Exercise Instructions

1. Test the ability of participants to send WinLink messages destined for the Omaha Red Cross station (WØEQU) and other email addressees.  

2. Encourage amateur radio operators in the region to develop their capability to participate in WinLink traffic handling. 

3. Participants demonstrate the ability to send properly constructed WinLink messages using standard templates.  It is preferred that messages be originated using RF links (to HF or VHF RMS Gateways), but if an operator doesn't have that capability messages can be sent using telnet WinLink.

4. The exercise control station (WØEQU at the Omaha Red Cross building) demonstrates the ability to receive and aggregate location and other data from all of the participating stations, produce a map of results using the capbilities of WinLink Express, and send a WinLink Incident Status report to all participants.

5. We also anticipate activating a 2M FM net using the KØUSA 146.94 repeater for hams in the Omaha metro area.  Details to follow.

Exercise Period

• The WØEQU station at the Omaha Council Bluffs Metro Chapter building in Omaha will be active and processing traffic from 10:00-13:00 CENTRAL time on Saturday March 23.  Note that the Iowa ARES group is conducting a simulated emergency test (SET) involving WinLink on the same day.  The exercises are unrelated, but amateurs participating in the SET are welcome to also participate in this exercise.

• It is preferred, but not required, that WinLink traffic for this exercise be sent during the time when W0EQU is active.  Any WinLink messages consistent with the instructions below sent between noon CENTRAL on Friday March 22 and 13:00 CENTRAL on Saturday March 23 will be included in the exercise results.

Instructions for Participants

These instructions assume a basic familiarity with using WinLink Express to create messages using available templates and sending them via WinLink gateways.  See the Resources if you need some help with these things.

1. Be sure your WinLink software is configured with the grid square from which you are operating or that it is configured to use GPS (if you have that ability).  This is to ensure that the message templates will load a valid location for mapping.

2. Create a WinLink message by opening a new message and using the Select Template menu to load the WinLink Check-in.txt template (it is in the folder entitled General Forms).  The template will open in a browser window.

3. Click the Setup button at the top of the template and enter NEIA ARC WinLink Exercise in the Agency/Group Title field,

4. In the To box enter W0EQU;WK0E 

5. The Date/Time should automatically populate and your call should should automatically load into the From field if your WinLink setup is proper.

6. Put your name in the Station Contact Name.

7. Under Session select Type=Exercise, Service=Amateur.  For Band and Session select the ones you plan to use to send the message.

8. Under Location in box a put your city, county and state.  Ensure the Latitude and Longitude data looks good (if you aren't using GPS it should automatically load the center of your grid square).  Or you can manually enter latitude and longitude.

9. In Comments indicate the call sign of the RMS Gateway (if any) you will be using along with the specific band if you are using HF (e.g. NS0A, 30M).  If you are using telnet leave comments blank.  

10. Submit the template, verify the the outgoing message looks good and is addressed to W0EQU and WK0E, add any other address you'd like it to go to, post it to the outbox and send it.

11. There will be a map posted on this web site showing details of stations that have checked in.  It will be updated periodically through the Exercise Period.  

Optional Activities

1. If you have the capability to send WinLink messages via multiple RF paths (e.g. VHF and HF, or via different RMS Gateways) you are welcome to send multiple check-in messages, modified appropriately to reflect the path.  

2. If you would like to also do a WinLink Check-Out message using the appropriate template and the related instructions above, we would like to hear in your comments what your experiences (good or bad) were via the RMS gateways you tried.