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Session 14: Communications Interoperability in Washington State

Don Miller will discuss the three communications interoperability projects currently ongoing in Washington, what the impact will be, and how Amateur Radio is an important part of this interoperability puzzle.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Don Miller is the Telecommunications and Warnings Systems Manager for Washington State Emergency Management with more than 30 years experience in Telecommunications Engineering, Computer Networking and Information Systems Management. He currently has the responsibility for the operation and maintenance of statewide networks to include the Emergency Alert System, Microwave networks, Multiple Radio systems, Wide Area and Local Area Computer Networks, Telephone systems and Satellite networks. He manages 8 other employees and an annual budget in excess of $4 million. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Partnership for Public Warning, a national organization dedicated to developing a common alerting protocol for warning systems of the future.

Break

Session 15: Alternate Power Sources

A discussion on various forms of alternative power systems, how to power your radios and other gear in the field, or when the lights go out.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Bob Gudgel, K7IQ For the last 10 years, has been working in the alternative energy field, (wind, solar, micro hydro), with Trace Engineering in Arlington Washington and for the last 2 1/2 years with OutBack Power systems in Arlington Washington, designing solar (battery) charge controllers, inverters and related equipment. I have been president of the Puget Sound Repeater Group for the last 6 years.

Session 16: What's in your "Grab and Go Bag?" **

Personal Preparedness and your "Go" bag - what you NEED and what you should have. Learn four different levels of bags and what to carry in them. The latest cutting edge technology for radios, and support equipment. Lots of ideas on how to minimize, weight, space, and costs. Innovative ideas for packing bags to insure you have what you need. If you have a Go Bag, bring it as this will be a hands-on seminar. If you don't have a bag yet, bring an empty backpack, and we will help you fill it with FREE product giveaways.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Gary Webbenhurst has been active in the Red Cross, and disaster communications for more than 20 years. He is the Assistant Communications Officer for the Inland Northwest (Spokane) Chapter of the American Red Cross. He holds an extra class ham license AB7NI. Gary writes the Bright Ideas column in the scanning hobby magazine Monitoring Times.

Session 17: BC Firestorm: Our Experience in the Evacuation Response

More than 40,000 British Columbia residents were evacuated from their homes last August. It was the second largest evacuation order in Canadian history. Over 300 homes were destroyed and some residents were displaced from their communities for weeks.

Bryan Larrabee and Tom Cox were asked to help bring order to chaos in the evacuation shelters in Kamloops and Kelowna. Using the Incident Command model, designed by the US Forestry Service in California, they helped bring structure and management to the overwhelmed Emergency Social Services teams in those communities.

Bryan and Tom will talk about their experiences and will show photos of forest devastation in Barriere and Louis Creek, two communities very much affected by the disaster. They will talk about the role or amateur radio, and give first hand accounts of their experiences working with local community volunteers in the field.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Bryan Larrabee is the Emergency Social Services Coordinator for the City of Vancouver B.C. and is responsible for all evacuation situations in the city. Bryan is also the Vice President of the Emergency Social Services Association of B.C., which is a non-profit association established to support ESS volunteers and communities in British Columbia in the development and maintenance of their emergency social services program.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Tom Cox, VE7TOX, is a volunteer with the Vancouver Emergency Program and has been a ham for nine years. His work with first aid, emergency social services and the Vancouver Disaster Assistance team brought him in contact with VECTOR - the Vancouver Emergency Community Telecommunications Organization - which provides amateur radio support for the City of Vancouver. He is active in net control, special events, and training with VECTOR and chaired the Tophat 2002 Communications Contest. His web site, www.amateurradio.ca focuses on emergency communications debriefing reports and lessons.

Session 18: Terror: Changing how we are building and deploying communication systems. What is the future role for Ham Radio?

Course description: The May 2003 Top Officials 2 anti-terrorism exercise involved over 2000 public safety officers and public officials in Washington State. TOPOFF2 and events such as the World Trade Center attack of September 11th and the Oklahoma City bombing have demonstrated the strengths and weaknesses of the public safety communications systems available to first responders. Schrier will describe the communications lessons learned from these events and the plans presently underway to enhance public safety wireless communications (voice, video and data) in the Seattle urban area. This will include an interactive discussion of how amateur radio might be used to enhance the ability of the region to respond to and recover from a terrorist attack or other disaster.

