Announcements     Take Note

06/28/10  Field Day 2010 Successful Despite Heat and Poor Band Conditions

As Field Days go, 2010 will be remembered for its hot weather and poor band conditions. The mercury climbed to 91 on Saturday and 95 on Sunday. As hot as the air temperature was, HF band conditions were almost cold to the touch. Heavy static coupled with poor propagation made 10, 15 and 20 meters virtually unusable. The only two bands that yielded reliable contacts were 40 and 80 meters.

Despite the negatives, a robust Class 3A Field Day station was established at Area 12 in Ridley Creek State Park. Powered by a 5 KW gasoline generator and battery arrays, the station included three HF transceivers, a 2m/70cm FM transceiver, a 2m/70cm D-Star transceiver, a 1.2G D-Star transceiver and a 2m telpac station. Antennas included a G5RV, an NVIS 80m dipole, a long-wire, a military vertical, 2m Ringo, 2m/70cm Yagi, 2m/70cm open-stub J-pole and a 1.2G Yagi. 

Even though the HF bands proved to be a bust, more than 100 contacts were logged on phone and digital modes in 30 different sections. As is protocol, ARES-RACES approached Field Day as an exercise and training session rather than a contest. Emphasis was placed on deployment with a skeleton crew using equipment and modes that would be required to conduct field operations during a widespread communications emergency. ARES-RACES trainees got a great opportunity to wet their feet on the HF bands, making contacts on phone and seeing first-hand all of the excitement. 

A great deal of credit goes to Ace Trexler-KB3ACE, Bob Famiglio-K3RF, Joe Ames-W3JY and Bob Wilson-W3BIG for hanging antennas and setting up the station. W3JY, K3RF, KB3ACE and W3BIG broke down the station Sunday afternoon during the peak of the heat wave. Additional operators included Craig Skotnicki-KB3SUM, Ted Mills-N3UP, Sonya Fazio-KB3UGI and Jim Rowland-KB3UGL. Grill-master Joe Ames and wife Joanne provided a great cookout dinner Saturday evening and a terrific lunch on Sunday. Thanks to all for a memorable event.

 06/23/10   SNS Drill Declared a Resounding Success

Delaware County ARES-RACES was activated June 21 and 22 to support the Strategic National Stockpile drill held at various county facilities. The exercise tested the ability of federal, state, county and local emergency management officials to quickly respond to a widespread public health crisis. The scenario was focused on a simulated biological terrorist attack on the population of Delaware County using an aerosol anthrax agent.

On Monday, June 21 at 1249 hours, Delaware County ARES-RACES was notified and tasked with supporting the public health response by providing critical communications. Within 20 minutes Ready Response Team Alfa deployed to three sites in the county including the SNS Operations Center at Delaware County Intermediate Unit in Morton, the Local Logistical Node at the Fair Acres Geriatric Center in Lima and at a dispensing POD at Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill.

Ready response Team Alfa included Bob Famiglio-K3RF, Fred Field-N3OFR, Ace Trexler-KB3ACE and Bob Wilson-W3BIG. More than 36 man-hours of service were logged and 20 pieces of official message traffic were passed during the exercise. At the conclusion of the drill public health officials declared DelCo ARES-RACES' participation a success.

A short news story on ARES-RACES participation in the drill is included here: (SNS Drill)

06/06/10  Bob Famiglio, K3RF, Receives 2010 Atlantic Division Technical Achievement Award

Delaware County’s own Bob Famiglio, K3RF, has been named the ARRL Atlantic Division 2010 recipient of the Technical Achievement Award. Bob, who serves as the EPA’s First District Emergency Coordinator, has made a significant impact in the revitalization of ARES-RACES in the five-county Philadelphia area. His dedication to emergency communication via Amateur Radio has been inspirational and his efforts have had a tangible effect on both the emcomm infrastructure in the Delaware Valley and on readiness of all ARES-RACES units in the district.

Bob’s efforts were instrumental in securing a grant through the Pennsylvania Southeastern Counterterrorism Task Force which brought new D-Star repeaters and tactical communication kits to all five counties in the First District. Bob has increased the visibility and credibility of ARES-RACES among emergency managers in his district and has focused a very positive light on Amateur Radio among regional hospital administrators, the National Disaster Medical System, PEMA and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Through his efforts representing ARES-RACES, one large hospital in Delaware County decided to fund the purchase and installation of a new D-Star repeater system, which has the distinction of being the first such system in the county. This repeater system, along with a second system funded by the Counterterrorism Task Force, form a robust digital communications system dedicated to emergency operations in Delaware County.

