************************
MDC Section News
Vol. 11, No. 09
September 13, 2016
************************

* MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16th
* PATAPSCO TRAIL FEST, BIKE AND MARATHON
* RUN FOR THE LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNICATION SUPPORT - SEPTEMBER 25
* CQ CQ CQ CALLING FOR VOLUNEERS TO ASSIST WITH PARADE
* UPCOMING HAMFESTS & HAM TRAINING
* MARINE CORPS MARATHON (MCM) ANNOUNCEMENT - HAMS NEEDED
* MDC SECTION S.E.T.
* AUGUST, 2016 T-MARC COORDINATION REPORT
* MDC SECTION ARES® REPORT
* SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER'S REPORT
* FINAL COMMENTS FROM YOUR SECTION MANAGER


==> MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16th

This month's MDC section-wide EchoLink net will be held on
Friday, September 19 at 8:00 PM on the EchoLink *WASH_DC* Node
6154.

The EchoLink net is held on the third Friday evening of every
month at 8:00 PM local time.

If you would like to join in on RF, the following repeaters and
IRLPs have linked in for previous EchoLink nets:

- KA2JAI-R operates through the KB3CMA repeater 442.300(+),
  CTCSS 107.2 Hz, in Annapolis, MD
- WB3GXW-R, 147.225(+), CTCSS 156.7 Hz, located in Calverton, MD
- N3HF-L, 443.45(+), CTCSS 151.4 Hz, located near Ocean City, MD
- N3HF-R, 443.45(+), CTCSS 156.7 Hz, located near Silver
  Spring, MD
- W3ICF-R, 146.73(-), CTCSS 141.3 Hz, located near Frederick, MD
- K3CAL-R, 146.985(-), CTCSS 156.7, located near Sunderland, MD
- W3SMR, 147.150 MHz (+), CTCSS 114.8 Hz, Brandywine, MD
- N3RO-L, 145.545, Simplex, Frederick Co, MD
- W3SMD-L, 147.51 Simplex, N. St Mary's County, MD
- K3GMR-R 146.61 (-), No CTCSS, Cheverly, MD

Everyone is encouraged to join in and give any updates on what is
going on 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.

Also join and follow us on:

Facebook -
<https://www.facebook.com/ARRL-Maryland-DC-Section-147302645336393/>

or Twitter -
@MDCARRL


==> PATAPSCO TRAIL FEST, BIKE AND MARATHON

The Columbia Amateur Radio Association (CARA) has been asked to
support the first Patapsco Trail Fest combined Bike Event and
Marathon on the weekend of 17-18 September, 2016 and they would
like to extend and invitation to area hams to help support this
interesting and fairly large public service event.  

This event is being organized by the same group who has in the
past set up the Patapsco 100 Mountain Bike Race and the Patapsco
Epic Bike events. 

Please refer to the following link for additional information
about the event, itself - <https://pvsptrailfest.com/>.

Amateur Radio operators will be positioned at Aid Stations and
key trail locations/check points in the Patapsco Park McKeldin,
Woodstock, Daniels, Pickall and Hollofield Areas to enable
communications along each event course.  Radio communications
will help the event organizers coordinate their activities,
enable EMS/First Responder support, and help provide situational
awareness to all who are supporting event activities. 

CARA will establish at least one and possibly a second 2-meter
net, and likely also utilize 2-meter/70-centimeter simplex
frequencies for point-to-point communications, as needed.

Amateur Radio volunteers are needed on both Saturday the 17th
and Sunday the 18th.

The CARA point of contact for this event is Andy Protigal,
N3AWP, <n3awp@arrl.net>.


==> RUN FOR THE LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNICATION SUPPORT - SEPTEMBER 25

The Anne Arundel Amateur Radio Club will be coordinating the
"Run for the Lighthouse Half Marathon" on Sunday 25 September
2016.

Most operators will need to be on site and set up my 7:00 am
and the event should be over by 12:00 noon. It is a half
marathon, 5k run and a 1.25 mile walk.

This is an annual event to help raise money for a local
homeless shelter.

Amateur Radio Assistance Requirements: In all but three positions
a 5-watt HT will work fine.  In three positions a mobile rig is
better as we have had trouble in the past with HTs at those
points.

We are also looking for a bike rider with APRS to follow the
last runner in the half-marathon.  We can provide an HT with APRS
if needed.
 
