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New Amateur Radio Watch Net Established in Lee County / Southwest Florida

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by KO4EFS, Apr 5, 2022.

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  1. KO4EFS

    KO4EFS XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    [​IMG] [​IMG]
    The Southwest Florida Watch Net has been started to fill the need for available Relay Communications Before, During, and After Emergencies in the Lee County, Florida Area. We welcome anyone within the Reach of the North Fort Myers Based UHF Repeater to Join Us for our Practice and information Radio Net on the 444.775(+) Repeater - PL Tone of 136.5, Every Thursday Night at 8:30. It Starts Right After the Cape Coral Gabefest which Starts at 8pm on 146.490MHz (simplex) No PL. Please Join Us for Both Nets, Everyone is Welcome.

    SWFL WATCH NET - Basic Information

    Sponsored and Operated By The SWFL Tech Team


    NOTE: For Simplicity, I will be using the term “Storm” to indicate the Calamity, Disaster, or Civil unrest that we are Experiencing.

    NOTE: This is NOT ARES or RACES. We work Alongside and Separate achieving different goals and objectives. ARES and Other Official and Sanctioned Communications Programs are Always Respected and we will Relay Information to these Systems only when Radio Amateurs are Unable to Contact them Directly. Our Purpose is to Establish Continuous Communications with Radio Amateurs Before, During, and After Local or Regional Actual or Forecast Events of Magnitude, not relay information to the ARES. We Will Gather Skywarn Reports and Pass Them Along through the WX4E / CCFLARES and NI4CE SkyWarn Nets or Directly by Email or Winlink if Available to NOAA Ruskin. Further we aim to Facilitate Communications between Radio Amateurs and other Cut Off Individuals to Points Outside the Affected Area using various Means Including HF Winlink, HF Digital, and HF Voice. Our Operations will Always take Place Outside any Frequencies or Repeater Pairs being Utilized or on Standby for Use By any Local Government, ARES Team, or Emergency Management for Any Operations.

    Purpose
    ● To Prepare for a Disaster, Weather Calamity, or Civil Unrest through Participation and Training
    ● To Provide Pre Storm Information and Discussion in a Radio Net format
    ● To Test and Ensure Readiness of Communications Equipment Before The Storm Arrives
    ● To Monitor 2Meter Call and an Operating Repeater to provide Local Information as Requested
    ● To Maintain a Watch Net as the Storm Approaches or Event Unfolds
    ● To Monitor and Maintain an “On Demand Net” During the duration of any Calamity or Event affecting SWFL ● To Quickly Establish a Full Range of Communications Methods following the Storm
    ● Quickly began to relay information as requested to Points Outside the Affected Area.
    ● Assist Radio Amateurs with Connections, Relays or Assistance as requested when able

    Basic Operation
    The SWFL Watch Net will Meet, Train, Plan, and Practice for Operations Before, During and After Events of Magnitude. When an Event or Storm of Magnitude is Forecast for our area or Unfolds without Warning, The SWFL Watch Net will Active and Begin an On Demand Information and Welfare Net.

    When Is The Net Activated
    Anytime a Storm or Potential Disaster Threatens Our Area. Generally Speaking the net will activate hours before the onset of Tropical Storm Force Winds. For Suddenly Occurring Events and Severe Weather the Net will be activated as soon as the need is recognized and the system can be activated. The Net will Close when the Threat is gone and it is Established that Power, Cell Phone, and Internet are available in the area and no further calls for assistance are being received.

    Pre-Storm Operation
    This applies primarily to Hurricanes or other storms or Camilities where Advanced Warning is Possible. Prior to the Arrival of Storm Force Winds the On Demand Net will Start on the Designated Repeater Pair. We will take checkins and begin a list of folks that will be riding out the storm with us on the air. After Checkins we will pass available Storm Information from NOAA and Local Meteorologists. We will also take questions and requests for relays. We will also ask if there is anyone you are keeping in contact with that we can’t hear.

    Storm Operation
    During Storm Conditions the On Demand Net will Remain Active asking for Checkins or any Emergency Traffic at 15 to 30 minute Intervals. The Net Controller will provide Hourly Updates to Net Participants as they are sent from NOAA, State and Local Emergency Management, and Local Meteorologists. Any Emergency Traffic or Requests for Emergency Assistance will be Relayed to the EOC if Direct Communication is Not Possible. It is recommended that you call your Counties ARES / DEM on the Frequencies they have Established and use our Net as a Last Resort. We love to help, but this is not our Primary Purpose, and it is theirs. On The Spot Weather Reports, Damage Reports, and Condition Reports will be taken as offered by Net Participants. We will run a Roll Call Hourly to see who we can still make contact with.

