If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:   
   http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/ares-el/?issue=2015-12-16   
      
   The ARES E-Letter   
      
   December 16, 2015   
   Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE   
      
   In This Issue:   
      
    *  Pennsylvania Amateurs Support FEMA Emergency Management Course Exercise   
    *  Western Washington Amateurs Activated for Landslide   
    *  Bio Shield 2015 : Martin County (Florida) ARES Drills on Biological   
       Attack   
    *  Public Service Communications: Know, Communicate, and Maintain the   
       Boundaries   
    *  Letters: "What You Are Not"   
    *  South Carolina Flooding: Notes from the Section Manager   
    *  Group Publishes On-Line Video Library for Disaster Response Training   
    *  Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio (RaDAR) Challenge   
    *  Public Service: ARES Supports Ultra Marathon in Florida Panhandle   
    *  Boston Marathon Communications Committee Seeks Skilled Amateurs for   
       Technical Infrastructure Assistance   
    *  Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency Communications to   
       Provide AUXCOMM Training in Conjunction with Orlando's HamCation(R) 2016   
    *  K1CE For a Final   
      
      
   ARES Briefs, Links   
      
   GlobalSET 2015 Worldwide Preparedness Exercise to Focus on Organization   
   (12/9/2015); ARRL International Humanitarian Award Nominations Due by December   
   31 (12/9/2015); Radio Amateurs Respond to "Grim" Flood Situation in Southern   
   India (12/4/2015); MARS-Amateur Radio Exercise an Overall Success (11/27/2015)   
      
      
   Pennsylvania Amateurs Support FEMA Emergency Management Course Exercise   
      
   Over the last three years the South Central (Pennsylvania) Task Force Amateur   
   Radio Working Group (SCTF-ARWG) has provided radio communications support for   
   the Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC) held at the FEMA Emergency   
   Management Institute (EMI) campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The ARWG is a   
   cooperative organization of Amateur Radio groups and individuals involved with   
   emergency communications in the eight county region of Pennsylvania. The   
   group, through its Hospital Emergency Amateur Radio Service (HEARS), also   
   supports emergency communications functions for healthcare facilities in the   
   region. It is charged with coordinating activities and interoperability among   
   Amateur Radio communication assets and organizations. The ARWG participates   
   with ARES(R) and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES).   
      
   "For the IEMC exercise portion, we typically have a voice/data VHF/UHF station   
   in the IEMC's sim cell and each of the simulated EOCs," reports ARWG chairman   
   Don Schmitt, K3DCS. "Our task is to pass exercise injects and handle response   
   messages during a simulated total outage of EOC power, telephone and public   
   safety communications." "Messages are passed using both voice and data modes   
   (fldigi) over amateur service frequencies."   
      
   The SCTF-ARWG communications team has participated in this FEMA program with   
   visiting emergency managers and personnel from counties and cities in Florida,   
   Utah and Alabama. "Our team is requested to assist when the visiting emergency   
   management agency (EMA) has a RACES, ARES or ACS group integrated with their   
   staff representatives," said Schmitt. Recently, when a Calhoun County, Alabama   
   EMA brought ARES members along to support exercise communications at the   
   simulated EOCs, members of the ARWG team who are also ARES members (from Adams   
   and York counties, Pennsylvania) assisted them. Pennsylvania state EMA (PEMA)   
   ACS Coordinator Susan Singer, KB3KDC, observes and participates with the   
   SCTF-ARWG team.   
      
   "Our ARWG communications team is honored to be asked to regularly support FEMA   
   EMI with the IEMC program," Schmitt said. "Over the years of participation the   
   team has learned a lot working with FEMA EMI staff and each of the   
   participating county/city agencies. The hot wash report from FEMA EMI   
   continually gives high marks to the Amateur Radio group. Frequently,   
   participating EMA groups state that they didn't fully realize how valuable   
   Amateur Radio could be to their emergency operations and planning." - [Don   
   Schmitt, K3DCS, is chairman, Pennsylvania SCTF-Amateur Radio Working Group,   
   Auxiliary Communications Officer, Adams County Department of Emergency   
   Services; and ARRL ARES Emergency Coordinator, Adams County, PA]   
      
      
   Western Washington Amateurs Activated for Landslide   
      
   In the afternoon of Wednesday, December 9th, the northbound lanes of   
   Interstate 5, a major transportation route along the West coast, were blocked   
   by a landslide at mile post 23, just north of Woodland, Washington. Boulders   
   the size of small trucks, mud, and trees invaded all three traffic lanes.   
   Mother Nature did an excellent job of picking a slide location that would   
   create the most chaos as there are no alternate routes in the area, and   
   another slide blocked US Hwy 30 just across the Columbia River in Oregon.   
      
