Page 62 January February 2018 TCA

We were unable to find the key to Fort Frances
open the radio cabinets so a radio George Badiuk, VE3BIK, has
check was only done with the VHF stepped down as EC. We thank
antenna, contacting Mark, you George for your years of
VE3FOG, with a handheld radio we service to the ARES program, club,
had brought along. We will have to hobby and community and wish
revisit the alternate EOC, find the you all the best in the future.
key to the radio cabinet and check
to see the radios are in good Killarney District
working order. Thanks to Jerry, Manitoulin Island and North
VE3JTB and Mark, VE3FOG, for Shore
their help.
On September 17, 10 volunteers
On October 28‑29, seven from the Manitoulin ARES group
Amateurs attended at the EOC to assisted with the annual Terry Fox
activate the HF station to operate Run in Little Current. A thank you
in the 48‑hour CQ World Wide DX goes out to the following who gave
Contest. This is the second year of their time for this worthy event;
we have activated VE3SOO for this Al Boyd, VE3AJB, Lou Noble,
contest and we find it is a good VE3LDY, Herne Steelegrave,
training opportunity for ARES VA3WHS, Willow Steelegrave,
members to operate the station at VE3WHS, Martin Connell,
the EOC for long periods of time VA3MFC, Jeff Noble, VE3JFN,
under crowded band conditions. Patrick Dopson, VE3HZP, Roger RAC members receive discounts: https://www.survivormate.com/
Having operated the station last Lloyd, VA3REL and Rusty Auxier,
year, the ARES Amateurs who VE3WVA.
participated were quite comfortable
with the Icom 756 Pro2 radio. This Members of the local ARES group check of the bands from my home GTA West –
year we installed a Butternut went around to the various station. I heard a Net station for DEC Kevin Andrews, VA3KRA
Vertical along with the existing communities and tested the radios GTA ARES calling out several See Halton and Peel reports
80m loop. Results showed us the prior to the SET on October 14. times to dead air on 7.135 MHz. He below.
loop antenna was much better at Those EOCs were located in was coming in very strong and
rejecting local QRM than the Assiginack; Billings; Gordon/Barrie clear at 59+ from Oakville so I Toronto –
Vertical. The Vertical operated well Island; the Town of Gore Bay; called back to Jeff, VE3OKV. He DEC Malcolm Kendall, VE3BGD
except when local QRM became Central Manitoulin; and Nemi. was operating NVIS and we had no See Toronto report below.
too strong and we switched to the On Saturday, October 25, the local problems hearing each other. He
Loop antenna which would load on ARES group held an information sounded happy to have someone Halton Region
80 to 10 metres with the help of the seminar for the new Amateurs at reply to his calls! It was great Burlington ARES –
tuner in the radio. the Oundecki‑Aumni‑Kaning First talking to you Jeff! EC Kevin Andrews, VA3KRA
The EOC is in a densely congested Nation complex just outside of I have been following many ARES The Burlington EC attended both
commercial area in an area Little Current, with approximately groups in southern Ontario, the September and October
nicknamed “RF alley”, lots of 20 in attendance. western Canada and also many Burlington ARC General and Board
commercial repeaters, commercial RAC ONN Director Al Boyd, US states to see what modes are of Directors meetings and provided
lighting systems, large power VE3AJB, provided everyone with commonly used. I have come up ARES reports to each meeting.
transformers for multi‑storey an overview of the repeaters and with our own standards to align
buildings and shopping malls. Next systems in use on and around the with a majority of the users and On Sunday, September 17, the
year we will try a Multiband Dipole Manitoulin area. DEC Jim McLean, common among them are Burlington, South Halton and
to compare results. The schedule VE3LJM, gave a talk on the proper Winlink and digital such as Hamilton ARES teams assisted
for operating was 4‑hour windows procedure for operating your radios NBEMS. I believe our EOC is well with communications for the
with one operator and one logger. over the airways and this was equipped to serve our community Burlington Terry Fox Run. Thanks
However, with only seven Amateurs, followed by a short video and a and the City of Greater Sudbury. to Stan, VA3SBB, Joan, VE3JNX,
some of the time slots was a lively discussion. Glenn Black, – Allan Boyd, VE3AJB Phil, VE3RD, Gary, VE3TGH,
one‑person operation and there VE3GBK, demonstrated how to Peter, VA3PRE, Bob, VA3RHH
was no coverage in the overnight protect your radios and electronic DECs Reporting: and Kevin, VA3KRA, for their
time slots. Nevertheless, we made equipment (using locally VA3s: PC assistance.
292 contacts in less than optimal purchased material) from high VE3s: LJM On Wednesday, September 27,
band conditions. Contacts were energy electronic pulses that can ECs reporting: the Burlington EC attended the
mostly Caribbean, West Africa and occur during a major disaster. VA3s: AJV, SPT, RP Halton Region Emergency
Western Europe with many US Rusty, VE3WVA and Al, VE3AJB, VE3s: EGC, LJM, OTL, MXJ Communications Team (HRECT)
Stations. Farthest contacts were spent the rest of the afternoon meeting.
Hawaii and Western Russia. demonstrating to the group the ONTARIO – GREATER Burlington ARES members
It was a good event, and rewarding proper procedure to update and TORONTO AREA: participated in nine HRECT nets,
to see that ARES Amateurs can program their radios. SM: Rick Harrison, VA3NV one Burlington ARC net and one
now activate the Station in an Greater Sudbury SEC: Rick Harrison, VA3NV Hamilton ARES net during
Emergency without any hesitation September and October. Kevin,
or problems. Thanks to Mike, Sudbury EC Alan, VA3AJV, SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER VA3KRA, read the OSB report on
VE3MHL, Wayne, VA3WMC, Dave, attended the EOC station on SM REPORT: September 12 and October 10 and
VE3DPT, Ernie, VE3MOC and his October 14 for what was supposed New Section Standard Operating served as NCS on September 26,
son Johnny, VE3MOF, for their to be the big SET. Our station Procedures (SOPs) are being and October 24 for the HRECT
help. Thanks also to Brian, performed very well and the drafted. The recent Simulated nets.
KC8LXS, Emergency Coordinator Winlink is also working well using Emergency Test was once again
for Chippewa County in Northern Winmor on HF. Aside from that, an excellent opportunity to make On Saturday, October 14 members
Michigan, who stopped by to see there was nothing else heard on sure we can provide the promised of Burlington ARES assisted South
the operation and tour the EOC. the bands or repeaters during the level of communications to our Halton ARES with their SET
Thanks to the staff of #4 Firehall/ morning. I tried several calls to served agencies. Overall, things activities.
EMS Centre where the EOC is VE3EMO on HF and received no went quite well although there are North Halton (Georgetown)
located for their wonderful response. There were no other always things to learn and ARES – EC Lyle Winfield, VA3VI
hospitality and also to Lauren stations heard on the HF bands. problems to solve. It was nice to The Halton ARC/ARES group will
Perry and Naomi Thibault of Last year, there were a few EOCs see three different municipal
Sault Ste Marie Emergency on air from around the North. government EOCs across the be operational from the
Georgetown EOC during the
Management for their help. In the early afternoon upon arriving Section active and on the air for October Simulated Emergency
home, I decided to give one more this event. Hopefully that trend Test.
will continue.
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