Bob has also worked tirelessly to promote cooperative training and operation between all of the ARES-RACES units in the First District. His inspired leadership has been responsible for a renewed esprit de corps that has had a positive effect on training and readiness.

Delaware County ARES-RACES takes great pleasure and pride in recognizing the significant accomplishments of Bob Famiglio and congratulates the Atlantic Division in selecting the most deserving recipient for this high honor.

06/04/10  ARES-RACES Cooperative Meeting at Cooper University Hospital

Cooper University Hospital in Camden hosted an ARES-RACES meeting on June 3rd with representatives from seven south Jersey counties and two Pennsylvania counties in attendance. The focus of the meeting was emerging technologies in Amateur Radio emergency communications with a special emphasis on D-Star. Representing EPA's First District was Bob Famiglio, K3RF, Brian Faux, N3QGO from Bucks County and Bob Wilson, W3BIG from Delaware County. Delaware County ARES-RACES demonstrated the new TAC-COM kits to the group. A cooperative exercise between the south Jersey ARES-RACES units and EPA's First District will be scheduled in the near future.

05/18/10  SNS Planning Exercise Successful

The May 17 planning session for the June SNS (Strategic National Stockpile) exercise went off without a hitch. Delaware County ARES-RACES was tasked with providing backup communications for the exercise to demonstrate our capability should the infrastructure fail. A robust communications station was set up at the operations center inside Delaware County Intermediate Unit in Morton. Two voice channels were established with primary on KA3TWG and secondary on W3AEC, the first official ARES use of the new DelStar West system. A portable packet station was also deployed to send radio emails via Winlink. To learn how the packet signal was routed to the RMS gateway in Lima, (read artcle).

05/14/10  DELSTAR WEST Repeater System On the Air from Fair Acres

Delaware County's second dedicated emergency communications D-STAR repeater system, W3AEC, became operational at 1500 hours on Friday, May 14th. The repeater system is located atop the Fair Acres Geriatric Center in Lima,  approximately 300 yards from the 911 Center on Route 352. The system consists of three separate Icom repeater modules linked to a multi-port controller. A 70cm digital voice repeater operates on 440.05625 Mhz with a 5 Mhz positive offset. A 23 cm digital voice repeater operates on 1255.5500 with a 12 Mhz positive offset. A 23 cm digital data repeater operates on 1299.9000 Mhz.

(04/25/10)  March for Babies and MS Walk Kick Off 2010 Public Service Season

Delaware County ARES-RACES had a busy weekend April 24-25 as it provided event communications for the March for Babies on Saturday and MS Walk on Sunday. A total of 16 radio operators volunteered their services, providing significant and highly visible contributions to the success of two major charity events. The teams manned six radio positions including a net control station and checkpoints spaced throughout the 4.5 mile course. Volunteer radio operators included K3RF, KB3ACE, KB3SUM, W4RFJ, KA3TEJ, N3NUL, N3JIZ, W3BIG, N3OFR, K3DLX, W3JY, KA3BMS, KB3UGG, AA3EO, N3RLX and KB3UGE.

(04/21/10)  Installation of  DELSTAR WEST Repeater scheduled for May 3.

W3AEC, our second D-STAR repeater system, will be installed at Fair Acres in Lima on May 3rd. The system will be identical to the one installed at DCMH with a digital voice module on 440.05625 Mhz with a positive 5 Mhz offset, a digital voice module on 1255.5500 Mhz with a positive 12 Mhz offset and a digital data module on 1299.9000 Mhz.  We anticipate the system will become operational on that date or shortly afterward. As with our system in Drexel Hill, the W3AEC D-STAR system will become a gateway to the internet. With the antennas being installed on the top of the 14-story high-rise at Fair Acres, we anticipate the RF footprint will be extensive.

(04/10/10)  DELSTAR EAST has New Call

The FCC granted a new vanity call to Delaware County ARES-RACES for use with our D-STAR repeater system at DCMH. The call sign is N3AEC, a companion to W3AEC, which will be used for the D-STAR repeater system to be installed at Fair Acres. The mnemonic device for remembering which call applies is this:  The "W" in W3AEC refers to its location in WESTERN Delaware County. The "N" in N3AEC refers to its location in eastern Delaware County "NEAR PHILADELPHIA." DELSTAR EAST will be programmed with the new call sign on Saturday, April 10.

