RCARES Communications Plan

From Megawiki

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose 1.2 Responsibility 1.3 Procedures 1.3.1 Control Operator 1.3.2 Incident Commander (IC) 1.3.3 Net Control Station (NCS) 1.3.4 Staging Area 2 Chapter 1 - Emergency Nets 2.1 Appoint an NCS for the net 2.2 Respond to the EOC 2.3 Net Preamble And Procedures 2.3.1 Starting the net 2.3.2 After completing the net 2.4 Packet Radio Communications 2.4.1 Example Packet Message 2.4.1.1 Message body format 2.4.1.2 Sample Message 3 Chapter 2 - Practice Nets 3.1 Traffic 3.1.1 Formal Traffic 3.1.2 Emergency Traffic 3.1.3 Priority Traffic 3.1.4 Welfare Traffic 3.1.5 Routine Traffic 3.2 Practice Net 3.2.1 Preamble 3.2.2 Duties of the Net Control Station 3.2.3 Duties of the ARES Member 4 Chapter 3 - Special Events 4.1 Duties of the NCS

Introduction

In Part 97 of its rules, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) states that the Amateur Radio Service is a 'voluntary non-commercial communications service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.' This is an essential element of the 'public interest, convenience or necessity' doctrine embodied in the Communications Act of 1034, the enabling legislation that created the FCC.

In turn, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) makes providing Emergency communications capability and objective of its Field Organization with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) as the vehicle for accomplishing it (The ARRL Emergency Coordinator's Communications Plan 1997)."

ARES is made up of licensed Amateur Radio operators who volunteer their time, equipment and communications skills to provide a public service in both emergencies and non-emergencies. ARES members are Amateurs who dedicate their skills in communications to provide a public service to their communities. This is an important element of ARES, and is one of the main reasons why the FCC prevents the Amateur bands from being given to commercial companies. Recent bides on Amateur frequencies have been turned down because of the services that Amateur’s provide.

Just look in the "Public Service" section of any current issue of QST. One will see references to ARES members across the nation working with local agencies in providing communications and disaster relief for their communities. This type of working relationship produces a better image of Amateur Radio; not only to the local governments, but also to the public of which ARES serves.

In April of 1999, Dr. Stan Kaplan, a member of an ARES group in the State of Wisconsin, and now the Section Emergency Coordinator for the State of Wisconsin gave a speech to a local weather class. In his speech he indicated how the Sheriff’s department for his area had asked that ARES group to aid in the search of a fugitive. This takes tremendous trust from that served agency, and is based on the training and dedication that the ARES members have shown to being reliable communicators. Having a positive image of Amateur Radio will not only save the Amateur bands, but also increase membership of the hobby. People want to be part of an organization that is helpful and organized.

Any licensed Amateur Radio operator, willing to help their community, may become an ARES member. The Amateur wishing to be a member must complete a registration form. The registration form will indicate the following: the call of the station, license class, name, address, phone numbers, email address, and the band/modes that can be operated. All license classes are welcome to become members of ARES. After the Emergency Coordinator (EC) has received the registration from, an ARES membership card will be issued along with a copy of this Communications Plan.

Any ARES member who has completed a registration form must notify the EC of any changes in the above information. This helps maintain a current roster of ARES members so those ARES members can be called upon when needed. Information may be mailed to members for correspondence or information. If the ARES members' address and telephone number is not accurate, information cannot be passed on.

Purpose

This Communications Plan is written to provide a working guideline for the ARES members in Racine County. This Communications Plan is a living document and will never be finished. Updates will be made in the future to maintain a reliable plan. By no means is every possible type of disaster/emergency going to be covered n this Communications Plan. It is meant to be a foundation, and to be adapted to various situations. As Amateurs, one often adapt to the situations that "hams" find themselves in. Whether it is fighting with very bad band conditions, trying to fit an antenna in ones apartment, or dealing with antenna ordinances, Amateurs have adapted to unique situations. This is a very important trait of an ARES member. In emergency situation, adaptation to a situation is essential so that the situation can be managed effectively.

It is not intended that the ARES member have this Communications Plan memorized. It is meant to be reference material and should be kept close by during all ARES activities. ARES members should look through the Communications Plan so that information can be located easily when needed. The time to learn what to do in a disaster is before a disaster strikes. Read through all of the information within this plan. Several topics within this plan relate to other areas throughout this plan. It is also important for the ARES member to go over the appendices of this plan. Some topics covered within the appendices are not discussed in the main body of the Communications Plan.

If the ARES member is viewing this plan on a computer using Microsoft Word, one will find that there are several hyperlinks within the document. Some of the hyperlinks go to another part of this Communications Plan; others connect to web pages on the Internet. The links that name an organization usually link to a web site. Take the time to explore those sites. A lot of useful information can be found there.

Responsibility

The primary responsibility of the Racine County ARES is to provide communications to local authorities in the event of a disaster/emergency. The primary agency that ARES will work under is the Office of Emergency Management. If a disaster were to affect the Racine area, this office would be activated for the planning, action, and control of the situation along with disaster relief. Under Wisconsin State Statutes, this office has the responsibility to plan and control the incident when an emergency has been declared. Since the planning for the incident comes from the Emergency Management office, it would seem logical to have ARES work under the control of this office. This office would know what communications resources would be needed, and where those resources should be utilized.

