On April 1 the EPA and WPA participated in statewide Winlink exercise in cooperation with the American Red Cross. The drill, coordinated by Red Cross DCS Jay King, W2AFE and his team, was a resounding success with more than 112 operators sending 350 messages to various Red Cross chapters in Pennsylvania. The exercise was conducted exclusively via digital protocols using Winlink.
Of the 112 participants, 96 were ARES members, 28 were Red Cross members, 36 used emergency power, 17 operated mobile and 94 were able to deploy with a VHF station. Winlink messages were sent using a variety of digital protocols including VARA FM, VARA HF, PACKET, ARDOP, PACTOR and TELNET.
The exercise was designed to test the response and deployment availability of ARES units and members in a widespread emergency in which the American Red Cross needed to send a variety of formatted messages throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A big thank you to the following operators who participated in the drill (by county):
Allegheny
NU3Q-1 Bob Mente
KB3LYB Mark Earnest
Beaver
KB3VSP Dan Grazulis
KC3TFW Greg Borns
N3OJP Mick Pyzoha
Bedford
K3NQT John Hogenmiller
KE3ZT Steve Wurm
Berks
K3AJM Alan Melnyk
Blair
NZ3B Erik Clossen
KC3RHR Joe Petrulionis
W3XOX Kevin Lear
Bucks
KA3TSJ Bob Stengel
KC3SMW Greg Cheng
KC3HXF Jacek Ostrowski
K3KH Karl Harris
K3FKW Ken Marinoff
KB3GJT Michael Sabal
NY3J Ron Wenig
KC3SZB Tom Aiken
Cambria
ND3L Des Warzel
Centre
WX2DX Bill Smith
W3SWL Brett Saylor
K3CWP Carmine Prestia
K3CLM Chad McKissick
KB3ESJ Dan Tancibok
W3DLD Darren Dixon
Chester
K3JSE Andy Cooper
KC3QVF Chris Beggy
W3EOC EOC
N3FLL Frank Rocap
N3MEL Glenn
W2AFE Jay King
WA3NOA Jim Harris
W3JFS John Schell
KB3PCY Martin Odom
KE3HG Rich Kucharik
N3YLI Travis Lisk
Cumberland
N3EPY Richard Johnson
Dauphin
K3URT Curt Sanders
Delaware
W3BIG Bob Wilson
KB3RIJ David Horvath
KT3H Paul Keener
Lackawanna
NW3X Tom Davis
Lancaster
KB3ZBM Daniel Boone
W3COB Doug Rice
N3EJG Jim Williams
W3NHW Nathan Wolf
Lebanon
WA3GPM Dave Brandt
Lehigh
N3WGH Doug Mcnair
WA3PNY Jeff Bauer
KC3BLF Mike Mandell
K3TEG-1 Tim Gelvin
WW3TRG Tom Gyory
Luzerne
K3EAM Alex Mark
KB3VS Bob Fowler
WA2EXI Chris Keller
WA2BBS Doug Stevens
KC3NGF Jack Rose
AB3ZI John Diliberto
K2PG Phil Glasso
N3RN Robert Nygren
KC3MES Tim Chase
Lycoming
N3RPB Bob Brown
AC3EU Clifford Allen
N3ZIO Dale Brendle
WJ3OM John Mummert
Montgomery
W3ZQN Bob Lees
N3FKR Charles Pistilli
AA3E Chuck Farrell
W3AFV Chuck Farrell
K3ITH Dick Stewart
WA3JZN Guy Gibbs
KC3JUD Harris Pepper
KC3TYG Jason Lukridge
N3IIG Jim Linden
WX3ABC Joe Smith
WS3J Lee Erickson
NE3I R. Griffiths
KC3ONC Steve Thomas
W3EX T. Nolan
KB3JCW Tom Pleva
Northhampton
W3CE Al Weiman
N3QIM Chris Hogan
KC3MLI Chris Peters
N3EYT David Blankenship
N3SQD George Wieland
N3XG Rodney Wolf
Northhumberland
KB3AC Alan Cooke
KA3IRJ Fred Uebellhoer
KC3OXN James Heath
Philadelphia
KC3CEW John Bates
KC3UGC Mark Pricskett
N3PEG Peg Daly
K3FZT Steve Davidson
Pike
KD2OIO Linda Doering
KZ3SMW Mark Wheeler
AC2GI Richard Carter
KC3QPC Robert Wolff
Schuykill
KC3RWX Daniel Cook
W3DFX Timothy Farrell
KC3KFW Carl Keller
Washington
N3WS Tom Wright
Wayne
AC3IV Eric Fosse
KC3SAQ Greg Barra
N2KUO Jack Arnouts
WB2HJQ Ken Katzman
N2KJW Kevin Whitehead
KA3E Paul Coar
KC3POC Peter Marcano
KC3HSM Robert B Becker Sr.
Westmoreland
KC3ULG Jim Benner
K3JZD Jody Nellis
York
K3HQI Ralph Brandt
Information submitted by Bob Wilson, W3BIG, ARRL EPA Section Manager and Section Emergency Coordinator
April 12, 2023