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Cook County Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®)

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This is the home page of Cook County Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®).


 Next ARES Events  
  ARES events only. See complete calendar below for other events,
  including public service events run by other groups.		 Homeland Security Threat Level
  Key:     ARES Nets and Meetings    ARES/Operating Activities    Public Service Events
Sat Apr 21 0900 EmComm Round Table; Hoffman Estates PD; 411 W Higgins Rd.
Wed Apr 25 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Sun May 06 0700-1400 Public Service: MS Walk--Palatine (Schaumburg ARC)
Wed May 23 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Sun Jun 03 tba Public Service: Udder Century (Union IL) (N9REP)
Sun Jun 10 tba Public Service: American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure (K9LGE)


   Quick Jumps

ARES Calendar of Activities and Public Service Events
Invitation to Join ARES
ARES Registration Forms
Severe Weather (Skywarn®) Training 2012
Chicago-Area and Illinois Nets, including ARES, Skywarn, and Public Service
Cook County ARES Net--4th Wednesday every Month
Schaumburg ARC Emergency Communications and ARES Net
ARRL Field Day--Illinois and Chicago-Area Field Day Operations
Illinois Statewide Simulated Emergency Test (SET) 2012
Skywarn® Recognition Day 2012
Further Reading about ARES and Public Service
Contact Cook County ARES


ARES Calendar of Activities and Public Service Events
  Key:     ARES Nets and Meetings    ARES/Operating Activities    Public Service Events
Day Date Local Time Event
Sat Apr 21 0900 EmComm Round Table; Hoffman Estates PD; 411 W Higgins Rd.
Wed Apr 25 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Sun May 06 0700-1400 Public Service: MS Walk--Palatine (Schaumburg ARC)
Wed May 23 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Sun Jun 03 tba Public Service: Udder Century (Union IL) (N9REP)
Sun Jun 10 tba Public Service: American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure (K9LGE)
Sat Jun 23 1300-2400 ARRL Field Day
Sun Jun 24 0000-1300 ARRL Field Day
Wed Jun 27 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Sun Jul 08 tba Public Service: Schauburg Triathlon/Duathlon (Schaumburg ARC)
Wed Jul 25 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Wed Aug 22 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Sat Sep 08 0700-1400 Public Service: Cystic Fibrosis Cycle for Life (Geneva: Peck Woods Farm) (DuPage ARES)
Wed Sep 26 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Wed Oct 24 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Wed Nov 28 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz
Fri-Sat Nov 31-Dec 01 1800--1800 Skywarn® Regognition Day
Wed Dec 26 2100 Cook County ARES Net  SARA Repeater, 146.88 MHz

Detailed Information on Public Service Events*:
Date/Time Event Location Contact and Additional Details
  Update for 2012 Coming Soon!    
 * Events marked with an asterisk are run by organizations other than Cook County ARES and are advertised here as a service to the event organizers and to ARES members interested in public service activities. Information is believed accurate, but you should contact event organizers directly to learn of any changes and to let them know you are available to assist.


Invitation to Join ARES

To All Radio Amateurs:

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a voluntary organization of licensed amateurs who have registered their capabilities and equipment for providing emergency communications as a public service to the community. The purpose of the ARES is to furnish communications in the event of natural disaster, when regular communications fail or are inadequate. Sponsored by ARRL®, the ARES functions at the local level to meet local communications needs.

The ARES has a long history of public service going back to its formal inception in 1935. Since that time, the ARES has responded countless times to communications emergencies.

Experience has proven that radio amateurs respond more capably in time of emergency when practice has been conducted in an organized group. There is no substitute for experience gained before the need arises.

The ARES in each locality operates under the direction of the Emergency Coordinator (EC), whose function is to direct the activities of the ARES to maintain a state of readiness.

To register in the ARES, send the detachable registration form above directly to your EC, or to ARRL Headquarters for forwarding to your EC. League membership is not required for registration. Registration does not require the possession of any specially designed equipment. All amateurs can be of assistance to the ARES. There is provision in the ARES for every amateur regardless of class of license, equipment owned, or personal circumstances.

Won't you join us in providing this essential Amateur Radio service?

