----- 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 CSTSubject: Preliminary- ARES + Red Cross - simulated
shelter radio assistance across Austin, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston,
Montgomery, Walker, and Waller Counties VHF- Sunday 1400
Fellow HAMSAs 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 SIMPLEexample. "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, K5PGF281-455-8090Sugar 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
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