Race Location(s): Quiet Waters Park and Hillsmere, the community
next to the park.  (Strangely, there are no serious hills in
Hillsmere.)

Hams will meet at: Net Control Station at the Lighthizer Pavilion
located in Quiet Waters Park at the bottom of Quiet Waters Park
Loop Road.

Geographic coordinates of NCS:  38.937819,-76.501388.

Hams who are unfamiliar with the area or who need some advice may
arrive at the meeing point earlier (the park gates open at 0600)
and we will help.

We will have more details on geographic coordinates of the
operating points, talk-in and operating radio frequencies, APRS
settings and protocol, in the coming week.

Webpage: <http://www.annapolisrunforthelighthouse.org/>

Contact: Ben Palmer, KC3COD, <kc3cod@gmail.com>  443-542-3931
voice or text.


==> CQ CQ CQ CALLING FOR VOLUNEERS TO ASSIST WITH PARADE

PG-ARES® is supporting the 2016 Prince George's County Volunteer
Fire and Rescue Squad Association Parade again this year.

The date is Saturday October 1st in the morning. I am looking
for 6-7 radio operators with mobile and HT access. There will
be two staging areas and the reviewing stand.

I will need two operators at each site to assist the parade
coordinators and anyone extra to be runners to assist in any
other ways. The entire event will take about two hours from
staging to the end.

We will meet at the Branchville Volunteer Fire Company at 8:00 am
to get assignments and meet the people at your locations, then
go and set up for the parade.

Park in the large parking lot across the street from the fire
house. We will be using the 145.23 repeater for the event.

The fire department address is 4905 Branchville Rd.,
College Park MD.

The staging area for the fire apparatus will be at the National
Agricultural Library, 10301 Baltimore Ave, Beltsville MD,.

The staging area for the marching units will be at the College
Park United Methodist church, 9601 Rhode Island Ave., in College
Park MD.

The Reviewing stand will be set up in the 9000 block of Rhode
Island Ave. There will be parking at the sites, especially since
we will be getting there early.

I will be running net control for the event.

Please contact me by email if you can help. This is another way
to get exposure to the Fire Departments.

I am looking forward to helping to make this parade a success.

Jim Baker, AEC for FIRE and EMS
<N3XKJ1@verizon.net>


==> UPCOMING HAMFESTS & HAM TRAINING & ARC EVENTS

This is a list of Hamfests in the Maryland-DC Section area.

I am including a list of Hamfests in nearby Pennsylvania, northern
Virginia, West Virginia and Delaware as a courtesy to our
neighboring Section Managers.

I, your MDC Section Manager, Marty Pittinger - KB3MXM, and/or a
designated ARRL representative(s) plan to attend all hamfests in
the Maryland-DC Section.

We hope to see you all there.

---------------------

Columbia Amateur Radio Association CARAFest 2016
Date: Sundayy, October 9, 2016
Location: Howard County Fairgrounds
2210 Fairgrounds Road
West Friendship, MD 21794
Follow I-70 to Rt-32 and follow signs
DX Card Checking and Free License Exam
Tailgater @ 6AM, Public @ 8AM, see website
Website: <http://www.carafest.org>
Sponsor: Columbia Amateur Radio Association
Talk-In: 147.39+ (PL 156.7)
Public Contact: David Parkison, KB3VDY
PO Box 911 Columbia, MD 21044
Phone: 443-492-9501
Email: <info@carafest.org>

---------------------

St. Mary's ARA 4th Annual TailgateFest
Saturday, October 22, 2015
Event Time: 8 AM - 12 Noon
Location: Hollywood VFD Bingo Hall
24801 Three Notch Road
Hollywood, MD 20636
Website: <http://www.k3hki.org>
Sponsor: St. Mary's County ARA
Talk-In: 146.640 (PL 146.2)
Table fee: Indoor Reserved: $10, Outdoor spot: $5
Public Contact: Chuck Gantz, K3WJX
45200 Christman Road Hollywood, MD 20636
Phone: 240-925-1105
Email: <k3wjx@yahoo.com>

---------------------

The Mason-Dixon Hamfest
Date: Sunday, October 23, 2016
Location: Sportmans Hall Skating Rink
15500 Hanover Pike
Upperco, MD 21155
Website: <www.qis.net/~k3pzn/hamfest.html>
Sponsor: Carroll County Amateur Radio Club
Public Contact: Steve Beckman, N3SB
2145 Bethel Rd
Finksburg, MD 21048
Phone: 410-876-1482
E-mail: <n3sb@qis.net>
Notes: Overnight parking is by special arrangement.
Send an e-mail to <n3sb@qis.net> if you need to park on
the grounds Saturday night.
The skating rink is open until 12 midnight on Saturday night.
Therefore, Saturday setup in the parking lot is _not_available.
Indoor table space is currently TBD due to construction
at the rink.
Please check back in the summer and we will post more
information as soon as it is available.