   Woodland, a tiny community of less than 5,800 residents located at the   
   southern tip of Cowlitz County, was inundated by thousands of unexpected cars   
   and trucks taking exits 21 and 22. Emergency Coordinator Randy Greeley, NU7D   
   put out a heads up email on Wednesday evening, and the Cowlitz County   
   Department of Emergency Management, led by professional Emergency Manager   
   Ernie Schnabler, KB7YPU, activated the ARES portion of its ACS volunteer group   
   on Thursday morning, December 10th.   
      
   Handling the coordination at Woodland was the Mayor of Woodland, Grover   
   Laseke, KG7O, and Clark County ARES Team 1 Leader Randy Walter, K7LNR. Two   
   shelters were opened for motorists, one by the Red Cross at Grace Community   
   Church on the east side of the freeway, and one at Woodland High School on the   
   west side of the freeway. Walter reported that "Woodland High School canceled   
   school for the day and opened its facilities to stranded travelers with   
   support from its staff." Both shelters, Woodland City Hall, and the Washington   
   State Department of Transportation (at the scene of the slide) were supported   
   by Amateur Radio communications.   
      
   Two VHF repeaters owned by the Lower Columbia Amateur Radio Association were   
   used to facilitate the amateur response. The City of Woodland produced two   
   sets of situation update flyers for posting at local businesses on both sides   
   of the freeway, and the second set was distributed by Dave Bunch, KF7MJQ, and   
   Walter. Other radio amateurs providing communications assistance to the   
   Woodland landslide incident were Bill Czarnecki, KF7ZAT, Carl Gray, K7ECW,   
   Cecil Woolfe, KE7UAN, Colleen Greeley, KB7AYY, Darin Hokanson, KD7TJR, Gordon   
   Spalding, WA6TTR, Jeff Edgecomb, KB7PMO, Jeff Hillendahl, KJ6ETR, Kie Ludwig,   
   KD7UQR, Phil Vanderschaegen, KF7SJK, Ray Blanke, KC7MRM, and Stan Mourning,   
   KF7CVR.   
      
   One element of the response that could have been improved from the perspective   
   of the stranded motorists was the (non-amateur) communications between   
   Washington and Oregon. Because of the slides on two parallel north-south   
   highways at the same time, northbound motorists on US Hwy 30 in Oregon were   
   redirected to I-5 in Washington, and northbound motorists on I-5 in Washington   
   were redirected to US Hwy 30 in Oregon.   
      
   Two of the three lanes of northbound I-5 were re-opened in the evening on   
   Thursday, December 10th, after a closure of approximately 28 hours, and the   
   Amateur Radio communications support teams were released. Radio amateurs   
   contributed 163.5 hours and drove 368 miles. -- Steve Aberle, WA7PTM, ARRL   
   Official Emergency Station (OES), ARRL Western Washington Section   
      
      
   Bio Shield 2015: Martin County (Florida) ARES Drills on Biological Attack   
      
   "This is a drill, this is only a drill," began Martin County (Florida) ARES'   
   participation in Bio Shield 2015, an exercise that saw teams from the Florida   
   Department of Health in Martin County and local, state and federal partners   
   involved in a preparedness drill to test emergency response. The exercise was   
   held November 3-4, following an air show, which also had ARES participation,   
   in Stuart, a small town on the lower east coast of the Florida peninsula.   
      
   Soon after the air show ended and pursuant to the exercise scenario, a body   
   was found in a remote airport hangar. According to the scenario, it was   
   determined that the victim had died from the effects of a biological weapon.   
   Other "victims" in the area were showing signs of distress. Thus began the   
   coordinated emergency training drill for Martin County, a three day preplanned   
   exercise for training on, containment of, and otherwise dealing with biologic   
   threats. The drill also involved fire departments, other first responders,   
   police and helicopter support.   
      
   The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversaw the operation. The Federal   
   Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also participated. Martin County ARES assisted   
   with simulated emergency communications.   
      
