Valley Digital Communications Seminar Set For June 2

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A digital communication seminar will be held on Saturday, June 2nd from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Harlingen Medical Center Conference Room.  This is the same room that TSARC, Inc. uses for its monthly meetings.

This is a lecture and demonstration event with computers, TNC’s, radios, etc.  If you have a portable station or just a laptop, bring what you have.  There is room in the conference room for several portable stations.  After each lecture, a demonstration of the digital software will be presented and each of you will have a chance to operate the latest digital program.

The speakers are:

Charlie Bradham, N5PVL
R.E. Wade, K5REW
David Woolweaver, K5RAV
Chris Wareham, KF5INZ

Learn how to setup and operate basic packet.  Learn how to program and operate Fldigi and Flmsg.  Learn how to setup AirMail and use the Winlink 2000 message system.  Learn about the new RMS Express program that includes Winmor, a sound card program which has become very popular for HF Winlink 2000.

What:  Digital Communication Seminar When:  Saturday June 2nd from 2:00 to 5:00 PM Where: Harlingen Medical Center’s Conference Room

Harlingen Medical Center is located at 5501 S 77 Expressway, Harlingen, TX.  For additional information contact Chris Wareham, KF5INZ at 956-243-0320 or David Woolweaver, K5RAV at 956-493-2500.

NEW RACES DISTRICT 84 OFFICIALLY BEGINS!

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Texas Governor’s Office of Emergency Management and Regional RACES Officer AK5Z,  Dr. John Teer announced district changes this week in order to allow very effective and efficient alignments in Region 8 RACES. As of now, State RACES Members in Cameron and WIllacy County will be District “84″ in Texas State RACES. State OEM personnel report that membership cards will be updated as time and work will allow. State RACES members who reside in Hidalgo, Starr, Jim Hog, Zapata, and Brooks counties will remain as District 81 Units and retain their current RACES Unit numbers. All State RACES Units in Willacy and Cameron County please note the change in Districts to District 84.

These changes follow the appointment of K5REW as acting Texas State RACES County Liaison Officer to Cameron County Office of Emergency Management to coincide with his acting Cameron County Emergency Coordinator for ARES.  Once a new Cameron County ARES Emergency Coordinator can be named, that person will become the State RACES County Liaison Officer for Cameron County once he or she is approved. Michael Bourne KB0VWG the ARES Emergency Coordinator for Willacy County and is now the State RACES County Liaison Officer for Willacy County. The District RACES Officer (DRO) for District 84 is K5REW, appointed to coincide with the ARES District Emergency Coordinator position he currently holds for District 15 ARES, consisting of Cameron, Willacy and Kenedy County. These three State RACES positions now aligned with District 15 ARES are designed to coordinate the “dual role” concept on behalf of State and Local Emergency Management, and bring an entire new efficiency and effectiveness when it comes to having ham radio personnel available for local agency EmComm needs. In short, registered ARES members in each District and registered certified State RACES members or Units, will wear “two hats” and be availabe to provide service in both supporting roles, as they wish or desire to do, and are able.

Hams across the State are excited and welcome the new alignments and forward thinking from ARES and RACES officials in order to allow Hams to serve both ARES and RACES needs. In the past, dual registration was encouraged however uncoordinated with little or no common cause recognition, causing personnel shortages and redundant efforts for both hams and the agencies they serve. Congratulations to both ARES and RACES for this highly coordinated focus on personnel and operations in the field.  Both ARES and RACES members can look forward to RACES news and information appearing on this site in the days and weeks to follow.

ARES and RACES remain seperate entities with seperate chains of command and structures, all unchanged. State RACES maintains in direct control over RACES through its State RACES Radio Officer in Austin who coordinates with the Regional RACES Officers across the State. ARES continues to operate under the Section Manager and Section Emergency Coordinator appointees in the ARRL ARES Program. The dual-role operation is now more focused on communications via Ham Radio with tremedous tools and partnerships in order to provide life and property saving communications when all else fails.

LinkedIn Causing You To Be A Hacker Target?

