S E T test

[KB2KAB]

The following is from the ARRL letter of 9-28-07 Vol 26 No 39.

SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER

America was abruptly reminded of the critical role of Amateur Radio in 2005 as Amateur Radio operators came from all over the country to provide emergency communications when other systems failed during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In 2007, Amateur Radio operators continued to provide lifesaving services in many floods and wildfires around the country. Because of the complexity of today's normal communications systems, they are often overwhelmed in a disaster. These painful lessons are being tested again on October 6 and 7 as Amateur Radio operators around the country conduct their annual Simulated Emergency Test.

This year, Amateur Radio operators will be replicating many scenarios that have crippled normal communications in the recent past. These include flooding, wildfires, bombings, ice storms, hurricanes and earthquakes. Something new for this year are plans for responses in case of pandemic flu and the probability that large populations will need to shelter at home and not be able to go out.

Using emergency powered radios and working with local agencies, hams will establish radio communications networks that can be used should there be a failure or overload of normal services.

While the ARRL has scheduled the Simulated Emergency Test for October 6-7, some ARRL Sections have scheduled their SET for different dates. Please check with your Section Manager or Section Emergency Coordinator for the date of the SET in your Section.

After reading this article, I happened across the ARRL web site, and noticed a pole that they were conducting on the above article. This was the result as of Saturday afternoon 9-29-07. 19.7 #% YES. 74.8 % said NO. & 5.5 % asked what is S E T.

It is amazing that after all that has happened since 9-11-01, that we are still complacent on how prepared we really are. There have been other unfornuate disasters that have taken place. Hurricanes, floods, etc. Why in the world, would we not take the time to get ourselves prepared?

PRATICE MAKES PERFECT!

I hope that the operators who said NO, have a second or two to see how valuable this test can be. And take a part in next weeks test. Not only will it let them see how it will effect them, but other within their community. As a well known operator states here in New York City. "when the phones are down, the hams are UP!" #

Please try to take part in this test. It only takes ten to twenty minuets out of your day. This could be a life line to someone in an emergency. If you help one person, You, have made a difference.


73,
David

[ka5piu]

Hello.

I am thinking of doing the SET on a smaller scale.
Perhaps a talkie at the donut emporium would be about right?
Lets face it, Amateur Radio has its place, but a simulated emergency?
Katrina was a classic example, people did not need a bunch of hams running around, they needed food and water.
Now that Katrina is but a fleeting memory for most people the true aftermath is being felt.
In Houston Texas the crime rate has spiked, and most of it is due to the refugees who are no longer on the government dole, so having a bunch of Hamsters running around playing disaster is something most people do not want to year.
Field day is fine, but wacker day is something that most people in Texas want little to do with.

[KI4PEQ]

Quote[/b] (ka5piu @ Oct. 04 2007,00:58)]Lets face it, Amateur Radio has its place, but a simulated emergency?
Katrina was a classic example, people did not need a bunch of hams running around, they needed food and water.
Now that Katrina is but a fleeting memory for most people the true aftermath is being felt.
In Houston Texas the crime rate has spiked, and most of it is due to the refugees who are no longer on the government dole, so having a bunch of Hamsters running around playing disaster is something most people do not want to year.
Field day is fine, but wacker day is something that most people in Texas want little to do with.
An interesting observation from The Grand Exalted Poobah and Potentate of Whackerdom. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[kb3fxi]

Quote[/b] (KB2KAB @ Sep. 29 2007,09:37)]PRATICE MAKES PERFECT!

I hope that the operators who said NO, have a second or two to see how valuable this test can be. And take a part in next weeks test. Not only will it let them see how it will effect them, but other within their community. As a well known operator states here in New York City. "when the phones are down, the hams are UP!" #

Please try to take part in this test. It only takes ten to twenty minuets out of your day. This could be a life line to someone in an emergency. If you help one person, You, have made a difference.


73,
David
David,

The company I work for sent a volunteer crew of 7 to Katrina to assist in emergency communications. I can tell you from first hand experience that the lack of efficient communications was the number one problem in the rescue and recovery effort.

We saw huge stockpiles of food and water yet there were isolated areas where people had none. Oddly enough, the stockpiles were always near the areas where the television news crews were, leading us to the conclusion that communications were so bad that the decision of where to send relief supplies were based in large part to watching TV. Relief agencies had been deployed to the worst affected areas and some went without ANY communications for over a week, which greatly hampered their ability to reach the people that needed their help the most.

Hams played a key role in the Katrina disaster, but much more could have been done. Drills such as the SET, if properly executed, help prepare those of us that are willing to help with emergency radio communications.

I agree with you, David... and I hope the SET drills conducted across the country lead to a better prepared response when the next disaster strikes.

-Dave, KB3FXI

[kl7yk]

Well Alaska will be playing. #Coordinated efforts with ARES and MARS with the local Emergency Operations Centers in Anchorage, Fairbanks and other Alaska locations will provide much needed training for all.
Handling emergency traffic, passing requests for supplies/services in a simulated enviroment provides training on:

Traffic Handling, Coordination efforts, Emergency Planning, HF operations, Simplex VHF ops etc..

Formats, formal nets, you name it.

This time out the various MARS Operators have been included into the mix. #This is a win-win for everyone.

We show the civil managers that they can communicate when the lights go out, we learn what to expect their needs will be in an emergency. #This type of cooperative effort could very well save lives one day.

It's not for every Ham of course. #But every Ham has the chance to get involved. #So get on board or get out of the way. #Be part of a solution, who knows even the self-proclaimed experts might learn something new.

And of course remember, it's a hobby not a religion!

