Activities
Senator Clinton Visit
Doug Clark, KC4FRA EC Hopkins County
Saturday March 29 2008 I was working day watch out of the EMA Division. It was 8:00 AM when I met up with my partner Frank Wright KA4IGR at the Cracker Barrel my name is Friday no wait that’s not right my name is Doug. After a great breakfast we left the restaurant and went down to the EMA building to pick up the Comm Truck and proceeded to the Madisonville North High School. Upon arriving we had to clear the check points and security checks before entering the facility. Once inside we proceeded to set up the truck for the day. I was told to park on the grassy noel (I’m not kidding) near the Command trailer.
We assisted the Madisonville Police department in getting all the radios on frequencies that worked on site. And in setting up the cat5 cable for the live feed for the security cameras inside the school and internet access.
Chuck Clark, KE4LKG manned the EOC station downtown all afternoon.
The secret service was checking out the school for any and all possible threats.
Once all the radios were set, personnel were set in place to use the radios. Madisonville FD chief along with the MPD and HCSO dispatchers tested their radios and ensured they worked.
At 1:00 PM the complex was completely locked down and the police and secret service did a final security sweep. Bomb sniffing dogs checked the busses used to transport people to and from the facility.
We were told to stay put where ever we were at the time and not to move around until they were done. Soon after that people started arriving. Every one entering was checked by security. Walked through the metal detectors and then swept with a wand and all bags and backpacks were checked before proceeding into the gym or to the cafeteria.
After the dinner everyone went to the gym. At that time the busses started arriving with the other guests. Frankie Frashure KI4RTY headed up the parking detail along with Nick Bailey KG4URI and Brian Weaver, Eric Wagoner, Leah Wheeler, members of the Grapevine Fire Department.
Several dignitaries spoke during the course of the evening including Governor Beshear before the arrival of the main speaker Senator Hillary Clinton who arrived around 8:30 PM about an hour late and spoke until 9:30 PM. former Kentucky Democrat Party chairman Jerry Lundergan introduced Clinton.
After she finished speaking people were allowed to leave. And what took three hours to get the people into the school only took about 45 minutes to bus them all out to their cars.
Of all the operations we have been evolved with this was the most smoothly run.
Everything went great and although it was a long day I’m glad we had the chance to participate. After all was said and done and everyone was leaving I asked the dispatchers what they thought of the set up. They all gave me the thumbs up and said the only thing they would change was that one of the radios should be moved up to the front of the trailer to eliminate some of the confusion. I informed that we were planning to do just that but we still had one more antenna mount to install up there and that next time they would be able to do that. Also when they have their critique I asked them to discuss the set up and inform us any thing we can do to improve it.
Earthquake Response, Area-wide Exercise Report
Report of Communications Officer:
Doug Clark, KC4FRA, EC
March 20, 2008
On March 3rd 2008 the Hopkins County Amateur Radio Association participated in an earthquake drill along with the Kentucky National Guard. Myself KC4FRA, Mike Walker KI4UBL, Tom Turner N4YQB Wallace Wood KI4CNW and Allison Wright KG4FWD took the com truck and crank up tower to the National Guard Armory to set up communications. We had some problems with the two meter beam but after changing out the feed line it worked fine and we were able to communicate with the Wendell Ford Center KI4WKM and with the Amateur radio operators in Princeton KY4EOC who were in contact with the National Guard There. We also relayed traffic between the EOC and the Armory via KA4IGR Frank Wright who is also the Deputy Director of the Hopkins County EMA.
Two people came by from central dispatch to get a demonstration of the comm. Truck.
We relayed several messages between the two sites until they were able to establish their own links.
We were able to contact stations in Daviess, Webster, Henderson, Christian, Trigg, Todd and Muhlenberg Counties.
The National Guard here in Madisonville linked there radios with ours to use our repeater for a test. We were able to talk to them on their frequencies through this link.
Although we were not passing much traffic we were able to bridge the gap when necessary. And were able to demonstrate several aspects of amateur radio that they were not familiar with such as digital air-mail and the APRS tracking system.
On Thursday the 6th Myself KC4FRA and
Mike Walker KI4UBL took the comm. truck to Dawson Springs to set up communications. On Monday for some reason the National Guard could not link up with Madisonville. We went down to provide that link. During the course of the day we relayed several messages between Madisonville, the Anton airport and the Guardsmen stationed in Dawson Springs. A cargo of medical supplies was flown into Anton on a C-130 and offloaded. It was put on a truck and convoyed to Dawson Springs. During the course of the move we kept the Guardsmen informed of the convoy’s progress until it arrived at our site.As soon as the cargo arrived we shut down our operations and returned to Madisonville.
Over all Ham radio worked very well once we got the bugs worked out of the antenna. We received several positive comments from the members of the National Guard as to the effectiveness of our system. Even with all the great equipment they had they were still impressed with our abilities and capabilities.