The Most Entertaining Public Service Event  Of   The  Year

         The Loudoun Amateur Radio Group and Loudoun Amateur Radio Emergency Service volunteered fifteen members to Leesburg before sunset on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2008, for the annual public service communications support operation for First Night Leesburg. Nineteen operational sites throughout downtown Leesburg were supported by our super communicators. The central control was established on the second floor of the Old Leesburg Today bank building. A special radio repeater was deployed on top the Leesburg parking garage to provide full coverage to our man-portable hand-held radios.

         It was a quiet night with mostly site head counts being the only traffic but there was one small incident when a child wondered off from her parents for a short time. The weather may have been a factor since it was well into the twenties by night fall and this may have contributed to the smaller than normal turnout. The maximum counts were the 8 and 9 PM shows with around 900 in the event venues. The communication operation closed by 11:30 PM and many were home to see the New Year's Ball drop in Times Square on television.

First Night Leesburg is coordinated by Bluemont, the Cultural Spirit of Our Communities. First Night ® is a registered trademark of First Night Inc., P.O. Box 203, Leesburg, Virginia 20178.   For more information - click here.

The LARG and Loudoun Amateur Radio Emergency Service volunteer their communications services to the community.

Early Operational Brief and Communications Checks Prior To Deploying

(L-R) Nancy Dluehosh - KE4RTP of Leesburg, Grant Russell - KB3EMT of Purcellville, and John Unger - W4AU of Hamilton

AMATEUR RADIO ACTUAL OPERATIONS PLAN
FIRST NIGHT LEESBURG
31 DECEMBER 2008
LEESBURG, VA

Date of This Plan 27 December, 2008

Situation:

LARG will provide communications for First Night Leesburg on 31 December, 2008. LARG support usually begins with portable repeater deployment at about 1630 and continues until about 2330.

Mission:

Amateur Radio Operators will Provide Communications support between the event headquarters, and various venues including downtown Leesburg, County Government center and others. Generally all venues are within walking distance of headquarters. Support consists of relaying needs of the venue volunteers for supplies, personnel and information to the headquarters station, and occasional transfer of supplies between HQ and various venues. Also, the amateur volunteers will pick up the large venue site signs after the last event.

Leesburg Police Auxiliary handles cash transport and escorts.

Execution:

Approximately 1630, the UHF portable repeater will be deployed on top of the town parking garage. Denny, KF4TJI, will lead the repeater deployment effort. The net control station will be set up at the event headquarters. Event HQ is at 1 East Market St., Second Floor. Dave, KE4S, will lead the HQ installation. By 1800 at least three portable radio-equipped hams should be available with remaining volunteers arriving by 1900.

Early children's shows will begin at 1800 with the rest of the venues opening at 1900.

NOTE: SEE ATTACHMENT ONE for Schedule and List of Venues.

SEE ATTACHMENT TWO FOR LIST of AMATEUR RADIO VOLUNTEERS

About 15 minutes into the performance, a head count from each venue will be taken. Head Counts will be held until you are polled by Net Control.

Head counts need not be exact, it is sufficient to estimate number of seats per row and multiply by number of rows.

Service and Support:

Participating LARG members should insure that they have extra batteries, and cold weather clothes and shoes for this event.

While food and drinks for volunteers are available at the event headquarters, each Amateur Radio Volunteer should be self sufficient as far as equipment, batteries, antennas, headsets and any individual needs like medications, hand warmers, etc.

Weather is expected to be dry, but brisk. Check weather conditions on the 31st and equip yourself accordingly.

Command and Communications:

Peter Dunning or Lily Dunning will be the overall event lead.

Denny Boehler, KF4TJI, will be Amateur Radio Support lead.

Net Control (K4LRG) will be established at event headquarters, 1 East Market St., 2nd Floor.

Primary Net frequency will be 443.225 (+5MHz Offset) PL tone 103.5 Hz.

Talk-around frequency in the event of a repeater failure is 443.225 MHz simplex.

Be prepared to relay if the repeater is down and net control cannot hear a calling station. To relay, call net control and say "This is K4XYZ, may I relay, OVER" and follow net control's instructions.

Wear headphones so as not to disrupt the performances.

Expected traffic levels are such that the net will start out as a free net, although if traffic increases, it will be changed to a directed net.

Emergencies will be passed directly to 911 via cell phone, if available, otherwise to net control. Note the location, and nature of the emergency before calling it in.

When making an emergency call, so specify in your first transmission i. e. "This is K4XYZ, EMERGENCY, OVER". If an Emergency call is sent the net will automatically become a directed net with K4LRG as Net Control. Stations not involved in the emergency will stand by until Net Control terminates the emergency.