Richard Palm, K1CE
Field Services Manager

ARES Registration Forms

Illinois Nets, including ARES, Public Service, NTS, and Skywarn® Nets

Cook County ARES Net

The Cook County ARES Net meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 9:00 PM local time on the SARA repeater (146.88 MHz R-600 PL107.2). All amateurs with 2-meter privileges and an interest in emergency and public service communications are welcome, without regard to ARES membership, ARRL membership, or county of residence. The net features a brief training session each month designed to improve each participant's competence in emergency communications. The net also includes announcements regarding emergency and public service communications. Suggested reading material for each training session will be available here or via e-mail.

Schaumburg ARC Emergency Communications and ARES Net

The Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club Emergency Communications and ARES Net meets on the first Thursday of the month at 8:20 PM local time on the SARC repeater (145.23 MHz R-600 PL107.2). If the repeater is unavailable, the net is conducted in simplex on the repeater output frequency. All amateurs with 2-meter privileges and an interest in emergency and public service communications are welcome. The net features a brief training session each month designed to improve each participants competence in emergency communications. The net also includes announcements regarding emergency and public service communications. Suggested reading material for each training session is available here or via e-mail.

Illinois and Chicago-Area Field Day Operations

ARRL® Field Day 2012

June 23-24, 2012

ARRL®Field Day is the largest Amateur Radio emergency communications exercise, and is held annually in late June. (More info.)

Amateur radio operators (or "hams") numbering in the tens of thousands, throughout the US and Canada, will demonstrate their emergency communications capabilities by trying to contact as many other stations as possible over a 24 to 27 hour period, using emergency power sources and temporary stations and antennas erected in the field for this event. Many hams participate in this event as part of a local amateur radio club or emergency communications volunteer group. Some clubs/groups operate at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of a government or other served agency, instead of building stations in the field.

Field Day is not just for experienced hams. Visiting a club/group Field Day operation is a great way for new hams to learn more about emergency communications and to meet other hams in their neighborhood. And Field Day is an excellent introduction to ham radio for the general public.

We encourage all amateurs to participate in this fun and educational emergency communications exercise. Most clubs/groups will be delighted to welcome you as a visitor, even if you're not a member of the group, and even if you're not a licensed ham.

Maps and additional information on club/group Field Day operations in Illinois in 2012 are available at the Illinois and Chicago-Area Field Day Directory:

A Thumbnail Map of Northeast Illinois Field Day Locations Another Thumbnail Map of Northeast Illinois Field Day Locations

http://fieldday.n9nl.com/

And while you're planning to visit one of these Field Day operations, please consider bringing along a friend or neighbor who might enjoy learning about amateur radio. Kids love Field Day because there's always something going on!

ARRL Field Day 2013

June 22-23 2013

ARRL Field Day is always the fourth full weekend in June.

In 2013, ARRL Field Day will be held over the weekend of June 22-23. The Illinois and Chicago-Area Area Field Day Page for 2013 will be posted around April 2013.

For Further Reading on Amateur Radio Emergency and Public Service Communications, Including ARES

Severe Weather (Skywarn®) Training 2012

Severe Weather Spotter Training by the National Weather Service Chicago (Romeoville) Forecast Office

The National Weather Service (NWS) offers severe weather spotter training classes at dozens of locations throughout the Chicago forecast office's county warning area (CWA) in Northeast Illinois and Northwest Indiana through mid-April.

The classes are about 1-1/2 to 2 hours and feature a multimedia presentation and talk by a NWS meteorologist. Most classes are open to the public, but some host agencies limit participants or require pre-registration. Contact the host agency well in advance to learn of any restrictions and to register. Most classes are free of charge; an exception is the DuPage Advanced Weather Spotter Seminar on 2012/03/10.

Upcoming Severe Weather Spotter classes in the Chicago area:

  • March 29: Naperville, 1300 and 1900.
  • April 02: Libertyville, 1500 and 1900.
  • Aprli 16: Des Plaines, 1900.

Severe Weather Spotter Training by Other NWS Offices

Tom Skilling Tornado and Severe Weather Seminar at Fermilab--April 14, 2012

Tom Skilling presents an annual Tornado and Severe Weather Seminar at Fermilab. Although not spotter training, many people interested in tornadoes and other severe weather phonomena find the seminar informative and enjoyable. Two identical presentations are offered, one beginning at 1200, and the other beginning at 1900. The presentations run about four hours. The seminar is offered free of charge and no tickets are required. Because seating is first-come, first-served and space is limited, it is wise to arrive well in advance. For more information, visit: http://www.asktom.org/.