SPEAKER BIO: Bill Schrier is the Chief Technology Officer for the City of Seattle, with responsibility for the City's information technology infrastructure, including radio, telephone and data networks. Schrier is Vice-Chair of the Regional Communications Board governing the 800 MHz public safety radio network in King County. He is, among other duties, presently responsible for about $7 million in technology projects approved under the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) to upgrade communications and interoperability, thereby improving the ability of the Seattle urban area to respond to terrorist events and disasters."

Lunch

Session 19: NVIS Antennas – Theory and Application – New Developments

This session will begin with a short review of Near Vertical Incident Skywave (NVIS) theory and then review the improved 75/40 meter dual band antenna that was presented last year. Finally we will discuss adding 60 meter elements to the antenna. This antenna can be erected in 20 to 30 minutes by one person.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Tom Sanders (W6QJI) is a graduate of the V12 Naval Officers Engineering Plan (EE) in WWII. He served four years in submarines in the western Pacific completing five successful war patrols.

He was first licensed as W6QJI in 1938 and, except for WWI, has been continuously active chasing DX. He has served two terms on the Board of Directors of the So. Calif. DX Club, two terms as President of the North Kitsap (Co. Wash.) Amateur Radio Club and is a founder and two term President of the Burley (Wash.) Amateur Radio Club.

He has been active in EmComm for fifteen years, serving a one year term as Interim DEC. His principal interest now is NVIS antennas.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: WWA Section Manager Ed Bruette, N7NVP is a retired US Navy Submarine Communications Officer who was first licensed in 1988 and became active in emergency communications the following year.

He served as Kitsap Co. ARES Emergency Coordinator for 4 years, Assist. State RACES Officer for 4.5 years, ARES WWA Section Emergency Coordinator for 5 years and currently is the State RACES Officer. Additionally, he has held several elected positions in the North Kitsap Amateur Radio Club and the Western WA Amateur Relay Association.

His interest in NVIS antennas was sparked while searching for a reliable method of communicating statewide during disasters.

Session 20: Damage Assessment Techniques

An Overview of Damage Assessment Systems Presentation will explain and compare several different damage assessment systems, as used by the Red Cross, Urban Search and Rescue, and the Applied Technology Council. It will also explain some of the requirements for reporting damage to state and Federal agencies for assistance.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Ned Worcester, KB7NFO, is an Emergency Preparedness coordinator, in charge of strategic communication systems, for Seattle Public Utilities, since 2001. Prior to that, he was the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for Group Health Cooperative. He has been a licensed ham for almost 20 years. He is a volunteer Disaster coordinator for the American Red Cross, and a member of King Co. Search and Rescue 4x4 unit.

Session 21: HF 101– How to successfully use your HF privileges

HF 101 is an overview of HF operating practices and principles, which are quite different from those found on the VHF and UHF bands. The course will cover the activities unique to HF, the use of HF for emergency communications, propagation, and antennas for HF. Question-and-answers will be welcome. The intended audience is the Technician licensee that is interested in upgrading and gaining HF privileges.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Ward Silver, N0AX, has been a ham for more than 30 years, first licensed in 1972 as WN0GQP. He is an electrical engineer, college teacher (Seattle University), and published author with numerous articles to his credit. His book, "Ham Radio for Dummies" will be published by Wiley Press later this year. His ham radio interests include emergency communications, contesting, and he is planning on exploring satellite and digital modes this year. Technical interests include developing instructional material, antenna design and testing and propagation. He is a volunteer examiner and President of the Vashon-Maury Island Radio Club, W7VMI.

Session 22: Lessons Not Learned: Areas for Improvement

Disaster literature is beginning to despair that the same problems are arising time after time. After every disaster, the debriefing reports come out with "lessons learned" and yet, within a year or two the next disaster occurs and the same lessons are being learned. How do these affect the amateur radio response?

Most disasters need 20 - 50 operators minimum to handle the response PER SHIFT. Unless your emergency response plan immediately informs and collects hams from surrounding areas, you will be continually scrambling to get help or will burn your members out. Some points covered include:

Use of the Incident Command System
Problems with Situation Reports
Situation and building assessment
Why people persist in using phones
Shadowing public officials
Communication to hams outside the area.
Keeping up with the literature.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Tom Cox, VE7TOX, is a volunteer with the Vancouver Emergency Program and has been a ham for nine years. His work with first aid, emergency social services and the Vancouver Disaster Assistance team brought him in contact with VECTOR - the Vancouver Emergency Community Telecommunications Organization - which provides amateur radio support for the City of Vancouver. He is active in net control, special events, and training with VECTOR and chaired the Tophat 2002 Communications Contest. His web site, www.amateurradio.ca focuses on emergency communications debriefing reports and lessons.

