Here are the detailed plans for the April 2024 SET, scheduled to run on Saturday, April 6th.

The SET includes two activities.

  1. WINLINK Check-in – PA hams check in with Red Cross Region using Red Cross Staff Request form.

  2. ARES Alert – ECs alert their teams, collect team EMCOMM capability and send to SEC at ARES-EPA

WINLINK Check In

Participants send a Red Cross Staff Request form via WINLINK to the Southeastern PA Red Cross Region

We are exercising with the Staff Request form to prepare for the 23 May National Mass Care exercise. This form will be part of the 11 May Dry Run, the 18 May Auxiliary Station exercise and on 23 May for ARES units in NMCE activated counties as part of the NMCE exercise.

Late on APRIL 5th SEC will send an ALERT message by WINLINK to past participants in PA SET WINLINK exercises. ANY PA ham may participate. Hams who do not receive the ALERT message may participate.

Alert Text

DRILL DRILL DRILL

You are invited to participate in the Spring 2024 SET.

You have been assigned to a Red Cross shelter in Independence co.
The shelter manager has asked you to send a Red Cross Staff
Request form to the local Red Cross Region.

Use WINLINK Red Cross Staff Request Form and following
information:

DR#: PA 4/2024 SET
Date: 6 APR 2024
G/A/P: DTS
Hours: 0600 to 1800
Workers: 3
Where: Independence Co Shelter
Days: 5
Needed: 10 APR 2024
Report to: Joe Smith
Person Submitting: Joe Smith
Date Requested: 6 APR 2024
DRO Email: Joe.Smith7@RedCross.NET
Position: Shelter Manager
DRO Phone: 315-789-6418
Work Location: Independence Co
Approver: Joe Smith
Position: Shelter Manager

Send by WINLINK to ARC-SEPA if you are in Philadelphia, Delaware,
Chester, Montgomery, and Bucks County.
Send to ARC-GPA if you are in any other county.

Composing WINLINK Form

Select new message, to ARC-SEPA and carbon copy to W3CTK.  Click on Select Template.  Navigate to ARC Forms, and select ARC Staff Request.txt as the template:

In the web browser form, fill out the details as instructed on the alert notification and shown below:

Once complete, select the "Submit" button on the form, and the text data should automatically populate into the new message you started in step 1.  Make sure you select "Post to Outbox" to save and submit for sending.

Make certain you remember to then select "Open Session" using Telnet or your RF modem of choice:

ARES Alert

Overview

Pennsylvania ARES ECs are alerted to an infrastructure emergency. PEMA needs to know ARES EMCOMM capability. PA SECs alert the ECs, ECs ALERT their organizations, ECs collect data on EMCOMM capability, consolidate the data and deliver it to the SEC (WINLINK ARES-EPA).

Scenario

A CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) has disabled Pennsylvania power and phone networks. PEMA has asked for communication support from ARRL/ARES. The EPA SEC messages the EPA ECs with a request for information.

Information requested includes:

  1. Who is available to support EMCOMM activities?
  2. What modes and how long can they operate? (Base, Deploy, VHF/UHF/HF, phone, WINLINK, other), power level, antenna type.

ARES ECs alert their membership using local procedure and collect requested information. Once collected, ECs consolidate the county information on ICS-213 and send WINLINK message to SEC at tactical address ARES-EPA. The SET runs from April 6th 0000 EDT to 2400 EDT.

Details

For DELAWARE COUNTY ARES members, please follow the procedures here:

  • Review our Emergency Procedures (delcoares.net), the Delco ARES Manual (delcoares.net), especially the Delco ARES Annex A (delcoares.net) for procedures during a failure of commercial power and/or communications infrastructure, as well as Emergency Communications (delcoares.net) from the ARES Handbook.
  • Look for the ServPA call out, on whatever method you have setup to receive these alerts (text message, email, etc).
    • We will also send out email from our website as well.
  • Listen to the W3KG Boothwyn Repeater (446.775) for the Drill announcement, which should come out around 1pm. 
  • Assume the W3KG repeater is down and attempt to call W3CTK on simplex first.  I will be at the trailer in Radnor, PA, with the high gain dual band Diamond antenna fully raised on our 50-foot mast.  I will be at the trailer between 1pm and 2pm to accept calls.


