MIRO Newsletter for March 2016 EMERGENCY PRACTICE NET Thursday, March 10th, 7:00 PM Tom Gaffney W7KTO - NET CONTROL

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1 MIRO Newsletter for March 2016 EMERGENCY PRACTICE NET Thursday, March 10th, 7:00 PM Tom Gaffney W7KTO - NET CONTROL The net will be conducted on the VHF MIRO repeater frequency of MHz + offset, with a CTCSS tone of Hz. Check-in will be by region. After the VHF net check-ins are complete, the net will move to UHF repeater for a roll call of those who checked in on VHF. The UHF repeater frequency is MHz + offset with a CTCSS tone of Hz. In the event of a repeater failure, the net will switch to the simplex frequency of MHz. MIRO MONTHLY MEETING NORTH FIRE STATION Thursday, March 17th 7-8:30 PM: Starting promptly at 7 PM, David Giuliani WA6PXX and Woody Howse K7EDH will present the setup and use of WINLINK and WINMOR. We will have several systems set up so that we are able to actually send WINLINK messages. Digital communications are increasingly important for passing critical emergency information. The last several Fifth Saturday EOC-EOC drills have emphasized WINLINK which with RMS Express, and TNC-X is substantively easier to use than just a few years ago. My system consists of a laptop computer, a TNC-X and my Yasesu FT60R handheld. If both my radio and MacBookPro are charged, I can send a number of messages from virtually anywhere. NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1. March 5 th 9 AM 3 PM: Mike and Key Amateur Radio Electronics show and Fleamarket. Location Puyallup Fairgrounds, 9th Ave SE. & Meridian ST S. PUYALLUP, WA For information go to: 2. Mercer Island Half Marathon preparations Wednesday, March 16 th at 6:30 PM: The MIRO ham radio operators who have volunteered to support the March 20 th Mercer Island Half Marathon will meet at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center (MICEC) for a parade briefing with the Parade Marshals. The hams on the marathon route around the island will be working closely with the Marshals who are also spread around the route. Prior to the briefing a Ham Manual incorporating the Parade Marshall s manual will be sent to each volunteer. Actual location assignments will be made that evening. 13 MIRO members who have notified me of their intent to volunteer are: Alex Banbury KE7WUD, John Banbury AG7N, Bill Ellis KF7PB, David Giuliani WA6PXX, Mike Hansen AC7UR, Vik Harinau AD7HC, Woody Howse K7EDH, Charlie Kaminski KC7NDQ, Charlie Kovacs NA7SA, Frank Morant AF7PC, Michael Roessler KG7DFG, Conner Webster KG7SAW and Dr. Tom Wiegert KE7NMU. Others are welcome. Let me know if you intend to participate also let me know if you cannot make the

2 MIRO March 2016 Newsletter Page 2 Wednesday evening meeting. There will be interesting training available too. See the next item. 3. Mercer Island Half Marathon preparations Saturday, March 19 th at 1500 hours: Special training for MIRO Volunteers who wish to work on the Zone 1 Communications Vehicle that will be parked at the MICEC and serve as the Central Communications link. Our net control will reside in the van and have access to the police frequencies and the GMRS radios that the Race Officials use for their management of the race. This is an amazing opportunity. 4. Mercer Island Half Marathon Sunday, March 20 th at 7:30 AM the Half Marathon Walkers leave the starting gate, at 8:30 AM the 10K runners leave the gate, 9:00 AM the Half Marathon Runners leave the gate and at 9:30 AM the 5K runners leave the gate. Different stations need to be manned at different times. Assignments will be made at the Wednesday evening March 16th Ham and Marshall briefing. 5. April 9 th & 10 th. Communications Academy at South Seattle College. This is an excellent two days of presentations that relate to Ham radio and emergency communications and readiness. Expenses are reimbursable by Jennifer. Early registration, prior to March 20 th, is $30 for one day and $55 for both which includes lunch. We usually can create car pools for the event, though South Seattle College is not that inconvenient. Let me know if you are thinking about going and have any questions. I ve attached a Comm Academy brochure. Here is the website: Let me know if you register. Yes, I m registered to attend. 6. High School Amateur Radio Club Alex Banbury KE7WUD graduates in June. He is having difficulty recruiting new members for the High School Ham Radio club from lower classes. He has five seniors as members and none can continue the club. This is a great club for teenagers to learn about ham radio, gain experience using radios and learning emergency preparedness information, and have the opportunity to have meaningful responsibility. All of us are aware that amateur radio skill is very valuable when no other communication systems are working. If you know anyone starting or in high school that might have interest, let Alex know. As you know, amateur radio is a very valid, fun introduction to STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Alex s contact information is: banbury.a@gmail.com; phone: (206) June 7 th 10 th Cascadia Rising 2016 will bring us the most comprehensive regional exercise that MIRO and the City of Mercer Island have ever participated in. On June 7 th a 9 Richter scale earthquake on the Cascadia Subduction Zone will be simulated. This is the area several hundred miles off the Oregon, Washington and British Columbia coast. It has had significant earthquakes typically on a 300-year frequency and has not released since 9 PM, January 26, If it goes, we expect absolute chaos in our area. A recent New Yorker article predicted 700 foot waves over Seattle. That may happen in Ocean Shores but not Seattle. What we expect is loss of most communications,

