2023 SET Exercise to Test Skills and Emergency Preparedness

/

The ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is scheduled for 7-8th October 2023.

The SET is ARRL's annual national emergency exercise designed to assess the skills and preparedness of Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) volunteers, as well as those affiliated with other organizations involved in emergency and disaster responses. The SET is open to all radio amateurs and partner organizations, in addition to national, state, and local officials. Besides ARES volunteers, those active in the National Traffic System (NTS), Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), National Weather Service's SKYWARN® Storm Spotter program, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and a variety of other allied groups and public service-oriented radio amateurs are needed to fulfill important roles in this nationwide exercise.

During the exercise, volunteers can assess equipment, modes, and skills under simulated emergency conditions and scenarios. Individuals can use the time to update a go-kit for use during deployments and to ensure their home station's operational capability during an emergency or disaster.

To get involved, contact your local ARRL Emergency Coordinator or Net Manager.

SET guidelines and report forms - http://www.arrl.org/simulated-emergency-test

Polish Railways Fall Victim to Cheap Radio Attack

/
Polish Railways Fall Victim to Cheap Radio Attack

Poland’s railways have recently come under a form of electronic attack, as reported by Wired. The attack has widely been called a “cyber-attack” in the mainstream media, but the incident was altogether a more simple affair pursued via good old analog radio.

The attacks were simple in nature. As outlined in an EU technical document, Poland’s railways use a RADIOSTOP system based on analog radio signals at around 150 MHz. Transmitting a basic tone sequence will trigger any duly equipped trains receiving the signal to engage emergency braking. It’s implemented as part of the PKP radio system on the Polish railway network.

The attacks brought approximately 20 trains to a standstill, according to the BBC, with services restored within hours. There was no major safety risk in the event, something made clear in a statement from Polish rail authorities. Regardless, the attacks frustrated logistics across the rail network.

Read More

Programme Marks 56 Years of Helping Hams with Disabilities

/

Apart from having a one-day (five-hour) special event, it is well worth noting that this organisation has served amateurs with disabilities for more than a half century!!

For 56 years, the Courage Handiham Program has worked with people who have disabilities, encouraging them to work toward their goal of becoming a licensed radio amateur. The special event callsigns WØZSW and WØEQO will be on the air on Monday, September 11th in a five-hour special event QSO party that is part of this year's Handiham Radio Camp. The operators will be marking the program's 56th anniversary by calling QRZ using CW and SSB on 10, 15, 20, and 40 meters. The hours of the QSO party will be from 1600 to 2100 UTC.

The callsign WØZSW was originally assigned to Rochester, Minnesota amateur, Ned Carman, W0ZSW, who helped bring the Handiham program into being, based on his work in a clinic with individuals who had severe physical disabilities. The callsign WØEQO is assigned to the program's Camp Courage North station and was originally used by the first Handiham station that provided remote HF access to amateurs who had no other way of getting on the air.