Chatham County Commission Approves Upgrade to Critical Siren Warning System

Chatgham County Emergency Management Agency
Savannah, GA – July 25, 2008

Today, the Chatham County Commission voted unanimously to approve the purchase and installation of 33 additional outdoor emergency warning sirens that will provide more than 90 percent of Chatham County with siren coverage.

The 33 new sirens, at a cost of $690,000, will replace eight old, outdated sirens and add 25 new sirens to the County inventory. Not only will the new sirens extend the existing coverage, but they will also allow for selective activation that was previously prohibited.

Chatham Emergency Management Agency Director Clayton Scott stated, “The approval of this program reinforces the dedication of the County Commission to public safety. The sirens will be installed where people are most likely to gather for outdoor activities and we’ll now have the ability to limit siren activation to only those areas of the county that are threatened.”

When activated they have a continuous wail for two minutes. This warning sound indicates that people should immediately go inside and turn on a radio or television for instructions. The warnings are primarily for tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, fires or extremely severe weather.

The sirens the county uses comply with a federally endorsed (FEMA CPG-1-17) audible range of two miles; this is the accepted standard and no electronic sirens currently exceed this range. The sirens have a rotating cabinet with four independently powered speakers that each transmits up to a range of two miles in diameter; if one speaker fails to transmit, the others continue to operate.

For additional information regarding the Chatham County emergency warning sirens, please contact CEMA at 912-201-4500 or visit their website at www.ChathamEmergency.org.

P25 at 165th Airlift Wing

This afternoon while traveling past the Savannah International Airport, I heard unencrypted P25 voice on 165.0125, the 165th Airlift Wing aircraft maintenance net. I'll be listening to see if other 165th AW land mobile frequencies go P25 as well.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Shaw AFB SOF Frequency Change

Yesterday I noted a change in the Shaw AFB SOF (Supervisor of Flying) frequency. Several 79th Fighter Squadron flights were working the SOF on 140.200 (AM) in reference to a weather recall.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Southeast Georgia 6 Meter Ragchew Net Returns

Last night, a group of amateur radio operators here in the Savannah area re-started the Southeast Georgia 6 Meter Ragchew Net. The net will meet each Monday night at 9 PM Eastern Standard Time. The primary frequency, for the time being, is 50.130 USB. Given the proximity to the calling frequency of 50.125 USB, this will likely be changed in the near future. The secondary net frequency, for use when the primary is occupied or unworkable is 50.200 USB.

Counting net control, there were seven stations checked in for last night's first attempt at re-starting the net. I handled net control duties, with the other stations checked in making relay calls for check ins. A variety of antenna types were represented, so I utilized both the JTB4 vertical and the MFJ-1764 dipole to pull everyone in. The check-ins for this first net were:

W4JKG
KD4PDX
K4GTM
W4REQ
K4YGD
WD0GFG
KF4LMT ~ Net Control

The Southeast Georgia 6 Meter Ragchew Net was WD0GFG's first 6 meter contact, one we were happy to provide!

One purpose of the net is to encourage the use of the 6 meter band in the southeast Georgia area, this was realized when several stations stayed on the air after the net conversing. Hopefully, as the net becomes established we will bring in more stations and generate some good activity on 6 meters here in southeast Georgia.

Thanks to the stations that checked in and made our inaugural net a success.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

60th Fighter Squadron at the Savannah CRTC

F-15s of the 60th Fighter Squadron from Eglin AFB arrived at the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center at the Savannah International Airport this afternoon.

Arriving in two and four ship flights, they were using the callsigns ANGRY 5# and CROW 6#. Each flight checked in with CROW OPS on 253.200 (one of the CRTC Ops frequencies) just prior to arrival. A squadron maintenance net was also noted on 149.4875 NFM. Two of the flights were using CRTC discrete frequencies for air-to-air communications: CROW 61/62 were using 293.300 and CROW 63-66 were using 363.900.

Note: The VFC-12 F/A-18s are still at the CRTC as of Saturday afternoon.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

VMMT-204 MV-22s at Hunter AAF

This afternoon, MV-22 Ospreys from VMMT-204 were in the pattern at Hunter AAF in Savannah, GA. It's been awhile since any of the tilt-rotor aircraft were in the Savannah area and it was good to see a couple of them working the pattern for Hunter's Runway 28.

CROSSBOW 51 and CROSSBOW 62 were the callsigns. 361.100 was in use as an air-to-air frequency between the two. Both the callsign and the air-to-air frequency have been noted on previous visits by VMMT-204.

Those that get a visual on them can attest to their unique rotor noise; the MV-22 is not something you will mistake for something else. The noise is just as distinct as that of a C-5 or an HH-65.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Southeast Georgia 6 Meter Ragchew Net

I am hoping to re-start the Southeast Georgia 6 Meter Ragchew Net beginning Monday evening (28 July 2008) at 2100 local (9 PM). At this time the date/time/frequency information is:

Mondays at 2100 Local (9PM)
50.130 USB Primary
50.200 USB Secondary

Here is to hoping we can get the net off the ground and have fun on 6 meters! Over the last weekend I found that I can reach the Salt Creek and Bloomingdale areas of Chatham County on 6 Meters, so let's give it a try.

I look forward to hearing you on the net!


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net