Other agencies that could utilize the use of ARES in non-disaster times are the following: National Weather Service (NWS), American Red Cross (ARC), and other local organizations. It is important to remember that if a disaster where to occur, many of these resources would be activated by the Emergency Management office. In the event of a severe storm, which produces a tornado, the local sheriff’s department, not the NWS, activates the sirens for the County of Racine. Yet, a good reason for having ARES work under the Emergency Management office. The National Weather Service is responsible for collecting weather data and issuing warnings for a certain geographical region. Therefore, the use of ARES in conjunction with the NWS also serves an important role. ARES members can provide the NWS with real-time weather reports. This is very important for the staff at the NWS, and aids them in issuing weather warnings when warranted. This is one of the most common ARES activities that ARES members will participate in.

However, ARES members should not focus all of their Amateur Radio skills to this service. Even during a weather incident, the Office of Emergency Management will be activated. The Office of Emergency Management may ask for information from ARES members to prepare for their action in sounding warnings and activating disaster relief plans. Having an ARES operator work in conjunction with the Office of Emergency Management allows that office to sound the necessary warnings earlier then if receiving the information from the NWS. It also provides the Office of Emergency Management staff in the field for reports to that office. Therefore, in the event that a storm produces damage to the area, ARES members may be called upon to assist in communications for disaster support along with providing weather information to the NWS. Working with the Office of Emergency Management establishes a link for disaster relief so that a switch in roles is easily transferred. ARES members should therefore prepare themselves for all sorts of ARES activities that may arise.

Procedures

This Communications Plan will establish an operational procedure for the nets that are conducted during ARES activities. It is important to remember that all ARES nets are conducted as a directed net. This makes the routing of traffic go smoothly and with less confusion on the air. The goal of an ARES net is to get the traffic/information passed as quickly as possible without errors in the content of the information. This Communications Plan will also establish an operational procedure for the members and other participants of ARES activities. It will outline what is expected of the members during the ARES activities, what training is needed in order to take part in certain ARES roles, and what liaison stations or special details are needed during ARES activities. ARES members, at some point during a disaster, will need to be a teacher. When a disaster strikes, many Amateurs will come out to help. ARES members will need to assist those who are not ARES members so that they may function within the ARES role. As mentioned above, read through the material. That way the ARES member can assist those who need to learn by example or explanation.

ARES will operate under the Incident Command System (ICS) as defined in the definitions, and later in this Communications Plan. The Incident Command System is recognized as an effective system for managing emergencies. It is a system that is used by many public service agencies in the handling of emergencies. ARES does have its place within the ICS. Therefore, it is highly recommended that all ARES members become familiar with the ICS. A self-study course is available at http://www.fema.gov/emi/is195.htm. As of October 1, 2004 all ARES members will be trained in the ICS as required training. Failure to receive the required training will result in the ARES member from being dismissed from Racine County ARES. After taking the self-study course through FEMA, an ARES member can take a test on line to test their knowledge of the ICS. If the ARES member successfully passes the exam, they will receive a certificate of completion from FEMA. It is highly recommended that the ARES member take the test for the certificate of completion. Other ICS training will also be available to the group via speakers.

All Amateurs are encouraged to participate in ARES. Part of being an ARES member is to participate in ARES activities and learn different roles of ARES responsibilities. There are plenty of opportunities for members to experience. ARES members will be assigned certain responsibilities as part of being an ARES member. This will include being a Net Control Station for the Racine/Kenosha ARES net, appointments as needed during an ARES incident, and certain other liaison positions as needed. This will help make the ARES member a well-rounded individual, along with fulfilling areas that are needed during an ARES function. Definitions

The following are terms that are used within this Communications Plan. Some of these terms may be familiar to the ARES member. ARES members should familiarize themselves with the following terms. Some are used in Amateur Radio while others are used during a disaster/emergency that involves other agencies.

Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) – Licensed Amateur Radio operators who volunteer their time, equipment and communications skills to provide another means of communications, as a public service, in both emergencies and non-emergencies. This was established by the ARRL to fulfill the element of Part 97 of the FCC rules (ARRL 1997). Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC) – ARES member that is appointed by the Emergency Coordinator usually appointed to head a specific task of ARES (ARRL 1997). Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) – Packet radio application for tracking real-time events by graphically displaying information on maps displayed on the user’s computer screen (Horzepa 1996).

Control Operator

Amateur Radio operator who is given the responsibility of controlling the functions of a repeater. This Amateur is giving certain codes to activate certain CW tail messages, timing functions, and ability to turn the repeater on or off. Directed Net – A net that is run under the control of a Net Control Station where all communications are routed through the NCS and at the NCS discretion. The NCS controls the activities of the net while it is in session. Emergency Coordinator (EC) – Amateur Radio operator who is a member of the ARRL and is appointed by the Section Emergency Coordinator for the purpose of coordinating Amateur Radio Emergency Services in a particular jurisdictional region. This position coordinates efforts between the served agencies and the Amateur community for public service. Formal Traffic – Messages offered during a net that is written in ARRL message format. These messages carry a precedence of Emergency, Priority, Welfare, or Routine.

