On September 27th, 2008 a child was lost at a family picnic in St Charles.  The Saginaw Valley Amateur Radio Association ARES group was called in to provide communications for the Search-and-Rescue effort.  Although this was only a drill, such a situation is possible and was the scenario for this years simulated emergency test.

The scenario included the set up of a cross band repeater to connect the operators in the field to the Red Cross building where the search effort was being monitored.  A photo of the "lost child" was sent via SSTV to the Red Cross so it could be distributed to the media.

This years local  emergency test coincided with a State SET which tested the States ability to pass emergency traffic messages through the "Hamgate" network to each county in Michigan.  This portion of the test worked, but not without problems.  Not every county received it's messages, including Saginaw.

Thanks to everyone evolved with planning and executing this years event.
 

Band Plan

	Dave running the Hamgate station
	Dave hard at work
	The SSTV photo of the group sent from St. Charles
	Emmett and George at the Search-and-Rescue exercise
	Our Search-and-Rescue team
	Jim and Mike making roll-up 2 meter antennas
	Jim showing Mike the finer points of striping wire