use of this tool to sharpen skills and fine tune your configuration files. Located at: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MDCQRV/info.

The new ARRLMDCSection Yahoo Reflector is now available. If you are not a member. . .you should be!! I encourage you to use this to stay informed or keep in touch with the rest of your fellow ARES members. With the wide distribution of this newsletter coming out only once a month, this Yahoo Site will keep you up to date with late breaking news, including a possible disaster call up. There is very little traffic to clog your in box.

I don't know if all the DECs and ECs are subscribing to the Yahoo Reflector. If you are not, please do. This is going to be the quickest way possible to inform MDC Section ARES of current incidents and impending disasters. Please do it now.

You can join at: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ARRLMDCSECTION/info.
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Meetings and Gatherings

April 19: Had an ANAR EC interview with Mike Montrose, KA2JAI, OF Millersville. He took over from Frank, N3SEO and had his first ARES meeting April 20. Drop by to offer him his congrats and wish him luck in his new endeavor. ka2jai at arrl.net.

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Future Events:

May 23: There are two Full Scale Exercise in PRGE; (1) a County wide FSE and a (2) Maryland Medical Region V FSE. This involved five counties, and as of this writing, 10 radio equipped hospitals are planning to be involved. Going to be a very busy day for some of us.

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de ANAR County KA2JAI

Conducted first ARES meeting as EC. Presented ARES & RACES concepts, my ARES vision and plans. Defined teams addressing different topics, most have manager identified. Meeting with county OEM Dir. Participated in county monthly Training & Exercise meeting. Lunch meeting with SEC Jim Montgomery 4/19. Section wide net participation 4/19. Attended DE St Convention. Meeting with AAC SKYWARN® Coord 4/28. ARES meetings 3rd Sat 9 AM EOC Glen Burnie. Weekly nets Sun 8 PM Millersville repeater 146.805- 107.2.
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de BACO County AJ3X

Only 4 BaCo ACS Team Members are now enrolled in ARES. The remaining have no interest in being enrolled in ARES and are enrolled as ACS Team Members and as such serve at the pleasure of the County Emergency Manager.

Therefore, this report only reflects numbers for those Team members who are ARES members participating in BaCo ACS nets, meetings and training sessions. It does not include BaCo ACS Team members supporting the County and the Baltimore County Emergency Management Committee.

We run two nets, a weekly digital net, D-Star. Wednesday @ 2000 hours on Reflector 62A, DMR on BM Talk-group 62450 and analog monthly net third Thursday on 145.330 @ 1930 hours.
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de CALV County N3AE

At our April monthly meeting we decided to once again investigate the possibility of using 10-meter simplex as a backup for communications within the county. The primary comm path is via the K3CAL repeater in Sunderland (146.985, -600, 156.7). Our previous experiment was limited to home QTH's and showed promise. On May 15th, we will try 10M again but using a combination of stations operating at their home QTH and portable/mobile stations. The activity will kick off at 0900 local (deploy) and wind up by 1200 local. We plan to use SSB on 28.350MHz.

Our monthly meetings are on the third Tuesday at the Calvert County Services Building, Duck Street, Prince Frederick. The EC is working on an alternate location for future meetings, possibly a volunteer fire department.
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de CECI County KB3LJB

April 2019 ARES activities in Cecil County consisted of participation in the weekly Sunday evening ARES Nets held at 2000 (8:00 pm) on the CBRA 146.850 repeater in Port Deposit, MD.

CBRA monthly meetings are held at Mason-Dixon American Legion Post 194 in Rising Sun on the third Tuesday each month at 7:00 pm. All are welcome to attend.

The WA3SFJ-R EchoLink Node 585690 is up and working well, thanks to Mark, N3MRK.

We have a dedicated bunch of VEs who conduct test sessions on the first Saturday of almost every other month. These test sessions are given at the Mason-Dixon American Legion Post 194 in Rising Sun, MD. Our next ARRL VE session is scheduled for May 4, 2019. Contact me at KB3LJB@ARRL.NET for details on upcoming test sessions.
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de CHAR County KB3KOW

Three members participated in the APRIL 4 Hospital Drill with PRGE
Continue to assist SEC Jim, WB3KAS, in the development of a wide area Winlink packet network for MDC Section. Two members hosted the annual 'connector party' for both coax and PowerPoles.
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de GARR County WA3EOQ

Please remind all to submit comments to the FCC on ARRL’s petition on Technician Enhancement, RM-11828. My comments basically say to scrap all the Incentive License sub-bands: Give Techs full use of 80, 40, 15 and 10m at 200w, General and Advanced get everything, Extras get everything and can select 1x2 and 2x1 call signs. If this sounds similar to pre-Incentive Licensing, it is. Simple is good!

