Copyright 2011 - 2012 High Desert Amateur Radio Group
Bend, OR 97701
Bend, OR 97701
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HiDARG
High Desert Amateur Radio Group
March 1, 2011
It is with great sadness that I relay the following information.
Andrew "Drew" Holmes W7GER, 1947 - 2011
Deschutes County Emergency Coordinator (EC),
District 2 Emergency Coordinator (DEC)
fellow ham, and good friend has passed away.
For those of you that knew Drew, you knew him to be a fun guy to be around even as he focused on the job at hand, whatever it may have been. Drew was an active and vital part of everything that took place in the ham radio community in Deschutes County. Drew had a positive impact in every activity he participated in and I for one will miss him greatly! Drew was a loving Christian, and is now with our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
I encourage all of you to pray for his family, friends, and loved ones
during this sad and trying time.
Sincerely,
Jeffery H. Moore -- KE7ACY
President - High Desert Amateur Radio Group
It is with great sadness that I relay the following information.
Andrew "Drew" Holmes W7GER, 1947 - 2011
Deschutes County Emergency Coordinator (EC),
District 2 Emergency Coordinator (DEC)
fellow ham, and good friend has passed away.
For those of you that knew Drew, you knew him to be a fun guy to be around even as he focused on the job at hand, whatever it may have been. Drew was an active and vital part of everything that took place in the ham radio community in Deschutes County. Drew had a positive impact in every activity he participated in and I for one will miss him greatly! Drew was a loving Christian, and is now with our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
I encourage all of you to pray for his family, friends, and loved ones
during this sad and trying time.
Sincerely,
Jeffery H. Moore -- KE7ACY
President - High Desert Amateur Radio Group
April 6, 2011 Andy Johnson appointed to EC for Deschutes County.
Note: Andy (KE7TMU) is secretary for HiDARG, we wish to congratulate Andy on this appointment.
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew ‘Andy’ Johnson to the position of Emergency Coordinator for Deschutes County. Andy has been a member of Deschutes County ARES for three years. He and his wife Laura both hold Technician Licenses and are currently working on their General License. If you know either Andy or Laura please give them your encouragement on this endeavor.
Before moving to Bend Andy was employed by Northrup/Grumman Corporation. While there he was on the team that developed and launched the B1 and B2 bombers. In his last project he was the Production and Design Manager for the X-47 Pegasus Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle. If you want to see one sweet bird do a google search for the X-47 and look at it in the Wikipedia page. Michelle and I met one of its pilots the last time we were down at Edwards Air Force Base while on our way down to Arizona. The pilot described the the X-47 as “..one of the most awesome UAV’s…” that he has flown.
Some of you will remember Andy and Laura from the awesome Cast Iron Barbecue at the 2009 ARES Leadership Conference at Sisters. Rumor has it that they are working on another dinner for this coming year’s Leadership Conference; once again to be held at the Sisters’ Fire Department. I am looking forward to working with Andy as EC for Deschutes County. I believe that he will serve the team well and will work to improve an already good ARES program. Please welcome Andy to his position as EC of Deschutes County.
Deschutes County ARES is still in somewhat of a shock due to the sudden loss of Drew Holmes. Following his passing I was contacted by Rich Lovin, AEC for Deschutes County. Rich offered to serve as a contact point for Deschutes County ARES until an appointment to EC was made. I know that Rich was close to Drew and I am certain that it was difficult to step into Drew’s big shoes; even if only for a few weeks. Rich did a great job as the interim EC. I, and I am certain that all of the Leadership of Oregon Section ARES, appreciate Rich stepping up, putting on the harness and pulling on the tug lines to take the load of keeping ARES going in Deschutes County. Thank you Rich.
73 de Kevin/NB7O
ORARES SEC
Note: Andy (KE7TMU) is secretary for HiDARG, we wish to congratulate Andy on this appointment.
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew ‘Andy’ Johnson to the position of Emergency Coordinator for Deschutes County. Andy has been a member of Deschutes County ARES for three years. He and his wife Laura both hold Technician Licenses and are currently working on their General License. If you know either Andy or Laura please give them your encouragement on this endeavor.
Before moving to Bend Andy was employed by Northrup/Grumman Corporation. While there he was on the team that developed and launched the B1 and B2 bombers. In his last project he was the Production and Design Manager for the X-47 Pegasus Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle. If you want to see one sweet bird do a google search for the X-47 and look at it in the Wikipedia page. Michelle and I met one of its pilots the last time we were down at Edwards Air Force Base while on our way down to Arizona. The pilot described the the X-47 as “..one of the most awesome UAV’s…” that he has flown.
Some of you will remember Andy and Laura from the awesome Cast Iron Barbecue at the 2009 ARES Leadership Conference at Sisters. Rumor has it that they are working on another dinner for this coming year’s Leadership Conference; once again to be held at the Sisters’ Fire Department. I am looking forward to working with Andy as EC for Deschutes County. I believe that he will serve the team well and will work to improve an already good ARES program. Please welcome Andy to his position as EC of Deschutes County.