(03/25/10)  DELSTAR EAST Repeater System On the Air

The first dedicated ARES-RACES repeater system in the history of Delaware County became operational on March 25th, 2010 at 1050 hours. The system, known as DELSTAR EAST, is located atop Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill. The digital repeater system features Icom 440 and 1200 Mhz Digital Voice (DV) repeaters and an Icom 1200 Mhz. Digital Data (DD) repeater. The system is temporarily using the call sign KB3UES until a new vanity call is authorized by the FCC. The 440 DV repeater operates on 440.04375 Mhz with a plus 5 Mhz offset. The 1.2G DV repeater operates on 1255.5250 Mhz with a plus 12 Mhz offset. The 1.2G DD repeater operates on 1299.7 Mhz. Power output is 25 Watts on 440 and 10 Watts on 1.2G. Antennas include a Celwave omni on 440 and a Comet Omni on 1.2G. The system was funded entirely by Delaware County Memorial Hospital and was designed and installed by Jeff DePolo, WN3A, of Broadcast Sciences. This system, along with the one soon to be installed at Fair Acres in Lima, will form the backbone of a dedicated digital repeater network in Delaware County that will enhance Amateur Radio emergency communications within the region.

(02/24/10)  Wide-band D-STAR Digital Data Frequencies Coordinated

The Area Repeater Coordination Council (ARCC) for EPA / SNJ has recommended frequencies for wide-band digital data (DD) operation for Delaware County's two ARES  D-STAR repeater systems. The KC2UYT system, designated as High-speed Data East and located atop Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill, will use 1299.7 Mhz. The W3AEC system, designated as High-speed Data West and located atop the Fair Acres building in Lima, will operate on 1299.9 Mhz. These two high-speed digital data links will greatly enhance emergency communications via Amateur Radio within Delaware County and adjacent communities.

(02/12/10)  Final Assembly Made on Portable EmComm Kits

Volunteers from Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties met at Rose Tree Fire Company in Media Friday, February 12 to complete assembly of 12 portable emergency communication kits provided by a grant from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Antiterrorism Task Force.  The kits feature an HP notebook computer, Yaesu FT-857 HF/VHF/UHF transceiver and pactor III modem enclosed in a waterproof Pelican case. The units were designed by Jeff DePolo of Broadcast Sciences, who supervised assembly of the units.  The construction team included First District EC Bob Famiglio-K3RF, ADEC Roger Jordan-W4RFJ, Doug Priest-W3CF, Bill Henderson-WM3L, Jim Harris-WA3NOA, Brian Faux-N3QGO and Bob Wilson-W3BIG.  Each county ARES-RACES unit will receive 3 of the kits with the exception of Chester County, which already has similar systems. The kits will greatly enhance portable operations and promote interoperability in the region.

(02/02/10) Bob Famiglio - K3RF Named 2009 Firefighter of the Year for Rose Tree Fire Company No. 1.

Delaware County's own Bob Famiglio - K3RF was named 2009 Firefighter of the Year by Rose Tree Fire Company in Upper Providence Township. Bob wears many hats, including Delaware County ARES-RACES member, First District Emergency Coordinator, practicing attorney and firefighter. Bob serves as a lieutenant with Rose Tree Fire Company and is frequently called out at any hour to battle fires in and around Media. His dedication to public safety is exemplary and we in DelCo ARES are proud of his accomplishments.

(02/01/10) Frequencies Issued for New D-Star Repeater Systems

The Area Repeater Coordination Council (ARCC) for EPA / SNJ has issued frequencies for two new D-Star repeater systems to be operated by Delaware County ARES-RACES. The W3AEC repeater system, to be located atop Fair Acres Geriatric Complex in Lima will have digital voice and data repeaters operating on output frequencies of 440.05625 Mhz with a + 5 Mhz offset and on 1255.5500 Mhz with a + 12 Mhz offset. The KC2UYT repeater system will be located atop Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill and will have digital voice and data repeaters operating on output frequencies of 440.04375 Mhz with a + 5 Mhz offset and on 1255.5250 Mhz with a + 12 Mhz offset. Plans are to have the new D-Star repeater systems operational and on the air sometime in the Spring.

(01/28/10) Auxiliary Communications Services (ACS) Program becomes effective January 22, 2010

On January 22, 2010, PEMA Director Robert P. French signed the Pennsylvania Auxiliary Communications Services (ACS) Program Directive D2020-1. This directive formally established the Pennsylvania Auxiliary Communications Services (ACS) Program, which includes the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) as an inherent component of the program, within the Pennsylvania Emergency management Agency (PEMA) to provide official auxiliary emergency communications in support of established state, county and local public safety communications systems.