It seems that many of the comments filed bemoan the idea of giving more frequencies to those who have not passed the appropriate test. Well, Incentive Licensing took away frequencies that General Licensees had access to for years. Since Riley has moved to implement the new Volunteer Monitor Program, I have sent my comments to the new Atlantic Division Vice-director, Bob, K3RF.

I attended the second VHF Superconference held at the Holiday Inn Washington Dulles International Airport on April 26 through 28. Excellent conference; over 200 attendees.

The proposed May meeting discussions will cover FM transmissions and other breakthrough inventions of Major Edwin Armstrong. The next GCARES meeting will be held on Monday, May 13 at 7PM at the Southern Garrett Rescue Squad facility, Oakland, MD.

Net every Sunday evening at 8PM Local on 146.805, PL 123. Linked to the TARGET System (Cacapon, WV on 146.745, etc.) and sometimes to a WAN system. Checking into the MDD net most every evening.
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de HARF County W3YR

- The Harford County ARES/RACES monthly meeting was held at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on 4 April 2019. Information on the Susquehanna River Running Festival was presented by race/scholarship organizers. The race will occur on 28 September and the Harford County ARES group is in need of numerous guest operators to support the event. The meeting also included discussion on Field Day which will occur at the field behind the Harford County EOC, and membership applications/background checks.
- Exercise and training session include one monthly ARES/RACES meeting, one monthly Harford County ARES net on the Harford County 146.775(-) PL 146.2 repeater, and participation in the MEMA COMEX.
- Current projects include radio installation at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Hospital, upgrade of the Harford County 2m and 440 analog repeaters, and Field Day preparations.
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de HOWA County de N3AWP

Joint ARES/RACES - Digital communications drill. Adding Foxcatcher public service event.
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de PRGE County WB3KAS:

PRGE ARES Web Page: http://www.pgares.org
PRGE ARES Internet Forum: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PG-AresRaces/

Nets: Regularly scheduled monthly training VHF nets on the K3ERA Repeater, 145.23MHz pl 110.9 on Tuesdays at 1930L and EchoLink node KA3POX-L. The monthly HF Hospital Net is held the Wednesday following the third Monday of the month on 3820kHz at 1900L. NCS rotates.

Meetings: Monthly meeting held the 3rd Monday of the month at the Fire Services Building, 6820 Webster St, Landover Hills, MD at 1930.

The new 440 repeater is now ready for install at Doctors Community Hospital in Lanham, MD. Waiting for our 'repeater guy' to free up some time to help with in install. Stay tuned.

April 4 Three-county wide Quarterly Hospital Drill. More details next month while we smoke over email responses and observations yet to come in.

April 25 MedStar Corp wide Hospital Exercise. Radio operators in those hospitals are expected to support the event. Two hospital with radios played; MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton and MedStar Montgomery Memorial Onley.

April 15: A dedicated meeting with the Region V Exercise Planners to explain ARES' roll in an EmComm disaster in prep for the May 23 Region V. This was called by the Planners in hope to get an understanding of exercise injects that 'make sense' for the radio operators.

K3ERA 2m Repeater EchoLink is now on the air via KA3POX-L Node 896210. As Mikey would say, "Try it, you'll like it."
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de TALB County W3GAC

No comments.

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de WASH County NI2W

Only one ARES net was held this month in Washington County versus the normal two. The ARES Fusion net conducted on the 447.975 repeater located in Cascade, MD could not be held due to a repeater malfunction. The problem has been since corrected.

As mentioned above, there are two ARES nets conducted each month in Washington County. Bothe are held on the last Thursday of the month. The first is an FM mode net beginning at 7:00 PM the 146.94 - PL 100 repeater which is located just west of Clear Spring, MD. The second begins at 7:30 PM and is a C4FM mode net held on the 447.975 repeater which is located in Cascade, MD. All licenses amateurs are welcome on both nets.