Deschutes County ARES is still in somewhat of a shock due to the sudden loss of Drew Holmes. Following his passing I was contacted by Rich Lovin, AEC for Deschutes County. Rich offered to serve as a contact point for Deschutes County ARES until an appointment to EC was made. I know that Rich was close to Drew and I am certain that it was difficult to step into Drew’s big shoes; even if only for a few weeks. Rich did a great job as the interim EC. I, and I am certain that all of the Leadership of Oregon Section ARES, appreciate Rich stepping up, putting on the harness and pulling on the tug lines to take the load of keeping ARES going in Deschutes County. Thank you Rich.
73 de Kevin/NB7O
ORARES SEC
If you have important news you think should be posted here please email the content to
webmaster @ hidarg dot org
webmaster @ hidarg dot org
Sept 1, 2011 Drew Holmes Memorial Fund Setup
In the past few months and weeks we have had two separate donations to our club. They total a whopping $1000.00. They were generously donated by organizers of some of the events that we participate in, and are in honor of Drew Holmes. These funds (at the request of the donors) are to be used to help with getting new hams on the air. What an awsome thing they are doing here. We need to form a committee to help decide this. We are asking for volunteers and we really would like any input on ideas.
(Update: Tim Bass N1TCB is Chairman of the commitiee with Max Vaughan KF7MAX as co-chair.)
The committee will take these ideas and decide exactly how that is to be accomplished. Some of the ideas already put forth are learning materials, public exposure events, sponsorships perhaps at area schools. If any of you folks have ideas please submit them to any one of the club officers. If you wish to be on the committee please let us know. This should not take up very much of your time. I suspect we can do a lot of this via phone calls and emails, and discussions during our weekly lunch meeting. Though you do not have to attend the luncheons in order to participate.
In the past few months and weeks we have had two separate donations to our club. They total a whopping $1000.00. They were generously donated by organizers of some of the events that we participate in, and are in honor of Drew Holmes. These funds (at the request of the donors) are to be used to help with getting new hams on the air. What an awsome thing they are doing here. We need to form a committee to help decide this. We are asking for volunteers and we really would like any input on ideas.
(Update: Tim Bass N1TCB is Chairman of the commitiee with Max Vaughan KF7MAX as co-chair.)
The committee will take these ideas and decide exactly how that is to be accomplished. Some of the ideas already put forth are learning materials, public exposure events, sponsorships perhaps at area schools. If any of you folks have ideas please submit them to any one of the club officers. If you wish to be on the committee please let us know. This should not take up very much of your time. I suspect we can do a lot of this via phone calls and emails, and discussions during our weekly lunch meeting. Though you do not have to attend the luncheons in order to participate.
BECOME A HAM...
Congrats to those 12 folks who took the class and passed their test. You will be contacted on how to optain your refund for the class and the booklet, thanks to the Drew Holmes Memorial fund..
(See Below)
If you want to take a class to be a ham, we will have another session coming up in early 2012.
Keep checking back here for details.
HiDARG is helping you get your license, we will refund the cost for your manual as well as the cost of your first TEST. Test cost is $15 plus the $21 manual cost. Thats a value of $36 dollars...
You CAN"T BEAT that DEAL folks... ALL AGES are WELCOME HERE!!!!!! SIGN UP TODAY
WE will get you started in this great and rewarding hobby.
Contact any board member under the Contacts button to get more information.
Congrats to those 12 folks who took the class and passed their test. You will be contacted on how to optain your refund for the class and the booklet, thanks to the Drew Holmes Memorial fund..
(See Below)
If you want to take a class to be a ham, we will have another session coming up in early 2012.
Keep checking back here for details.
HiDARG is helping you get your license, we will refund the cost for your manual as well as the cost of your first TEST. Test cost is $15 plus the $21 manual cost. Thats a value of $36 dollars...
You CAN"T BEAT that DEAL folks... ALL AGES are WELCOME HERE!!!!!! SIGN UP TODAY
WE will get you started in this great and rewarding hobby.
Contact any board member under the Contacts button to get more information.
Sent out on .. 2/11/2012
Alan Polan, KE4TRR
SKYWARN Net Coordinator
A major winter storm produced a lot of snow on Jan 18th and had a huge impact on the nineteen counties in NWS Pendleton's County Warning Area (CWA). Six SKYWARN Nets were activated on 2-Meter repeaters in several or our SKYWARN Net Sectors between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM on Jan 18th. There were 64 ham radio operators who checked into the SKYWARN Nets and those hams provided 64 spotter reports. Of those reports, 55 were significant enough for archival in the NWS's Storm Data database. Those reports helped us to verify the Winter Storm Warnings that had been in effect on Jan 18th and gave us a better picture of the storm's impact on the CWA, up to the point when the SKYWARN Nets were activated.
