https://arrl-ohio.org/SEC/nvis_day.html
NVIS Day, 2024
It’s coming! Ohio NVIS Day 2024 will be held Saturday April 27, from 10AM until 4PM EDT.

The purpose of NVIS day is to construct and try various antenna ideas, all working as NVIS (Near Vertical Incident Skywave) antennas. These antennas are low to the ground and provide coverage generally within a 400 mile radius- extremely important for regional HF communications in an emergency. Take a big step forward and build upon the concept to answer the question, “How would we actually use these antennas?”

For 2024, we have added a couple operating scenarios that will make your day more fun and be a learning event for actual disaster communications. We propose a commercial power blackout, with the need to communicate within your ARES district and to ‘The Sarge” at the Ohio EOC in Columbus. 

Here’s the deal:
1. The event runs from 10 AM until 4 PM local time.
2. Stations will construct and test NVIS antennas.
3. Transmit power is limited to 100 watts.
4. Power for the station will be any form of “off-grid” supply: typically, generator, battery or solar or whatever form you might have in an emergency setup. (Optional, but preferred)
5. Stations may test antenna coverage as in the past by contacting as many different locations as possible. This year, we are adding collecting Grid Squares and S-Meter readings as part of the exchange .
a. Stations are to originate a message to their ARES District, local net, OHDEN, OSSBN and to W8SGT reporting their location and county, stating if you are “Participating or Not Participating”.
b. This message may take any form: ARRL message form ICS 213 or radiogram must be used. If you’re going to use the traffic system, ARRL message radiogram is recommended.
c. Each county is to send a message to the SARGE with a sitrep of their operation.
d. The message should contain the call sign, operating location (include county) and number of operators. Any other brief antenna information is optional but appreciated!
e. Contact with the District net may take place on VHF or HF (Repeaters OK).
f. WinLink may also be used as long as it sent via RF, local node (VHF, UHF) or an HF node to KD8SCL and or W8SGT.
g. For more information on node locations, visit WinLink.org.
6. Operating frequencies are proposed to be in the 80 and 40 meter bands. Voice is preferred for testing.
a. Optimum frequencies centered around but not limited to: 3.902 and 7.240
b. Digital messages may be passed to OHDEN Net as available.
c. Digital OHDEN frequency: 3584.5 (typical is Olivia 8/500)
d. OSSBN frequency: 3972.5, Net Times: 10:30, 16:15, 18:45
You can create your own log (Excel preferred) or Word format. Be sure to include a photo of your group or your antenna! Submit your results to contest@n8ara.org

Have fun! Take a lunch break! I hope to hear you!!

The Columbus Ohio Emergency Response Communication Net and the Union County ARES Group Net are combining our nets to support our community with more resources to draw from in the event of an emergency. Starting February 4th we will be holding the net on Sunday at 8pm on the N8IG -145.350 CTCSS 127.3Hz and a simplex digi net right after the repeater net . 

Information about the Columbus Ohio Emergency Response Communication Net: 
The Columbus Ohio Emergency Response Communication Net is an emergency amateur radio network. It is a church run program from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We have local, regional and national nets that we participate in each week. Our region is the North America North East that covers a large area. We help support the North America South East during major storms coming up the East coast during Hurricane seasons. Or any other emergency that we are ask to support any where in the world. 

We use HF and VHF radios to run WinLink and JS8Call to communicate with. We also use GroupMe and EchoLink to communicate with different parts of the United States. We hold nets on Saturday morning, Sunday evening and Tuesday evening. 

We enjoy running FT8 and any other radio communication formats that are fun. We like experimenting with radio equipment and antennas. Ron NQ8W a member of our group just put together a winlink two meter gateway that our county can use for all types of communication and all the counties around can use for their communication needs also. 

Our members are ARES members of Union County and have learned a lot of radio skills by participating together.