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Social media has always been a hot topic because of privacy  concerns, but at last month’s RSA Conference, an annual security conference  held in San Francisco, several speakers honed in on LinkedIn, in particular,  calling it a “hacker’s dream.”
The crux is the kind of information individuals share on  LinkedIn and how directly it relates to their work – place of employment, coworkers,  even software tools, experience or industry certifications are listed on the  site. All of that information is a dream for hackers and overseas intelligence  shops, who can use the information to find, and trick, targets in the national  security and defense industries.
At last year’s DefCon conference hackers played a game of  social engineering “capture the flag” in which LinkedIn was the second  most-used resource, next to Google.
At the RSA conference, one hacker for hire revealed how he  used LinkedIn to target a client, making connections with company employees  and a sending out a link to a supposed sign-up page for a new company project  that got a number of hits from directly inside the company’s network.
The moral of the story? The more personal, and  company-related information you post on social networks and LinkedIn, in particular,  the more likely you are to be a target of spear phishing campaigns. This doesn’t  mean you can’t use popular social networking sites, such as Facebook and  Twitter. But it does mean that you should be incredibly cautious about what  information you disclose, and use only a secure, vetted, private forum for career networking. Posting personal details, employment  history or resumes on a public site is only likely to open you up to increased risk.

FCC Seeks Comments on EmComm Ham Radio and Impediments to Ham Communications

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In response to the Congressional directive to prepare a study to assess Amateur Radio’s role in emergency and disaster communications and the impact of private land use regulations on the amateur community’s ability to provide such communications, the FCC issued DA 12-523 soliciting comments from the public. The period for public comment runs until May 17, 2012.

“As part of the study contained in Public Law No. 112-96, the Commission has opened a 45 day period for comments to be filed on the issue,” said ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND. “Because of the short deadline for the study to be completed and presented to Congress — before the end of August — the ARRL and the amateur community must quickly mobilize their response.”

The FCC Public Notice focuses on two specific areas for comments.The first is the role that Amateur Radio has played and continues to play to support emergency and disaster relief organizations, such as FEMA and local/state emergency management agencies. The second is to determine impediments to enhanced Amateur Radio communications. This would include the impact that private land-use regulations — such as deed restrictions and homeowner association covenants — have on the ability of licensed amateurs to fully participate in providing support communications to the served agencies.

“This study is not about zoning ordinances or regulations adopted by the local or state governments,” Henderson explained. “Amateurs already have the limited protection of PRB-1 to assist them with those situations. The areas of concern here are the limitations that are placed on a property when it is purchased, either as part of the deed of sale or by restrictions imposed by the neighborhood/homeowner’s association. Those restrictions — sometimes referred to as CC&Rs — are not currently covered by the FCC’s PRB-1 decision from 1985.”

To allow the ARRL to quickly collect and collate relevant information from the amateur community to help support the filing it will make with the FCC on this issue, a website has been setup. The site — www.arrl.org/ccr-study-information — provides details about what kind of information is needed by the ARRL.

Also on the site, you will find links to two online data collection forms. The first form allows you to provide information about specific emergency communications in which Amateur Radio has played a role since January 2000. The second form asks for specific information on the CC&Rs/deed restrictions that control your property. It also asks you to provide information on how those restrictions have impacted your ability to fully support emergency communications.

“Whether you are an ARRL member or not, your information and situation are important to helping us make the case for all amateurs,” Henderson said. “Whether your support communications are with ARES, RACES, SKYWARN, CERT or other emergency and disaster groups, your voice should be heard. If you cannot operate effectively from home during an emergency because CC&Rs prohibit adequate antennas on your property, that is important to document and quantify. This issue affects all of Amateur Radio, not just ARRL members.”

Henderson said that due to the short timeframe that the FCC has allotted for public comment, time is of the essence. In order to allow the ARRL to develop its comments, the ARRL asks that all information sent by the amateur community be received at the ARRL no later than April 25, 2012: “We realize this is a very short turnaround asking for your response, but this is based on the time provided by the Commission for the comment window.”

It is important that when you provide specifics of your CC&R, you also provide the ARRL with a copy of its actual wording. If you have the CC&R in a digital format (or you can scan the document into a file), it can either be uploaded through the website above or it can be sent via an e-mail to CCRinfo@arrl.org . If you do not have an electronic format, a hard copy may be sent via US mail to: CCR Study Information, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.

“We need factual, specific details,” Henderson said. “The more accurate information we have — including copies of the CC&R language — the stronger case we can make. Having copies of the exact CC&Rs is important. It allows us to demonstrate the wide variation of restrictions. Including the specific text is as important as any other piece of information you provide.”