KL7YK/ALM7BC

[kl7aj]

Quote[/b] (kl7yk @ Oct. 05 2007,11:53)]Well Alaska will be playing. #Coordinated efforts with ARES and MARS with the local Emergency Operations Centers in Anchorage, Fairbanks and other Alaska locations will provide much needed training for all.
Handling emergency traffic, passing requests for supplies/services in a simulated enviroment provides training on:

Traffic Handling, Coordination efforts, Emergency Planning, HF operations, Simplex VHF ops etc..

Formats, formal nets, you name it.

This time out the various MARS Operators have been included into the mix. #This is a win-win for everyone.

We show the civil managers that they can communicate when the lights go out, we learn what to expect their needs will be in an emergency. #This type of cooperative effort could very well save lives one day.

It's not for every Ham of course. #But every Ham has the chance to get involved. #So get on board or get out of the way. #Be part of a solution, who knows even the self-proclaimed experts might learn something new.

And of course remember, it's a hobby not a religion!

KL7YK/ALM7BC
Shucks, we still have a bunch of Civil Defense Yellow Gonset Goonyboxes from the 67 flood. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Guess I'd better track one down and fire it up. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

eric

[W0DLR]

The SET is only as good as we want it to be. There were lessons learned from Katrina (hopefully). Perhaps the biggest lesson was no one was in charge, or maybe everyone thought they were in charge. Sometimes that happens both way. I tend to agree that having an "Emergency Net" and just take checkins on a regular basis, and when you can get no more checksins, sign the thing off, does little good. Surely to god we all remember how to key our mikes and give our call sign. Thats what most of them boil down too. Amateur radio will be called on in the future no doubt, but like less, not more.

[wa3vjb]

Several of the FM repeaters in my area coordinate regular drills to practice message handling, status checks, and orchestration of a communications system.

Sounds good in theory, but it sounds like wacker heaven if you just sit back and listen.

One poor guy, sounded like he was in his 80s, was chased off a frequency by a belligerent net control. His violation? He had the audacity to break protocol and send well wishes to the net.

My god.

That's the most egregious example. The whole net was a bunch of little men with major wood that they were playing emergency communications and having just a dandy time of it.

Sickening.

[kc7gnm]

Going to be a bunch of winlids on the air this weekend thinking they own the frequency because they are practicing a simulated emergency. I have nothing against doing this I only hope that some of the whackers don't think this is for real.

[AB8RU]

Sorry Charlie I am working for a Living and after all I am BUSY someday someday maybe ...

[n3ixq]

We/My ARES group ran a SET that focused on our possible need here in Delaware County PA. We created a possible air crash on the approach of the Philly Airport. We did a call up and sent HAMs to the local hopitals to handle simulated traffic both by Digital (Spreadsheet info via Packet) and voice trafic both Simplex and using 2 reeaters running on Standby power.
We don't have any lofty goals for sistater relief, we try to be ready to assist if needed. We are a backup, until things are back up!

I think the test was successful, but truly I am not convinced it was realistic. You can never truly prepare for the unknown, but you can raise your chances of success by planning...

[KI4PPT]

I think that SET tests should be done on a more regular basis. One time a year to do an national test really shows a lack of concern. As a police officer if i only practiced with my gun once a year I feel that I would be under qualified to use it if duty called for its use.

Schedule SET tests during times that it would not be a total inconvience to the ham community. like one day a month.

[k0cmh]

KB2KAB:

You will be glad to here that the ARES group I belong to held our SET the following weekend and it was very successful. #We had a large field in a city park for our site. #The exercise was "set up your emergency station and communicate".

We had 10 members set up their "emergency field stations". #We operated many modes: #HF ssb/cw/psk-31/packet/winlink, VHF fm/sstv/psk-31/packet, #UHF fm. #Also we set up a WiFi link for our site. #Communications were within our site and outside.

We also had available Windrm and rtty but did not bother to operate those since we were very busy with the other modes.

Our CW operator was even getting DX stations into the log.

I think we proved we are ready.

EDIT: I get tired of the ARES/emcomm bashers. We are not a bunch of "wackers". Yes, there are a few like that, but by far, most emcomm groups are serious, well trained and sensable. We do not "show up" at disasters and emergencies, we wait to be requested, and then onlyu do what we are asked/told. We are trained that the worse thing we could do is get in the way or become just another victim.

Please, hold your critisism until you really know what the vast majority of us really do.

[k0cmh]

Darn, double post

[KC5SAS]

Another SET and another year of hams talking to themselves.
There is no reason to hold drills of this type if they are not coordinated and part of Local, State and National Emergency Management plans.
Clubs setting up in parks ala Field Day are nice to look at but if there isn't a team at the local EOC sending and receiving similated traffic to the field crew it's not realistic.
If there is nobody sitting at the State EOC demonstrating to EMA leadership the capabilities of ham radio by coordinating comms with local EOCs then you are just wasting spectrum.
The SET has no credablilty if it is not part of EMA.
The ARRL missed it's chance to make this a legitimate exercise by not partnering it with the OHS drill which was held in Portland last week. http://www.katu.com/news/local/10539747.html
Simulated dirty bomb attacks. Multi agency response. The chance to fire up nets for local, state and nationwide traffic handeling. The largest terror drill ever conducted and not a mention on the ARRL website or any other publication that I've been able to find regarding participation by Hams.
WTF?!?
Imagine linking hams in EOCs in Guam, Portland, Phoenix and Washington DC while also getting reports of citizen unrest and panic from cities across the nation as cellphone networks freeze up from the surge of calls.
So we missed the boat again. We have the ARRL conducting little more than another fracking contest while opportunities to actually contribute are missed, again.
Oh well, Not like I'm in ARRL ARES® anyway. If the State EOC wants to have hams drill with them they will activeate their nonARRL affiliated RACES crew to handle the job. Those of us at the local level will activate and participate as requested.
73,