With the signing of Directive 2010-1, two items become immediately effective statewide. First, in order to comply with NIMS policy on the use of common terminology,  Auxiliary Communications Services, or ACS, will be the generic term used to refer to all government-sponsored volunteer communications programs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, whether the program includes RACES or not and regardless of the name used to identify a specific jurisdiction's program.  Secondly, the title of ACS Officer will replace the title of RACES Officer, or RO, in all jurisdictions. The changes do not require or suggest that any personnel changes occur. The duties and responsibilities of current RACES Officers will not change. Only the position title will change.

(01/23/10) Ham-in-a-Day Class Scheduled for Saturday, March 27

The next Ham-in-Day licensing course, sponsored by the Penn-Del Amateur Radio Club, is scheduled for Saturday, March 27th from 0830-1730. The course is an excellent way to break into the exciting Amateur Radio hobby. The class is taught by Hal Frantz, KA3TWG, who has a phenomenal success rate in licensing new Amateur Radio operators. The class will be held at Maximillians located at 3001 Naamans Creek Road in Boothwyn, PA. A $40 course fee includes instruction, morning refreshments and the license exam fee. More information on the course is available here:  Ham Radio License In a Day Flyer March 2010.pdf

(01/07/10  Atlantic Division Webinar on Legal Issues Affecting Amateur Radio a Successful Event

The ARRL's Atlantic Division presented an informational webinar dealing with legal issues affecting Amateur Radio clubs and organizations on Wednesday, January 6th at 9:00 p.m. The one hour and fifty minute program, hosted by Atlantic Division Director Bob Edgar, N3LLR, covered many interesting topics including liability issues, incorporation of organizations, statutory immunity under the Federal Volunteer Protection Act and other subjects. Panelists included three prominent attorneys within the Amateur Radio community. Chris Imlay, W3KD, general counsel to the ARRL was joined by Bob Famiglio, K3RF and Mike Lazaroff, K3AIR. The program was intended to assist club officers in dealing with important legal matters affecting their organizations.

(12/16/09)  Fred Field, N3OFR, Assumes Leadership of Response Team Alfa

Fred Field, N3OFR, a seasoned member of Delaware County ARES-RACES, has assumed leadership of Response Team Alfa, the unit's primary field communications team. Fred, who serves as the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator for Concord Township as well as a first responder with Concordville Fire Company, has the experience and skills to make the team a top-notch emcomm resource. Fred has been a dedicated team member and has served during countless public service events at Ridley Creek State Park and elsewhere.

(12/16/09)  Ray Jones, KB3NFE and Lori Jones, KB3PRF Leave Delaware County

Delaware County ARES-RACES will miss two outstanding volunteers who served with distinction. Ray and Lori Jones, KB3NFE and KB3PRF have moved their family to South Jersey. Ray served as AEC for Operations for nearly two years and had also served as webmaster for delcoares.  Ray and Lori were fixtures at nearly every public service event and exercise conducted by the unit. Ray and Lori's dedication were unmatched and they both directly contributed to the success and viability of everything Delaware County ARES-RACES has accomplished. They will be missed by all. We wish Ray and Lori the greatest success in their new home and careers.

(12/16/09)  New EmComm Equipment Received

The communications equipment from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Anti-Terrorism Task Force grant has been received and is being integrated into operational status with Delaware County ARES-RACES. The equipment includes three D-Star repeaters for operation on both the 440 Mhz and 1.2G bands along with all necessary hardware including power supply, duplexers, triplexers, filters and antenna. Additionally, the first part of the portable emcomm kits has arrived. These kits include Icom ID-1 D-Star transceivers, Yaesu FT-857 HF/VHF/UHF transceivers, SGC auto-tuners, 26AH AGM batteries, power supplies, West Mountain PwrGates, HP laptop computers with portable printers, loop Yagi antenna arrays and all necessary cables enclosed in tough, waterproof Pelican cases. An Icom ID-800H D-Star transceiver was also included and has been installed at the ARES radio room. Training sessions on the new equipment will be scheduled as soon as possible.

(12/16/09)  New ARES-RACES D-Star Repeater to be installed at DCMH

Armand Alessi, KC2UYT, Director of Safety and Security at Delaware County Memorial Hospital, has announced that all of the equipment for the new D-Star repeater system to be installed at the Drexel Hill medical facility has been received. The new repeater will be installed shortly and will serve as an emergency communications hub in the eastern region of Delaware County. This repeater system will be identical to the ARES-RACES system that will be installed at Fair Acres. The two systems will provide a voice and data network dedicated to emergency communications in Delaware County.

(12/16/09)  New DelCo ARES-RACES Website

Delaware County ARES-RACES has a new look on the web. The website has been reworked and has a different look. We are indebted to past webmaster Ray Jones, KB3NFE, who managed the site for a few years. Ray and his family recently moved to New Jersey and his service will be sorely missed.