Category: Events

The Maine 2021 Simulated Emergency Test or SET is scheduled for Saturday, October 9th from 0800 to 1200 EDT, during which amateur radio operators will be demonstrating the effectiveness of their capabilities to send formal traffic across the state. This traffic will exercise the Maine Packet Network (MEPN) nodes, their ability to route BBS mail throughout the system, and their ability to gateway Winlink RMS messages to NTS traffic coordinators.

From the exercise plan:

Exercise Mission Statement

The purpose of the disaster exercise is to test and evaluate emergency communications and its support during a long-term, region-wide power outage caused by a solar geomagnetic
disturbance.

Exercise Objectives

• Demonstrate the ability to operate during a total regional grid failure emergency.
• Demonstrate the ability to utilize EMA networks to communicate between the State and County EOCs.
  • Test County EMA radio repeaters and simplex channels
  • Test the Statewide RegionNet repeaters
  • Test the ability to utilize SHARES to relay messages.
• Demonstrate the ability to utilize Ham Radio capabilities to communicate between the counties and amateur radio operators.
  • Test amateur radio communications between counties and operators on 80m, 40m, 2m, 6m and 70 cm simplex voice.
  • Test the ability to successfully transmit and relay Radiograms by VHF or HF including voice and Winlink.
  • Test the ability to retrieve web files via Winlink
  • Test the ability to use the Winlink System and Packet Network to relay messages.

For more information

See a copy of the plan hosted by the Wireless Society of Southern Maine at: http://www.ws1sm.com/Forms/2021_SET_Plan.pdf

If you are interested in participating, reach out to your local amateur radio club or emergency communications team.

Did you know that you can leverage Winlink to earn up to 200 points? As long as the connection starts over radio, it counts! You can leverage one of the nearby packet radio nodes with your free VHF 2m station while your friends are raking in the contacts on HF. See our Node Map to find a node near you.

Relevant Field Day Rules

7.3.5. Message Origination to Section Manager: 100 bonus points for origination of a formal message to the ARRL Section Manager or Section Emergency Coordinator by your group from its site. You should include the club name, number of participants, Field Day location, and number of ARES operators involved with your station. The message must be transmitted during the Field Day period and a copy of it must be included in your submission in standard ARRL radiogram or no credit will be given. The message must leave or enter the Field Day operation via amateur radio RF.

The Section Manager message is separate from the messages handled in Rule 7.3.6. and may not be claimed for bonus points under that rule. Available to all Classes.

          7.3.6. Message Handling: 10 points for each formal message originated, relayed or received and delivered during the Field Day period, up to a maximum of 100 points (ten messages). Copies of each message must be included with the Field Day report. The message to the ARRL SM or SEC under Rule 7.3.5. does not count towards the total of 10 for this bonus. Available to all Classes. All messages claimed for bonus points must leave or enter the Field Day operation via amateur radio RF.

Looking for contacts?

There’s a Google spreadsheet going around with a list of stations that you can contact during Field Day, and a form that you can use to add your group or station to the list.