Ares

While driving to winter field day, I heard lots of fldigi/flmsg messages sent and received during a drill on the W3EOC repeater system. They assigned municipalities to each operator to call them for reports.

I found the old AndFlmsg from sourceforge wouldn’t install on modern Android, so I couldn’t immediately decode messages.

I found and installed a new version of AndFlMsg, from a new provider. I’ll be ready to follow along the next time.

At the SPARC meeting, we heard about Lancaster ARES with W3COB, Doug Rice.

• public service events
  • fun runs
  • motorcycle rides
• work with Lancaster ACS
• Eastern PA section -> section 4 -> Lancaster County
• exercises
  • April Towers
  • Peach Bottom Nuclear Plant
  • Skywarn
  • Firecracker 5-mile Run
• https://lancasterares.net/
• ARRL task book
  • sets standards for training and qualification
• 3 levels, including “basic”
• available trainings
  • arrl.org
  • FEMA
• stay active
  • train
  • participate
    • biweekly nets
    • monthly meetings
    • public service events
  • prepare
• Auxiliary Communication Service (ACS)
  • larger than ARES
  • https://serv.pa.gov/

I’m listening to the April Tower Drill of Lancaster ARES. They seem to be roving around the county and contacting each of the repeaters to log a signal report at higher and lower power levels, especially down to HTs.

From the ARES page, I discovered a new repeater to add to my scan list: W3AD at 145.39 PL 118.8.