February 8, 2019
To HamWan
Pacific County ARES/RACES would like to join the 21st Century with respect
to emergency communications by participating in extending HamWan capability
from the Puget Sound area and particularly Camp Murray.
Holy Cross Mountain (46-41-43.14N/123-46-21.09W) is north across the Willapa
River from the Emergency Operations Center in the Courthouse in South Bend,
with an elevation of 1,300 feet. Holy Cross also has county microwave links
from the Courthouse to KO Peak, which is the tallest mountain in Pacific
County at 2,900 feet. Both Holy Cross and KO Peak
(46-27-39.96N/123-33-02.27W) have existing concrete shelters and tower space
available, to which the local ARES Amateurs have access.
The EOC has the normal amateur HF/VHF/UHF radio communications capability
but the feeling is that HF modes should be a back-up to HamWan. We are quite
aware that small rural counties have a more difficult time responding to
emergencies. We are always looking at new and better ways to handle
emergency communications.
We will be relocating our EOC within the courthouse and moving our antennas
in the near future. We wanted to be able to pull CAT5 (and/or whatever you
recommend) at the same time we are relocating/replacing our RF cabling, if
that is the best way to hook up to HamWan.
We would like to explore the technical possibilities of having HamWan Sector
Antennas on Holy Cross and possibly KO Peak.
Please send us your recommended equipment list and vendor sources so we can
begin to prepare cost estimates.
Attached are elevation and map information.
Sincerely,
Frank Wolfe, NM7R, ARRL Western Washington Section Emergency Coordinator
Nm7r(a)yahoo.com
Robert Cline, N7CVW, EC/RO Pacific County rcline496(a)gmail.com
Howard Auble, W7HGA, District 3 Emergency Coordinator boxa(a)comcast.net
