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Dedicated to Emergency Communications by
RADIO
EMCOMM MONTHLY
“PREPAREDNESS is our most important
PRODUCT”
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IN THIS
ISSUE...
Welcome to the December issue
of EMCOMM MONTHLY. This
month we begin with an old favorite:
"A CHRISTMAS EVE RADIO STORY".
Next follows SHORT
CIRCUITS, EM
PHILOSOPHY , the EM
ADVISOR, and FEEDBACK. In
ICS
PERSPECTIVES, Jerry Boyd, KW7J , asks: "Is
The Tail Wagging The Dog?" In THE
GEAR BOX, Don Cantrell, ND6T, presents a short
article entitled: RUST POWER! NETWORK NEWS
is next followed by EMCOMM TRAFFIC and RETRO
REVIEW. In QSH "Y2K"
is fondly remembered, plus reports and comments about last
month's survey on UNDERGROUND COMMUNICATIONS. EM'S
December Survey presents
a proposed “INTERNATIONAL REGISTRY of EMCOMM
OPERATORS”. All readers are invited to answer.
Then be sure to check out EMCOMM
SPECIALTY ITEMS (it's not too late to order for
holiday giving). NEW SUBSCRIBERS, CONTRIBUTORS,
SUPPORT OUR SUPPORTERS, and our handy REFERENCE
SECTION completes the last issue of EM
for 2004.
A CHRISTMAS EVE RADIO STORY
The year was
1906. Marconi had already invented the wireless telegraph and
land and sea communication networks were being established.
DeForest was attempting to perfect his "audion" (triode)
tube.
Reginald Fessenden, a Canadian inventor and Ernst Alexanderson, a
Swedish immigrant, were hard at work in Fessenden’s
Massachusetts laboratory. They developed a mechanical device
to "alternate" a continuous radio wave. The device
consisted of a huge disc that revolved at 20,000 rpm. They had
connected it to a transmitter and a microphone, and discovered that
they could "modulate" a radio signal!
On Christmas Eve, as wireless operators at
land stations and aboard ships off the Massachusetts coast
diligently maintained their radio watches by listening to the
familiar Morse code signals; they were startled when they suddenly
heard voices in their headphones!
They listened spellbound. Then, they heard
a woman singing! Finally, they heard someone playing a violin!
It was Fessenden himself...playing the sacred carol "O Holy
Night". No longer would radio sounds be restricted to the
"dit’s" and "dah’s" of the Morse code.
That's how it happened. Christmas
Eve...Nineteen Hundred and Six.
SHORT CIRCUITS
• TODAY IS PEARL HARBOR DAY -- DECEMBER 7, 1941
Read the actual 24
hour transcript of the log of the U.S.S. St. Louis. It
is a text book example of how skilled yeomen recorded the
actions the officers and crew performed while under attack on
that "Day of Infamy". It is chilling to
read...but it will cause you to appreciate the calm discipline of
the crew. It's at: http://www.emcomm.org/stlouis.htm (Appeared in ECWB
#135 December 3, 2002)
• "WORST
POSSIBLE SCENARIO" -- FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Sunday night, November 7,
some of us witnessed a spectacular Aurora Borealis (the Northern
Lights.)
It was visible at EMCOMM HQ at 41° 50' N
Latitude and looked like daybreak in the northern sky!
Next day a huge CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) wiped
out HF radio communications world-wide.
Even MW BCB stations usually audible were
non-existent during the mid-night hours. HF communications
did not return to normal until November 11.
Now ... just suppose a
major disaster occurring during one of these solar events.
Imagine an incident where the LL and commercial and Internet
services are wiped out. All that's left is VHF (and up) for
emergency communications. Further, pretend the repeaters you
usually rely upon go ka-poot !
Does your EMCOMM team have
enough skilled VHF operators and stations to provide a net
that could cover your "service area" using only VHF
simplex? Do you have enough Official Emergency Stations
within your area equipped with towers, high gain (YAGI) antennas,
and enough power to provide a network to relay traffic from
VHF mobiles in marginal locations? Do you have anyone in
your group that lives on or near a mountain top? Or atop a
high building?
Does your EMCOMM plan
include VHF CW and SSB? Do you have plans to contact
adjacent counties via VHF simplex? Could we as EMCOMM
operators, deliver message traffic, coast-to-coast, using only VHF
SIMPLEX? Properly organized nets using skilled operators
could do it...but how long would THAT take?
It potentially could be done in ONE HOUR!
Think about it. ARE YOU
PREPARED?
• Ed Trump, AL7N, Fairbanks,
Alaska - EM Associate Editor, is the new Alaska
Section Traffic Manager
(STM). We wish Ed the very
best in this very challenging role!