Incident Commander (IC)

The lead official of an incident who is in charge of coordinating the activities, maintaining safety and delegation positions during an incident. This position is usually filled by a person who has the most seniority or with the most experience in handling a specific type of incident. Major responsibilities for the IC include:

• Performing command activities, such as establishing command and establishing the Incident Command Post.
• Protecting life and property.
• Controlling personnel and equipment resources.
• Maintaining accountability for the responder and public safety, as well as for task accomplishment.
• Establishing and maintaining an effective liaison with outside agencies and organizations, including the EOC, when it is activated (FEMA 1998). Incident Command System (ICS) – The model tool for command, control, and coordination of a response and provides a means to coordinate the efforts of individual agencies as they work toward the common goal of stabilizing the incident and protecting life, property, and the environment (FEMA 1998). Informal Traffic – Messages that is offered during a net that has an informal purpose, i.e. weather reports, questions, or comments. National Traffic System (NTS) – Is a means for systematizing amateur traffic handling facilities by making a structure available for an integrated traffic facility designed to achieve the utmost in two principal objectives: rapid movement of traffic from origin to destination, and training amateur operators to handle written traffic and participate in directed nets.

Net Control Station (NCS)

The station that is in charge of running and controlling an ARES net. This station has absolute authority during a directed net and all traffic will be passed at the direction of this station. Net Manager (NM) – A person who is in charge of organizing the functions of the nets that are used by ARES. This person schedules NCS for the weekly net and gathers information that is provided by the net reports that are sent via radiogram. The NM then send sends this information to the EC for monthly reports to the District Emergency Coordinator. Skywarn – An organization established by the National Weather Service for the education and spotting of sever weather. Members of this organization are trained by the NWS in spotting and reporting of sever weather.

Staging Area

Locations set up in an incident where resources can be placed while awaiting a tactical assignment.

The Operations Section manages the Staging Area (FEMA 1998).

Chapter 1 - Emergency Nets

Racine/Kenosha Counties ARES Weather Net

Amateur Radio operators have been providing severe weather information to the National Weather Service (NWS) for several years now. This is done to help minimize the loss of life to the public by getting warnings out in a timely manner. The NWS has accepted an agreement with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) by using Amateur Radio operators for communications and providing weather information. This agreement can be found in the, "Memorandum of Understanding Between the National Weather Service and The American Radio Relay League, Inc."

The NWS uses Amateur Radio operators to provide true weather information at ground level. It was recently learned at a seminar given by the NWS that the RADAR could only begin to see 4,000 feet above the City of Racine. As the distance increases from the RADAR, the higher in elevation the RADAR can begin to see. The information provided to the NWS by Amateurs, give the staff at the NWS a better understanding of what is happening in the area between the 4,000-foot level and the ground. By the virtue of Amateurs wanting to help in public service, the massive communications network of Amateur Radio, and the FCC’s rules what better group then Amateur Radio to provide this important service to the public. This is one of the uses that ARES participates in on a regular basis. The Sullivan Committee has realized the important role that Amateur Radio can play during severe weather.

The NWS has also realized what Amateur Radio can offer. Both have organized to make a communications network so that reports can be sent directly to the NWS via Amateur Radio. This will be explained later in this Communications Plan. Purpose There are a number of purposes for the Kenosha/Racine Weather net. Listing the purposes gives the ARES members an understanding of why it is needed and what is expected of them.

The following are the purposes for the Weather net:

• To provide the NWS with information of reportable severe weather in the Kenosha and Racine area. This gives the meteorologist at the NWS an eyewitness account of what is happening in our area. This is the primary function of the weather net so that warnings can be issued in a timely fashion. Information to the NWS will be passed on the Backbone Net. This will continue until the threat of severe weather has passed. Information on the Backbone Net will be found later in this chapter.
• To provide other served agencies with timely information received in relating to the severe weather for their planning purposes. This may include a liaison station to support the Office of Emergency Management of Racine County or the Sheriff’s department Communications Center.

• To provide another means of communication for the served agencies upon their request. This may result in the case of a breakdown/overload of their communications system. See the chapter titled, "Disaster Communications."

• To provide an in-place primary communications circuit, capable of handling message traffic, in the event that normal lines of communications between served agencies are severed.

• To have an in-place, and functioning, communications network capable of shifting to support of disaster relief operations during or after the severe weather situation. This may be with, but is not limited to the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, other Volunteers Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD), and the Office of Emergency Management. Activation The Racine County ARES weather net may be called upon when a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Racine County by the NWS, or at the discretion of the EC. A net may also be activated when a request from the Office of Emergency Management (EOC) has been received by the EC. The CW identifier of "WX" on the 147.27 repeater will identify the notice of a warning. The net may be on standby status if the threat will not affect our area for several hours. This will be decided by the EC of Racine County from the information provided by the NWS or the EOC. In the event that the EC is unavailable, the acting AEC will take the role of EC during the weather net. Since Kenosha County shares the same repeater resource as Racine, the Kenosha EC may also activate a net at his/her discretion. Upon the issuance of a sever thunderstorm warning in the Racine area, the EC or appointed AEC may initiate the ARES weather net on the 147.27 repeater as follows:

• Announce the severe weather warning. If not a control operator for the repeater, call for a control operator to activate the CW identifier of "WX."

Appoint an NCS for the net

Advise the NCS of the weather situation and what level the net will run. For example: if the severe weather will not be in the Racine and Kenosha area for several hours, the net may be placed on a standby status. Thus allowing the repeater to be used by Amateurs, but having the ability to call a full net when needed. Non-net users should be advised that a standby net is operating and that they should allow the net to take place when called. The CW identifier of "WX" should also advise non-net users of the standby status.

