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May 2013 S M T W T F S « Mar 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
SCHEART
South Carolina Healthcare Emergency Amateur Radio Team
Exercise,Training also System Updates and Issues
Subject: Ham Radio
technician class
If you are interested in becoming a ham
radio operator, please contact Stan Slaughter <sslaughter@gmail.com>
for information about the next class.It will be taught at the Midlands Tech Airport campus on June
6th and 7th from 6pm to 10pm. That
way, they can take their test the next morning at the regularly
scheduled testing session at SCETV on
June 8th at
9:00am.Linda L. Warren Ed.D.
CSM
(Ret)
MAJ,SCSG“I don’t
measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he
hits bottom.”― George S.
Patton
Issues
1. Spartanburg UHF *67 is off the air due to a failed splitter and combiner. Parts on order. Started 3/26 – ECD 4/30
2. Beach Island VHF and UHF drop out issue during link ups is a work in progress. Started ?/? – ECD ?/?
Updates
1. Spartanburg VHF *47 is up to full system rating. The VHF antenna and single transmission are being used with the splitter and combiner removed from the line resulting in the loss of the UHF repeater. 3/26
2. Conway VHF *30, Barnwell UHF *65 problems have been corrected. The repeaters are operating at their system ratings. March/2013
3. Edgefield VHF 146.85 pl 91.5 WR4EC on the air as a stand alone repeater until linking equipment is installed during April or May.
Please notify John, W3KH at w3kh@arrl.net or crockett@scetv.org of any issues with the linked repeater system.
Posted in Uncategorized
SC STATEWIDE ARES NET 8PM SUNDAY NIGHT
Join the VHF – UHF Statewide South Carolina ARES Net at 8PM Sunday Night. All amateurs are welcome to check into the net. To allow time for announcements, check-ins and training topic please check in using – Call Sign, Name, Location, and if you have Announcements or Traffic.
Area 2-Net Control – May
Area 3-Net Control – June
For additional information on SC AUXCOMM go to www.ares-sc.org
www.scserv.gov check out the web site and register as a volunteer . As a licensed amateur radio operator your profession is listed as amateur radio. Thanks for taking the time to register.
Remember to continue to review of Bart’s Basics from N3GQ, Senior Emergency and Continuity Manager, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, FCC. Ten Tips to Make You a Better Communicator.
Reminder: Is your generator fueled and ready to run? Does the 12v backup battery in the shack still have acid in it? Are the batteries charged for your handheld radio? Do you have a lighter plug for the handheld with dead batteries? Or do you have a AA pack with fresh AA batteries to use ?
ICS 100. The course is available at http://training.fema.gov/IS/NIMS.asp This is the introduction to the Incident Command System. To be fully trained take ICS 100 and 700 then 200 and 800 on line. ICS 300 and ICS 400 are taught in a classroom setting as is Communications Leadership. Brian Fletcher with MUSC is now certified to teach ICS 300, 400 and ComL. Send requests for class information to Charlie Miller, AE4UX (ae4ux@arrl.net) Remember, we respond to an emergency only as well as we have been trained. Part of the training is to know how the system works.
March 2012 Total Check-ins 252 4 Nets April 2012 Total Check-ins 324 5 Nets
May 2012 Total Check-ins 260 4 Nets June 2012 Total Check-ins 210 4 Nets
July 2012 Total Check-ins 284 5 Nets August 2012 Total Check-ins 231 4 Nets
September Total Check-ins 338 5Nets October 2012 Total Check-ins 243 4 Nets
November Total Check-ins 223 4 Nets December 2012 Total Check-ins 293 5 Nets
January Total Check-ins 208 4 Nets February 2013 Total Check-ins 229 4 Nets
March Total Check-ins 300 5 Nets April 2013 Total Check-ins 252 4 Nets
May 5 Total Check-ins 74
May 12 Total Check-ins 45
May 20 Total Check-ins 63
Thanks to everyone who takes the time to check into the net!!! 73, John, W3KH, Net Manager
SC Regional Skywarn Net “EVERY” Tuesday night at 9 PM- Sponsored by NWS Charleston
Back in Hurricane session – Join the SC Regional Skywarn Net Tuesday night, 9 PM local. The net orginates from Charleston and is sponsored by the National Weather Service in Charleston. Remember, Hurricane season starts 1 June, 2013. If you have not packed your go kit, do it now.
Posted in Net
SCHEART ESF-8 Statewide Training Net will meet on Thursday, May 31, 2013, at 9AM
The SCHEART ESF-8 Training Net will meet on Thursday, May 31, 2013, at 9AM. The net on Thursday, June 6, 2013 will meet at 9 PM The net will alternate times to give operators more flexibility to check in. Check into the net using UHF repeaters were possible. During roll call, notify Net Control which repeater location you are using and if it is UHF or VHF. In an emergency the VHF repeaters may be used for ARES communications and not always available. It is very important that you can use the UHF side of the System as a RRT member. Email check-ins at w3kh@arrl.net
IMPORTANT INFORMATION - Check into the net – even if you are working. If you are working do a normal check – in call sign, name, location, (hospital or agency ), VHF or UHF. Continue to check in by e-mail if you are not able to connect to the SC Heart system. Net operates under FCC § 97.113 Prohibited transmissions (a) (3) (i). Preamble revisied January 10, 2011. Preamble will be revised for use after March 1, 2013 to reflect the new DHEC regions.