• MUST READ: "The FCC's BPL
Decision" --by David Sumner, K1ZZ
(QST December 2004 page 9)
The EM PHILOSOPHY
First on the list of
"fundamental purposes" of the amateur service in the
FCC Rules and Regulations
Amateur Radio Service §97.1:
"Recognition and
enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the
public as a voluntary noncommercial
communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency
communications."
When EM
says EMCOMM, we are talking about accepting,
handling and delivering non-commercial messages on behalf of
(non-ham) persons or organizations, accurately and efficiently, via
amateur radio; when normal channels
of communication are damaged, overloaded, or otherwise not
available. From "Point A" to "Point Z".
Pure and simple. Using radio only
that is not dependent upon commercial power sources,
landline or commercial communications systems, or any other
"infrastructure". Pure and simple. Period.
It makes little
difference if it is a citizen reporting an injured person and
requesting an ambulance, or a fire fighter whose radio has died and
needs to contact his supervisor, or a Red Cross worker who wants to report
in to his or her chapter headquarters, or a resident who needs
to get a message to a family member or a friend...whether across
town or across the country. Whether it's a tactical
message, or a formal record message (RADIOGRAM), traffic may have
a precedence of: EMERGENCY, priority, welfare or routine.
Some amateur EMCOMM groups
are focused upon providing back-up EMCOMM for local or state
government agencies (RACES). Others are focused on non-profit
agencies and the general public (ARES®)
Our nation is at war with
terrorism, and our freedom to move freely may be reduced
even more as we move into the 21st century. We see
security becoming more and more a relevant factor as far as
government facilities are concerned, and some are already off-limits
to volunteer EMCOMM operators except for those who have
registered and been screened and pre-authorized. In
some jurisdictions non-government agencies are being located
within "secure complexes" .
EMCOMM leaders must be
aware of this and plan in advance to ensure that enough trained
amateur operators will have clearance (and appropriate
identification) to respond to these facilities to meet the
request when activated by authorities.
However, while some
volunteer EMCOMM operators will be permitted to enter these secured
areas, the general public, during most incidents, will NOT
be allowed inside a secure perimeter
Since "Service
to the public" is our stated purpose, we must
develop contingency plans to provide EMCOMM to the general public in
places where they are allowed to be.
Most "served
agencies" are planning for and/or installing extremely
sophisticated "fail safe" and redundant communications
systems at tremendous expense. But these
systems are intended to meet the agencies needs, and will not
normally be available to provide EMCOMM to the general public.
Further, expect the
need for volunteer amateur radio operators (utilizing amateur
frequencies) to decline in the years ahead. (Unless all
that high tech stuff breaks down. In that event, "the
ship will really hit the sand!")
We watched a lot of TV news
coverage during the hurricanes earlier this year. I watched as
many victims said (over and over), "We have no way
to communicate with our friends or loved ones!" Or,
"We have no way to know what is happening or what we
should do!" Or, "Where do we go for
help?" These news interviews all took place in public
areas.
We kept hoping that we
might hear one of the news reporters say: "There is an
amateur radio emergency station down the road a mile or so. Go
down there and they can get a message out for you." Or,
"Check with the operators there...they have a bulletin board
inside their trailer that has dozens of messages posted for people
in this area."
EM believes strongly that as EMCOMM operators we must
all prepare to provide direct "service to the
public" and that mission is as at least
as (if not more) important as supporting the "served
agencies".
Starting next
month EM will begin a series:
"ESTABLISHING A PRIVATELY OWNED AND OPERATED
"ECC" (EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER) and/or BUILDING
A PRIVATELY OWNED AND OPERATED "MECS"
(MOBILE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS STATION).
In the
meantime...on behalf of the EM staff...
MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY
HANUKKAH, SEASON'S GREETINGS, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The EM ADVISOR
"Thanks for
the list of nets and the link to the EMCOMM monthly. I was originally
licensed more than forty years ago, I never actually operated until
just about two years ago when I built an Elecraft K2 transceiver kit.
I have a question. I was listening to a late night 75M awhile back and
heard someone called MAYDAY on the frequency. I was horrified as I
heard the group transmit over, and even harass the guy who claimed he
was on a sinking vessel off the coast of Baja, California.
After about five minutes of ignoring the
distress call they did make an attempt to notify the coast guard.
While it may have been a prankster, the way that group handled it was
scary. I'm wondering if there's a proper way to handle what is
possibly a prank distress call. Seems to me, although you might
suspect it's a prank, you can't treat it that way. Do you have
any guidelines?"
