Ham radio operators to test emergency skills during statewide drill

For four hours, beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, members of the Wireless Society of Southern Maine Emergency Communications Team (WSSM-ECT), which meets monthly in Windham, will take part in a statewide emergency communications exercise to test their capabilities across Cumberland County and beyond.

Members of the Wireless Society of Southern Maine
Emergency Communications Team in Windham will 
be part of a statewide emergency communications 
exercise on Saturday, Oct. 25 to test transmission
capabilities across Cumberland County and beyond. 
SUBMITTED PHOTO

The drill, known as the Simulated Emergency Test (SET), is an annual event sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), which encourages amateur radio operators across the country to test their emergency communications skills in response to a mock disaster scenario.

This year’s exercise will be part of a larger regional interoperability drill, focusing on testing communications between Amateur Radio and SHARES stations — a priority in building more robust emergency coordination between public and private response agencies.

Participants will exchange formal Requests for Information (RIs) and other traffic across a variety of systems and frequencies, while placing special emphasis on testing local capabilities within Cumberland County. The WSSM-ECT will evaluate VHF simplex, UHF repeater, and PACKET radio coverage, and explore methods for expanding local communications using relay points and portable nodes.

“This year’s SET presents a great opportunity to evaluate how Amateur Radio can integrate with other systems during a disaster scenario,” says Tim Watson, the founder and President of the Wireless Society of Southern Maine, which provides auxiliary communications support to the Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA) and the National Weather Service. “We’re testing the assumptions we’ve made about coverage and resiliency and working to enhance our tool kit.”

During the SET drills, amateur radio operators must quickly establish communications between Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs), shelters, and other key sites, and exchange formal messages that may include requests for supplies, medical status reports, or weather updates – the types of information critical to emergency response when conventional infrastructure fails. Operators use voice, Morse code, and digital modes, across bands ranging from HF to UHF.

“The hams in our club are a dedicated group,” adds Brad Brown, WSSM’s Secretary. “They take this work seriously. Sure, amateur radio is a fun and rewarding hobby, but many of us stay engaged in drills and support community events so we’re ready when we’re really needed. That’s what it’s all about – being prepared and being of service.”

The 2025 drill will mark the 10th consecutive year that WSSM-ECT has participated in the Simulated Emergency Test. Following the exercise, the group will conduct a formal assessment to identify successes and areas for improvement.

“There’s always something new to learn,” Watson says. “This year, we’ll be expanding our use of Winlink and PACKET radio, which continue to be powerful tools for transmitting structured messages over RF. We’re always pushing to improve our readiness.”

For more details about amateur radio, or the Wireless Society of Southern Maine, visit http://www.mainehamradio.com <