Respond to the EOC

When that office has made a request, the EC or acting AEC should respond so that planning for the incident or disaster relief communications can be done between the Director of Emergency Management and the EC or acting AEC. Net Control Station The Net Control Station (NCS) is an important element of a directed net. All ARES nets are run as directed nets. Therefore, all communications will be at the control of the NCS. All Amateurs who have traffic to pass will go through the NCS. The NCS will route the traffic to the station the traffic is destine for. It is the responsibility of the NCS and the liaison station to filter out the non-reportable traffic during the weather net. Only traffic of reportable/emergency nature should be passed on the weather net. All other traffic is inappropriate during this net. It is very important that the NCS have control of the net. This allows emergency traffic to be passed in a timely manner. This is a highly structured net and the NCS has absolute authority. It is the duty of all participants of the net to follow this procedure. It is important that the NCS adhere to the following duties to maintain the integrity of the net. In the duties of the NCS, one will see "appoint." This is giving the NCS the power to assign stations to fill required key positions. Preferably stations that have the training and experience in the key positions will be appointed. However, if no other stations are available to take the key position, the NCS will assign the position to an ARES member active in the net. Duties Of The Net Control Station The NCS should be capable of running on backup power in case of a power failure. The following are the duties of the NCS:

• Call the weather net as directed by the EC. The preambles and net protocol for the net can be found in this Communications Plan. Also see the appendix for net preambles. If the net has already been activated by the EC, then continue with the NCS duties listed below.

• Appoint two liaison stations between the Racine ARES net and the Backbone Net. One station is to stay on the 147.27 repeater and take information to the Backbone Net. The other is to stay on the Backbone Net, 145.13 (pl 127.3), and bring information to the 147.27 repeater. Both stations should be capable of running on backup power in case of a power failure. If only one station is able to act as the liaison station, then that station should have at least two radios. One to monitor the Racine repeater and the other to monitor the Backbone Net.

• Direct and maintain controlover the traffic offered during the net. It is the responsibility of the NCS to make sure that the information being passed on the net is of reportable/emergency nature. If not, the NCS will not let it pass. Any other information on the weather net is inappropriate. Information that is coming from the NWS will be allowed unless emergency traffic is being passed. This information will only come from the liaison station. Examples of information that would come from the NWS via the Backbone Net are updates on warnings or the cancellation of a warning/watch. Information on the reporting criteria can be found in this Communications Plan.

• Keep the frequency clear for emergency traffic. For example: no unrelated material/communications on the weather net frequency. If the NCS is doing a good job, tell that station after the net. There is plenty of time to do a debriefing after a net when time is not critical. The NCS may periodically announce the status of the weather situation on the net. This will aid in other stations knowing that a net is in progress and that the repeater is in use.

• Maintain an accurate log of all traffic. A log of the traffic that was passed during the net and the start and end time of the net will be kept. This will help in maintaining accuracy during the net if any questions arise at a later time, follow-up if needed, and the completion of a net report.

• Acknowledge and respond to all calls immediately.

• Obtain locations of all stations checked into the net.

• Send a net report to the Net Manager in ARRL message format. This report will indicate the number of Amateurs involved in the net, total time of the net, and the call sign of the NCS. If any formal traffic was passed during this net, it should also be indicated in the net report. However, it is unlikely that formal traffic will be passed during this net.

• Maintain a professional attitude to promote Amateur Radio

There will be zero tolerance for behavior other then in a professional manner. Remember that we are to work together to achieve maximum benefit from our efforts. If we represent ourselves other then reliable communicators, the public and served agencies will have a negative image of Amateur Radio.

Net Preamble And Procedures

The following is the preamble for calling up a ARES net. It will be read by the NCS when starting a net:

Starting the net

"This is (your call), net control station for the Kenosha/Racine Counties ARES weather net. A directed net is now called. All communications will be carried out at the direction of the Net Control Station. I will now standby for stations with emergency traffic

(standby for emergency traffic).

In case of a repeater malfunction, all stations are to report to 442.000 MHz PL of 127.3.

The purpose of this net is for the reporting of severe weather. The current situation is (state the type of weather alert, i.e. severe thunderstorm warning, tornado watch, or tornado warning)."

After reading the preamble for the net, standby for any stations with emergency traffic and route accordingly. If there is no emergency traffic, standby for stations wishing to check into the net.

After a group of stations have checked into the net, appoint two stations to act as liaison for the Backbone Net as described earlier under the duties of the NCS. The only traffic to be passed immediately during the weather net is emergency traffic, information from the NWS, and information that is reported by a spotter that meets the reporting criteria. The reporting criterion is found in the appendix of this Communications Plan.

If traffic on the net is slow, a summary of the reporting criteria may be explained on the air for those unfamiliar with it. However, do not spend a lot of time explaining the criteria. All ARES members should have a copy of this information. The liaison stations may have information that is not of reportable or emergency nature. This information should be allowed on the net when it is presented. However, if the local situation is of a critical nature so that the frequency is needed for emergency traffic, the liaison stations traffic must wait until the emergency traffic has passed. An exception to this is if the liaison stations traffic is of an emergency nature. Follow through with the duties of the NCS by keeping control of the net and frequency, logging and acknowledging traffic, and routing traffic as needed.

Termination Of The Kenosha/Racine Weather Net The weather net may be closed when the warning has expired, the NWS no longer needs the weather net’s assistance, or at the discretions of the EC/AEC. To close the net, read the following information:

"This is (your call), net control station for the Kenosha/Racine Counties ARES weather net. I would like to thank all stations that participated in this net, you help was greatly appreciated. All stations are now secured at (give and note time) local time. This is (your call) now turning the frequency back to normal Amateur use."

