Paulding County ARES® (Amateur Radio Emergency Service®) is a group of dedicated and trained Ham Radio operators that provide communications assistance to Local, State and National agencies. These services can be utilized should conventional communications fail, to supplement existing communications, or to provide needed communications for events such as parades, bike rides and other activities.

Paulding County ARES meets for a weekly net every Thursday evening at 7:30pm on the WB4QOJ repeater at 146.955 (-) 77Hz tone and is located in Dallas, GA.

We have permission to use the 443.075, up 5Mhz. PL 107.2 as our backup repeater until 955 is fully restored.

We will use this repeater for the IRMA event. Also 147.420 Mhz. for simplex no tone. Mark Morris, KJ4VDG will be monitoring this frequency via crossband while he works at the Paulding Hospital. Anything that he needs to know about the storm please contact him on 147.420Mhz.

Remember that this storm can produce tornadoes without warning so don't go driving around during the event. It is possible for power failures and trees to fall so if you have to go out please be very careful and let us know so we can stay in contact with you on the radio.

The 443.075 machine has excellent coverage and everyone should be able to get good audio into it. We will start using this machine immediately for all of our activities including the Thursday ARES nets until 955 is fully restored.

Echolink Node #3026 WB4QOJ-R will also be moving to 443.075.

This will help for those that may not be able to access 443.075, BUT with its footprint I am sure all can access.

With the Paulding ARES NET and this weather event coming up, folks who are out of range/town can participate via Echolink.

443.075 has great HT coverage in Paulding County. From Pine Log Mountain 443.075 is very well placed to serve us in this time of need. This is only temperarory and about mid October, 955 should be back up to speed.

For those that missed the ARRL 2016 Atlantic Season Hurricane Webinar, the recording of the webinar can be found in the link below. Thank you Larry, K4LDC for providing the link to the recording!
ARRL 2016 Hurricane Preparedness Webinar Recording

Below are additional webinar recordings from NOAA regarding the 2016 hurricane season, as well as some general information behind the forecasting of hurricanes.

Hurricane Model Research and Application in NOAA

NHC Hurricane Specialist Michael Brennan and AOML Hurricane researcher Frank Marks conducted a webinar on May 10th, 2016, sponsored by NOAA’s Southeast and Caribbean Regional Team. Michael explained how NHC forecasters use model guidance, and explained the caveats forecasters must consider when they rely on this guidance to create the official forecast. Recording of webinar

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center Product Updates

Dr. Rick Knabb, Director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC), provided an overview of the threats and historic losses associated with hurricane landfall in the US, underscoring the need for timely warnings and preparations in advance of hurricanes. The latest NHC storm surge products were introduced and tropical cyclone product changes planned for the 2017 hurricane season were previewed. Recording of webinar

Storm Surge Forecasting at NOAA’s National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Specialist Robbie Berg from NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) discussed new products that convey the risk of storm surge from tropical cyclones. Robbie provided an overview of the newest forecast product, the Potential Storm Surge Flooding Map, as well as the Prototype Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic that debuted during the 2015 hurricane season. Recording of webinar

All of these recordings, as well as future recordings can be found at the NOAA Southeast and Caribbean website.

 When making storm reports to the Net, please follow the below Reporting Criteria unless instructed otherwise by Net Control.

Minimum Severe Reporting Criteria
- All tornado, wall cloud, etc
- All hail reports allowed
- Only wind speeds and/or gusts greater than 50 mph
- All severe hydro related events (flooding, flash flood, etc)
- All notable damage generated from a storm
- All winter reports, IF they have a significant impact
- All tropical reports, IF they have a significant impact

What is NOT allowed (unless otherwise requested by Net Control)
- No test reports.
- No lightning reports
- No "sky is clear" reports
- No "storm is getting stronger/weaker" reports
- No fog reports
- No radar based reports
- No reports of what you are hearing on scanner / ham radio / TV
- No rain measurements unless you believe it constitutes flood conditions.
     Use CoCoRaHS for precip reports!
- No snow measurements unless you believe it constitutes a dangerous
situation
- No general information like "storm is passing the Georgia border" 

 

More progress continues to be made on the new ARES Communications trailer!  KK4BBX has very graciously welded a new spare tire holder and antenna mast support to the front of the trailer.  This, along with the new interior, AC, electrical, antenna connections, etc.  Have made this a fully functional MCV and has now been used in several communications events!  Some new pictures showing the new antenna mast support and spare tire holder can be found by clicking on the Gallery link above, or go straight to the pictures by clicking here .  Thanks again to everyone involved in the project and we will add more pictures soon.