NYC-ARECS Providing Maritime Communication Support

On June 23, 2012 the New York City Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Service (NYC-ARECS) provided maritime communication support for the Hawaiian Airlines Liberty Challenge on the rivers of New York Harbor in the middle of the Port of New York and New Jersey. [Press Release]

Radio operators were at this Public Service event for 12 hours from 0630-1830 stationed both on rescue and safety boats, as well as on the shore with race officials. The mission of the operators was to be an additional set of eyes and ears on the rescue and safety boats, and to ensure that reliable communications were expediently available in case an emergency condition arose on the water. Team members utilized both UHF and VHF repeaters, simplex, and VHF Marine radios to communicate with each other, to pass messages in regard to race setup, race operations, other safety boats, boats in-transit in the harbor, the Staten Island Ferry and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.

As always, when we assist with events like this, they are essentially training opportunities for the team. On this day, we were effective especially when one of the rescue boats' VHF Marine radio failed, as well as because distance between the boats made their radios ineffective.

PHOTOS: http://nyc-arecs.org/liberty_challenge2012.html

The New York City Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Service (NYC-ARECS), a NYC based auxiliary communications organization, is looking for a few good men and women to join their emergency communications team.

http://nyc-arecs.org/jv2012.html

The Following are 2012 Volunteer Positions Available

http://nyc-arecs.org/positions.html

NYC-ARECS Team Member on a water detail in the NYC Harbor

New York City Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Service (NYC-ARECS) to Provide Communication Assistance to America's Largest Cycling Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Point of contact: info@nyc-arecs.org

NEW YORK, NY (May 4, 2012) The New York City Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Service (NYC-ARECS) will be providing emergency communications support Sunday May 6, 2012, at the annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour, America’s largest cycling event. This event is one of a dozen that NYC-ARECS will provide support to, as part of its annual Public Service Event calendar.

Held annually the first Sunday in May, the TD Five Boro Bike Tour is America's largest cycling event. The Tour is produced byBike New York, the city’s premiere bicycling organization, in association with the City of New York and the New York City Department of Transportation. The TD Five Boro Bike Tour provides participants the unique and fun experience to bike through all five boroughs – a 40 mile, traffic-free ride for 32,000 cyclists. Proceeds from the event fund Bike New York’s education programs.

NYC-ARECS is an auxiliary emergency communications team made up of New York City based licensees of the Federal Communications Commission who specialize in Amateur Radio emergency communications. Charles Hargrove, NYC-ARECS President said, “Deployment of communication team members to an event with tens of thousands of people such as a marathon, or to a bike-a-thon, spread over a wide geographic area, provides a unique training opportunity.”

Amateur Radio Operators are utilized around the United States to enhance community disaster and emergency plans. Individual members of NYC-ARECS have been providing amateur radio public service and emergency communications since the 1980's. Many members of NYC-ARECS were activated during the 9/11 attack, the New York City Blackout and other city-wide emergencies. Annually, the team works with charitable organizations to provide communication at various venues, as part of their extended mission.

The over-arching mission of NYC-ARECS is to provide professional, timely, quality, and proficient auxiliary radio communications to both government and other organizations. Persons interested in learning more about how the organization can help their organization, or persons interested in joining, should write to: info@nyc-arecs.org.

http://www.nyc-arecs.org