The Nittany Amateur Radio Club and Centre County ARES in cooperation with the Horseshoe Amateur Radio Club and Blair County ARES and EMA provided communications for the annual Keystone Country Ride of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Keystone Division on Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26, 2009.  The bicycle ride is a fundraiser for the Society and covers a total of 150 miles over the two days.  This year 425 bicycle riders participated.

A total of 43 amateur radio operators participated over the two days of the event. Additionally, Blair County EMA provided its mobile communications van (essentially a full blown mobile dispatch center) COMM 1 as Net Control HQ. The van was operated by Scott Beveridge, the Blair County EMA director and Drew, KA3EJV, the Blair County ARES Emergency Coordinator, and provided a direct link into the appropriate 9-1-1 centers.

Continue reading →

Early this evening, Carmine, K3CWP and Ron, K3RON, completed firmware updates and programming of all of the Kenwood TM-D710 radios purchased under the two PEMA grants last year.  This includes:

• Updating the firmware in the main radio, the display panel, and the TNC.
• Wiring the power cable with Anderson Power Pole connectors according to ARES/RACES standards.
• Loading the memory positions with frequencies releavant to operation in Centre County.
• Programming the TNC to operate with the AVMAP GPS Units.