Illinois Statewide Simulated Emergency Test (SET)
2012 Event TBA

Last Year's Event
Illinois Statewide Simulated Emergency Test (SET)
1 October 2011
0830-1230 CDT

SET: An Opportunity to Test Emergency Communications Capabilities

ARES units throughout Illinois will participate in a statewide Simulated Emergency Test (SET), most in October 2011.

The Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is an annual opportunity for amateur radio operators and emergency communications groups to exercise and test their emergency communications skills and equipment while interacting with served agencies, NTS nets, and other ARES and EmComm organizations.

The following description of the 2011 Illinois Statewide SET exercise scenario was posted by Section Emergency Coordinator Brad Pioveson W9FX on 15 September 2011, in a message to the Illinois ARES Yahoo! group.

Exercise Name: BLINDING SUN

Exercise Period:

The Section portion of the SET begins at 0830CDST/1230Z 01 OCT 2011 and concludes at 1230CDST/1730Z on 01 OCT 2011.

Exercise Objectives:

Primarily, this exercise is, as are all our Section-wide exercises, designed to motivate local ARES groups to make contact and create or renew relationships with existing or potential new served agencies. Primarily, this exercise is, as are all our Section-wide exercises, designed to motivate local ARES groups to make contact and create or renew relationships with existing or potential new served agencies. Primarily, this exercise is, as are all Section-wide exercises, designed to motivate local ARES groups to make contact and create or renew relationships with existing or potential new served agencies. Equally important, an additional primary goal is the motivation of local ARES groups and individual members to be, both personally and corporately, prepared for disasters, and, especially to be prepared to respond to foreseeable threats.

Secondarily, this exercise is intended to stimulate Illinois ARES groups and members to exercise their back-up power source(s); to encourage all members to learn how to format and effectively communicate messages using both voice and digital radio circuits.

Exercise Scenario:

At 1245Z 01 OCT 2011, a coronal mass ejection (CME) created by a massive solar explosion /flare hits the earth. The energy and particles create gamma radiation in the atmosphere which creates an electromagnetic pulse of energy (EMP) wave. The power grid in Illinois is rendered inoperative as switches and transformers are fatally damaged by the electromagnetic pulse. Telephone lines are rendered inoperative as induced kilo-voltages destroy switches, line amplifiers, routers, and attached equipment. As a result, there is no A.C. power, no Internet, no landline telephone capabilities. No cellular telephone capabilities are functional. No satellite communications are available as satellites have been rendered inoperative by the EMP wave and high energy particle bombardment.

Exercise Discussion:

Electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, events come in two forms. The type of EMP event most of us have had some contact with—in amateur radio writings, perhaps—is currently referred to as 'HEMP,' or High altitude EMP. This type of event is caused by the detonation of a nuclear device at altitude. The resultant EMP waves take three forms which are referred to as E1, E2, and, E3. The E1 and E2 pulses exhibit extremely fast rise times (time it takes for the voltage to go from zero to it's maximum value)—measured in fractions of nanoseconds. There are HEMP-specific weapons that, according to the Russians, who developed them, will generate up to 200,000 Volts per square meter within a few hundred miles of the blast, and, still pack a walloping 100,000 Volts per square meter at the east and west coasts of the U.S. Only hardened and/or shielded equipment can survive such an event. This is not what our BLINDING SUN exercise is about.

The Illinois ARES SET is based upon what is referred to as a 'Carrington event.' A Carrington event, named by the fellow who figured out what caused the inducement of high voltages in telegraph lines after a solar flare in 1859, thankfully, generates only an E3 wave. The E3 wave features a much slower rise time, perhaps 20 nanoseconds, and may induce up to 20,000 Volts per square meter in terrestrial power grids, telecommunications wiring, and, the like. When the power grid goes down from this type of stimulus, it will be down for a very long time—perhaps years, as the massive transformers that are situated across the country are not off-the-shelf replacement items. They are custom built and take months to construct under the best of circumstances.

The RF sections of well designed amateur radio stations that are equipped with properly installed PolyPhaser-brand or other similarly rated surge protectors should survive a Carrington event. (If you're in doubt about whether or not your feedling surge protector will survive such an event, contact the manufacturer or check the specifications regarding maximum voltage and response rise time.) Whether or not the AC-mains-connected portions of these same stations survive is another matter. Surge protectors are available that will protect the whole house/office/electrical entrance panel, or, which are designed to protect specific branch loads, as in the case of power strips. Metal Oxide Varistors (MOV's), the protective element of commonly available surge protection devices, may be adequate to do the job. The problem with MOV's, of course, is that they are sacrificial elements, and, there's no way (of which I am aware) to test them. If they don't blow up when the surge hits—which can happen under some circumstances—you really have no way of knowing if they are still functional or not.