If you have questions about what is being requested, you may contact the ARRL Regulatory Information Office via e-mail at reginfo@arrl.org. “Again, time is of the essence in this matter,”

Henderson said. “This is the best opportunity that amateurs have had to address the impact of overly burdensome private land use restrictions. If Amateur Radio is to succeed in this effort, it is going to take all of us working together.”

DR GRAY’S QUALITATIVE UPDATED DISCUSSION OF ATLANTIC BASIN SEASONAL HURRICANE ACTIVITY FOR 2012

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We anticipate that the 2012 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have reduced activity compared with the 1981-2010 climatological average. The tropical Atlantic has anomalously cooled over the past several months, and it appears that the chances of an El Niño event this summer and fall are relatively high. This update briefly discusses changes in large-scale ocean/atmosphere patterns that we believe are relevant for the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. Our first quantitative forecast for 2012 will be issued on Wednesday, April 4. (as of 21 March 2012)

By Philip J. Klotzbach1 and William M. Gray2
This discussion as well as past forecasts and verifications are available via the World Wide Web at http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu
Emily Wilmsen, Colorado State University Media Representative, (970-491-6432) is available to answer various questions about this discussion

NTIA: No Objection to Additional Data Modes on 60 Meters

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First of all you ask, “What is the NTIA”?  They are the “big boys” when it comes to Federal Government radio communications, frequency assignment, enforcement and spectrum management. The FCC deals with State and Local governments, as well as business, industrial public safety etc. NTIA is the authority for all things “federal” including military.

In response to requests for clarification from the ARRL, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has confirmed that it has no objection to the use of a broader range of data emissions by amateurs on the five 5 MHz frequencies on 60 meters. ARRL’s original understanding was that the NTIA preferred that the use of 2K80J2D emission be limited to Pactor III. The NTIA now says that that is not the case.

In an e-mail response to ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, Karl Nebbia, Associate Administrator of the NTIA Office of Spectrum Management, stated, “NTIA has no interest in limiting the types of emission used by the amateurs as long as the data emission does not exceed the 2.8 kHz bandwidth generated by the upper sideband transmitter.” Nebbia referred all further inquiries to the FCC, which “…sets the conditions for use of the five 5 MHz frequencies by the amateurs.”

The requirement of only one signal per channel remains, as well as the prohibition against automatic operation. The FCC continues to require that all digital transmissions be centered on the channel-center frequencies, which the Report and Order defines as being 1.5 kHz above the suppressed carrier frequency of a transceiver operated in the Upper Sideband (USB) mode. This is typically the frequency shown on the frequency display.

Channel USB Suppressed Carrier (kHz) Center (kHz)

1 5330.5 5332.0

2 5346.5 5348.0

3 5357.0 5358.5

4 5371.5 5373.0

5 5403.5 5405.0

The ARRL advises amateurs to operate with care when using digital modes in consideration of the fact that hams are secondary users on these frequencies. See the revised 60-Meter FAQ page on the ARRL Web at,

http://www.arrl.org/60-meter-faq.

The revised ARRL 60-Meter Recommended Practices document can also be found in PDF form on the web at,

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/Recommended_Practices_Version_6_5.pdf.

EMAIL WARNING

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+ ARRL Warns Members to Be Aware of Bogus E-mails

Some ARRL members with arrl.net e-mail accounts have recently received bogus e-mails, notifying them of a bill that supposedly needs to be paid. The e-mail instructs the reader to click on a link to view the bill; clicking on the link could release a virus that can infect your computer. Please be aware that these e-mails are not coming from the ARRL. “If you receive an e-mail like this and it looks like it originated from ARRL, please do not respond,” explained ARRL IT Manager Michael Keane, K1MK. “The best thing you can do when receiving bogus e-mails is to simply add them to the spam list in your computer’s e-mail program and delete it. Please don’t forward it to ARRL HQ — we will have already seen it and are already responding to it.”

60 METERS: ONE WEEK LATER

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On March 5 amateurs were granted new privileges on the 60 meter band. The effective radiated power level was increased from 50 to 100 W, along with the ability to use CW and the digital modes PACTOR III and PSK31.