    Channel Name

    On Air Name

    Receive

    Transmit

    Off Freq

    Off Dir

    Mode

    Tone

    CTCSS
    DC S1 TACTICAL Delco Sierra One 146.565 146.565 0 Simplex FM None
  • If you can't reach me on simplex, then fall back to using the W3KG repeater (446.775), our local ARES emergency net frequency.  

    Channel Name

    On Air Name

    Receive

    Transmit

    Off Freq

    Off Dir

    Mode

    Tone

    CTCSS
    DC R1 W3KG BOOTHWYN Delco Romeo One 446.775 441.775 5 - Minus FM Tone 88.5 Hz


  • When checking in, you will be asked for the following information:

    • Name, Call Sign, County.
    • If you are available to deploy if this was a real emergency.
    • If you can deploy, for how many hours/days can you function independently.
    • Your deployment capabilities such as: County provided Go Kit, bands you can operate on such as VHF/UHF and HF, if you radio(s) are handheld, mobile or base station units, portable antennas available and antenna masts.

  • Please document your check in message using a standard ICS-213 form.  Please email a scan/picture of this form to maciolekt@co.delaware.pa.us and w3ctk@delcoares.net 



  • If you have WINLINK available, please use it to send an ICS-213 form with the information above to W3CTK.  Using your radio with a RMS station is preferred, however using Telnet (over the Internet) is acceptable.  This can be done anytime on Saturday, April 6th.

Please note, for this exercise you will not deploy, unless if you want to come to the trailer at the Radnor Township Building.  Please check in using the Radio and/or WINLINK methods above, from your home location or wherever you may be at this time.

If you would like to participate from the ARES trailer at the Radnor Township Building or just to stop by to see it and the drill, please feel free to stop anytime between 1pm and 2pm.  The trailer is in the corner of the lower parking lot closest to the park baseball field, behind the high-water rescue vehicle.


Alert from EC to ARES Members

DRILL DRILL DRILL

A CME event has affected the telephone and power network. 

PEMA has requested help from ARES. 

Please report your availability to support EMCOMM operations. 

Use any form of ham communication (VHF phone, WINLINK, etc.).

For VHF Phone, please call W3CTK using the DC S1 TACTICAL (146.565)
simplex channel, anytime between 1pm and 2pm.

If no response on simplex, then please call W3CTK using the 
DC R1 W3KG BOOTHWYN (446.775) repeater, anytime between 1pm and 2pm.

For WINLINK, please complete an ICS-213 form and 
send the information requested below to W3CTK.

Please report the following:
- Your name, call, county
- If you are available to deploy if this was a real emergency.
- If deployed, how many hours/days can you function independently.
- Your EMCOMM capabilities, such as Base or Deployed, HF, VHF/UHF, 
  antenna types, output power, etc

Also, please use WINLINK and open up the American Red Cross (ARC)
Staff Request Form and submit the following information:

DR#: PA 4/2024 SET
Date: 6 APR 2024
G/A/P: DTS
Hours: 0600 to 1800
Workers: 3
Where: Independence Co Shelter
Days: 5
Needed: 10 APR 2024
Report to: Joe Smith
Person Submitting: Joe Smith
Date Requested: 6 APR 2024
DRO Email: Joe.Smith7@RedCross.NET
Position: Shelter Manager
DRO Phone: 315-789-6418
Work Location: Independence Co
Approver: Joe Smith
Position: Shelter Manager

Send by WINLINK TO: ARC-SEPA and CC: W3CTK

You can visit our website for full details and instructions:

Delco ARES SET Plans April 6 2024

DRILL DRILL DRILL

Sample ARES Member Response

Able to Deploy
DRILL DRILL DRILL
This is KX3XYZ, Joe Smith, Delaware County ARES. I can deploy and
function for 8 hours. Capabilities include 1) VHF/UHF HT, 4 hrs battery,
1/4 wave whip. 2) Dual Band Mobile, 50 watts, 3/4 wave whip and 30 ft
mast with jpole. 3) HF portable, 100 watts, 30 ft mast, wire antenna, 8
hours battery.
DRILL DRILL DRILL
Able to Operate Base Station
DRILL DRILL DRILL
This is KX3XYZ, Joe Smith, Delaware County ARES. I can operate base
72 hours. Capabilities include
1) VHF/UHF, 50 watts, jpole at 30 ft.
2) HF, 100 watts, NVIS dipole
3) NBEMS & WINLINK capable
4) 72 hours generator
DRILL DRILL DRILL

Thanks.

Here are the full SET plans from our SEC Jay King, W2AFE