   The county fairground was designated as an area for responders to rest, eat   
   and observe the progress of the event. The local American Red Cross facility   
   was staffed by an ARES team, and operators were involved with scenarios   
   involving food, water and bedding distribution there. ARES members were also   
   tasked with coordinating delivery of food, ice and supplies to the fairgrounds   
   for first responders.   
      
   Participating in Bio Shield 2015 was a first for the Martin County ARES group   
   - their simulated emergency tests are typically based on hurricane situations.   
   The ARES team fielded 17 operators for the county wide biological threat   
   training drill.   
      
   For information on Bio Shield 2015, please see the following videos:   
      
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bmjQN5pR4g   
      
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks2cQ5ka6g8   
      
   ________________________   
      
      
   The exercise followed the Stuart Air Show, held on October 30 - November 1,   
   with the Martin County Amateur Radio Association and ARES participating.   
   50,000 attended this year's event. The air show features reenactments of World   
   War II battles, with paratroopers dropping on to the main display area. The   
   Martin County ARA and ARES operators set up a tri-band antenna on a tower   
   trailer, with the tower raised to 45 feet. Contacts were made with stations   
   around the country and the globe. A special event call sign was employed: N4A   
   - phonetics were "November 4 America."   
      
   QSOs were sometimes difficult to make over the din of a Boeing F-18 supersonic   
   fighter jet passing 200 feet overhead at 650 mph, with simulated gunfire. For   
   members of the Amateur Radio team, this event is the operating highlight of   
   the year. Members hand out ARRL promotional material and information on   
   licensing. This year was the club's best for contacts made: 1070. Events such   
   as the air show and Bio Shield help prepare Martin County radio amateurs for   
   operation in the field when real emergencies and disasters occur. -- Gary   
   Webster, K4GMW, Jensen Beach, Florida   
      
   [From Ready.gov, biological agents are organisms or toxins that can kill or   
   incapacitate people, livestock and crops. A biological attack is the   
   deliberate release of germs or other biological substances that can make you   
   sick. The three basic groups of biological agents that would likely be used as   
   weapons are bacteria, viruses and toxins. Most biological agents are difficult   
   to grow and maintain. Many break down quickly when exposed to sunlight and   
   other environmental factors, while others, such as anthrax spores, are very   
   long lived. Biological agents can be dispersed by spraying them into the air,   
   by infecting animals that carry the disease to humans and by contaminating   
   food and water. Delivery methods include: aerosols, animals, food and water   
   contamination, and person-to-person. Specific information on biological agents   
   is available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. - ed.]   
      
      
   Public Service Communications: Know, Communicate, and Maintain the Boundaries   
      
   Here are two quotes, which stunned me as much as they should you: "I had no   
   idea what the hams were doing -- they were making decisions that were not   
   theirs to make.""The hams never integrated." The latter may speak to the   
   former, but these quotes come from two distinct organizations, neither having   
   any connection with the other except for this: negative experiences with our   
   amateur service. These same organizations eventually came back to Amateur   
   Radio, both thanks to a refreshing change in leadership, and with an   
   encouraging constant that held through good times and bad: the quality of our   
   average volunteer. I hear it so often and from every organization and agency:   
   "The hams are dedicated. They show up on time, eager to help. They are our   
   best volunteers."   
      
   With people like these, why such dissonance? It's a leadership issue, but more   
   than this I believe it comes down to individual relationships and a failure   
   sometimes to recognize, communicate, and maintain boundaries.   
      
   It's a whole new ball game nowadays. We're not on the scene just to erect a   
   few antennas and check in with net control. Our new roles involve working   
   closer with others, understanding and speaking the language of our "client,"   
   doing a lot of communicating long before the event or emergency occurs, and   
   establishing boundaries: Who is responsible for what? How will we handle a   
   particular issue? Who do we report to? Amazingly, time and again, I find these   
   basic questions are never considered by those who allege to lead our teams. It   
   is, I think, the one reason why we sometimes fail.   
      
   In our Western culture, boundaries are commonly considered in a negative frame   
   of reference, but in the field of human relationships where we do much of our   
   interfacing in Amateur Radio public service, boundaries build trust and   
   confidence and they simply make everything run smoother.   
      