The response thus far has been enthusiastic with all five 60 meter channels buzzing with activity. Sideband operators in particular have welcomed the 3 dB power boost. Many have reported substantially improved range, especially in noisy conditions. Sideband DX activity on 5403.5 (Channel 5) has increased significantly.

CW and PSK31 operators are making good use of the new privileges as well, but are reminded that their transmissions must take place on the channel center frequencies as specified by the FCC:

Channel 1: 5332.0 kHz

Channel 2: 5348.0 kHz

Channel 3: 5358.5 kHz

Channel 4: 5373.0 kHz

Channel 5: 5405.0 kHz

“CW operators seem to have little problem figuring how where they need to transmit, but some PSK31 operators are reading the text of the FCC Report and Order and coming away a bit confused,” said Dan Henderson, N1ND, ARRL Regulatory Information Manager. “The R&O states, ‘We adopt a modified instruction for PSK31 channel use to correct an error introduced in the NPRM. To have a PSK31 signal transmitted on the center frequency, the control operator should not set the carrier frequency to the center frequency but should instead set the carrier frequency 1.5 kHz below the center frequency (i.e., the same as for phone and data emissions).’

“The word ‘carrier’ in this context means the suppressed carrier frequency of a transceiver when operated in the USB mode, but some have taken it to mean the PSK31 signal itself. They read this text and come to the conclusion that the PSK31 signal should be 1.5 kHz below the channel center. They are mistaken. The PSK31 signal must be in the center of the channel.”

Hams are advised to carefully check not only their PSK31 software, but also their transceivers to make sure the radios are not shifting PSK31 signal frequencies during digital operation. The same is true for CW operators who may be using transceivers that have an automatic CW offset when operating in that mode.

Henderson notes that a few PSK31 operators appear to have missed the injunction to transmit only one signal per channel. “We’ve seen some guys deliberately starting conversations above or below the center frequency when the center frequency is already occupied with another PSK31 QSO or a CW transmission,” Henderson said. “Not only is this in violation of the requirement to be at the channel center frequency, it also violates the restriction that mandates only one signal per channel. If you want to operate but you hear someone already using the channel, you have to try a different channel or check back later. Remember, we have only one operating frequency on each channel. This is not a situation where you can squeeze multiple signals within the channel based on the belief that it is okay because a PSK signal is so narrow.”

Some ARRL Official Observers have reported the use of Minimum-Shift Keying RTTY, Contestia and other digital modes on 60 meters. “By a strict reading of the R&O some of these transmissions may not be in technical violation of FCC rules, but they not in line with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) request,” Henderson said. “The NTIA administers these frequencies, not the FCC, so their request that digital enthusiasts restrict themselves to PSK31 and PACTOR III is a prevailing guideline.”

“The confusion arises because many amateurs mistakenly believe that the FCC controls all of the radio spectrum in the US. That is incorrect. The NTIA controls frequencies that are allocated to governmental users, including FEMA, DHS, and the military. The five channels on the 60-meter band are under the direction of the NTIA. The FCC has worked with the NTIA to, in essence, ‘negotiate’ a secondary allocation for amateurs on that band. Amateurs need to keep in mind that the NTIA is the body that will either support the expansion of our privileges at some future date, or request that the FCC pull the plug on 60 meter Amateur Radio activity entirely. The NTIA is most definitely listening and non-compliant behavior puts our use of the band in jeopardy. Fortunately, instances of non-compliance appear to be isolated.”

To date there have been no reports of PACTOR III activity on 60 meters. PACTOR III is restricted to live keyboard-to-keyboard use only.

60-Meter Operations – New Privileges and Best Practices

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February 23, 2012

In November 2011, the Federal Communications Commission issued a Report and Order that substantially expanded Amateur Radio privileges on the 60-meter band. The new privileges will take effect on March 5, 2012. Amateurs are permitted to operate on five frequency channels, each having an effective bandwidth of 2.8 kHz. See Table 1 below.

