----- Forwarded Message ----- *From:* Terry Leatherland <[email protected]> *To:* Dave Scott <[email protected]>; Luke Bugler <[email protected]>; Rick Fell <[email protected]>; Richard Bonica <[email protected]>; Sheree Horton <[email protected]> *Cc:* Mike Hardwick <[email protected]> *Sent:* Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 03:57:54 PM CST *Subject:* Preliminary- ARES + Red Cross - simulated shelter radio assistance across Austin, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Montgomery, Walker, and Waller Counties VHF- Sunday 1400
Fellow HAMS As you know I am a member of the Red Cross Disaster Technology Team and ARES/HAM/EMROG/Races member. K5PGF Sugar Land I am also a Board Member of the Coastal Plans Chapter of the Red Cross (the whole West, North, and Southwest side of Houston/Harris County. Huntsville to Galveston). See below The ARRL has a MOU of cooperation with the American Red Cross nationally for ARRL non-profit entities to: a. utilize facilities for meetings in non-activation times of Disaster or work hours (nights, weekends) b. as needed, participate in HAM side radio communication support in the event of total communications outages. To that end, we have an excellent opportunity in front of us this weekend to practice/test whole chapter comms from Huntsville to Galveston. This has not been done before on the HAM side to my knowledge. Therefore, I am giving preliminary notice here that I/we will make an ARES/ RC joint "net test" on the 146.88 repeater (tone 167.9) at 1400 Sunday. Luke Bugler, K7LTB, ARES liaison for me is the lead on the ARES side. We will designate a relay repeater /operator in the outlier areas as it evolves. Rick Fell is the point for the Montgomery and North area. The .88 repeater is 1300' up on a TV tower in Missouri City with near total range. We will need to have a relay operator or two in the Montgomery end and possibly in Austin and Colorado counties on stations with listen/talk on both sides. N5VCX Mike Hardwick, Trustee of the 88 repeater, has given us approval to command a net for this. The goal will be a simple "check in with an artificial situation report " as if the operator IS at or in close proximity to a Red Cross shelter. *Stay tuned for the locations.* I will be the net control from Sugar Land and do a methodical check-in for bi-directional and relay comms along the 6-county route. Of course, in a power outage disaster where the repeater is down, this would be moot, but we want to show the Red Cross that we have this capability along with many others. This is ONLY for the listed counties, NOT Harris County, or easterly due to a similar process there. I need a volunteer with ears on .88 to run NetLogger if possible alongside me. Reply to me only please. We should have one person in each county be standby for net control handoff if possible. This is not to be overly complicated with ICS messages and such. Just a simple check-in simulation from a relevant shelter. KEEP IT SIMPLE example. "This is K5PGF at Shelter x in Rosenberg. Sitrep is normal with approximately 45 persons in shelter with 10 staff. No needs at this time. Back to net control." (make something up :-) ) Net Control acknowledges and moves on. Or we ask for a relay to the location of the moment. Action- Pass this to your ARES /Ham Club Roster/Races distribution as appropriate. I will follow this with more information on the simulated shelter locations which will likely be real locations. ** Richard- I will send this out on the BVARC reflector. ** We are not yet called upon to actually activate AND participate with the Red Cross in the Coastal Plains Chapter, but that could happen wherein we will jump in with what we already know how to do. :-) As always, your personal safety is paramount. Noone is being asked to drive anywhere, but if you are a HAM in proximity to a shelter, then you would be the likely one to deploy if you could. I will run the net with the usual "this is" protocol when folks are trying to respond and not pile-up. Thank You Mike Hardwick for the use of the repeater for this exercise. What a great asset it is for the community. Stay tuned.. 73 Terry Terry Leatherland, K5PGF 281-455-8090 Sugar Land, TX American Red Cross Texas Coastal Plains Chapter The American Red Cross of Texas Coastal Plains Chapter serves Austin, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Montgomery, Walker and Waller counties by providing service in the following main areas: disaster relief and preparedness education; assistance for military personnel, veterans and their families; health and safety courses; collection of life-saving blood products; high school and college Red Cross Clubs; and Academic Service Learning internships. Texas Coastal Plains Chapter | Texas Gulf Coast Region | American Red Cross <https://www.redcross.org/local/texas/gulf-coast/about-us/locations/texas-coastal-plains-chapter.html>
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