After completing the net

The NCS will prepare a net report this is to be sent to the NM. This report will include the call sign of the NCS, the number of Amateurs who participated in the net, the date of the net, total time of the net, and the type of net. If any formal traffic was passed during the net, this should be listed also, however, this is unlikely. The net report will follow ARRL message format.

The net report is completed by the NCS, that station will pass the report to the Net Manager preferably on the weekly ARES net as formal traffic. At the end of each month the NM will compile all of the information received within that month for a report to the EC. The information will include the total number of Amateurs checking into the nets for the month, total amount of time for the nets and the total number of traffic offered and passed for the month. Once the EC receives the monthly report from the NM, that information will then be sent to the District Emergency Coordinator (DEC).

This information is used by the ARRL to respond to questions and concerns of Congress. This helps to show Congress what Amateur Radio Emergency Services is doing for public service as indicated in Part 97 of the FCC rules. Liaison Stations The liaisons are to provide information to and from the Backbone Net. Having two liaison stations add the security that information will not be missed, and will be expedited from/to either the Backbone Net or the local weather net.

The purpose of the Backbone Net is to provide information to the NWS with observations/reports obtained during the local weather nets. The Backbone Net is made up of other Skywarn/ARES spotter groups in Southeastern and South Central Wisconsin. The repeaters of Milwaukee (145.13 negative offset with a PL of 127.3) and Madison 147.15 positive offset with a PL of 123.0) have been linked together during severe weather, and provide a direct line of communication to the NWS.

Only appointed liaison stations from the local weather nets are allowed on the Backbone Net. This is a request from the organizers of the Backbone Net, and will be followed by the ARES members. This maintains the integrity of the Backbone Net during a weather situation. Remember that they are receiving information from the Southeastern and South Central parts of Wisconsin. When acting as a liaison station, use the tactical call of "27 liaison". This advises the NCS of the Backbone Net that Racine and Kenosha have a net running. It also lets the NCS of the Backbone Net know what area is calling immediately.

Follow the ID requirements of the FCC by Identifying every 10-minutes within a transmission and at the end of a transmission. A simple method for using tactical calls and meeting the ID requirements is to end your transmission with you call when you are finished with the information. Another way to think of it is to use your call as a way to sign off.

An example would be: Liaison Station – 27 liaison damage. NCS – 27 liaison go ahead. Liaison Station – at 5:30 PM 2 miles East of I-94 on Hwy 20, damage to buildings roofs blown off (your call). NCS – roger (their call) Liaison stations must stay on the frequency assigned. The liaison station may only move off frequency to report information as needed. For example: the local net has a report to pass to the NWS. The liaison station on the local net will move to the Backbone Net and pass the report. When the report is passed, the liaison for the local net will move back to the local nets frequency. If follow up is needed by the NWS, the liaison station on the Backbone Net will move to the local net frequency to pass the information. When the information is passed, the liaison station for the Backbone Net will move back to the Backbone Net’s frequency. Duties Of The Liaison Stations The following are the duties of the liaison stations appointed by the NCS. Remember, the liaison stations are the ambassadors to the NWS for the Kenosha/Racine Counties ARES weather net.

• Report traffic to and from the Backbone Net and the local weather net.
• Maintain a log of weather reports that were sent to the Backbone net. The log will include the call of the station making the report, event, time and location of the event.
• Filter out information that is not of reportable criteria. Along with the NCS, the liaison station must know what the reportable criterion is so that proper reports can be made to the NWS.
• Maintain a professional attitude to promote Amateur Radio.

There will be zero tolerance for behavior other then in a professional manner. Remember that we are to work together to achieve maximum benefit from our efforts. If we represent ourselves other then reliable communicators, the public and served agencies will have a negative image of Amateur Radio.

Only the liaison station that is going to stay on the Backbone Net and bring information to the Kenosha/Racine ARES weather net need to check into the Backbone Net. This informs the NCS of the Backbone Net that the Kenosha/Racine area has an active net running. Preferably there should be two liaison stations.

If there is only one station to act as a liaison station, that station must have two radios. One to monitor the Backbone Net, the other to monitor the Kenosha/Racine ARES weather net. This is done to prevent any missed information during an active weather net. Both radios must be capable of running on backup power. Other Liaison Station Positions A liaison station may also be needed at the EOC of Racine County.

When a request from the EOC has been made to the EC notification will be made on the net. The NCS will call for and appoint a liaison station if the EC or an AEC is not available. The liaison station is to respond to the EOC and establish communications. The EOC liaison station will provide information to the officials when they request it. The address of the Racine County EOC is 730 Wisconsin Ave. It is located in the Law Enforcement Center basement in downtown Racine.

Prior to arriving, call the EOC at 262-636-3515 to make arrangements for entry into the building. They will instruct you to where you need to go. This is now a secured building and you may be subject to search prior to entry. No contraband is allowed in the building. Contraband includes the following items:

• Firearms
• Ammunition
• Box cutters
• Bottle openers
• Knives
• Fingernail clippers
• Chemical agents
• Electric weapons
• Nails (construction)
• Scissors
• Batons
• Chains – including belt chains
• Brass knuckles
• Aerosol sprays of any sort
• Explosives
• Large pins
• Sharpened objects
• Blades
• Corkscrews
• Letter openers
• Scrapers
• Metal bearings
• Illegal drugs
• Razors

A packet radio liaison stain may also be utilized during a weather event. The role of packet radio is explained later in this chapter. Another use of packet radio is Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS). When stations are set up to run APRS it may be beneficial to have a liaison station set up to receive APRS information. This could be useful for tracking the members when our in the field.