---------------------

Santa Fest
Date: Saturday, December 10, 2016
Location: American Legion Youth Camp
9201 Surratts Road
Cheltenham, MD 20623
Sponsor: American Legion & Prince George's County Emergency
Repeater Association
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Talk-In: 145.230 (PL 110.9)
Public Contact: Charles Hallock, AA3WS
16203 Manning Road
West Accokeek, MD 20607
Phone: 301-535-1666
E-mail: <selbynet@hotmail.com>

---------------------

BARC's Father's Day Hamfest
Date: Sunday, June 18, 2017
Location: Arcadia Volunteer Fire Company Grounds
16020 Carnival Avenue
Upperco, MD 21155
Website: <www.w3ft.com>
Sponsor: Baltimore Amateur Radio Club
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Talk-In: None
Public Contact: Dave Shadwell, AB3TE
PO Box 120
Reisterstown, MD 21136
Phone: 443-465-6583
E-mail: <w3ft67@yahoo.com>

You may view upcoming Hamfests which are being held in the MDC
Section and nearby in Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and
the northern Virginia area by clicking on either:
<www.arrl-mdc.net/hamfest.htm> or the ARRL's Hamfest and
Convention Calendar,
<www.arrl.org/hamfests-and-conventions-calendar>.

-------

* AMATEUR RADIO TECHNICIAN LEVEL LICENSE CLASS
Saturday October 8th & Sunday 9th, 2016 - 9 AM to 4 PM both days
This is an intense two day course that covers all of the material
necessary to pass the examination.

Location is the Cranford-Graves Fire Services Building,
6820 Webster Street, Hyattsville, MD 20784.

Registration is required through EventBrite.com.  Click on:
<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-free-ham-radio-technician-classhamcram-hyattsville-maryland-tickets-26833232922>.

---------------------

==> MARINE CORPS MARATHON (MCM) ANNOUNCEMENT - HAMS NEEDED

The Virginia Section District 2 EC, WD5DBC – a Marine Corps
Marathon volunteer since 1997 – is urging radio amateurs in the
Mid-Atlantic area, including Virginia, Maryland, District of
Columbia, West Virginia, and other states to join him on the
Marine Corp Marathon course this fall to, as he put it,
"participate in The Peoples Marathon."

On Sunday, October 30th, Amateur Radio volunteers will provide
communication support for the 41st running of the Marine Corp
Marathon.

The Marathon runs along a scenic route starting near Arlington
National Cemetery into Washington, DC past many monuments (hence
the nickname "Marathon of the Monuments") back into Virginia
finishing after 26.2 miles at the Marine Corps War Memorial in
Arlington, Virginia. 

Amateur Radio volunteers provide emergency medical and logistics
communication support throughout the course, working in concert
with the various law enforcement agencies as well as the
Arlington, VA and Washington, DC Fire Department Emergency Medical
Services (EMS) to aid the more than 25,000 athletes that are
expected to take part this year.

"Additional ham radio operators are still needed to staff some
points along the course including mile markers, water points,
food stops, aid stations as well as some post-finish locations,"
said MCM Marathon Amateur Radio Communications Director Howard
Cunningham, WD5DBC.

To signup there are two signup pages. 

The first page is <http://www.mcmham.org> and the second page is
<https://mcmregistration.com/Register/?event=36405>.

If you have any questions or problems, please email me at
<howardc@macrollc.com>.

Thanks and 73,
Howard Cunningham, WD5DBC

==> MARYLAND/DC SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST (S.E.T.)

Your MDC Section 2016 national ARRL Simulated Emergency Test
(SET) is slated for the October 4-5 weekend. Our Section
Emergency Coordinator (SEC) Jim Montgomery WB3KAS and a team
of volunteers have planned a unique and valuable event. Our
80 or 40m Winlink test will demonstrate our abilities to route
emergency messaging throughout Maryland/DC and beyond.

We have commitment from the following nine counties agreeing
to support the 2016 MDC Section SET. Jim Wb3KAS write: They are
ALLE, ANAR, BACI, CHAS, FRED, HOWA, PRGE, TALB and WASH counties.
 
Contact your ARES® EC or Jim WB3KAS MDC SEC to get involved.

Jim says, "Looking to hear from the rest of you soon. . .one way
or the other.

>From the ARRL Website - The SET is a nationwide exercise in
disaster response and emergency communication, administered
by ARRL emergency coordinators and net managers, in which
volunteers respond to a mock emergency or disaster, such as
an earthquake or hurricane. Members of the Amateur Radio
Emergency Service (ARES), the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency
Service (RACES), the National Traffic System (NTS), SKYWARN,
the ARRL Field Organization, and other groups work together
to plan and develop simulated emergency and disaster scenarios,
in consultation with the various served agencies that rely
on radio amateurs during emergencies.

Read more about the SET at <http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-simulated-emergency-test-set-for-october-4-5-weekend>.

==> AUGUST, 2016 T-MARC COORDINATION REPORT

T-MARC is The Mid-Atlantic Repeater Council.

T-MARC coordinates Amateur repeater operations to help keep
interference problems to a minimum.

The areas of responsibility include the District of Columbia,
Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia and the eastern panhandle
of West Virginia.

August 2016
Applications in Process:

AMRAD
 – Sent new coordination for 147.2100+ at Dulles, Va.
 
N3SCP
 – Original pair picked had adjacent channel conflict.
 - Resubmitted alternate pair to neighboring coordinators for
    review.
 - Sent Construction Coordination for 442.5500+ at
    Gambrills, Md.
 
DCMARC
 – Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to co-channel system in
    Mt. Holly Springs, Pa.
 
KA3GRW
 – Received application to modify coordination for 443.7000+
    in LaPlata, Md.
 - Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to neighboring
    coordination groups.
 - Sent new coordination.
 
Blossom Point ARC
 – Received application to modify coordination for 146.8500-
    in LaPlata, Md.
 - Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to
    neighboring coordination groups.
 - Sent new coordination.
 
W3DCA
 – Received application for 2 meter repeater in Washington, D.C.
 - Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to neighboring
    coordination groups and co-channel in TMARC area.
 - Sent Construction Coordination for 147.2700+ in
    Washington, D.C.
 
AE4ML
 – Received application for coordination for UHF pair in
    Spotsylvania, Va.
 
K4JK
 – Sent Final Coordination for 444.6625+ in Harrisonburg, Va.
 
Other:
Western Pa. Repeater Council
 - Received 1 proposed coordination for 2 meters
 - Received 1 proposed coordination for 220
 - Received 3 proposed coordinations for 440
 
Ohio Area Repeater Council
 - Received 1 proposed coordination for 2 meters
 - Received 1 proposed coordination for 440

You may view the T-MARC home page at: <http://tmarc.org/> or,
if you have any questions, you may contact T-MARC via e-mail
at: <tmarc@tmarc.org>.


==> MDC SECTION ARES® REPORT

_____________________________________________________
ARRL Section: Maryland-DC August Year: 2016
_____________________________________________________

AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE
Total number of ARES members:  565
Change since last month:  2
Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 9 of 18 or 50%
Number of ARES nets active:  18
Number with NTS liaison:  4
Calls of DECs/ECs reporting: KB3LJB, N3SEO, NI2W, W3YR, W3JCT,
W3DVG, WA3EOQ, WB3KAS, WR3F
Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 18
   Person hours: 176
Number of public service events this month: 6
   Person hours: 401
Number of emergency operations this month: 0
   Person hours: 0        
Total number of ARES operations this month: 24
   Total Person hours: 257
=========================================================
EmComm Events and Comments from around the Section
de Section Emergency Coordinator WB3KAS:
Reporting
Nine of the 18 appointed ECs submitted their monthly ARES County
reports this month, or 50% probably because I got a reminder
notice out. . .late, but nevertheless I got it out! Will do
better next month.

I'd liked to thank everyone for taking the time to write their
reports.

It's extremely important that your consituents hear what is going
on relative to EmComm.  If nothing more, tell us what meetings
you hold, when, where and on what repeaters you can be found.
I'd like to hear from the rest of you.

MDC Section Vacancies Still Open
There is one vacant DEC slot left for the Central Region Section.
If you are interested, and up to the challenge, please contact
the Section Manager, KB3MXM or me for more information.

