2014 SET

RAC’s Simulated Emergency Test in the GTA Section took place on Saturday, October 18 this year.

The annual Simulated Emergency test is, according to the RAC web site,”…a North America-wide exercise in emergency communications, administered by the ARRL and the RAC Emergency Coordinators and Net Managers. Both the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS) are involved. The SET weekend gives communicators the opportunity to focus on the emergency communications capability within your community, while interacting with NTS nets.”

Although not an HRECT event, several HRECT member groups took part.That included Burlington ARES, Milton ARES and South Halton ARES.

The Milton Red Cross branch office was used as the main communications hub. From there voice links were made to Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Brampton, and Toronto. Message traffic was sent to the amateur radio station at the Province of Ontario’s Emergency Operations Centre in Toronto.

FL DIGI contacts were made with Brampton ARES.

A lot of things worked well. Some things didn’t. Much was learned.