[2020-10-31] Updated to include PDF with instructions

The Nationwide Red Cross Emergency Communications Fall Drill is a joint exercise with ARES set for November 14, an evolution of the highly successful Spring Drill that had hundreds of participants from some 40 states and Puerto Rico.

The Fall Drill will be a Winlink-specific event with the following goals: (1) pass traditional Red Cross (ARC) forms from as many states and as many radio amateurs as possible to one of six Divisional Clearinghouses, and (2) bring as many radio operators as possible up to a “basic” level of Winlink proficiency. [To prepare, there is a twelve-week series of Winlink Workshops held each Thursday at 0100Z on Zoom. Join the SEC-ARES group (https://groups.io/g/SEC-ARES) for announcements and discussions. Include your name and call sign when registering on SEC-ARES.]

Winlink Proficiency Goals have been written, a Winlink Technical Support Team has been formed, and Metrics for Drill Success have been developed. The proficiency goals are established as a training guideline and references online training resources. Many hams new to Winlink should find these resources helpful.

Over 300 radio amateurs have signed up for the event and more than a hundred were on a Briefing Call on October 5. There will be one other Briefing Call, in early November. This event is open to all radio amateurs; if interested in more information, contact Mike Walters, W8ZY (w8zy@na1ra.net), for ARES-related questions or Wayne Robertson, K4WK (wayne.robertson@redcross.org), for Red Cross-related topics.