First Night Leesburg Volunteers As Of 1900 Hours, December 30, 2008:

Dennis Boehler - KF4TJI  &  Jay Ives - KI4TXP

At The

Net Control Station - K4LRG Operating Out Of  The Old Leesburg Today Offices At 1 East Market Street, Leesburg

AFTER ACTION REPORT

Thursday, January 01, 2009 7:28 PM

de Denis Boehler - KF4TJI
Amateur Radio Emergency Service
Loudoun County, Virginia

First Night Leesburg 2008 went very well. There were a few early calls for minor problems like missing signs - we think the wind did it. The cold wind is probably the thing that most volunteers will remember most about this year. The most potentially serious issue of the night was a missing young Downs Syndrome girl. She had gotten separated from her parents. Initially her parents thought she was with her brother, but she was not with him. She was found fairly quickly in the same building and reunited with her parents. Grant,KB3EMT, did an excellent job of handling the situation. The number of attendees was smaller this year than previous years, probably due to the cold windy weather.

Thanks to all the volunteers listed below for devoting their time and energy to help with this. There were two volunteers working the event for the fist time, Luther, K5NOB, and Gene, KD7IAV. Special thanks to Dave, KE4S, and Jay, KI4TXP, for setting up the net control station. Dave came in just to help with the setup, then he had to return home to his company. Jay, KI4TXP, Buddy, K4CJB, and I handled net control duties. Also thanks to Tom, WB3AKD, for the use of his 440 repeater. Jeff, KE5APC, came in early just to take some pictures of the event. Norm, AI2C, also came in to take some pictures after he arrived home from a long trip.

Again thanks to all who helped out. Having all these dedicated volunteers really helps the job go easier for everyone.

Denny - KF4TJI

NNNN

Jay Ives - KI4TXP Maintain Assignments
and Event Head Count Reports At Net Control

Roster of On Site Volunteer Amateur Radio Operators

1 Dennis Boehler KF4TJI
2. Carol Boehler KF4TJJ
3. Dave Putman KE4S
4. Jay Ives KI4TXP
5. Kurt Reber KI4FWB
6. Gene Carnicom KD7IAV
7. Frank Gentges K0BRA
8. Meg Gentges AI4UX

9.   John Unger W4AU
10. Buddy Brewer K4CJB
11. Luther Guise K5NOB
12. Henry Weidman K2BFY
13. Paul Dluehosh N4PD
14. Nancy Dluehosh KE4RTP
15. Grant Russell KB3EMT

Some Of Our Volunteer Radio Operators

Carol Boehler - KF4TJJ of Leesburg Make Her Way To The Next Assignment

Luther Guise - K5NOB

Of Leesburg

Manned A Position In The Tally Ho Theater

Carol Boehler - KF4TJJ

Of Leesburg

Checks Her Site Map Before Moving Out
To Her Next Assignment

DUELING CAMERAS

Paul - N4PD & Nancy - KE4RTP Dluehosh

Of Leesburg

Kurt Reber - KI4FWB of Lovettsville

and Denny Boehler - KF4TJI of Leesburg

Confer At Net Control

Dancing In The Street

Nancy Dluehosh - KE4RTP, John Unger - W4AU and Norm Styer - AI2C

Enjoying The Night !!!

The Shows        Get There Early Or You'll Miss Something !!!

The Celtic Rhythm Dance

At The Leesburg Presbyterian Fellowship Hall

The Last Ham Standing

A Great Show At The Tally Ho !!!

Bob Brown Puppets

In The Leesburg Town Government Center

A Very Enjoyable Show !!!

Blue Sky Puppets

A Really Nice Show In The Old Auto Gallery

Lynn & Dunbar

Popular - Bluegrass - Folk Songs

In The Loudoun County Government Center's
Lovettsville Room

The Polka Dots

Some Cool Sounds in the Leesburg Presbyterian Sanctuary

Groucho   Magic

Standing Room Only in the Leesburg Town Council Chambers

"Perfessor" Bill Edwards Ragtime

Great Sounds At The Tally Ho Theater

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Display In The Foyer Of
The Leesburg Town Government Center

Fearless Dave

A Real Tricky Show

Chinese Traditional Orchestra

Pleasing Music In The

Old Loudoun County Courthouse

Paul Hadfield

Lots Of Action In
Loudoun County Board Of Supervisors Room

Marilyn Harrington

Weaver and Spinner

Demonstrated hand weaving in the Lobby
of the Loudoun County Government Center

How About A Ride Around Leesburg ?

Freezing Temperatures Attached Many

The Line Was Worth It !!!

Lighted But Empty And Quiet North King Street

          NNNN