Spotters/Field Personnel The spotters are the informational gathers of the weather net. Without them the NWS would have limited resources for obtaining information in the field as it relates to the RADAR they are reading. Therefore, it is important for the spotter to keep informed of the spotting techniques provided by the NWS. As like in any specialty field, training is an essential element to keeping up to date. If the ARES community is lacking in the knowledge for severe weather spotting and discipline of procedures, the NWS may go elsewhere to obtain spotters for their need. Spotters need to be familiar with the net procedures, and the severe weather reporting criteria so that they may operate within the system effectively. Not being familiar with net procedures and criteria will cause unnecessary delays in routing of traffic. This may cause a break down of the system. As the liaison station is the ambassador to the NWS, the spotter is the representative for the public. This holds a much greater responsibility, and reflects on the publics’ view of Amateur Radio. All parts of the network need to be complete in order to have the system work effectively. Duties Of The Spotter/Field Personnel The following are the duties of the spotter. These duties will aid in making the net run smoothly and efficiently. It is important that all ARES members read through this information and understand it. If the ARES member has any questions, they should refer those questions to the EC.

• Keep yourself safe. Take cover if the situation is threatening to your safety. Reckless acts are unacceptable.
• Keep transmissions to a minimum. Only reportable and emergency information will be passed on the weather net. Keep transmissions short and to the point.
• Keep an eye on the weather. If you are driving you should pull over and stop while observing cloud formations.
• Report your observations/information to the Kenosha/Racine County ARES weather net.
• Make accurate reports to the net. Training is provided by the NWS in spotting of severe weather.
• Report observations in the format of Time, Location, and Condition.
• Follow net protocol and procedures. All ARES nets are directed nets.
• Check into and out of the net. When you want to leave the net session, inform the NCS that you wish to be check out of the net.
• Provide your location when checking into the net.
• Answer to all calls from the NCS promptly.
• Maintain a professional attitude to promote Amateur Radio. There will be zero tolerance for behavior other then in a professional manner. Remember that we are to work together to achieve maximum benefit from our efforts. If we represent ourselves other then reliable communicators, the public and served agencies will have a negative image of Amateur Radio.

Packet Radio Communications

Packet radio can be utilized for sending non-sever/non-time sensitive weather reports to the NWS. Messages can be sent via ARMKE: WB9SMM-9 to WSBBS on the frequency of 145.61. The use of local nodes may facilitate the connection to WXBBS locally. The WXBBS is located at the Sullivan Weather Office. When the Backbone Net is activated, there is an Amateur Radio operator staffed at the weather office.

The format for sending a packet message to the NWS is as follows: Addressing: SW (condition) @ WXBBS. Note: the valid conditions for the "To" fields are Damage, Flood, Hail, Rain, Snow, Wind, WX. Subject Line: A brief descriptor of the condition being reported along with the county name (Racine County).

Example Packet Message

Damage Report-Racine County.

Message body format

The message body format should contain the following:

1. Who the message is from if the sender is not the one who observed the event. Just the call sign is acceptable.
2. When the event occurred or observed in 24 hour format with a date.
3. Where it was observed, i.e. Village of Mt. Pleasant, at the intersection of Highway 31 and Highway 11.
4. What was observed, i.e. 6" of water over the roadway due to heavy rainfall.

Sample Message

SWFlood@WXBBS
Localized Flooding-Racine County
18:30 CDT June 29, 2004
6" of water observed over the roadway at the intersection of HWY 31 and HWY 11 in the 
Village of Mt. Pleasant, Racine County. 
Flooding due to heavy rainfall.
Reported by W9UDU.

A liaison station equipped with packet radio may be used during the weather net for this purpose. Only non-severe/non-time sensitive weather criteria should be sent via packet radio. Reports that would trigger a warning will be sent via the Backbone Net. Non-time sensitive weather reports would be damage reports or duplicate reports of weather conditions. For example, a severe thunderstorm warning has already been issued.

Conditions associated with the thunderstorm can now be passed as non-time sensitive traffic sense it no longer affects the NWS decision on issuing a warning. The exception in this case of course would be a tornado related condition. The NWS in Sullivan, WI is staffed with an Amateur Radio operator during the Backbone Net. Therefore, reports sent by packet have a better chance of being seen early during the weather activity. Reports may also be sent by email. However, the messages may not be seen until after the storm has passed or later. This is due to no one staffing the computer during a storm.

Chapter 2 - Practice Nets

Racine/Kenosha ARES Net The Kenosha and Racine Counties ARES net is held every Wednesday night at 8:00 PM on the 147.27 MHz +600 repeater. The purpose of the net is to provide on air training with net procedures, traffic handling, announcements, and other ARES activities.

It is highly recommended that all ARES members participate in the net. Any ARES member wishing to be a NCS for the net should contact the Net Manager. Being a NCS for the ARES net is simple. This is a good opportunity to learn without the pressures of an actual emergency. Learning here will prepare one for being a NCS during an actual emergency net. Being a NCS also gives the ARES member a better understanding of net procedures. This is a very important function of an area net, and just as important in a local net.

As with the weather net, the ARES net is a directed net. All communications will be carried out at the direction of the NCS. Formal traffic is encouraged on this net and will be passed on this net if available. The difference between this net and the weather net is that a liaison will need to be established to the section nets. This is a station that will take traffic from the local net, and bring it to the section net for the State of Wisconsin. An example of a piece of traffic that would be sent to the liaison is what is called "Thru" traffic. This is a piece of traffic that is destined outside of the State of Wisconsin. A schedule of the NCS’s will be given to those who are Net Control Stations for the net.

If a NCS is unable to take their assigned night as a NCS, then that member should make the best effort to find a cover for the net. If unable to do so, the NCS should contact the EC or NM so other arrangements can be made.

Traffic

Formal Traffic

As mentioned above, formal traffic will be handled on this net if it is presented. There are several types of formal traffic. The following is a description of the formal traffic and the order of which it is to be handled. All formal traffic should be handled prior to any other net traffic such as in formals, net announcements, or questions.

Emergency Traffic

Emergency Traffic is any message having life and death urgency to any person or group of persons, which is transmitted by Amateur Radio in the absence of regular commercial facilities. This includes official messages of welfare agencies during emergencies requesting supplies, materials or instructions vital to relief of stricken populace in emergency areas. During normal times, it will be very rare. When in doubt, do not use it.

Priority Traffic

Priority Traffic is important messages having a specific time limit. Official messages not covered in the Emergency category. Press dispatches and other emergency-related traffic not of the utmost urgency. Notification of death or injury in a disaster area, personal or official.

Welfare Traffic

Welfare Traffic is a message that is either

1. An inquiry as to the health and welfare of an individual in the disaster area; or
2. an advisory or reply from the disaster area that indicates all is well should carry this precedence.

These messages are handled after Emergency and Priority traffic but before Routine.

Routine Traffic

Routine Traffic is what most traffic will bear in normal times.

In disaster situations, traffic labeled Routine should be handled last, or not at all when circuits are busy with Emergency, Priority or Welfare traffic. Activation The net will be activated by the assigned NCS station every Wednesday night at 8:00 PM Central time on the 147.27 repeater.

Practice Net

The NCS will start the net by reading the preamble listed below. If there is an emergency net currently taking place, then this net will not be activated. ARES Net Preamble and Procedures The following is the preamble for the NCS to read when opening the net.

The NCS is to maintain control of the net as it is a directed net. All stations are expected to follow the procedures of the net.

Preamble

This is (your call), net control station for the Racine and Kenosha Counties ARES net. A directed net is now called. The purpose of this net is for the handling of traffic, announcements and other forms of training. All communications will be carried out at the direction of the net control station. When checking into the net, please listen first to avoid doubling and then state your call.

If you have traffic, state the word "traffic" and the Net Control Station will get the destination of your traffic when I acknowledge your check-in. In case of a repeater malfunction, all stations are to report to 442.000 MHz repeater.

I will now stand-by for stations with Emergency or Priority traffic. Stand-by for any stations that have an immediate need to the repeater. Handle any emergencies appropriately.

Is there a station coming from the section nets? Stand-by for a station coming from one of the section nets. They will bring traffic to the Kenosha and Racine area, and take traffic out of the Racine/Kenosha area.

Is there any stations with formal written traffic for the net, please call (your call). Stand-by for any stations with formal traffic. Get the destination of the traffic when acknowledging those who checked in. I will now take general check-ins for the net. Everyone is welcome to the net. Please take care to avoid doubling.

If there is formal traffic listed on the net, you may want to notify the net of that traffic and find out who can pick it up. Log all the stations that check into the net. Acknowledge the stations that checked into the net and route traffic to where it needs to go. If time allows, check with stations that have announcements for the net and allow them to do so. If any training has been scheduled for the net, it will take place after all the traffic has been passed.

After all the traffic and business for the net has concluded, use the following to close the net: This is (your call), NCS for the Racine and Kenosha Counties ARES net. I thank all of the stations that participated in this net. Your help was greatly appreciated. All stations are now secured at (time) local time. This is (your call) now turning the frequency back to normal Amateur use.

At the conclusion of the net, prepare a net report to be sent to the Net Manager. 
The information to be included in the net report consists of the following: 
* Net name
* Net date
* Formal traffic offered and passed 
* Total time of net in minutes 
* Section net Rep 
* Number of check-ins

Duties of the Net Control Station

The NCS is to call the net up at the appropriate time on their night. Record all stations that checked into the net as well as the traffic that was offered and passed on the net. Route Formal traffic to the stations the traffic is for or that station that can handle the traffic. Give those with other forms of traffic an opportunity to present it to the net. The NCS should maintain control over the net for its duration. The NCS is to complete a net report and send the report to the NM within the month of the net session.

The net report is to indicate the number of stations checking into the net, the date of the net run by the NCS, the total time of the net run by the NCS, the total pieces of Formal traffic offered and passed on the net, and the liaison station for the net. This net report can be offered as a piece of traffic on the ARES net and passed after the conclusion of the net.

Duties of the ARES Member

All stations are encouraged to participate in the net. When checking into the net with traffic, just say the word traffic and the NCS will get its destination upon acknowledgment of you check in. Any legal traffic is welcome on the net. Traffic that is to be sent out of the State of Wisconsin is to be referred as "Thru" traffic. This is also welcome on the net and will be handled. Stations wishing to make announcements on the net are welcome to do so. This net is to help keep all ARES members up to date with the activities of the ARES group and other Amateur Radio functions. When checking into the net, please indicate that your station has an announcement. This is also the time that the EC will make announcements of ARES activities that will be happening in the future.

If an ARES station checks into the net, they should stay for the entire net. If they are unable to do so, they should contact the NCS and request to be excused from the net. If the station is of short time and wishes to check in and out, the station should state, "In and out" when checking into the net. Training Any ARES member that has some type of training idea for the net may contact the EC about the training idea. The member may be asked to organize and implement the training idea for the net. Cooperation from all members is encouraged. All ideas are welcomed and will be considered.

