THIS SUNDAY, 6-OCT IS WELFARE REPORTING
GAARES-P2P NET resumes operation this Sunday, 6-Oct with a check-in that will include WELFARE CHECK information of our members. Thanks to Russell, AB4QQ, for that great suggestion for this week’s check-in message. It is certainly applicable to what the area just went through with Hurricane Helene. The Net will operate two separate sessions, 80m for 2 hours, then 40m for 4 hours with a single NCS operator. Reminder that 500 Hz Vara HF bandwidth is now mandatory.
40m FREQ CHANGE:
Members encountered a bit of QRM on the 40m frequency this past few weeks. We will go back to the 40m frequency we tested and used in Trials #4 & #5 this summer. See below.
TIME: SESSION: CENTER FREQ: DIAL FREQ: BANDWIDTH
0800-1000 EDT 80m 3584.5 kHz 3583.0 500 Hz
1000-1400 EDT 40m 7083.5 kHz 7082.0 500 Hz
Net Control Station (NCS) WX4PTC
Operator ND1J will have the duties this Sunday with backup operator Kory – W4RZ as the alternate. If I am knocked off the air, Kory will be there within a few minutes, operating as WX4PTC.
Address each message to (Tactical Address): GAARES-P2P
We want all members to be familiar with the use of tactical callsigns.
DO NOT CHECK “Request Message Receipt” for P2P operations. This causes a nuisance message when NCS processes the message and generates large receipt messages that we do not want to transmit in P2P operations. This net always acknowledges check-ins with a Winlink message at the end of the net. In addition, as time allows, NCS may prepare short ACK messages (P2P) for you to retrieve later, should you choose to reconnect. This is not always feasible for the NCS operator(s).
TWO WAYS TO CHECK IN THIS WEEK:
You may check in, using the SHORT CHECK-IN information below
< or >
You may check in, using the Winlink Template RRI Quick Welfare Message.TXT template.
SHORT CHECK-IN METHOD:
Message Size roughly 360 bytes
CHECK-IN SUBJECT LINE: <yourcall>, <fname>, county, band (80m or 40m)
Example: ND1J, David, Coweta, 80m
MESSAGE BODY:
LINE 1: <yourcall>,<county>, <injuries>, <commercial power ok?>, <Cell systems ok?>, <potable water ok?>,
LINE 2: <antennas ok?>, <structural damage?>, <any other damage such as trees?>
LINE 3: <optional comments>
CHECK-IN USING THE WINLINK RRI QUICK WELFARE MESSAGE.TXT TEMPLATE:
Message size roughly 650 bytes; See example below.
☐ Click New Message> Templates> Standard Templates> RADIOGRAM & RRI Forms
☐ Select the RRI Quick Welfare Message.txt template
☐ In the browser, populate this template while referring to the example to assist.
☐ From Name: <your name / callsign>
☐ Date/Time: click box to enter current date/time
☐ To Email(s): GAARES-P2P < see below why
☐ Cell phone number: leave blank
Note: this template is designed to send your report via email to a family member, etc., either a traditional email or via a cell phone email address.
For P2P, this does not work. Do you remember why? Because a P2P message cannot be addressed to an email address nor multiple addresses.
Solution: address it to the tactical address GAARES-P2P
The NCS will then process it and if / when internet is available, NCS will forward it to the email address you specify in the remarks if you list one.
☐ Incident / Event Location / Area: HELENE <your town, county, state>
Message Section:
☐ Line 1: Add the same info you would have entered if using the short check-in method above
☐ Line 2: Same
☐ Line 3: Same. In this line, enter an email address if you want NCS to forward this message to someone (including yourself as a test).
☐ Recommended: Click “Save Quick Welfare Data” and follow prompts to save this template info to your computer drive. This way you can retrieve it later for a second message.
☐ Click “Submit” to send template info to the actual message, then follow the prompts to clear the browser.
☐ Go to the “Enter a New Message” Window and verify the data is now there.
☐ Verify the addressee is GAARES-P2P. If not, change it to GAARES-P2P
☐ Change the “Send as” dropdown from the default Winlink “Message” to “Peer-to-Peer Message”
☐ Click “Post to Outbox”
☐ Go to Outbox and ensure the message is there, that it shows recipient as GAARES-P2P (P2P)
Now, Send the Message:
☐ Ensure Rig is on, antenna is correct and tuned.
☐ Open a Vara HF Peer-to-Peer session.
☐ In the call window, enter WX4PTC
☐ In the Center Freq window, enter the desired CENTER FREQ based on which band the Net is on
☐ Make sure you are in 500 Hz Vara bandwidth. If not, change to 500.
☐ Check that your rig is tuned to the correct DIAL Frequency
☐ LISTEN to make sure frequency is busy in the 500 Hz band that Vara HF is listening to.
☐ Click “Start” to connect to WX4PTC. The message will be transmitted.
SEE EXAMPLE OF TEMPLATE BELOW
Please help spread the word to hams in your local area about this new training opportunity for Winlink P2P. Participants do not need to be previously involved in ARES at any level or be GAARES members. All stations are welcome to participate. Always feel free to contact me with any comments, suggestions or corrections. I am happy to get the feedback. Email me at nd1j73@… or post at gaares@groups.io
David Blubaugh – ND1J
GAARES-P2P Net Manager