10/OCT/19 CA Grid Down Report

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ORCA DIGITAL NET -California Grid Down Event 10/Oct/19Check-ins: 9
Stations:
KE6SLS Jaye Eureka,CA
KI7TPD Fred Cedar City,UT
W7ZAP Mindy Brookings,OR
W7HHE Brad Cedar City,UT
W6ADZ Darrell Reno,NV
N7SND Larry Cedar City,UT
WB7TZD Tom Vancouver,WA
K6ETA Steve Petaluma,CA
K7KY Doug Brookings,OR NCS

We formed this special-session net to support EMCOMM in Humboldt and Sonoma Counties in California.  Ops in both counties report an improving situation.  Tonight’s special session is the last for this event. Thanks to everyone that checked in or monitored the net.  We appreciate your support.  This small effort by ORCA is an inaugural occasion.  We supported Amateur Radio operations in Humboldt Co by gathering current wx predictions and projections and relayed them digitally on 160m.  It was a seamless application of the tactics and procedures we practice every week.  Should we be called to more difficult duties, I think we’ll acquit ourselves well.  County reports follow:

——— Steve K6ETA, Sonoma County,CA
Update from Sonoma County:  The Red Flag Warning has now expired. Power came back on in Petaluma with no significant fire events, however parts of the county are still dark. We expect the power to be restored for the entire county by end of day tomorrow.

Since there were no significant wind events there are many questioning this new system – but time will tell whether this was deemed a success.

We are thankful that no fires like the ones two years ago occurred and onlypower-related crashes and medical incidents were experienced. Businesses suffered many losses, but this was a good drill for a larger event such as an earthquake, etc. So people will hopefully be more prepared next time.

Anyway that’s it for Sonoma County!    <  K6ETA

————-Jaye KE6SLS, Humboldt County,CA
The electrical grid in Humboldt county failed near midnight, Tuesday, 8Oct2019.  Many residences were not notified or notified only a few hours prior to shut-down.  This ham learned about the planned outage approx 4pm Tuesday by OES followed by a “CODE RED” alert from our OES/Sheriffs dept.

I decided to top my fuel tank and found fuel station queues at every gas station.  As I passed a hardware store, it was obvious there were many angry people trying to buy supplies and supplies had run dry or very limited.

This ham notified every person I had a phone number for in Humboldt county and was amazed at how many people didn’t know of the shut-down event.  I hope I helped them with manual notification.

Fellow ham ke6hec came over and moved my generator outside on grass.  Safely away from my home.

On Wednesday, there was no power.  Our linked repeaters were full of hams wanting info.  One popular radio station, KHUM 104.3 was on air and broadcasting real time news reports and taking calls. They determined that we had a few tribal fuel stations/convenience stores on back up power.  I learned we had a temporary oxygen machine recharge station from Public health–critical information.  I passed this to KHUM.

My verison phone had 100% service, other providers were hit and miss.  Many people with the low income   gs” has no service, but only access to 911.

Our internet provider, Suddenlink Communications, failed immediately.  This provider also sells “phone service” which obviously failed.  Only AT&T phones continued to work. Our Emergency services handled the crisis well.  Law enforcement had about 25% higher call rate, mostly due to crashes at intersections with failed traffic lights.
Hams using our linked repeaters were notified that our controlling linked repeater had no back up power and was now limited to the life of it’s back-up battery.  Calls to limit use seemed to not register with many hams.  This ham made it a point to be very “direct” at moving callers off linked system to simplex. Unfortunately, many hams don’t have simplex frequencies programmed or only using HT’s.  These stations will need more mentoring so that they can understand the importance of an outside “gain” antenna and the use of simplex.

Many hams provided amazing services, including km6liq <Carl> who built an emergency battery/inverter for a woman who’s oxygen machine had failed.  He litterally saved her life.

Many lessons to be learned.  This ham has a laundry list of improvements to the radio shack and emergency back up plan.  My station tower is less than one week old and I am very grateful that I was able to complete the project before all this happened. Also TU for nx6dx, k7ky & w7zap for helping with traffic and using 75 and 160M for digital qso.  You guys ROCK.

Currently, there are still some outages in our county and many other counties to the south of Humboldt are still in full grid failure.
Thank you, 73 Jaye ke6sls
———–

This concludes the special-session ORCA net. The sked is cancelled.  73 Doug K7KY

Net Reports

19/DEC/23 Report

19/DEC/23 Report

ORCA DIGITAL NET 19/DEC/23 Check-In/Rotation Check-Ins: 23 Stations: __W1EEP Gene Pine Valley,UT QNX __KI7ARP Herman Pine Valley,UT QNX __KE7YX Emery Pendleton,OR QNX N6FPV Matt Scotia,CA VidID WA7JYK Tom Joseph,OR __AK0SK Sila Kansas City,MO QNX __K7UK Rick Omak,WA QNX KE6SLS Jaye [...]

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FEMA Region X HF Interoperability Testing (60m)


FEMA Region X Monthly Interoperability NET, which comprises Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, conducts a monthly interoperability communications exercise on the 60-meter band. This exercise often includes a voice portion and a digital portion.

FEMA Region X uses the call sign of WGY910. The COMMEX occurs on the third Wednesday of the month from 1730 to 1900Z. Primary check-in is usually on 60-meter channel 1.

FEMA Region X Monthly Interoperability NET

3rd Wednesday 1730Z - 1900Z
Channel 1: 5330.5 kHz
Channel 2: 5346.5 kHz
Channel 3: 5357.0 kHz
Channel 4: 5371.5 kHz
Channel 5: 5403.5 kHz
1730Z Open net, delay check-ins
60M - CH1
1735Z NCS sends 1st dig msg
60M - BPSK31 - CH 2
1740Z NCS repeats 1st dig msg using alt mode
60M - MT63-2KL CH2
1745Z NCS calls for check-ins and reports
60M - CH1
1815Z NCS TX 2nd digital msg
60M - BPSK31 - CH 2
1825Z NCS reTX 2nd dig msg using alt mode
60M - MT63-2KL - CH 2
1827Z NCS calls for reports
60M - CH 1
1850Z NCS closes the net
60M - CH 1

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SHORTWAVE RADIOGRAM

Shortwave Radiogram transmits digital text and images on an analog shortwave broadcast transmitter. The program is produced and presented by Dr. Kim Andrew Elliott KD9XB. Shortwave Radiogram continues VOA Radiogram's tradition testing new modes and is an interesting source for Digital Ops wishing to practice more with FLDIGI & FLAMP.
 

Shortwave Radiogram Transmission Schedule (AM)

Fri 2030-2100 UTC
7780 kHz
9455 kHz
WRMI Florida
Sat 1600-1630 UTC
9400 kHz
Space Line, Bulgaria
Sun 2330-2400 UTC
7780 kHz
WRMI Florida
Mon 0800-0830 UTC
7730 kHz
5850 kHz
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