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 4 out of the 5 are on the Eastern Shore
and is a grave concern from a weather perspective.  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 atsign arrl.net.

SEC Presentations
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.

MDC Section Reflectors
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. 

The URL is: <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!!  We now have 85 members
this month, down one from last month.  First time we have had
an unsubscribe. It's a slow growth, but it is growing.
I encourage you to use this to inform or keep intouch with the
rest of your fellow members.
With the wide distribution of this newsletter coming out only
once a month, this Yahoo Site with 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. 
You may join at:
<https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ARRLMDCSECTION/info>.

2016 MDC SET:
MDC SET is going to be October 1-2 this year.  All the ECs have
a draft copy of the plan for review.  If you wish to be a part
of the exercise, contact your EC for a copy.  For those counties
without an EC contact your Regional DEC.  Central Region contact
me.
On August 20, a MDC Section SET Planning meeting was hosted by
HOWA county ARES at the Clarksville VFD.  Nineteen attended
representing eight MDC Section Counties.  Highlights as follows:
This year is a data gathering SET.  Centers around "Hurricane
Delmarva" sitting off the Atlantic coast.  MEMA is concerned
that county EOCs may loose connectivity with the State and
surrounding counties after landfall.  Our mission is to tabulate
a list of operators around the Section who can 'touch any
counties' BEFORE the hurricane reaches landfall. 
Winlink 2000 Winmor in Peer-to-Peer will be the mode of choice. 
The frequencies will be 3575 kHz Upper Sideband.  For those not
having 80m capability, 40m on 7075 kHz is also available.
Start time is 0000Z Saturday, October 1 through 1600Z Sunday,
October 2. You may operate as your time permits.  This is not a
contest. You must choose one band or the other, but not both,
and stay on that band throughout the SET.
All MDC Section HF Winlink operators interested in supporting
the event will send your Winlink call sign, along with the band
of choice, to your respective EC or to me by September 17. 
After compliling the list by band into the updated Plan, a
revision will be sent out September 24 and distributed to all
who signed up supporting the SET. Much more details on reporting
will be outlined in the updated Plan.
For those who wish to practice, and everyone should, you may
connect to me (WB3KAS) and leave me a message on 3575 kHz Upper
Sideband, 24/7. I will respond at my earliest convenience and
when I do, please connect again to retrieve my response.
======================
Section Reports Received:
======================
de ANAR N3SEO
ARES meetings usually the third Saturday at 0900 at the EOC.
ARES nets each Sunday night at 2000 hours on 146.805 Repeater.
Ben Moore = 13 Hams
Annapolis Exercise = 9 hams
Annapolis 10 miler = 22 hams
Meeting Sept 17
Sept 10 – Marley Station Expo.
======================
de CECI KB3LJB
August 2016 ARES activities in Cecil County consisted mostly of
participation in the weekly Sunday evening ARES Nets held on the
CBRA 146.850 repeater in Port Deposit, MD.  The Nets averaged
½ hour duration and 10 operators checking in for a total of 20
person hours.
The CECI ARES group is planning on participating in the SET
tentatively scheduled to be held October 1-2.  Plans for this
SET indicate it will be a test of the Winlink system over HF from
as many counties as possible.  HF capabilities at the Cecil EOC
are limited however, the EOC staff is willing to work with us to
prove a successful emergency configuration scenario where we are
able to pass messages to other jurisdictions via Winlink. 
A couple of the ARES volunteers have assembled the equipment
required into a go kit and have been passing along the knowledge
required to temporarily set up at the EOC for this SET.
The WA3SFJ-R Echolink Node 585690 is up and available for
traffic to and from the Cecil ARES Group.

======================
de GARR County WA3EOQ
Next regular meeting on 12 September at 7PM at the Southern
Rescue Squad facility in Oakland.  
Net every Sunday evening at 8PM Local on 146.805, pl 123. 
Connected to the TARGET system.
Team to support the Savageman Triathlon has been all but
finalized.  The Triathlon will be run September 18 throughout
Garrett County.  GCARES with an assist from the Mountain ARC
(Cumberland) will be supporting the bicycle section of this
event again this year especially covering areas where cell
reception is non-existent and, simultaneously, prone to
high-speed downhill crashes.
Reference the upcoming October SET:  Winlink has been downloaded
and installed at this station but not checked out yet.  To my
knowledge, there are NO OTHER STATIONS in Garrett County which
have Winlink capabilities.   Consequently, Garrett County may
not be represented in a digital only SET!  Concerning erecting
a special NVIS antenna:  From this station, a common 80m
inverted vee antenna covers the entire state (Garrett County to
the Eastern Shore) using CW/SSB.
Checked into the special MEPN session on 3 September concerning
hurricane Hermine.  No action was necessary in Western Maryland
as the hurricane had zero effect this far inland.  
Checking into the MDD net most every evening.
Howard
WA3EOQ
 
