TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM ARRL DISTRICT 3 EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INC.
WOOD COUNTY ARES BULLETIN NR 17.51 DATE: December 17, 2017
SUBJECT: WHEN IN DOUBT, BRING IT ALONG
Some activities only happen once a year, and if you don't plan well in advance, you may have trouble. A few years ago one of those yearly activities was held, and the communication organizers of the event let the activity fall apart. The activity was an event to provide additional communications for the Safety & Security people, and the Public Safety agencies.
Those working on the communications thought they had everything ready, but there was a few things they overlooked. The back-up communications was going to be operated on the HF bands. A 40 Meter frequency was going to be the primary, and a 75 Meter frequency as an alternate. Those building and setting up the antenna made it for 40 Meters. When the event got started it was determined the 40 Meter band wasn't going to work. Due to band propagations, the event had to be moved to the 75 Meter frequency, Strike One.
There a was failure to take an antenna tuner to let the antenna work on 75 Meters, Strike Two. When the operators of the station were ready to fire up the station they found they had no power, and no generator to power the station, Strike Three. When they sat up the station the day before, they thought about bringing batteries for back-up power, but figured there would be a generator available. Strike Four.
By not being able to provide the additional communications, the communications group let the Safety & Security, and the Public Safety agencies down. So the next time you're planning an activity, be sure to think of everything you may need, then take it with you. Then after you have all that you think you need, take additional equipment. It's better to have it, and not need it, then to need it, and not have it.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV