ARES MOU with VDEM
Now Announcing: "ARES = RACES in Virginia" Joe Safranek, K4JJS, PIC With the signing of the historic new MOU between Virginia ARES and the Commonwealth of Virginia, now, when activated by an appropriate authority, ARES equals RACES in Virginia. During activations requiring deployment of ARES personnel, a State RACES officer at the State EOC will direct the VA ARES SEC as to where emergency communications help is needed. The VA ARES SEC then will then assume the role of VA ARES-RACES Deployment Officer and will be responsible for the deployment of all VA ARES personnel and resources. The MOU formally recognizes any REGISTERED VA ARES member as a registered RACES member in Virginia. Under the new MOU, a volunteer does enjoy limited protection from liability to the same extent as a state employee, provided they act within the scope of their training, the limits of this MOU, and the mission assigned by the agency. The Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management recognizes the ARRL Virginia Section Amateur Radio Emergency Service is an organization representing Virginia radio amateurs throughout the Commonwealth and because of its organized communications capability, can be of valuable assistance in providing critical and essential communications during emergencies and disasters when normal lines of communications are disrupted. Section Manager Carl Clements, W4CAC, stated this about the new MOU: "This MOU now provides the opportunity for all of the independent RACES units operating within the Commonwealth of Virginia to join with ARES/RACES to complete the fabric of mutual assistance that will help us cooperatively cover the entire Commonwealth. We ask that they consider unification with us." The Commonwealth is currently working with the federal government on a photo identification badging system that will result in state and federal recognition of credentials during deployments. As stated in the MOU "Until a Standardized Statewide Identification Credentialing System is established in the Commonwealth of Virginia for emergency responders, to include State activated VA ARES/RACES personnel, it is suggested that the ARRL/VA ARES provide a uniform picture identification card for all of its registered members in the State." More information pertaining to this ID badge system will be forthcoming. Section Emergency Coordinator Ron Sokol, K4KHZ, opined "This is an exciting time for amateur radio operators in Virginia. We have come a long way in developing a partnership with the Commonwealth providing an emergency communications infrastructure for the Commonwealth through the hard work and dedication of many individuals over the past several years. This MOU is the basis of our commitment to serving our citizens and guests in Virginia during emergencies and we will strive to accomplish this important task to the best of our abilities. The VDEM staff will be getting out copies of the MOU to all VA jurisdictions to assist in making a smooth transition.
Rockingham County ARES Meeting April 12, 2008
Members present :
Bryan K4RMY, Chuck KD5KA ,Elwood KB4DJN , Hugh K3EC , Gerald KN4FM , Elsworth K4LXG , Bob K4DJG , Gayle KU4XN
-Traffic handling- suggestions for improvement:
Hugh K3EC agreed to be the formal liaison station to the NTS
Suggestion was made to ask James NN4JM to be liaison with NTS CW net
Suggestion made and approved to use X as Precedence indicator for local practice traffic.
Suggestion made and approved that occasionally there be a message in ARRL format for all members of the net to copy if they wish on frequency as part of the net in order to give everyone who would like practice in copying traffic.
Suggestion made and approved that a report from the previous week's net control station be given to the group in simple message format ( not ARRL Radiogram). This message will include the number of checkins, number and type of traffic passed. This message will be formally taken by Bryan K4RMY ARES EC and then posted to the Monitor once a month as an ARES report
Discussion of techniques of reading messages for copy by other stations:
-watch speed of sending, don't read too fast
-may want to write the message on scratch paper as you are sending it to slow down your speed
-on the receiving end you may wish to tape record the message if have the capability
ARES repeaters:
ARES will plan on using the 145.130 repeater our secondary/alternate repeater:
Bryan K4RMY will ask permission from the trustees of the N4YET repeater
Suggestion made and approved to use 145.130 once every few months for full net to have practice using this repeater
Reminder that Local ARES call up frequency is 146.55 simplex if the main repeaters are in use.
Suggestion made to put call up procedure in the Monitor. Bryan K4RMY ARES EC will work on this
Suggestion made to contact Mac KZ1A our District EC about meeting with ECs and members from other counties in our district and possibly setting up liaisons with them.
Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge
Also adding Shenadoah, Page, Green and Albemarle
A committee was establish to work on an emergency drill (SET) for summer or fall:
Bryan K4RMY, Hugh K3EC, Elsworth K4LXG
RMH station operators needed:
Gayle KU4XN and Elsworth K4LXG agreed to join as RMH operators and will need pictures taken in order to get a badge created.
Other items:
Suggestion made that on some Simplex nets, those checking in should create a list of stations you can hear and an RS(T) report along with the power of your station. These would be compiled by Bryan K4RMY in a database
A brief discussion of NBEMS Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System and its possible use for passing traffic locally in an emergency.
A suggestion made that an ARES business card be produced that has the ARES procedures repeaters, etc. listed on it. Bryan K4RMY will create one and ask for suggestions at the next MARA meeting.
Traffic Handling on ARES Net
Feb. 9, 2008 ARES Meeting about ARES net message traffic
Participants:
Richard KC3AN ,Phillis N4VZC, James NN4JM ,Mike W4AZR, Gerald KN4FM ,Phil KQ4D
Hugh K3EC, Elwood KB4DJN ,Bryan K4RMY
Hugh K3EC briefly discussed the book “Torn Land” about hurricane Camille and the role that ham radio played in the disaster.
Hugh also had a copy of the Jan. 1970 QST article titled “Camille Communique” that also discussed part ham radio played.
Summary of conclusions and recommendations as a result our discussion as interpreted by Bryan K4RMY Rockingham Co. ARES EC.
- Rockingham Co. ARES net will begin handling practice messaging starting during the Feb. 18th net.
- Net controls (NC) will have authority to handle how this practice traffic will be dealt with
- Typically when a person announces that they have traffic (practice or otherwise) the NC will assign a simplex frequency to the persons handling the traffic. NC will ask if there is anyone willing to take the traffic and excuse both from the net to pass the traffic on the simplex freq. assigned.
- Simplex frequencies. to use in order of preference are: 146.55, 146.565, 146.58. A complete list of frequencies to be used is located below.
- Once the individuals have passed their traffic, they will check back into the Rockingham Co. ARES net and confirm the traffic has been passed.
- The form used to pass the traffic will the standard ARRL Radiogram unless otherwise noted. The ICS213 may also be used.
- Hopefully all those that are officially net control stations will take turns passing traffic when they are not the current net control station. All those that participate on the net are encouraged to pass practice traffic as well.
- The practice traffic passed will consist of information found on QRZ web site about a specific call sign. You are free to choose any call sign to use. Example:
K4RMY
Class: General Codes: HVIE
Name: Bryan E. Daniels
Address: 2327 Blue Stone Hill Dr.
Harrisonburg , VA 22801
Effective : 28 May 2005
Expires: 26 Aug. 2013
FRN: 0006355069
Lookup: 352
Other information from the QRZ listing may also be used. The example is just that an example. Feel free to include whatever. We are using this information because it is in the public domain and doesn’t violate anyone’s privacy. When passing practice traffic please note that it is for practice in the PRECEDENCE box and avoid using anything in the HX (Handling instructions) box.
- We will hold another meeting on April 12th after the VE session to further discuss and refine this process. Also, hopefully to get some individuals willing to act as contacts with the various real traffic nets in case of having some real traffic to pass.
- Anyone interested in helping with the practice, please contact Bryan K4RMY at k4rmy@arrl.net.
- I will be glad to forward a PDF of the ARRL Radiogram or the ICS213 form to anyone who requests it.
- Simplex frequencies on 2M: 146.430, 146.445, 146.460, 146.475, 146.490, 146.505, 146.535, 146.550, 146.565, 146.580 ( note: I have not listed the National Simplex Calling Frequency of 146.52, please avoid this freq. for traffic) 147.420, 147.435, 147.450, 147.465, 147.480, 147.495, 147.510, 147.525, 147.540, 147.555, 147.570 ( these were compiled from several different web sites and are not inclusive. I have left several freq. off that were not listed on ALL the sites. Try to stay with the 3 suggested earlier unless there is a large volume of traffic to pass.
Below are thoughts sent to Bryan K4RMY by Hugh K3EC about setting up the ARES net for practice message handling.
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1. Emergency network design:
a). TWO channels required -- one for call-in and dispatching instructions, the other for handling formal traffic and informal point-to-point messaging.( we will use 146.55)
b). If possible we should plan on our present repeater (147.225) being the designated call-in frequency, but line up a second repeater for traffic and messaging. Perhaps the former N4YET machine on 145.130( Big Mt. repeater) no if back in service by now.
c). It is VERY important we not tie up the emergency call-in frequency with traffic handling and messaging. Untrained and oveerly excited operators can easily wreak havoc on the system. This channel should be used for call-ups, station dispatching and status-checking. All requests for point-to-point messaging or relayed formal traffic should go to the traffic channel.
d). This means ARES would need TWO net control stations per shift: the main call-in emergency channel, and the traffic channel, both under continuous monitor even if no traffic or call-ins are taking place.
2. Two types of "traffic:"
a). First, "messaging" communications from field to base (direct person-to-person); and second, formal traffic requiring relay by one or more intermediate stations to reach its destination. Formal traffic requires a precise format and record ... that is, preamble containing message serial number, station of origin, date/time, and word count, and a log of messages sent and received.
b). Much emergerncy traffic is of the "messaging" kind -- personal point-to-point within the area of radio communications -- and amateur stations do very well in this context. I do not think such messages require hardcopy or logging (except for check-in registration by the NCS), and in a Valley emergency I'd guess such messaging would constitute the bulk of our transmissions.
c). Traffic to be relayed requires formal presentation, as noted above. This really calls for experienced traffic handling, especially in and for emergencies. This kind of traffic can be better understood as field-to-base-to-headquarters (and vice versa), or simplex field to relaying field to area base (e.g. the EOC). This is the type of traffic our ARES corps needs to practice and drill.
d). Here I have a suggestion: All ARES members should be expected to send and receive one (or two?) such practice traffic messages monthly. Rather than dummying up some kind of greetings or text stuff (and taxing our creative juices), simply pull a call sign out of the air (and across the land somewhere), go to QRZ.COM and send that data (call, names, address, town and license class) to another ARES particpating station. Label it "Practice" (preferably in the preamble), and furnish a word count. The signature can be the originating operator. This kind of text will require clarity, phoneticization, and attention to detail ... good pratice stuff. And there should be no problem in using someone's QTH data since such is in the public domain. All Practice traffic iwould be confined to the Rockingham County net, and not intended for onward transmission via our liaison operators to other nets, etc.
3. One last suggestion we can kick around Saturday: I believe we should assign some of our ARES stations to fixed liaison links to notably VFN, VSN, VN and perhaps adjacent county ARES nets (e.g. Augusta, Page, Highland and Shenandoah counties). These would be annual assignments, and the assignees would be expected to fully participate in their assigned nets as a matter of course. Two to VFN, VSN (4:00 p.m.) and VN would be desirable.