Table 1

Channel 1: 5330.5 kHz
Channel 2: 5346.5 kHz
Channel 3: 5357.0 kHz
Channel 4: 5371.5 kHz
Channel 5: 5403.5 kHz

These frequencies are available for use by stations having a control operator holding a General, Advanced or Amateur Extra class license. It is important to note that the frequencies shown above are suppressed carrier frequencies – the frequencies that appear in your transceiver’s tuning display when your transceiver is in the USB mode. Amateurs may transmit with an effective radiated power of 100 W or less, relative to a half-wave dipole. If you’re using a commercial directional antenna, FCC Rules require you to keep a copy of the manufacturer’s gain specifications in your station records. If you built the directional antenna yourself, you must calculate the gain and keep the results in your station records. When using a directional antenna, you must take your antenna gain into account when setting your RF output power. For example, if your antenna offers 3 dB gain, your maximum legal output power on 60 meters should be no more than 50 W (50 W plus 3 dB gain equals 100 W Effective Radiated Power). In addition to increasing the power amateurs can use on 60 meters, the Report and Order also expanded the number of legal operating modes: Upper Sideband (USB) CW Digital Each mode comes with its own requirements for legal operation on 60 meters. Upper Sideband Operation Upper Sideband operation on 60 meters is simple. Just tune your transceiver to one of the channel frequencies shown in Table 1 and operate, being careful that you do not overmodulate and create “splatter” that would fall outside the 2.8 kHz channel bandwidths. If your transceiver allows you to adjust your maximum SSB transmit bandwidth, setting it to 2.4 kHz should keep you well within the legal limit. CW Operation CW operation must take place at the center of your chosen channel. This means that your transmitting frequency must be 1.5 kHz above the suppressed carrier frequency as specified in the Report and Order (see Table 1). Operating at strict channel-center frequencies may come as a disappointment to many, but cooperating with the NTIA is key to expanded privileges in the future.

The channel center frequencies are …

Channel 1: 5332.0 kHz
Channel 2: 5348.0 kHz
Channel 3: 5358.5 kHz
Channel 4: 5373.0 kHz
Channel 5: 5405.0 kHz

Consult your transceiver manual. Some transceivers transmit CW at the exact frequencies shown on their displays, but others offset the actual transmission frequency by a certain amount (for example, 600 Hz). If your manual is not clear on this point, contact the manufacturer. If you have access to a frequency counter, this is an excellent tool for ensuring that your CW signal is on the channel center frequency. Digital Operation Our expanded privileges on 60 meters were the result of collaboration between the FCC and the NTIA – the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the agency that manages and coordinates telecommunications activities among US government departments, the primary users of the band. The NTIA expressed concern about possible interference and requested that amateurs limit digital operating to PSK31 and PACTOR III only. It is certainly possible to interpret the FCC Report and Order somewhat broadly as it concerns digital operating on the band, but be careful not to read too much into the text. For example, while the Report and Order mentions RTTY, it also specifies that the signal must be less than 60 Hz wide. This is too narrow for amateur teletype signals. Only a much narrower mode such as PSK31 (about 50 Hz wide) meets this requirement. With an eye to the potential for expanded 60 meter privileges in the future, the ARRL believes it is critical to cooperate fully with the NTIA. Therefore, the ARRL asks all amateurs to restrict 60-meter digital operations to PSK31 or PACTOR III.

With PSK31 you must operate on the following channel center frequencies …

Channel 1: 5332.0 kHz
Channel 2: 5348.0 kHz
Channel 3: 5358.5 kHz
Channel 4: 5373.0 kHz
Channel 5: 5405.0 kHz

The easiest way to achieve this is to place your transceiver in the USB mode and tune to one of the suppressed carrier channel frequencies shown in Table 1. With your PSK31 software display configured to indicate audio frequencies, click your mouse cursor at the 1500 Hz mark (see below). With your radio in the USB mode, this marker indicates the center of the channel and it is the frequency on which you should be transmitting. PACTOR III operation on 60 meters is straightforward. With your transceiver in the USB mode, tune to one of the suppressed carrier channel frequencies shown in Table 1. Note that only live keyboard-to-keyboard operation of PACTOR III is allowed. Unattended automatic operation is not permitted. Tips for Avoiding Interference Because amateurs are only secondary users on 60 meters, we are required to yield to other services. In other words, if you suddenly hear a non-amateur transmission on the channel, you must cease operation on that channel immediately. Always listen before transmitting. If you hear another signal on the channel, whether it is a signal from an Amateur Radio or government/private station, don’t transmit. As amateurs exercise their new 60 meter privileges, a more detailed and specific channel occupancy plan may become clear.