   I was asked to help organize communications services for a small athletic   
   event. It had the typical closed-course, with water stops, a medical tent, and   
   a loosely constructed set of event leadership. I had reservations: no   
   participation was permitted in the pre-event planning. No integration of our   
   service within the event structure was allowed. We were, I was told, "trusted"   
   to do the right thing. This approach, with its cart before the horse, spelled   
   trouble. Horses don't follow carts very well I thought, and should anything   
   screw up we'll be on the hook. Still, I pitched in and put it together, but   
   with a very cautious approach. Instead of waiting for the rules, I set them   
   myself, and very conservatively. Just before things kicked off I cornered the   
   event official. In friendly fashion I said, "Our job is to provide instant and   
   reliable communications to support safety and extend your decision-making   
   reach, nothing more. This is your event and you make the decisions." I think   
   it was the "nothing more" that stuck, plus the open recognition of and   
   deference to his authority. It opened his eyes, and a few doors. Now, several   
   years doing the same event (we didn't screw up), our roles are expanded, and   
   conversations are finally taking place. I don't recommend this tactic for   
   every event, and I probably would not do it this way again, but perhaps it   
   helps make the point.   
      
   Boundaries are everywhere and must be considered in how we create a   
   communications plan, what's in the plan, and how it's executed. But plans are   
   only as good as those who follow along. The ARRL Emergency Communications   
   course training reminds us that our role within the EOC, UCC, or any place   
   where we serve others, is to work as a "team player." We are encouraged to   
   take orders (in other words, respect and support boundaries), and to   
   understand that doing so is one of the basic expectations. Things become   
   quickly dysfunctional when a volunteer struts about, insecure and lacking   
   internal controls, inside a group that recognizes the vital link between   
   organization and success; teamwork and individual contribution; working within   
   established channels, consistent with the plan.   
      
   As a leader, how open are you to understanding, communicating and maintaining   
   boundaries? I encourage you to consider these questions. If uncertain, then   
   ask. If you discover areas of your work that might cross a boundary previously   
   unconsidered, discuss it with those above you in the chain of command. If a   
   volunteer crosses the line, perform rapid correction, then improve training,   
   and refine your volunteer selection, screening, and assignment. Above all,   
   make it your goal as a leader to listen, and to approach your bosses and your   
   teams with a relationship-opening attitude. Replacing "here's what I will do   
   for you" with the simple question "how may we be of service?" goes a long,   
   long way.   
      
   Boundaries -- they're waiting to be better understood, communicated, refined,   
   and maintained. Our Amateur Radio communications service will be all the   
   better for such efforts. - Mark Richards, K1MGY, Littleton, Massachusetts   
   [Richards serves as a member of the Boston Athletic Association Communications   
   Committee, and is a frequent public service event volunteer and organizer. He   
   holds an Extra Class license and is employed in the technical design and   
   product development of hand-held environmental monitoring instrumentation.]   
      
      
   Letters: "What You Are Not"   
      
   The article "What You Are Not" in the October 22, 2015, issue perfectly   
   captures the pre-9/11, pre-ICS view of Amateur Radio in emergencies. In the   
   post-9/11 era, our role has evolved to the point where we are seen more as   
   trained communications experts who can be embedded in and expect to have   
   defined leadership roles. We are now more involved with emergency   
   communications planning, and are expected to make decisions within our scope   
   of practice. Our government partners treat us more as advisors and peers; we   
   are careful to take their direction and coaching. We now have advanced   
   skills, more quality and quantity of volunteers and more capable, resilient   
   communications infrastructure to offer (such as emerging high speed data radio   
   networks). -- Erik Westgard, NY9D, St. Paul, Minnesota   
      
      
   South Carolina Flooding: Notes from the Section Manager   
      
   [I recently asked ARRL South Carolina Section Manager Marc Tarplee, N4UFP, if   
   there was any significant response to this fall's flooding disaster there. A   
   storm that resulted from a cold front that passed through the eastern US,   
   stalling offshore and picking up moisture from Hurricane Joaquin, caused the   
   devastating flash flooding from rain, and rivers overflowing banks that   
   resulted in much destruction. Here is his reply -- ed.] ARES activity in South   
   Carolina during the historic flash flooding in October was minimal, but the   
   state's Emergency Management Division did have a group of Amateur Radio   
   operators activate the amateur position at the state EOC continuously during   
   the storm and during the immediate aftermath. Normal telecommunications   
   infrastructure remained almost completely intact during the entire event. The   
   rain came, quite literally, without weather. It rained continuously for an   
   entire weekend, but there was no wind, no electrical activity, no hail, and no   
   tornadoes. The rain was not a deluge, just steady and unrelenting. The major   
   flooding affected an area bounded by Myrtle Beach, Columbia, and Charleston,   
   roughly one-third of the state's land area. The remainder of the state did not   
   experience any real flooding, just unending rain.   
      
