EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

ARRL Continuing education program is up and running. Their first offering is a much needed course on emergency communication. Check it out on the ARRL web site under Public Service. Amateur Radio emergency communication service has been active lately, first working with national hurricane center in Miami, and then with the Red Cross in New York City. There has been a shortage of operators for NYC. Operators can check the ARRL web site for information regarding the current need. The need for qualified radio operators will increase. We are involved in a different kind of war now. The conduct of this war will be unlike previous wars. Amateur Radio is likely to play a more active part than it has in previous wars. When world war II started, Amateur Radio was put on hold. All ham stations went QRT. The ham bands were reassigned to military use, and many hams donated their equipment to the war effort. It could be quite different this time. Amateur Radio has participated with the military through MARS, and is still doing so. However, this war is going to produce situations requiring our direct assistance with emergency communications as is the case now in NYC. Only our adversaries know the time and place of the next attack. The military needs to be ready. The civil authorities need to be ready. The Red Cross needs to be ready, and we need to be ready with them.

How do we make sure we are ready? Well, for starters, all operators need to really learn how to be fully competent operators. Getting a license hardly scratches the surface. We all should pay close attention to Net Control during practice nets and especially emergency nets. Learn what you can from these seasoned operators. However, there is a lot more to handling formal traffic and conducting emergency operations than is obvious to the casual observer. Although there are many pretty good operators who have learned the art on the job, we really do need to formalize the learning process and get it right. I can imagine a time when net participants will be required to be certified in traffic
handling as well as being licensed. The ARRL now has the certification training program. Check it out.

This is hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic. Monitor the hurricane nets and you will realize how important it is for all the participants in the nets to be on the same page so to speak.

73
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W4YKF
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NORTH GEORGIA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB NET

The 2 meter net will meet on October 4, at 0030 UTC. We will use the W4BOC/N4KHQ repeater on 146.835 + 600. This will be my first time to serve as net control. Hopefully, you experienced NC's will critique our performance and help us to get this net restarted. Everyone will get some formal traffic experience after we get up and running.

This part of the net should not take much time to conclude, so we should be able to have an informal net meeting too. We can have a fun round table something like the Country Cousins Net, or we can swap lies or swap gear, but not lie about the gear we swap!

OCTOBER MEETING

The October meeting will be at CARUSOE's on Monday, October 1, at 2200 UTC. We have a room reserved, so this should make conversation somewhat less troubled by QRM. Lets give this a try.

BICYCLE RIDE

Just another reminder that more radio operators are needed on the course. Contact K4PTT, Mr. Duane, to offer your services. Ride Date is Sept. 30.
If you can loan a radio, then contact K4SZ, Mr. Bob.

LUMPKIN COUNTY EMERGENCY COORDINATOR

Get to know your Lumpkin Co. EC.