The SKYWARN Nets on Jan 18th were very successful, in terms of the number of ham stations that checked into the nets, the number of spotter reports that those stations submitted to the SKYWARN Nets, and the high quality of the spotter reports. Because the SKYWARN Nets on Jan 18th were so effective and efficient in collecting spotter reports for NWS Pendleton, we are going to be requesting activation of SKYWARN Nets in the future for major winter storms that have a big impact on areas where there are a large concentration of ham radio SKYWARN Spotters.
I thank all of the ham radio operators and SKYWARN Spotters who checked into a SKYWARN Net and provided a spotter report on Jan 18th.
I also thank the following SKYWARN Net Control Operators for
(1) activating their respective SKYWARN Nets on Jan 18th
(2) serving as a Net Control Station(NCS) or as an Alternate NCS, and
(3) sending us the spotter reports that were submitted to their SKYWARN Nets :
Jo Whitney, KA7LJQ, YA564
Jerry Kenyon, KB7LNR, DE513
Tim Bass, N1TCB, DE556
Joe Barry, K7SQ, DE567
Jim Follansbee, NY7T, FR508
Bryan Dean, KE7AQD, WS507
Gary Reigel, N7HTN, GR504
Juan Vargas, N9RKZ, GR502
If I have omitted anyone, please let me know, so I can thank them for their participation in SKYWARN Net Control Operations on Jan 18th.
Several of the above Net Control Operators sent us spotter reports collected by their SKYWARN Nets via a new instant text messaging chat-room on the Internet that we've created for use by SKYWARN Net Control Operators when they've activated a SKYWARN Net. The chat-room allows designated SKYWARN Net Control Operators who are Net Control Stations and Report Logging Stations to communicate with NWS Pendleton during a SKYWARN Net activation.
73,
Alan Polan, KE4TRR
SKYWARN Net Coordinator
Amateur Radio Program Leader
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Pendleton, Oregon Amateur Radio Station WX7PDT, Pendleton Weather Alan.Polan@noaa.gov
Alan Polan, KE4TRR
SKYWARN Net Coordinator
A major winter storm produced a lot of snow on Jan 18th and had a huge impact on the nineteen counties in NWS Pendleton's County Warning Area (CWA). Six SKYWARN Nets were activated on 2-Meter repeaters in several or our SKYWARN Net Sectors between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM on Jan 18th. There were 64 ham radio operators who checked into the SKYWARN Nets and those hams provided 64 spotter reports. Of those reports, 55 were significant enough for archival in the NWS's Storm Data database. Those reports helped us to verify the Winter Storm Warnings that had been in effect on Jan 18th and gave us a better picture of the storm's impact on the CWA, up to the point when the SKYWARN Nets were activated.
The SKYWARN Nets on Jan 18th were very successful, in terms of the number of ham stations that checked into the nets, the number of spotter reports that those stations submitted to the SKYWARN Nets, and the high quality of the spotter reports. Because the SKYWARN Nets on Jan 18th were so effective and efficient in collecting spotter reports for NWS Pendleton, we are going to be requesting activation of SKYWARN Nets in the future for major winter storms that have a big impact on areas where there are a large concentration of ham radio SKYWARN Spotters.
I thank all of the ham radio operators and SKYWARN Spotters who checked into a SKYWARN Net and provided a spotter report on Jan 18th.
I also thank the following SKYWARN Net Control Operators for
(1) activating their respective SKYWARN Nets on Jan 18th
(2) serving as a Net Control Station(NCS) or as an Alternate NCS, and
(3) sending us the spotter reports that were submitted to their SKYWARN Nets :
Jo Whitney, KA7LJQ, YA564
Jerry Kenyon, KB7LNR, DE513
Tim Bass, N1TCB, DE556
Joe Barry, K7SQ, DE567
Jim Follansbee, NY7T, FR508
Bryan Dean, KE7AQD, WS507
Gary Reigel, N7HTN, GR504
Juan Vargas, N9RKZ, GR502
If I have omitted anyone, please let me know, so I can thank them for their participation in SKYWARN Net Control Operations on Jan 18th.
Several of the above Net Control Operators sent us spotter reports collected by their SKYWARN Nets via a new instant text messaging chat-room on the Internet that we've created for use by SKYWARN Net Control Operators when they've activated a SKYWARN Net. The chat-room allows designated SKYWARN Net Control Operators who are Net Control Stations and Report Logging Stations to communicate with NWS Pendleton during a SKYWARN Net activation.
73,
Alan Polan, KE4TRR
SKYWARN Net Coordinator
Amateur Radio Program Leader
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Pendleton, Oregon Amateur Radio Station WX7PDT, Pendleton Weather Alan.Polan@noaa.gov