3 MIRO March 2016 Newsletter Page 3 power, natural gas, roadways and bridges, et cetera. Oregon and BC will be exercising all forms of radio communications including the ham networks. There will be opportunities for our members to participate in these exercises and as I have more information I will provide it. The key day for us is Friday, June 10 th. The Mercer Island EOC will be activated with as many volunteers as are available. MIRO hams will be assigned to various volunteer groups to provide communications back to the EOC as they do windshield surveys, participate in search & rescue, assist in shelter communications and any other assignments that require good communications. This will be the first ham communications emphasis exercise that MIRO has had in several years. MIRO meeting emphasis over the next several months will include our emergency communications procedures. Ham Lore Where did 73 come from and what does it mean? The traditional expression "73" goes right back to the beginning of the landline telegraph days. It is found in some of the earliest editions of the numerical codes, each with a different definition, but each with the same idea in mind--it indicated that the end, or signature, was coming up. But there are no data to prove that any of these were used. The first authentic use of 73 is in the publication The National Telegraph Review and Operators' Guide, first published in April At that time, 73 meant "My love to you!" Succeeding issues of this publication continued to use this definition of the term. Curiously enough, some of the other numerals then used have the same definition now that they had then, but within a short time, the use of 73 began to change. In the National Telegraph Convention, the numeral was changed from the Valentinetype sentiment to a vague sign of fraternalism. Here, 73 was a greeting, a friendly "word" between operators and it was so used on all wires. In 1859, the Western Union Company set up the standard "92 Code". A list of numerals from one to 92 was compiled to indicate a series of prepared phrases for use by the operators on the wires. Here, in the 92 Code, 73 changes from a fraternal sign to a very flowery "accept my compliments," which was in keeping with the florid language of that era. Over the years from 1859 to 1900, the many manuals of telegraphy show variations of this meaning. Dodge's The Telegraph Instructor shows it merely as "compliments." The Twentieth Century Manual of Railway and Commercial Telegraphy defines it two ways, one listing as "my compliments to you;" but in the glossary of abbreviations it is merely "compliments." Theodore A. Edison's Telegraphy Self-Taught shows a return to "accept my compliments." By 1908, however, a later edition of the Dodge Manual gives us today's definition of "best regards" with a backward look at the older meaning in another part of the work where it also lists it as "compliments." "Best regards" has remained ever since as the "put-it-down-in-black-and-white" meaning of 73 but it has acquired overtones of much warmer meaning. Today, amateurs use it more in the manner that James Reid had intended that it be used --a "friendly word

4 MIRO March 2016 Newsletter Page 4 between operators PROJECTS: 1) Complete upgrade of W7MIR equipment cabinet. 2) Coordinate MIRO Radio room capability with MIRO station inside the new Permanent MI EOC. 3) Establish a reliable and simple Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) for Mercer Island EOC. 4) Establish workable Texting for member notification of emergencies. 5) Provide needed support to the Mercer Island High School Ham Club. 6) Recruit more members MIRO February Activity Report: During February 2016, 24 MIRO members put in a total of 78 hours of volunteer time in support of 8 public service events, and 1 net. They drove 142 miles in support of these activities. We currently have 64 active members. ICS 700, 100 & 200 tests: These tests are only available online. At the moment they are not required on Mercer Island for licensed Hams. They are required to volunteer in neighboring communities and may eventually become a requirement for the whole state including MI. The tests can be found at the FEMA website using these hyperlinks: ICS ICS ICS When you finish these courses BE SURE that you save the completion certificate and provide a copy to Officer Franklin so the records will reflect your qualification. No other records are retained so if you fail to save the certificate and provide such a copy, you will have to take the exam a second time. REMINDERS: MIRO Business Meeting Reminder: The recurring business meeting is the last Tuesday of every month from 9-10:30 AM in the City Council Caucus Room across from the W7MIR radio room at City Hall. 73, Woody Howse K7EDH, MIRO Volunteer Chairman Phone: whowse@aol.com

5 A Continuing Education Conference for Volunteer Emergency Communicators April 09-10, 2016 "Are We Ready For the BIG One? " Two days of training and informa on on various aspects of emergency communica ons. Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES ); Auxiliary Communica ons Service (ACS); EOC Support Teams; Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), Civil Air Patrol, Coast Guard Auxiliary, REACT, CERT and anyone interested in emergency communica ons should a end. Learn, network, and share your experiences with others. Pre-registration is requested for planning purposes Visit our Web page for more information: Registration opens February 22, 2015 ARRL Specialty Operating Convention Fee Schedule: Registration must be postmarked by the following dates: Early-bird by March 20, 11:59 PM, two days with lunch $55.00 Early-bird by March 20, 11:59 PM, one day with lunch $30.00 By April 6, 11:59 PM, two days with lunch $70.00 By April 6, 11:59 PM, one day with lunch $40.00 Walk-in, two days with lunch $80.00 Walk-in, one day with lunch $50.00 Youth under 18, $15.00 one day; $25.00 two days Communication Vehicles display Van Exercise Exhibitors and vendors Door Prizes Both days Saturday Keynote Speaker All Those Disasters: An Overview of FEMA and Disasters Kenneth Murphy, Regional Administrator, FEMA Region X HIGHLIGHTS Keynote Sessions both days Forty + hours of Classroom sessions Subject Matter Experts from Radio Communications, Emergency Management, and a Special Beginner s Track Sunday Keynote Speaker ARES: Thinking Outside the Box Mike Corey, KI1U ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager South Seattle Community College th Ave SW, Seattle, WA Brockey Center and Olympic Hall