Twice monthly ARES meetings are included as part of the normal Antietam Radio Association Club meetings. ARES items and event planning are the usual topics for these meetings. The ARA meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of the month beginning at 7:00 PM at St. John's Lutheran Church located at 141 South Potomac Street in Hagerstown, MD. Meetings are held in the activities building immediately behind the church. Everyone, amateur and non-amateur alike are invited to attend.
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de WICO County W3JCT

Local Net: Delmarva Amateur Radio Enhancement Net every Monday night at 9:00 p.m. The DAR Net is sponsored by the Delmarva Amateur Radio Club which is now an ARRL Affiliated group operating a repeater on 146.820 MHz PL 156.7 Hz.

Delmarva Amateur Radio Club (DARC) – As Emergency Coordinator for the Wicomico County ARES, I do attend the DARC monthly meetings and give a report, since the DARC is an ARRL affiliated club which allows use of their repeater for Wicomico RACES/ARES activities. Wicomico County RACES/ARES also take an active role in the DARC meetings held on the third Wednesday at their the DARC Monthly Meeting located at the Wicomico Presbyterian Church in Salisbury, Maryland.

Wicomico County RACES/ARES - MEMA RACES(ARES) Training (2nd Tuesday of the Month).

Wicomico County RACES/ARES – Will be on summer break unless activated starting in June and returning to active training/drill status in September.

======================
de KA3AHI MDC Section ASM for the Health Care EmComm Program:

The 2019 Second Quarterly Hospital Drill was held April 4. They are held the first Thursday of the calendar quarter, with next one on July 11, pushed out a week due the 4th landing on the original scheduled date. If you are interested in being a part of it, from any Section County, contact me at ka3ahi@arrl.net

Reports from the Maryland Medical Region V indicate a very ambitious hospital exercise season with slight possibility of an overlapping exercise the same day and one that follows several days later.

March HF Hospital Net held in April had 15 check-ins. Very pleased with the turnout; thank you all for supporting the event.

HF Hospital Nets are conducted on Wednesday following the third Monday of the month on 3820kHz +/- at 1900L. So, give us a hollar! If you don't hear us look downstream 5-8 kHz.

I'd like to hear more check-ins from our MDC Section.

Next HF Hospital Net is April 17 with yours truly, KA3AHI NCS. May HFHN is scheduled for the 22nd.
======================

Signature: Jim Montgomery
Call sign: WB3KAS
Maryland-DC SEC
Email: wb3kas@arrl.net
Please send to ARRL HQ, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 by 10th of the month
FSD-96 (1-04)

==> SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER'S REPORT

FOR THE MDC WEB SITE AND SECTION NEWS 1904

MDC NTS NETS:

MEPN 1904 W3YVQ QND/30 QNI/357 QTC/51 MINS/631
BTN 1904 AB3WG QND/30 QNI/363 QTC/39 MINS/533
MDD 1904 AA3SB QND/59 QNI/274 QTC/87 MINS/498
MSN 1904 W8CPG NO REPORT

PSHR: KK3F 140, W3CB 136, W3YVQ 135, K3IN 110, N3JET 100, WB3FTQ 100, AA3SB 99, NI2W 96, AB3WG 77,
TFC: KK3F 2900, K3IN 219, W3YVQ 98, AA3SB 75, N3JET 61, WB3FTQ 43, NI2W 36, W3CB 31, AB3WG 30,
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HF PROPAGATION:

MEPN: The net NVIS propagation was functional throughout APR, 2019, with good signals. Outbound traffic to MDD may be routed via the Digital Traffic Net if it is anticipated that MDD may not be able to conduct a net, a tricky prediction at best; or may be carried by the MDD liaison to an MDD EchoLink session, if held, for DTN; or outbound traffic may be sent to one of the MDC DTS stations via WL2K (as advised by the MDD NM) if MDD or 3RN/C4 fails.
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MDD: NVIS propagation for local MDC stations on MDD early and late, and on RRI/3RN/C4 nets, was greatly improved. As April progressed the higher sun angle allowed the MUF to remain above the net frequency on most nights. Outbound traffic may be posted via WL2K to one of the MDC DTS stations as advised by the MDD NM if the net fails. If 3RN fails and the MDD rep cannot go to RRIE, the outbound traffic may be posted with one of the MDC DTS stations as advised by the MDD NM. In May we should continue to experience good NVIS on all four Cycle 4 CW nets barring any unusual solar flare or CME activity.
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CW OPERATORS NEEDED:

Additional CW operators are needed for liaison to MDD and to the higher nets, and Net Control Stations are also needed on MDD and 3RN/C4. The evening NTS and RRI nets in Cycle-4 nation-wide are conducted on CW, a very efficient mode for traffic handling. Grab your key, join in on MSN to help sharpen your skills, have some fun QSOs to help build confidence, and come participate in the evening nets.
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MEPN/MDD/3RN ECHOLINK:

MEPN (Maryland Emergency Phone Net) representatives check for EchoLink check-ins starting at net call daily via the WB3GXW-L link node (or *WASH_DC* conference node backup if the -L node is not available). WB3GXW has kindly given permission for the MDD and 3RN operators to coordinate message handling on the WB3GXW-L conference bridge as needed during this solar minimum period.
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MSN CW TRAINING:

Remember that the MSN (Maryland Slow Net) provides CW training daily for newcomers to the mode, or those wishing to refresh their skills, daily at 7:30 PM Local on 3563 kHz. Each trainee works with an assigned instructor off the net frequency to receive Radiograms containing training information. Instructors work with each student at their own desired speed and check-in schedule. All are encouraged to master the art of CW via this net or personal training in order to support and join the ranks of our MDD Section CW net. Robin, AA3SB, MDD NM, and the veteran staff, will be glad to help you advance to the evening CW full Cycle 4 RRI. By the end of March, the NVIS propagation improved enough to allow local stations to participate in MSN with good signals.
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BTN LOCAL NTS TRAFFIC AND TRAINING NET:

The BTN (Baltimore Traffic Net) continues to meet on 145.33/R (no tone) daily at 6:30PM local time and continues to welcome new amateurs. The availability of an active directed traffic net of the NTS on VHF is exactly why the BTN was established, providing a welcoming place for newcomers to the Amateur Service. Thanks to all the BTN stations checking into the MEPN via EchoLink. The NM, AB3WG, has initiated plans for broader cooperation between BTN and MSN to foster more awareness between operators using the respective modes. Instructive message swapping and liaison duties should be in effect in May 2019.
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MESSAGE TYPES:

MDC NTS and RRI handle:
1) The traditional Radiogram (all-cap letters, figures, and slant- bars, with spelled out punctuation);
2) The Hybrid Radiogram (which is formatted in the Preamble, Address, and Signature, plus any OP NOTES, the same way as the traditional Radiogram but with an email-formatted text with upper/lower case, figures, plus all the standard email punctuation symbols, permitted between the breaks in order to carry ICS and other form content - handled by RRI´s Digital Traffic Network); and
3) Operators use the Winlink Radio-email system for transport of both types of Radiograms as well as regular email-formatted messages. FL MSG also provides for ICS form entry and export of content to facilitate handling such texts within Amateur Radio; and it also provides an attachment export which may be used to print out ICS forms on the receiving end including the form´s box borders.
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Please encourage newcomers in your clubs and areas to learn how to format the various message types; participate in our directed traffic nets; and become familiar with the equipment, software, and operational experience needed. These are critically important skill sets to bring to all NTS, RRI, ARES®, RACES, and NIMS/ICS support activities; and are now required in ARES® guidance. The Section´s NTS staff will be glad to provide introductory and advanced training via EchoLink to help you. As mentioned on our Section EchoLink conferences, it is efficient to do this for the instructors in reasonable class sizes. ARES® ECs, etc., or designated specialists in your jurisdictions, are good candidates for this. Rank and file training should continue on local ARES® and club nets. The training references for many of the topics are on the Section´s web site under General Information (http://www.arrl-mdc.net).


Thanks to all the Section traffic net NCS stations, DTN/RRI and WL2K stations, liaisons, and traffic handlers for the continuing effort to keep the nets running and traffic moving.


Thank you for your continued support of MDC integrated ARES(r), RRI, and NTS operations.

73, W3YVQ, MDC ASM, STM
w3yvq atsign arrl dot net
w3yvq atsign winlink dot org from WL2K

/EX


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The "Maryland-DC Section News" is published monthly by the ARRL Maryland-DC Section Manager Marty Pittinger, KB3MXM, 4 Pegram Rd, Owings Mills, MD 21117-2116; landline 443-326-1783.

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