Greetings, all. I hope you are finally getting to enjoy this stellar weather - it has been a long time in coming. I want to thank everyone who participated in the Hendricks County RACES/ARES Multi-frequency test net on April 18. The net lasted right around one hour and ten minutes. There were a few glitches, but overall, I think it went well. Here are the results for the six bands/frequencies tested.
147.165 2m repeater 19 check-ins Power levels ran from 60w to .5w.
147.450 2m simplex 12 check-ins with 4 relays Power used ran from 60w to 5w.
442.900 70cm repeater 13 check-ins with power levels from 35w to .5w.
223.420 simplex 10 check-ins with 5 relays Power levels ran from 25w to 5w.
52.510 6m simplex 5 check-ins with 1 relay All stations that reported power listed 50w.
29.610 10m simplex 8 check-ins with one relay Power levels reported were 50w and 30w.
There was no meaningful foliage at the time and temperatures were in the low 50s.
N9CQ John in Avon and KK9L Jay in Danville provided almost all of the relays.
Next time we will try running the test from the EOC in the Government Center in Danville and probably post some stations at the remote edges of the county to test coverage. We will be starting to utilize 220 MHz for training and operations. 10m FM performed reasonably well in our test, and many HF rigs have 10m capabilities although they may or may not be enabled for FM.
Remember that severe weather season is upon us, and many states have already taken severe beatings from storms. Please don't become complacent - it can happen here! Have your gear in good operating condition, have a safe place for your family, and stay aware of changing weather conditions that may require a response. Thanks, stay safe, and enjoy the weekend. "73".
N9XOQ Dave Leimenstoll Hendricks Co. RACES Radio officer