======================
de HARF County W3YR
Comments:  The Harford County ARES net is scheduled for the 2nd
Tuesday of the month at 8:00PM using the Harford County 146.775
analog repeater, then switching to the 145.120 DSTAR repeater.
Last month's activities included:
Harford County ARES net on 9 August.  Four check-ins with a total
net time of 15 minutes.
Winlink testing:  Two laptops tested and operational on 80m and
40m using onboard sound card and external push to talk circuit.
One laptop and radio belonging to Dave Hepner /KB3HWM tested and
operation on 80m and 40m using a Signalink and on 2m using a
software terminal node controller (TNC).  
Jeff Mathews/KB3LFG and Ted Wieworka/W3YR attended the 2016 MDC
SET Planning Meeting on 20 August at the Howard County Fire
Station #5 in Clarksville MD.
======================
de HOWA County WR3F
Comments: Our public service event was the MD HEAT runs through
sections of Patapsco State Park.  With 16 operators we provided
communications support from 8 locations for the 25KM and 50KM
course.  Operators included N3AWP, comms organizer, and W8AJR,
W3GJN, K3UOD, WT3F, KD4UBM, KC3BTQ, KC3VCV, KB3YTX, N3QW, K3RTW,
N3KNN, N3YQ, W3CPO, WR3F, and KB3VQD.
======================
de PRGE County WB3KAS:
PRGE ARES Web Page: <http://www.pgares.org>
PRGE ARES Internet Forum:
  <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PG-AresRaces/>
Nets: Held four regularly scheduled monthly training VHF nets on
the K3ERA Repeater, 145.23 MHz  pl 110.9 on Tuesdays at 1930L.
The monthly HF Hospital Net is held the Wednesday following the
third Monday of the month on 3820 kHz at 1930L.
Meetings: Monthly meeting held the 3rd Monday of the month at the
Fire Services Building, 6820 Webster St, Landover Hills, MD at
1930.
New EOC Status:  No change from last report.  Waiting for
construction crew to schedule antenna installs.
Prince George's County ARES members have supported NNO since at
least 2006.  This year 18 Amateur Radio operators (also called
'hams') supported six venues across the county. . .and I got to
speak to the Governor visiting the Bowie site over the repeater.
How cool was that? 
Winlink Winmor Internet Gateway connections by Richard, WA3YTK,
were made to WW4MSK in Mineral Bluff, GA; WB9FHP in Paoli, IN;
WB2LMV in Napanoch, NY; K9ANF in Danville, IL; AJ4GU in
McDonough, GA and the grandest of the evening, VE1YZ in Head
of St Margarets Bay, NS (Nova Scotia!).  State Senator
James C. Rosapepe of District 21, Prince George's County and
Anne Arundel County also made his repeater debut at the ARES
table in District 6 Police Station.
Work still in progress to reactivate our Echolink connection to
the K3ERA repeater.  N3ADF is lead on this project.
Our next meeting is Sep 19 and will feature after-action session
for the Greenbelt Labor Day Parade an NVIS presentation and
getting ready for the MDC SET.  All are invited to attend.
=====================
de WASH County NI2W
On August 7, the Antietam Radio Association ARES group provided
support to a mini triathlon held at Ft. Ritchie, MD.  Nine
operators were spread over a bike course that winds through the
mountain and lower elevations in the Ft. Ritchie area. This
is an annual event and the ARA has again been requested to
support this event in 2017.
ARES Nets will be held on the following dates in 2016:
 