In the meantime, follow these tips to share the channels as efficiently as possible.

Keep your transmissions as short as possible with frequent breaks to listen for other signals.  Although split-channel operation (transmitting on one channel and listening on another), is permitted under the rules, this is considered poor operating practice on 60 meters because it effectively ties up two channels at once and increases potential interference. If you must operate split channel, monitor your transmit channel for other signals.

To locate a clear channel, USB operators should begin at Channel 5 and move down (if necessary) to Channels 4, 3, 2 and 1 until a clear channel is found. CW and digital operators should reverse this pattern, beginning at Channel 1 and moving upward until a clear channel is found.

If you hear a digital signal and you’re not sure if it is an Amateur Radio signal, don’t transmit; move to another channel instead. Most primary users on 60 meters operate USB or wide-shift digital signals, so they are relatively easy to recognize.

To help you identify the sounds of popular amateur digital modes, see the Get on the Air with HF Digital web page at www.arrl.org/hf-digital.

Take care when using narrow receive filters, such as when operating CW. To be in compliance you need to be able to hear other stations that may begin operating on the channel.  Over the years, Channel 5 has become a de facto international DX channel. With that in mind, avoid domestic QSOs on this channel when possible.

STATE-WIDE EMERGENCY COMM DRILL SCHEDULED FOR MAY 5, 2012

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Exercise Date: May 5 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Texas Combined ARES Exercise Version 1.1 March 8, 2012

I. Schedule: May 5th 8AM to 2PM. Traffic objectives may be started at 6PM May 4th.

II. Goal: Exercise ARES readiness of agency installations, ARES Mutual Aid Teams and other ARES stations in partnership with Texas ARMY MARS and RACES organizations in an RF only exercise.

III. Scenario:

A large solar storm has occurred resulting in wide spread power outages and a failure of the Internet and cellular networks. Two days have passed from the solar storm allowing for restored HF conditions but RF only conditions persist. Providing situational awareness to the state operation center from all areas is critical.

IV. Digital Strategy:

With the Internet outage, digital communications becomes considerably more complicated. Regional “hubs” running RMS Packet with RMS Relay will be useful for exchanging Winlink email within the regional hub area. (See: Appendix A.)

(Note: Make sure to set RMS Relay to “Simulate Internet failure” or otherwise disconnect the Internet for the exercise.)

Provisions must be made to route mail that must go beyond this regional hub.

NIMS/ICS COURSES AVAILABLE PROFESSIONALLY ONLINE

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Several ARES members have been working on the Incident Command System and the National Incident Management System (ICS and NIMS) since 2006 and many have already completed the four major online courses recommended and approved by FEMA on the FEMA web site.  All EmComm Ham Radio operators serving EOC Customers and other federal and state (NIMS-ICS) served agencies are urged to complete all six courses, especially the four courses which are given free on line and at your own pace. District 15 ARES is the organziation that brought ICS and NIMS to Ham Radio in the Rio Grande Valley and several stations have succeed in accomplishing all four courses on line.

ICS and NIMS began in 2003, when the President issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)–5, Management of Domestic Incidents, which directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and administer a National Incident Management System (NIMS). This system provides a consistent nationwide template to enable Federal, State, and local governments, private-sector and nongovernmental organizations to work together effectively and efficiently to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size, or complexity, including acts of catastrophic terrorism.  In order for Ham Operators to meet the increased sophistication and upgrade that all local government agencies in the Valley have meet and now actually practice, anyone who will be operating in an EOC environment such as ARES-RACES-MARS operators will be in the future, will need to have a working knowledge of ICS and NIMS practicies. It’s not complicated and it actually makes a lot of since.  There are six courses and all of them are basic and fundamental and easy to pass. Two of the courses can only be absorbed and received in a class room environment leaving four basic courses you can actually take online. District 15 ARES will be providing the two basic classroom courses by certified NIMS – ICS professional instructors in the near future. Until then we highly recommend signing up and taking the online courses at the FEMA web site for free.  You learn at your own pace in a professional presentation which is quick and effective, and you can take your test easily and print out your certificate which can only be provided by either the online course, or a certified instructor.  Click here to visit the FEMA NIMS -ICS web site to register for free and start your FEMA NIMS and ICS course the right way!