Break

Session 23: Fall Protection - Tower Safety Workshop

Safety-At-Heights - Fall hazard recognition in industrial environments; correct ladder use, basic off-ladder work, equipment care, PPE maintenance and inspection, emergency planning.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Carlos Smith, AA7SB Played with Archer Children's Band HTs as a kid; US Coast Guard Radioman 1974-1980 aboard icebreaker USCGC Polar Star, 13th CG District Commcen, USCGC Campbell, and Radar Station San Juan, PR (High Speed CW); Radio/Electronics Officer DoC/NOAA 1982-1988 ship and shore duty. Currently Technical Coordinator for FAA NAS Implementation Center, Seattle, WA. Currently Asst Radio Officer, Medical Services Communications Team.

Session 24: Antennas 101

This one-hour introduction to antennas will cover the half-wave dipole and ground-plane antenna. Based on the initial lessons of the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education series course, "Antenna Design and Construction" (ARRL EC-009), the course will cover how the antennas work, radiation patterns, and VSWR. A ground-plane and dipole antennas will be constructed during the lesson. The introduction is aimed at the new ham that wants to learn more about antenna basics.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Ward Silver, N0AX, has been a ham for over 30 years, first licensed in 1972 as WN0GQP. He is an electrical engineer, college teacher (Seattle University), and published author with numerous articles to his credit. His book, "Ham Radio for Dummies" will be published by Wiley Press later this year.

His ham radio interests include emergency communications, contesting, and he is planning on exploring satellite and digital modes this year. Technical interests include developing instructional material, antenna design and testing and propagation. He is a volunteer examiner and President of the Vashon-Maury Island Radio Club, W7VMI.

Session 25: The Digital Divide: AX.25 vs TCP/IP

Course descrription: We will talk about the age old debate about using AX.25 vs TCP/IP. The newer equipment on the market is based on TCP/IP and we will answer the question why this is so. A description of what is in place currently in Western Washington and what is planned. We will also do a demo using TCP/IP.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Steve Monsey, N0FPF, is a Video and Network infrastructure engineer at Seattle Public Utilities. His background includes broadcast video, fiber optics networking, and theatrical engineering. Steve has been a ham since 1982 where he got his licence with the help of the Cornell radio club.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Ken Koster, N7IPB, was first licensed as WN7RYP in 1971, while in the Air Force at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. He taught electronics theory for the Air Force, then went to work in the telecommunications industry. He has worked on hardware and software for everything from Aircraft systems (not Boeing) to cell-phones. He worked for Motorola until just recently. Ken's Amateur Radio interests have ranged from repeaters/remote base systems to the Oscar satellites, to TCP/IP packet systems and back to satellites again. He is currently working on assembling a 2401MHz receive system to copy telemetry from AO-40. He's been very active for the past ten years with the Puget Sound TCP/IP Packet group, as they developed a network with links going from Canada (at 56k) to Olympia. Ken maintains two of their repeater sites as well as the internet gateway. He has been experimenting with some new stuff involving using amateur radio and 802.11b networks to form ad hoc emergency networks. He is currently the Radio Officer for Skagit Co. and recently accepted the position of Skagit Co. EC as well.

Session 26: SkyWarn Weather Spotter Training - (open to non-hams) 2.5 hrs

The National Weather Service (NWS) welcomes any volunteers with an interest in severe weather spotting. Training will be provided to new or veteran spotters, including interested citizens, amateur radio and law enforcement staff, on how to look for and report significant event-driven weather events.

The Seattle forecast office serves 14 western Washington counties, from Grays Harbor and Lewis counties northward to the Canadian border and west of the Cascade crest. NWS has an abundance of spotters in the urban areas, but needs more spotters in rural areas, especially those with anemometers. This class is open to volunteers registered for the Communications Academy AND others (non-hams) who just wish to attend the Weather Spotter class.

If you are just attending only this class, you do not need to pay the registration fee for the Academy.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Ted Buehner is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Seattle. This position is the key National Weather Service (NWS) Seattle liaison, working to enhance the "end-to-end" forecast and warning system by more closely tying the agency's modernization effort with its customers, such as emergency managers, the media, and the marine community. Ted has been with the NWS since 1977. Ted has a Bachelors of Science degree in Atmospheric Sciences from Oregon State University.