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 21.06 DATE: February 7, 2021
SUBJECT: IS YOUR EQUIPMENT READILY AVAILABLE?
If you were to get a call right now, to provide emergency communications, could you pick up the equipment you might need to provide reliable communications?
Ask yourself right now, where is my Handie/Talkie, my magnetic antenna, extra batteries, portable packet station? Is the nine volt battery in the TNC still good, or is it dead because I forgot to put on the "Quad P" see (Bulletin Number 96.17), on the power switch.
Do I have my Magnetic Antenna Protection Pad? see (Bulletin Number 95.36). If you're going to use your magnetic antenna, do you have a PL-259 to BNC adaptor, or other adaptors needed to connect the antenna to the H/T? Do you have an extra piece of coax and a barrel connector in case you have to get an antenna in a better location?
Do you have your power cable adaptors see (Bulletin Number 06.14, 06.15, and 06.16) in case you are in a vehicle that's not set up for temporary radio installations? How about a clipboard, paper, log sheets, pens and pencils. Since it may be raining, do you have a plastic bag to cover your H/T in case I'm assigned to work outside?
Do you have your foul weather gear? Now is the time to think about all of these things. You should keep all of these items and a lot more on a shelf, or in a Go Bag, somewhere so you can grab them and go. Take a look at the Wood County RACES, ARES, and District 3 bulletins to get an idea what you might need to be prepared.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV