The goal of Iowa ARES® Winlink Saturday is learning and practicing the use of the Winlink programs to prepare for their use with the agencies we intend to serve, as well as supporting ARES® itself.

We will be practicing the various message forms we can expect to be asked to use.

Messages are to be sent any time on Saturday, Central Time.

Specifics for Check-in weeks:
Use the basic Winlink Check In template which is in Standard Templates, in both GENERAL and MAPPING-GIS forms.
Enter WINLINK SATURDAY, using the Setup button.
In Comments: call sign, first name, city or town, county, state, mode (Winlink HF, VARA FM, VHF packet, etc.)
Example: WB0GAG, Bruce, Muscatine, Muscatine, IA, VARA HF
Fill in the remaining entries as you wish, but make your location data accurate "enough".
You can save your data for reuse with the Save Check In Data button.
If you don't want to include your own phone number, use (any area code)-555-0121, which is not in use anywhere in North America.
Click the Submit button and follow the prompts.
Send any time Saturday, preferably by radio (RMS), although you can use Telnet if you are just starting or can't get a radio connection.
Eastern Iowa and Illinois are on 145.610 MHz, packet Winlink. We are working to extend deeper into Iowa.
Send to IAWINLINKSAT or WB0GAG. Check the week's scenario for any additional addresses.
Volunteers are welcome and don't need to be available for the whole time. Notify WBØGAG of the hours, band and mode you want so it can be added to the web site.

December 2

EXERCISE, EXERCISE

Skywarn™ Recognition Day 2023

All Skywarn™ spotters provide critical weather information before, during and after adverse weather strikes. This includes reports of rain and snow, ice and wind, storms and tornadoes, flooding and fire. This is our 24 hours to recognize all of the Skywarn™ spotters serving our nation!
NWS stations will operate December 2, 2023, from 0000 - 2400 UTC.

Start a new message using TemplateManager > Standard Templates > WEATHER Forms > Local Weather Report.
Click Setup and enter Skywarn Recognition Day 2023
Fill out the form.
In Notes: call sign, first name, city or town, county, state, mode (Winlink HF, VARA FM, VHF packet, etc.)
Save Local WX Data for next year if you like, then submit it.
Find a Skywarn™ Recognition Day 2023 Winlink Address Winlink station to send to.
In the new meassage screen, enter WB0GAG; and the call you picked off the list of SRD stations without @winlink.org.

EXERCISE, EXERCISE

Specific suggestions are welcome, especially incident scenarios and which forms to use. Planned scenarios include:

• Railroad derailment - HazMat Spills
• Flash floods
• Plane crashes
• Hill slides
• Tornados
• Earthquakes
• Search and Rescue operations
• Marathon and parade communications