LOW COUNTRY REGION
Allendale, Bamberg, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton, Jasper, Orangeburg
MIDLANDS REGION
Aiken, Barnwell, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, Saluda, York
PEE DEE REGION
Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Sumter, Williamsburg
UPSTATE REGION
Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, Union
TESTING OF SCHEART SUPPORTED HOSPITAL RADIO ROOMS AND EQUIPMENT
Why test the antenna and radio?
Emergency exercises are frequently held to test the emergency preparedness plans of agencies. It is essential that the antennas and radios are in complete readiness during these drills. When routine tests are performed, problems are sometimes found with the antennas, coaxial cable runs, or the radios. Lightning strikes have damaged antennas, antenna connectors have become corroded, and problems can occur with the radios. Routine testing finds these problems and repairs then can be made to restore the system to full functionality.
So why is it so important to test the equipment and antennas? In the event of emergency involving injuries, amateur radio operators may be dispatched to some or all of the hospitals and agencies. The antenna drops are typically located in or near to the emergency room or the incident commander, so amateurs stationed at these locations are in an ideal position to communicate, using a net control operator, with amateurs who are located at the incident scene and/or with amateurs who are accompanying the squads transporting the victims. This provides an important back-up communications system in the event that normal communications by telephone is compromised.
When a SCHEART ham goes to a hospital or agency to test the antenna, the hospital radios are used instead of the ham’s personal equipment. So the complete system, both hospital antenna and hospital radio, is now tested to ensure that everything is working properly and ready to perform in case of an emergency.
Conducting the hospital antenna & radio test
In order to ensure that the antennas and amateur radio equipment are always available and fully operable when needed in an emergency, it is necessary to test the system on a regular basis.
SCHEART members should test each location’s antenna and radio once at least every six months, and report the findings to the hospital EM or SCHEART coordinator. If any problems are detected, they can be immediately addressed.
When an amateur goes to the hospital to perform a periodic check, he or she should have a pencil 3 or pen to fill in the test information in the hospital log book. If the amateur owns a VHF SWR meter, it should be taken along to check the antenna SWR. The SWR measurements over time can provide an indication of antenna degradation. The checks should ideally be performed during the first full week of the month.
The general procedures for hospital checks are as follows:
1. Use your hospital approved procedure to gain access and or SCHEART or SC ARES ID.
2. Go to the hospital ham radio station.
3. Connect to the hospital antenna drop and activate the equipment.
4. Visual inspection of the antenna from ground level.
5. Visual inspection of the power wiring and feed line at the radio.
6. Visual inspection of all accessories (microphone, headphones, etc.).
7. Check for station supplies and report any deficiencies.
8. Turn power supply on (assuming that it is not already on). Check meters/gauges for proper readings.
9. Turn radio on. Check for expected operation..
10. Test the antenna by keying the radio on a local SCHEART repeater. If someone is listening, request a signal report. If no one is listening, confirm that the repeater is activated. Then try to make a contact on a more distant SCHEART repeater.
5. Visual inspection of the power wiring and feed line at the radio.
6. Visual inspection of all accessories (microphone, headphones, etc.).
7. Check for station supplies and report any deficiencies.
8. Turn power supply on (assuming that it is not already on). Check meters/gauges for proper readings.
9. Turn radio on. Check for expected operation..
10. Test the antenna by keying the radio on a local SCHEART repeater. If someone is listening, request a signal report. If no one is listening, confirm that the repeater is activated. Then try to make a contact on a more distant SCHEART repeater.
11. Check the radio site for the presence of white loose leaf notebook (Log Book). Fill in log sheet in this book with the results of your test.
12. Check the SWR if a meter is available.
13. Check for, and note in the log book, if the following are available: Log Book, writing surface to work on, chair or stool for operator to use at writing surface, and emergency power outlet (colored red) within reach of ham radios. Include any positive comments regarding hospital personnel, and mention the weather conditions (helpful in analyzing SWR changes).
14. Report any needed repairs to the station owner. If you find issues with the SCHEART repeater send a report to W3KH@ARRL.NET
15. Return radio to the standard configuration (If the radio is used as a digipeater, leave one side on in digipeater mode).
16. Secure the room.
15. Return radio to the standard configuration (If the radio is used as a digipeater, leave one side on in digipeater mode).
16. Secure the room.
Be a better communicator! Read the Ten Tips from “Bart’s Basics” to be a better communicator under the “About” section, including: Do you have a minimal “Go Kit” in your car for emergencies? Time is critical in an emergency. To be effective you must be able to be on your way at short notice.
Check this posting each week prior to net for information on training or training topics. The net needs additional net control operators contact John, W3KH. The net preamble is posted on the web site in the ”About” section. This will give you the information you need to be a net control operator or an alternate net control operator. Thanks, John, W3KH.
All amateur radio operators are welcome to check into the net. If you are interested in becoming a RRT (radio response team) member contact John, W3KH. w3kh@arrl.net
QCWA – Quarter Century Wireless Association – Saturday Morning Net 9:30 AM
Welcome to the QCWA Saturday Morning 9:30 AM net. The net meets on the VHF – UHF Linked Repeaters of the SC HEART system. This is a rag chew net and open to all amateurs. You don’t have to be a member to check-in. The net averages 25 check-ins. For more info e-mail John, W3KH at w3kh@arrl.net Net sponsored by the Palmetto Chapter 89 of the QCWA.
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Control Operations
University of South Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness
Copyright (c) 2012
South Carolina Healthcare Amateur Radio Team
SCHEART is made possible by w3kh:
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