    Post Storm Operation
    Following the Event we will Stay Active as long as the Need Persists. If Cell Service is Down and we are Still Up, we will Continue to Operate 24/7 as we are Able to get Health and Welfare Messages out of the Affected Area. We can help coordinate assistance between Hams and Facilitate Information on Local Information, Local Frequencies, and Local Directions to Any Hams that need it. We will not take ARES or Emergency Management Routed Messages unless we are “Last Resort”. Again, this is not the Purpose, Direct is Always Best. Calls for help should use 911 if available. If not, then call Lee County EOC on 147.165+ 127.3 (Red Channel) or 146.685- 136.5 (Channel 22) or the Color Coded Channel for your Zone. Check the ARES Standard Frequency List for More LINK. If Not in Lee County, have your ARES Operating Frequencies Programmed and Ready. Again, we will take calls for “Emergency Assistance” only as a “Last Resort”.

    NOTE: Non-ARES Radio Amateurs are Welcomed to submit Damage Reports and Requests for Help or Assistance Directly to the ARES / RACES / DEM Stations Operating on Any Amateur Radio Frequency following basic Net Protocol. Have the Frequencies for Your County at the ready!

    NOTE: After a Major Storm or Hurricane where Trees are damaged, Power is Out, and Most Systems are Powered Down the Radio Spectrum becomes Very Quiet and Radio propagation is Great! VHF/UHF Communication can easily get Twice the performance after a Major Storm.

    Operating Frequencies
    We will Primarily Operate on the 444.775+ 136.5 Repeater which is Channel 34 on the ARES Standard Frequency List. This Frequency Pair is not Utilized by ARES During Emergencies. If ARES or Local Government Needs to use our Repeater, we will relinquish it immediately and announce a new one. We ask every participant, that is able, to also Monitor the 2Meter Call Channel (146.520MHz, Simplex, No PL) to Provide Assistance, Local Information, Directions, or Relays to Any Hams in the Area.

    Alerts
    Alerts will be sent by a Designated Net Controller when it is Determined that we are Activating the Net. In cases where advanced warning is available, we will send out Advanced Notices of future activation. Alerts will be sent using an Email Blast System. Participants can designate what Email Address (as many as you want) get the Email. Further you can provide your Mobile Number and your Carrier Name and I can set up Email to Text for you. More INFO This way you can get the Notifications Quickly. Alerts will Include SWFL Watch Net Activation Information as well as the Latest Information Issued by Local, State, and National Government Sources. Subsequent Alerts may be issued when changes occur in Net Times, Forecast Information, or Forecast Intensification.

    Frequency List Standardization
    We utilize the Lee County ARES Standard Frequency List in an Effort to Standardize a Much as Possible. LINK We will be Developing an Expanded Frequency List with a Corresponding Chirp File in the coming weeks. The Channels numbers will remain the same, but we will be filling in the gaps with other useful Frequencies.

    Skywarn
    We Will Receive and Pass On SkyWarn Reports for Any Ham Radio Station that can Not Reach NOAA By Conventional Means. We will have Radio Contact with Stations to our North.

    Youtube, Broadcastify, and Police Scanner
    When Available we will also Simulcast our Net Activities on the SWFL Tech Net Storm Watch Youtube Broadcast as well as the Broadcastify System. Links to these Internet Feeds will be provided on all Alerts when we Activate. Further we will continue to Broadcast other area Amateur Radio Feeds including SARNet. This way Family, Amateurs Outside the Area, and Anyone Interested can Listen In. I have Redundant Power and Internet here in the Shack and will Maintain the feeds as long as possible. As other folks sign on, our Capabilities will increase.

    Time Base / Use
    The SWFL Watch Net will use Local Time. All Alerts, Reports, and Information will be issued in Local Time. This is a Local Operation and it is NOT Necessary to Complicate anything by utilizing Non-Local Time.

    Who Can Be A Net Control Station
    Any Licensed Amateur Radio Operator that is Equipped for the Task. It is Suggested that All Net Control Stations have the Ability to Transmit and Receive on 2 Seperate Radios (One VHF and One UHF) Simultaneously During Storm Conditions. Redundant Power or a way to Operate for periods of time without commercial power. At least 2 Ways to connect to the Internet (Cell phone Tethering Counts) and a Hardened or Interior Mounted Antenna System. Optional Bonuses would be a Landline Phone, an HF Radio with an antenna system that is Hardened or can be Protected during the storm and Digital HF Capabilities.

    Join the Southwest Florida WatchNet HERE

    Let’s All Get Ready For Hurricane Season Together

    [​IMG]

    Areas Covered -
    Southwest Florida and locally covers the Communities of Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Lehigh Acres, Pine Island, Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, Bonita Springs, North Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Marco Island, Golden Gate, Immokalee, Labelle, Clewiston, Arcadia, Bokeelia, St. James City, Estero, San Carlos Park, Buckingham, and Fort Myers Beach. We Cover the Florida Counties of Lee County, Charlotte County, Collier County, Hendry County, Glades County, and Desoto County.
     
    NZ4X, AE5SB, W9EBE and 6 others like this.
  2. K1VSK

    K1VSK Ham Member QRZ Page

    It’s sometimes astonishing how some spend so much time creating solutions to non-existent problems.
     
    N0JMP, W4HM, KW2P and 11 others like this.
  3. NU4R

    NU4R XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Come again OM
     
    KO4EFS and AC3AV like this.
  4. KM4SXE

    KM4SXE Ham Member QRZ Page

    I am down in Naples and I will help out in anyway I can.
     
    KO4EFS and AC3AV like this.
  5. K0DUC

    K0DUC Ham Member QRZ Page

    Someone is doing something serious with the Amateur service out of their own will to do so. Sounds like they are having fun, doing what they want, and applying the service to at least some purpose. I don't see the problem with it, when all they are doing is using their skills and equipment in good practice for something they may be asked to use for good purpose in the future, all of their own accord.
     
    W9QK, W0OLL, N5GSG and 9 others like this.
  6. N1IPU

    N1IPU Ham Member QRZ Page


    Yeah doing something is so much worse than doing nothing and encouraging others to do the same. Forgot that.
     
    KR3DX, AC3AV and KO4EFS like this.
  7. KO4EFS

    KO4EFS XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    And you know what we need here I take it. Why be a Dick! If you don't like what we are doing, then don't participate. I can not stand folks like you that just post negative posts on everyone threads! If your not going to do something positive then try to not input something negative! Geesh!
     
    KK4NTX, W9QK, N4LOM and 7 others like this.
  8. K1VSK

    K1VSK Ham Member QRZ Page

    You should have prefaced your post with the admonition that only some opinions are acceptable to you.
     
    VK6HIL, W4HM and KE0GXN like this.
  9. N1IPU

    N1IPU Ham Member QRZ Page

    Just as you should have prefaced yours that only your ideas are valid. Next time make an actual argument.
     
    KR3DX likes this.
  10. K1VSK

    K1VSK Ham Member QRZ Page

    Please note that I didn't take offense and attack him with a childish insult for having a different opinion. The very last thing anyone needs here in Florida is another weather net.
     
    W4HM, ITAL7, N4RTD and 1 other person like this.
  11. W9EBE

    W9EBE Subscriber QRZ Page

    And why is that? Are weather nets creating a personal problem for you? I don't get it...

    I wish great success for the SWFL Watch Net, and also for other nets that are attempting to be of service. Keep up the good work!
     
    KR3DX, AE5SB and AC3AV like this.
  12. N1IPU

    N1IPU Ham Member QRZ Page

    I get what you are saying, When I was down there I had a buddy who was fifth gen Floridian. He used to say there was too many northerners down there.
     
    WQ4G and AD2EE like this.
  13. CT7ANU

    CT7ANU XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Guess snowflakes can't take criticism or opinion.
     
    KE0GXN and K9BAW like this.
  14. WO1B

    WO1B Premium Subscriber QRZ Page


    As Admiral Ackbar once said "ITS A TRAP!!!!"
     
    KO4CES and N1LOU like this.
  15. NN4RH

    NN4RH Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    What used to be "snowflakes" are now the "twitter mob".
     
    KO4CES, CT7ANU, KE0GXN and 1 other person like this.

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