California post ham club to participate in state preparedness drill

Tom McLean, Area 5 commissioner for the California American Legion Amateur Radio Service (CALARS) and a member of Owen Coffman Post 519 in Palm Springs, Calif., reports on the participation of Post 519’s ham club in a disaster-preparedness drill on Oct. 18:

At 10:18 a.m. on Oct. 18, 2018, millions of Californians will “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in the Great California ShakeOut (GSO), the state’s largest earthquake drill ever. All volunteer radio groups are encouraged to participate.

Major earthquakes may happen anywhere you live, work or travel. The ShakeOut is our chance to practice how to protect ourselves, and for everyone to become prepared. The goal is to prevent a major earthquake from becoming a catastrophe for you, your organization and your community. The American Legion Post 519 Amateur Radio Club (K6TAL) will again be operating a special event station as an Emergency Operation Center for the Great California ShakeOut. We will be testing our radio equipment, receiving incoming calls from amateur operators in the field. This is a drill simulating damage during an earthquake. The public and veterans are encouraged to join in and participate. About 60 percent of Americans are not prepared for a catastrophic event such as an earthquake, as reported by DHS and FEMA.

Please check in to the GSO Net on Thursday, Oct. 18, at 10:18 a.m. from K6TAL on the following frequencies:

10:18-10:45 a.m.: 2-meters, 146.760MHz (-) (107.2) (San Jay)

10:45-10:50 a.m.: 70 cm, 445.860MHz (-) (107.2) WB6RLC

10:50-11:00 a.m.: 1.25 Meters 224.480MHz (-) (110.9) RATS 220

11:00-11:10 a.m.: Simplex 145.450

11:10- 11:18 a.m.: HF 7.278MHz

Note: The HF frequency will be receiving calls from 9:30 a.m. until the net shuts down.

Please show your support for this important event! The net will officially begin at 10:18 a.m. and will last approximately one hour. You may check in anytime during that hour. Also, someone will be on frequency at 9:30 a.m. for early check-ins. Normal operations will be in effect, but participants should be allowed to break in to check into the net, and transmissions should be kept short between 10:18 and 11:18.

To read more about the Great ShakeOut, visit www.shakeout.org/california.