   This was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime disaster for citizens in the affected   
   regions, but the unusual nature of the event (continuous rain with calm   
   atmospheric conditions) created a situation in which our power and   
   telecommunications infrastructure didn't fail, and amateurs were not called   
   upon significantly to volunteer their services. Although we didn't get a   
   chance to show what we could do, I am glad that things were not worse than   
   they were. -- Marc Tarplee, N4UFP, ARRL South Carolina Section Manager   
      
      
   Group Publishes On-Line Video Library for Disaster Response Training   
      
   The Disaster Resistant Communities Group provides disaster planning and   
   preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation services to local, regional,   
   state and national agencies and departments as well as community and faith   
   based organizations. According to its website, the DRCG "develops innovative   
   concepts that meet the needs of local, state, regional and national emergency   
   management agencies and organizations; and provides creative opportunities for   
   local community stakeholders to plan and prepare for, respond to, recover from   
   and mitigate the effects of disasters and to use   
   innovative technology that engages people, organizations and agencies to work   
   together to prepare the whole community for the next emergency or disaster."   
      
   The group publishes Just In Time Disaster Training videos, which can be found   
   on their website. The group also sponsors a slate of exercises based on   
   various hazards. Click here for more. - Thanks to ARRL Assistant Public   
   Information Coordinator Sherri Brower, W4STB, ARRL Southern Florida Section   
      
      
   Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio (RaDAR) Challenge   
      
   ARRL Letter and QST Contributing Editor Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, found an   
   intriguing challenge contest for emergency/disaster operators, from South   
   Africa: the Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio (RaDAR) Challenge. Co   
   testant-operators try to make as many contacts as possible in 24 hours but   
   need to physically move their stations after every five contacts, a rule that   
   applies to the RaDAR moving stations category only. Other operators may take   
   part as a fixed RaDAR station or field station. - Thanks, WW1ME   
      
      
   Public Service: ARES Supports Ultra Marathon in Florida Panhandle   
      
   Northern Florida's West Panhandle District ARES supported the Cottonmouth 100   
   Ultra-marathon, a 100-mile endurance race that ran through parts of two   
   counties (Santa Rosa and Okaloosa) in a forest that encompasses almost 200,000   
   acres. Amateurs provided radio support at each of six aid stations and the   
   start/finish line.   
      
   Eight Escambia County ARES members, one Okaloosa County ARES member, and six   
   Santa Rosa County ARES members all worked together to pull off the operation.   
   A net control station conducted the race net on two frequencies -- 146.430 MHz   
   simplex and 147.360 MHz, the W4AAV Crestview repeater. The goal was to use   
   simplex as much as possible and only use the repeater for those aid stations   
   that could not otherwise be heard. The competitors ran on several portions of   
   the Florida Trail.   
      
   The race began at 6:03 AM on November 14. ARES support kicked in after the   
   first 50 miles had been completed by the runners. The net control station   
   started radio operations at noon, continuing operations until 11:00 the next   
   day. Tactical call signs consisting of the name of each aid station were used.   
   Each aid station reported each runner's number as they came through. A large   
   portion of the race was in darkness, so reporting was critical for safety.   
      
   Lessons Learned   
      
   More operators were needed, as were a backup net control station and message   
   runners at the net control site. A spreadsheet (in lieu of scratch sheets) for   
   each radio operator listing each runner and bib number would have improved   
   tracking efficiency. Antennas for each station could have been higher. Shelter   
   for the operators for protection from the elements (primarily cold and   
   dampness) needs improvement.   
      