Well designed LMR (public safety) radio installations may survive. Trunked 700/800 MHz public safety repeaters (StarCom21, for instance) may also survive, but, without landlines, each repeater installation reverts to 'site trunking,' which means that any local user may communicate with any other local user as long as both can literally 'see' the same tower. All of the networking capabilities are gone.

Note that BLINDING SUN occurs a scant few weeks ahead of the State Level Exericse 2011 for which the scenario will be a major New Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake. Consider BLINDING SUN to be a warm-up exercise for the November 15-17 SLE 2011 event. Communications

Exercise Challenges:

Following a Carrington blast from the sun, there will be no AC power (in your city, county, state, and, nation). If you have a generator, battery back-up, and/or solar power generation capabilities, you'll need them.

Your jurisdiction will be in panic. Hospitals will have just kicked on their emergency power. The same will be true of EOC's, 911 centers, Sheriff and police departments, fire stations, and the like. But—and, this is key to understanding the seriousness of this event—there will be NO communications available to your citizens. No telephones. No cellular telephones. No Internet. No VoIP. No Starcom21.

Some homes and businesses will be burning from the overvoltage applied to their appliances and electrical devices. The only way the fire department will learn of the need for their services is if someone goes to the fire station and tells them, they see the smoke themselves, or by ham radio.

People who rely on AC power for healthcare equipment (oxygen concentrators, etc.) will be in dire need of medical intervention, but, they will have no way of communicating that need to the EMS crews.

Typically, in large metropolitan areas, when the lights go out, pillaging and looting begin. This time, however, there is no '911' to call.

How will your local emergency management agency communicate with citizens to tell them where to go for water (pumps are down); medical assistance; food; shelter?

How will the shelters communicate their needs for food and supplies?

Exercise Plan:

The Illinois ARES HF Net will activate at 0800 local time on 01 OCT 2011 on 3.905 MHz. Coincidentally, the State RACES station, NC9IL, will be activated.

NC9IL will be operating on:

  • 3.905 Mhz LSB
  • 3.590 Mhz Winmor (in peer-to-peer mode)
  • 145.610 MHz 1200 baud packet (Winlink 2000 email link—nc9il@winlink.org
  • MARS Pactor III Winlink 2000 (if you're in MARS, you'll know where to find us)

If your local ARES group, or, you, as an individual, are participating in SET 2011, I ask that you prepare and send a radiogram, addressed to NC9IL. This message should include the following info:

  1. Your callsign
  2. Your location (city or county)
  3. Your source of power for this exercise (generator, battery, mobile, etc.)
  4. How long you can continue operations with current power source and fuel (1 hour, 2 days , or ?)

Here are few samples of the text portion *shown without the headers* of exercise messages:

  1. N9LQF
  2. Macoupin County
  3. Generator
  4. 24 hours
  1. W9OES
  2. Morgan County
  3. Mobile
  4. 12 hour
  1. WA9VRH
  2. City of Peoria
  3. Generator
  4. 36 hours

I'd like for all participants (that can do so) to send that message two ways: First, I'd like to see the message in email format and send it using Winmor to NC9IL@winlink.org .  Additionally, I'd like to see it formatted as an ARRL Radiogram and send it by voice to NC9IL on 3.905 Mhz . If you're unsure how to format a Radiogram, there is a wealth of info available at http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%2520Service/MPG104A.pdf or, you can contact our Section Traffic Manager, Roy Eades, KA9MZJ, for more info. I wouldn't be too surprised if Roy invites you to fire up a rig on the Illinois Sideband Net (3.905 Mhz, 1800 local time, daily) for practice.

Exercise Miscellany:

NC9IL will be operating from AC mains, but, the state-owned facility in which NC9IL is housed is equipped with an automatically activated, diesel-powered generator, and, if this were a real event, that genset would be online.

From regional and local perspectives, DEC's, ADEC's and EC's are strongly encouraged to flesh out your own scenario and response plan to meet your jurisdictions' and served agencies' needs. Feel free to be as creative as you dare with the exercise scenario. About the only thing of which one can be certain is that things won't be as good as they think they well be—Murphy's Law will most assuredly be apparent, as in, "Things will be worse than what they initially appear to be," and, "The worst possible thing that can happen will do so at the most inopportune time."

