|
GEORGETOWN,
Texas
–
The Sun City Amateur
Radio Society
(SCARS), chartered
in 2002, is an
active group of
volunteer HAM radio
operators. They hold
a monthly business
meeting, at which
they like to have
one or more speakers
to address their
technical interest.
They also have an
informal, social
meeting every
Wednesday. On Nov.
4, 2009, at their
business meeting,
the CAP team of Maj.
Arthur E. Woodgate,
Southwest Region
Director of Public
Affairs and Director
of Organizational
Excellence, and Maj.
Steve Barclay,
Assistant
Communications
Officer (South)
Group III, Texas
Wing, gave a
presentation on the
Civil Air Patrol and
its communications
capabilities
–
and needs.
Many of the SCARS
members are
Federally Licensed
Radio Operators, but
this is not a
requirement for
joining their group.
As CAP members know
very well through
participation in
field work, it takes
a lot more members
than the actual
"special doers" to
carry out a mission,
especially in the
support and
administrative
areas. SCARS
provides free radio
communication
support to a variety
of community events,
and its members are
quick to take
advantage of this;
but they would like
a deeper involvement
in the community.
Some of the SCARS
members have served
in the military, and
bring their
leadership and
management skills to
communications.
Others are just
interested citizens.
They all wanted to
find out how they
might be able to
help by augmenting
communications needs
during a natural or
man-made disaster.
They even have a
Disaster Plan
posted on their
website.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[1] Mr John
Scott, president of
SCARS, is an affable
and courteous host. [2]
A former USAF
Captain, Mr. Jim
Chapman is
representative of
the members'
commitment to
communications and
team spirit.
[3] Maj. Arthur
Woodgate gives an
over-view of the
Civil Air Patrol,
it's origins, its
current missions,
and its
contributions to the
community, state and
nation. [4]
The members listened
attentively to Maj.
Steve Barclay's
presentation. [5]
Maj. Steve Barclay
at the podium, as he
explains the
intricacies of
Interagency
Operations. (Photo
#3, Maj. Steve
Barclay, CAP; all
others, Maj. Arthur
Woodgate, CAP)
Maj. Woodgate's
presentation covered
CAP's creation and
early work during
WWII, as well as its
current organization
and emergency
services activities.
The audience had not
realized that CAP
was the civilian
auxiliary of the
U.S. Air Force, or
the extent to which
CAP was involved in
the damage
assessment and
photo-recording
phase immediately
after a major
disaster.
Maj. Barclay
discussed in detail
the difference
between the Federal
Communications
Commision (FCC) and
the National
Telecommunication
Information
Administration (NTIA),
pointing out that
the FCC has
responsibility over
radio frequencies
used for civilian
purposes, while NTIA
controls frequencies
used by the federal
government,
including CAP. The
practical side of
the presentation
dealt with the added
functionality and
efficiency of
narrow-band
transmissions. After
the presentation,
Maj. Woodgate
mentioned the
advantages of
transitioning to programmable
and software-defined
communications.
At the
presentation's end,
they asked some
excellent questions,
graciously thanked
the CAP team for
their informative
chat. Their main
question was, "How
do we get on the
list to help when
there's a major
event?" The team
advised them to
contact the State
Emergency Operations
Center and offer
their services.
Maj. Arthur E.
Woodgate, CAP, SWR
DPA and DOE |