 September 29
 October  27
 November 24 - Thanksgiving
 December 29
73
Butch
=====================
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. 
Wicomico County RACES/ARES did not have summer drills in June,
July, or August. The COMMEX drills will resume on September 13.
Wicomico County RACES/ARES did take part in the Wicomico County
Fair on August 20 for the deployment of MC1, which is the
Wicomico County Mobile Command vehicle. There was also an
Amateur Radio special event station at the fair.
=====================
de KA3AHI MDC Section ASM for the Health Care EmComm Program:
HF Hospital Net are conducted on 3820kHz +/- at 1930L.  We try
to hold the freq between 1915 to 1930L, so give us a hollar!
On Augut 17 we had 28 checked in, thanks to the Section Notice
about the Net.  I'd like to hear more checkins from our MDC
Section. Next HFHNet is Sep 21. It is always the Wednesday
following the third Monday.  NCS varies each month.
======================
tnx es 73, de
Jim Montgomery
WB3KAS
Maryland-DC SEC
PRGE ARES EC
Email: wb3kas atsign aol.com


==> SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER'S REPORT

MDC NTS NETS:

MEPN 1608 W3YVQ QND/31 QNI/323 QTC/29 MINS/585
BTN 1608 AB3WG QND/31 QNI/384 QTC/32 MINS/522
MDD 1608 AA3SB QND/60 QNI/535 QTC/108 MINS/593
MSN 1608 W8CPG QND/30 QNI/131 QTC/64 MINS/745

PSHR: KK3F 150, W3YVQ 135, K3IN 110, W3CB 102,
WG3K 101, AA3SB 100, WB3FTQ 95, N3ZOC 90, AB3WG 73,
KB3LFG 73, NI2W 72;

TFC: KK3F 1013, K3IN 117, AA3SB 107, N3ZOC 62,
WG3K 59, W3YVQ 55, WB3FTQ 49, AB3WG 24, W3CB 13,
NI2W 10, KB3LFG 2

==========
HF PROPAGATION
HF conditions on MEPN and 3RN/C2 have been very
poor for the past month due to the declining solar cycle
24 with numerous spotless days. NVIS MUFs have
dropped below 80 meters just before dawn many days.

MDC RADIOGRAMS AND OTHER MESSAGING
Outlets in each ARES® jurisdiction are needed for daily
Radiogram and Radio-email traffic for served agencies,
and also for messaging welcoming new hams to the
Amateur Service. Join the MEPN, BTN, or MDD nets
daily to find out more about how to contribute.

Each ARES jurisdiction in MDC should assign an
HF rep to MEPN or MDD daily; or a rep to BTN daily;
or assign an operator to check Radio-email daily.
Register these stations with the STM so traffic may
be routed to/from your jurisdictions.

BTN LOCAL NTS TRAFFIC AND TRAINING NET
The BTN continues to meet on 145.33/R (no tone - our
backup) 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.

MEPN representatives check for Echolink check-ins
starting at 6 PM daily via the WB3GXW-L link node
(or *WASH_DC* conference node backup if the -L
node is not available).

Remember that the MSN provides CW training daily
for newcomers to the mode, or those wishing to
refresh their skills, daily at 7:30 PM on 3563 kHz.
---

Thanks to all the Section NTS net controls, DRS 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 and NTS operations.

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


==> FINAL COMMENTS FROM YOUR SECTION MANAGER

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), so
be prepared to serve as a member of Amateur Radio and
support our ARES and NTS when called upon to do so.

Also, the national Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, the
largest Scouting event in the world is only a month
away - October 15th & 16th. These opportunities open
doors into Science Technology and Engineering (STEM)
and Amateur Radio. An excellent doorsteps for many youths
to begin this journey. Look for an opportunity do your
part at a nearby amateur radio operator's ham shack or
Scouting events or Scout Camporee.

73 and remember that I am always ready to serve you.
Marty Pittinger, KB3MXM
KB3MXM atsign ARRL.net
ARRL Maryland-DC Section Manager

=========================================================

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; tel 443-326-1783;
e-mail: <KB3MXM@ARRL.net>.

The "Maryland-DC Section News" offers a monthly e-mail digest
of essential and general news of interest to all amateur radio
operators. My editor is ASM Al Brown, KZ3AB, <KZ3AB@ARRL.net>.

Please visit the Maryland-DC Section web page,
<www.arrl-mdc.net/> and the "ARRL MDC Section News and Alerts"
web page, <www.arrl.org/sections/view/maryland-dc>, for the
latest MDC Section news, links and updates.

Material from the "MDC Section News" may be republished or
reproduced, in whole or in part in any form, without additional
permission. Please give credit to the "Maryland-DC Section
News" or the original author of submission.

=========================================================