ECs are invited to make this as real as you have assets and resources to accomplish. NASA's space weather folks, astrophysicists and solar scientists, all agree that a Carrington event is a very real possibility during this solar cycle. In emergency management terms, it's a "low probability/high risk" event. In other words, while the odds don't favor such an event happening on any given day, we are overdue for one of these, and, if it hits with the force the scientists anticipate, the results will be catastrophic.

Addenda

Section Emergency Coordinator Brad Pioveson W9FX posted this clarification about the use of emergency power on 15 September 2011, in a message to the Illinois ARES Yahoo! group:

A question has been asked if Illinois hams can participate in the SET as an individual ARES station if the station is not operating from emergency power.

Yes! You most certainly can, and you'll be welcome.

Ideally, all of the participating stations would have some form of emergency power available at their station for use during times when the AC mains are unavailable. And, in my heart of hearts, I believe that the vast majority of us, if the chips were truly down, would go grab an (or, the) auto battery, the tractor/lawn mower battery, or whatever happens to be available and use that power source to get on the air. Alternatively, some of you might drag rigs and makeshift antennas down to the fire station, 911 center, hospital, shelter, or law enforcement agency where generators would be working (for a while, at least—until the fuel supply runs dry).

The purpose of this exercise is not, necessarily to force you to exercise your backup power system (if you have a generator or batteries, hopefully, you already have maintenance and exercise plans in place!), but, to illustrate what you might need to add to your disaster plan and kit so that you are prepared if a Carrington-type EMP event should occur.

So, if AC power is what you have to use on 01 OCT, bring it on. When you send your message to NC9IL, be honest—if you're on AC power, say as much. We're not scoring the drill at the Section level, although it would be gratifying to see at least 50% of our 102 Illinois counties represented in this one.

This is something I don't normally do, but, I am going to recommend a book, a novel, to be exact, for you to consider reading. The book's title is "One Second After" and it's written by William R. Forstchen. The book is likely available at your local library, or, it can be purchased at the usual places, including WalMart, Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. This novel tells the chilling story of life in a small town in North Carolina after an HEMP attack on the US. More about the book can be found at http://www.onesecondater.com and it is being made into a major motion picture. Once you've read this novel, based on the best estimates of military and scientific minds, you may well give consideration to laying in a 'boat anchor' rig—one with tubes instead of solid state devices—and some way to power it. Or, alternatively, you may give serious thought to shielding a spare rig inside an enclosure, such as a blown microwave oven (which is, by design, an effective Faraday cage) or a metal trash can equipped with a tight fitting lid.

One of these months, we're going to take a look at low(er) cost methods of generating power for emergency communications.

Section Emergency Coordinator Brad Pioveson W9FX posted this clarification on SET frequencies on 16 September 2011, in a message to the Illinois ARES Yahoo! group:

One of our DECs wondered this morning if we were going to stick with 3.905 MHz under all propagation conditions for the SET. We won't. We always keep 7.230 Mhz as our alternate net frequency, and, that, plus or minus QRM, of course.

Now, having said all of the above, with the current vagaries of propagation and atmospherics, we might have to shift to a 5 MHz frequency. Add 5.3665 MHz (5366.5 kHz) UPPER SIDEBAND (USB) to the list of frequencies we might use. Remember—if we go to the 5 MHz/60 Meter frequency, we are limited to 50W ERP (effective radiated power) and may only transmit using USB.

Section Emergency Coordinator Brad Pioveson W9FX posted these links to information about a "Carrington" EMP event on 04 September 2011, in a message to the Illinois ARES Yahoo! group:

Major Milestones for the Illinois SET 2011

04 Sep 2011SET Scenario Pre-Announcement
15 Sep 2011Official SET Announcement
01 Oct 2011

Statewide SET Activity

(Note: Not all local ARES groups will participate on the day of the statewide SET activity.)

01 Sep 2011
through
30 Nov 2011		Local ARES groups may conduct their SET activities any time during this period.

EmComm Round Table for All Interested Hams

Third Saturday of the Month--0900 AM
Hoffman Estates P.D.

Bob Langsfeld WB9TZC hosts an EmComm Round Table meeting for hams interested in emergency and public service communications on the first third Saturday of most months.

The Em Comm Round Table is a public service and emergency communications amateur radio operators interest group. The meeting is open to amateur radio operators and members of clubs, ARES, and RACES. Participants share experience and network with one another. The format typically includes "hot wash" of past events, a posting of upcoming events and coordinator contact information, a brief presentation on a selected topic, followed by a round-table discussion on the presentation topic and any other topics participants wish to raise.

