At this time, there are NO requests for personnel to be deployed into the northern Gulf Coast area.

No ARES personnel should at any time self deploy.

In coordination with the Sections in the Gulf Coast area, the following protocols will be utilized to request and accept ARES volunteers.

1.    Interested volunteers should make their availability known to their home Section Manager/Section Emergency Coordinator, or designee.

2.    The impacted Section(s) and ARRL HQ will post staffing requests to the “SM”, “SEC” and “Gustav Volunteer” web page. A brief, specific description of what is requested will be listed.

3.    SM/SEC’s that have volunteers that are available will contact the requesting Section point of contact (POC) listed in the request.

4.    The requesting Section POC will determine the viability of the resource offering and have the final decision on acceptance.

5.    Once the request has been filled, a new posting to both e-mail lists and the web page will be made.

6.    Specific reporting details will be provided by the Section POC.

7.    Requesting Sections will utilize the closest ARES resources first.

8.    ARES volunteers not cleared by the requesting POC will not be accepted or allowed entry into the disaster area.

ARES assets that may be requested by National VOAD members (served organizations) will be processed through ARRL HQ by Dennis Dura, K2DCD.

As additional details become available, and/or the protocol is altered, changes will be posted to the SM and SEC list.

Please make this information known to all interested personnel.

Dennis C. Dura

K2DCD

Manager, Emergency Preparedness & Response

ARRL, The national association for Amateur Radio

Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered for the Marin Century / Mt. Tam DC on Saturday, August 2. Preliminary assignments, based on your requests are being formulated.

We still need additional volunteers for several fixed locations, and for sag communicators. Assignments are available on the morning rest stops and checkpoints on Mt. Tam, and at rest stops in the afternoon and evening in West Marin and SW Sonoma County. Please contact Randy, KA6BQF if you would like to help with this event.

73 and thanks,
Randy Jenkins, KA6BQF

ka6bqf@arrl.net
Vice President, VE Liason & Public Service Coordinator

Marin Amateur Radio Society

510 526.4089

www.w6sg.net

Amateurs in China are asking that 7.050MHz 7.060MHz and 14.270MHz be kept clear as an emergency frequency in the wake of the devastating May 12th earthquake there. Please remember that even if you cannot hear a station on the frequency, you might interfere with reception of transmissions by a station within range of both your signals and theirs.

Michael Chen, BD5RV, reports in a post on qrz.com:

“that a group of radio amateurs is now transmitting from Wenchuan, the center of quake. Its signal is reported to be very weak. They tried to keep communication with BY8AA in Chengdu, seeking for all resources needed. During a contact finished a few minutes ago, they were asking for raincoats, water, tents, and outdoor living facilities.”

Michael also asked that this request be forwarded as widely as possible.

Thanks to Ed Richie for again coordinating ham radio support for the Devil Mountain Run on Sunday May 4, 2008.

Here are some photos from that event:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11636522@N06/sets/72157604898725177
After going to the link, click on “Slide show” in upper right of screen. Then click on large arrows on right or left of photo to navigate.

Pete Harris
KE6ZIW

John Stuart, KM6QX continues to be a treasure to MDARC, and to ham radio. Among the many ham-related things that John does is to organize and coordinate ham radio support for several great community service events each year. He has coordinated such things as world-class bike race events up Mt. Diablo, marathon running events out of Castle Rock in Walnut Creek, Police Olympics in Briones Park, various thrilling Trail Adventure Triathalon events in local regional parks, and various horse trailride events that require hams to go off road with 4-wheel vehicles to reach checkpoints. When you do an event that John has organized, it’s alway exciting, challenging, and you usually experience something you remember for a long time. There have been several incidents in which John has coordinated rescue services to injured or lost event participants. He has been intimately involved in setting up state-of-the-art radio equipment in the San Ramon Valley Emergency Services Communications Command Vehicle, for the San Ramon Fire District. He continues to provide great service to the community, and great learning experiences for hams. Best of all, the events he organizes are just plain fun!

This past weekend John coordinated the 50-mile Concord Mt. Diablo Trailride event that he has helped organize for close to 20 years. This included hams driving 4-wheel drive vehicles over beautiful back country trails on Mt. Diablo, trails that are usually closed to public auto access. It was a fantastic day on the mountain, the hills were bright green, the wild flowers were blooming and the views were spectacular. Hams traveled from one P&R station to another (horse pulse and respiration check stations), bringing race judges, vets and event organizers to the stations before the horses arrived there. Hams provided coordination of information to help assure the safety of horse riding participants.

Here are a few photos of this weekend’s Concord Mt. Diablo Trailride event:

Photos of trailride event:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11636522@N06/sets/72157604898029367
After going to the link, click on “Slideshow” in upper right of screen. Then click on large arrows on right or left of photo to navigate.

Pete Harris
KE6ZIW