   Overall the operation and event were successful. All operators learned the   
   importance of having back-up equipment. - Daisy Crepeau, KT4KW, Santa Rosa   
   Assistant EC; and Joe McLemore, KF4DVF, Assistant EC, Escambia County, Florida   
   ARES   
      
      
   Boston Marathon Communications Committee Seeks Skilled Amateurs for Technical   
   Infrastructure Assistance   
      
   Preparations are underway once more for the Boston Athletic Association's   
   Boston Marathon, April 18, 2016. Nearly 300 trained Amateur Radio volunteers   
   support the event, providing vital communications services across the entirety   
   of the 26 mile course. Volunteers are recruited, selected, and managed by the   
   BAA's Communications Committee, which is entering its second year of   
   operation. "A major initiative of the Committee this year is to bolster the   
   technology we use on Marathon Monday," said Communications Committee member   
   Matthew Forman, K6MCF. "To do so, we're forming a Technical Infrastructure   
   Subcommittee (TIS) and seeking amateurs who can offer current skills in analog   
   and/or digital modes (UHF/VHF), repeaters, and infrastructure. We'd like to   
   have the TIS consist of one technically-seasoned member from Amateur Radio   
   clubs in Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, and the northern parts of   
   Connecticut and Rhode Island," said Forman.   
      
   Another Committee member, Mark Richards, K1MGY, will be assisting in   
   representing the TIS to clubs and other interests. "A diversity of talent, and   
   the involvement from and representation to this work by area clubs is vital to   
   creating volunteer opportunities for everyone and making sure that Amateur   
   Radio is a part of this extraordinary event for years to come," he said.   
   Richards will be contacting clubs and soliciting their assistance. He can be   
   reached directly at k1mgy@hamradioboston.org.   
      
      
   Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency Communications to   
   Provide AUXCOMM Training in Conjunction with Orlando's HamCation(R) 2016   
      
   The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency Communications (OEC)   
   will be on hand at Orlando's HamCation(R) 2016, the ARRL National Convention,   
   to conduct its nationally recognized NIMS/ICS compliant Auxiliary   
   Communications (AuxComm) course. Over 1,200 Amateur Radio operators from   
   around the country have taken this course. The purpose of the course is to   
   train qualified amateurs so they may assist their local, county and state   
   governments with emergency backup communications if requested to do so. This   
   course will be held the three days prior to Orlando's HamCation(R), February   
   9-11, in the Orlando, Florida, area near the Hamcation event site.   
      
   Registration is open now. Students requesting to attend the course must meet   
   all of the listed prerequisites (FEMA Independent Study Course completions on   
   the ICS, NIMS and NRF, as indicated below) and provide electronic/scanned   
   images of required documents when registering. Prerequisites: A copy of your   
   current valid FCC amateur radio license; IS-100B certificate; IS-200B   
   certificate; IS-700A certificate; and IS-800B certificate   
      
   Only students whose registration is approved in advance will be allowed to   
   attend this training. The course is limited to 40 students, and registration   
   will close when that number of qualified students has been reached. OEC will   
   notify Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (SWIC) in those States whose   
   attendees successfully complete this training.   
      
   Course Content: The Communications Unit and the Emergency Operations Center   
   (EOC); AUXCOMM Roles and Responsibilities; Interoperable Communications;   
   Incident Communications; Incident Radio Communications Plan; Incident   
   Communications Center (ICC); Team Management and Accountability; Resources;   
   Best Practices; Intrastate and Interstate Radio Networks; Final Exercise Exam   
      
   This will be an intensive three day course with facilitated lectures and   
   student exercises. This course provides time for interactive discussions and   
   exercises. Registrations/questions regarding this course should be sent   
   to:OEC@hq.dhs.gov with the key word "Orlando HamCation 2016" in the subject   
   line.   
      
   K1CE For a Final   
      
   My New Year's resolution is to operate off the grid for the entire year of   
   2016. I recently acquired a 15 watt solar panel for charging my 31 amp/hour   
   SLA gel cell battery, and that's all I will use for powering my Icom IC-7000   
   and IC-2200H radios from home for the year. My 2016 operating agenda includes   
   the ARRL National Parks On The Air program, which celebrates the National   
   Parks' Centennial. I hope to work readers! (In a way, the Amateur Radio   
   service is like a National Park, or indeed, an international park -- think   
   about it!)   
      
   What's your New Year's Amateur Radio resolution? Send it to me at   
   k1ce@arrl.net and I'll publish the best ones! Happy Holidays and Happy New   
   Year from your editor -- Rick Palm, K1CE, Daytona Beach, Florida -- "The   
   World's Most Famous Beach"   
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   "So let me ask you a question about this brave new world of yours. When you've   
   killed all the bad guys, and when it's all perfect, and just and fair, and   
   when you have finally got it exactly the way you want it, what are you going   
   to do with the people like you? The trouble makers. How are you going to   
   protect your glorious revolution from the next one?" - The twelfth Doctor   
      
   ... To a plumber a flush always beats a full house.   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)