The meeting is held at the Hoffman Estates Police Department, 411 W Higgins Rd., Hoffman Estates. The meeting begins at 9:45 AM 9:00 AM. Participants gather in the lobby of the Police Department and are guided to a meeting room.

For more information:

Note: This meeting is organized by Bob Langsfeld WB9TZC, but is not an official activity of Hoffman Estates EMA or Cook County ARES.

Skywarn® Recognition Day

Friday 30 November 2012 1800 CST through
Saturday 1 December 2012 1800 CST.

Skywarn Recognition Day is a FUN amateur radio operating event to celebrate the contributions that volunteer SKYWARN radio operators make to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Amateurs visit National Weather Service offices throughout the U.S. to set up ham radio stations and operate during the 24-hour period of the event. The goal for these stations is to contact as many other stations, including other NWS offices, as they can. Other amateurs participate from home, club, mobile, or portable stations. They try to contact as many participating NWS offices as possible. Certificates are available to participants who contact a threshold number of other stations.

Although Skywarn Recognition Day is intended principally as a fun operating event, EmComm-focused amateurs can use this as a great learning opportunity, because Skywarn Recognition Day is a great emergency communications exercise. In some cases, operations at NWS offices are like a winter Field Day, in which visiting hams set up several additional stations and antennas to supplement the stations permanently installed at the office. And maximizing the number of participating stations contacted requires operating skills similar to those needed in an emergency.

The National Weather Service is an important served agency for amateurs throughout the region. Can your station communicate directly with the Romeoville forecast office via simplex? If you now expect to use one of NWS' selected liaison repeaters, and that repeater is out of service, will you be able to use one of the other repeaters? Skywarn Recognition Day will give you an opportunity to find out.

How to participate:

  1. Review the Skywarn Recognition Day information at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/hamradio.
  2. Make contacts with WX9LOT, the station at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Romeoville, IL on as many of the repeaters listed below as you can. See "Special Note" below.
  3. Make a simplex contact with WX9LOT on one or both of 2m and 70cm.
  4. If you have HF privileges, make contacts with WX9LOT and as many other participating Skywarn Recognition Day stations as you can on HF.
  5. If you want a certificate or QSL cards from participating NWS Skywarn Recognition Day stations, follow the instructions at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/hamradio.

Skywarn Recognition Day is held on the first Saturday of December--in 2012, that's December 1. The event runs from 0000 to 2400 UTC (i.e., the event begins at 1800 CST on Friday and runs through 1800 CST Saturday).

Special Note

WX9LOT at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Romeoville makes a special effort to contact hams in the 23 counties of the NWS Chicago County Warning Area (CWA) on the 2m and 70cm bands. Repeaters typically used include:

RepeaterOutput FrequencyPLOffset
Valparaiso, Indiana147.105 Mhzpl 131.8+
FishFAR--Schaumburg442.900pl 114.8+
FishFAR--Gilberts442.925pl 114.8+
FishFAR--Joliet442.925pl 114.8+
FishFAR--Chicago442.975pl 114.8+
FishFAR--Gilberts146.925pl 100.0—
Dupage Radio Club442.550pl 114.8+
Kankakee, Illinois146.94 Mhzpl 107.2+
Grundy County, Illinois442.325 Mhzpl 114.8+
Ogle county, Illinois147.165 Mhzpl 146.2+
Corrections from NB9R and AB9MZ applied.

Contact Cook County ARES

For more information on how you can be a part of ARES in Cook County, Illinois, contact:
   Neil Ormos N9NL
District Emergency Coordinator, ARES Region 4
(Cook, DuPage, Lake Counties)
2700 S. Briarwood Drive West
Arlington Heights    IL    60005-4603
Tel:   +1 847 477 7104
E-mail: ares1 at-the-domain N9NL.com

Outside of Cook, DuPage, or Lake Counties? Visit the Illinois Section ARES page at http://www.qsl.net/ares-il/ to find the ARES unit serving your county.

 

 

Trademark acknowledgements:  
  • Amateur Radio Emergency Service,  ARES, and A R R L  are registered trademarks of American Radio Relay League, Incorporated, 225 Main St., Newington CT 06111.
  • Skywarn  is a registrered trademark of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1401 Constitution Ave NW, Washington DC 20230-0001.


 

Page Version: 2012-04-19 17:24:50 NRO