When training is scheduled for the ARES group, all ARES members should participate. This will ensure that all ARES members have knowledge in all of the ARES functions. Training that will take place on an annual basis is the Simulated Emergency Test (SET). This is sponsored every year by the ARRL. Simulated emergencies will also be conducted with the Emergency Management office or the American Red Cross. Having ARES participate in the joint training exercise will expose ARES members to how other served agencies work. It will also show the served agency that ARES is taking an active role in providing a reliable public service.

National Traffic System Liaison Station As stated earlier, formal traffic will be handled on the net. This is an important part of ARES activities. A liaison station will be used during the ARES net for the purpose of taking "Thru" traffic. Any ARES member that is willing to go to the net listed in the appendix may do so. The section nets are held on HF frequencies in both SSB and CW. ARES members should familiarize themselves with these section nets. In a disaster, the section nets may be used for disaster relief. If an ARES station is willing to be an Official Relay Station from the local net to the section nets, contact the EC. An Official Relay Station is an Amateur station that is willing to take the traffic from the local net and bring it to the section net. This person must have the desire to participate in the handling of traffic and checking into nets that are part of the NTS.

Chapter 3 - Special Events

Special Events From time to time the Racine ARES group is called to provide communications for various activities of non-emergency nature. Examples would be foot races, walk-a-thons, and other special activities for the County. This is a great public service activity for Amateur Radio with lots of public view. Pre-event Notification When the EC is notified of a special event that is to take place and the request for communications is made, the EC will notify ARES members of the activity.

The announcement will be made on the ARES net, and/or a telephone call will be made to ARES members to solicit volunteers. The telephone calls may be made from the Volunteer Center of Racine to help in obtaining communicators for an event. A sign up list will be made of ARES members wishing to participate. ARES members will be assigned to locations throughout the activity to establish communications for the event. An NCS may or may not be used. This would be dependent on the size and scope of the special event.

An ARES member will also be placed at the same location as the event staff who would be the decision makers of the event. This would facilitate communications among other event staff to those in charge. Staffing The following are locations that an ARES member may staff during a special event to provide communications and other support.

• Operations of the special event.
  This is defined as the location of the person in charge of running the special event or other logistics of the event.
• Check points along the course of the event.
  Commonly there will be other support personal there such as first aid or water station.

• Medical unit for the event. Again this could be a first aid station or an ambulance on stand-by for the event.

• Shadowing of persons in charge or other important persons that may need to be communicated with.

• Vehicles used during a special event. May be a lead or chase car of a foot race, walk-a-thon, or parade.

• Other locations that are in need of communications support.

• Other spots of concern.

Frequencies If the event is of close proximity, and communications can be handled by a simplex frequency, the special event net will be handled via a simplex frequency. If the area of the special event activities is greater then the range of a simplex frequency, then the net will be conducted on the Racine 147.27 or 442.000 repeater. If more then one repeater is needed for the event, both mentioned can be utilized. If the need for other frequencies is needed for administration or other purposes, a simplex frequency will be utilized for this purpose. The frequency will be established during the special event.

Note: the use of auxiliary stations may also be used. This is allowed in Part 97 of the FCC rules. A station may have the signal re-transmitted via another radio one way. The call of the originating station will satisfy the ID requirements for both radios. Most dual band radios have this function.

Activation At the start of the special event net the NCS will make the following announcement on the designated frequency. "This is (your call), net control station for the (name of the special event). Only emergency traffic should break into this net. All stations who are assigned to locations related to this event please stand by for roll call."

Duties of the NCS

• Take a roll call for the net and log calls of those participating.
• Handle traffic that is presented during the event and route accordingly.
• Maintain control of the net.
• Conduct the efforts of ARES to the needs of the organization that requested ARES support.

Termination of the Net When the NCS or EC has received the notification that the ARES members are free to go, the NCS will then end the net and release those ARES members involved. At the end of the special event the NCS will read the following to secure the net.

"This is (your call), net control for the (name of the event). I would like to thank all the stations that participated in this event. All stations are now secured at (time) local time. This is (your call), returning the frequency back to normal Amateur use."

After the net is completed, inform the EC of the number of stations that participated in the event, total time of the event, the date of the net, and any formal traffic that was handled on behalf of the net. This can be given to the EC via a Radiogram during the next ARES net session. Duties of the ARES Member All ARES members will follow net procedures during the special event.

In most cases, the net will be of an informal nature as compared the a weather net or net in disaster communications. Emergency traffic will take precedence over any other traffic on the net. After the emergency traffic has been passed, and all other communications relating to the emergency have been taken care of, only then will other traffic resume on the net.

ARES members will conduct themselves in a professional manner to promote Amateur Radio. The public is watching the activities of the special event along with the organizers. Check into and out of the net.

If an ARES member is unable to stay for the duration of the event, every effort must be made to inform the EC. The EC will then find another ARES member to take the assigned position after leaving. The EC may also assign the ARES member, who is on short time to a location that will be able to clear early in the event. The ARES group realizes that other activities may take priority during the activity. Please do what you can do to help. Go to the assigned location for he event. When the ARES members arrives at the assigned post, check in with the member of the organization that is there. If the ARES member wishes or needs to establish the station at a more suitable location, advise the organizational member where the ARES member (you) will be. This needs to be done so that those staff members know where to find the ARES station in case of a communication need.