73 de Peter Rosenberg, AC7SB - Fall City, WA
You're welcome Peter.
You have asked a very important question. I have heard some
operators get so flustered when they hear an emergency or distress
call that they are unable to function. It is EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT for anyone attempting this to remain calm, cool, and
collected! Below are a few guidelines to follow.
PS - It's also great to hear you active on the regional nets!
-- Editor
TIPS FOR HANDLING EMERGENCY
OR DISTRESS CALLS:
• Assume all distress calls are
legitimate until proven otherwise.
• Respond to all such calls with efficiency and accuracy.
• Net control immediately
suspends all routine net activity and directs all stations
to stand by.
• ONLY ONE STATION should maintain
contact with the "calling party".
• ALL STATIONS listen carefully
and write down everything heard. Call sign(s), location(s),
name(s),
etc. Tape record all
traffic if possible.
• Ascertain lat./long., location
(address, range, township, section, road numbers, etc.)
• Notify law enforcement , Coast
Guard, or other rescue agency ASAP.
• Offer to assist them by providing
the name and address that goes with a call sign (if possible).
• Have "calling party"
remain on the air. If they are on limited battery power, make
a schedule and have them monitor every 10 or 15 or 30 minutes as
appropriate.
• Tell them that YOU (or another
station) will be monitoring continuously and they may call you
at any time..
• The law enforcement agency should usually make any
telephone calls to a licensee.
• Stay in contact with calling
party and agency(s) until the incident is resolved.
• Other stations on the primary
frequency stand by until the emergency has been resolved.
(Band conditions may change and
you may be needed. Also other stations may often help by
looking up names, addresses, telephone numbers, etc. Use an
alternate frequency or landline for these tasks.)
FEEDBACK, MUSINGS...
and SPURIOUS EMISSIONS
"Re. the MFJ
10 Meter (33 feet) pole. (Ref. November EM ).
I have one and have used it to support several vertical antennas.
Yes, it does work. However, I also suggest that you look at the
DK9SQ fiber glass telescoping pole from Kanga-US. This
product is very similar in specifications, plus it has metal
reinforcing rings on the lower four sections where the greatest stress
is located. This helps prevent it from splitting at the top of
the tubing section. Yes, it does cost about US$20 more. It
is also stiffer; it does not deflect as much as the MFJ pole. I
have four (4) of the DK9SQ poles also.
There are some
other poles to consider. Look also at those available from
World Radio right near you, Kanga-US as mentioned above, Premier
Kites (their kiting banner pole is about 22 feet long and it is very
stiff - a nice product), The Mast Company (these guys have a 40 foot
long telescoping pole - yes, 5/8 wave on 20 Meters with a
little bit of inductance that you add at the bottom to make the
transmitter think that it is looking at a 3/4 wavelength vertical
radiator, and it loads right up with a nice low angle of radiation),
and the Hastings Fiberglass Products Company of Hastings, Michigan.
Hastings makes a 50 foot long telescoping pole - their Model
E-50 - that telescopes down to 6 feet long and still goes into my
ski bag. Yes, it does say right on it that it is not to be
used for holding up an antenna, but it did not say anything about
making an antenna out of it. I use it with linear loading for
an 80 Meter vertical. Why do they ask that it not be used to
hold up an antenna? Well, they make it for measuring the
height above ground of multi-kilovolt cross-country electrical
power transmission lines. They have a sensitivity to such
things.
(2.) On the "Observed
Recently on an Internet Posting," Item 5 is a power inverter to
go from 13.8 VDC to 120 VAC. Why? The Generator is
already listed under Item 3. No where in the listing do I see
anything about batteries or another 12 VDC source other than
the power supply listed as Item 4.
Now, if they also listed solar panels, a
wind turbine, or other alternative energy source, and a charge
controller and Gel-Cell or AGM batteries, I could see it."
Well Ralph... I dunno. It wasn't
my list. I wouldn't normally lug around #9 (DSP/noise
filtering speaker) either. However, we do carry a
13.8 VDC to 120 VAC inverter in our 1971
Ford/Gillig/Caterpillar bus...
The BEACH, MOUNTAIN, DESERT &
RIVER EXPRESS*... mainly to power a 110vac window fan
MORE BACKSCATTER re.
"LEAVE THE TONE ON (or OFF?)"
"I would like to add my two cents to
“LEAVE THE TONE ON! - by Ed Bruette, N7NVP. Ed
makes a valid point for CTCSS tones in a congested metropolitan
area. But outside of RF congested locations during an
event I feel tones are unnecessary.
Due to the
terrain here in Marin County, we have one repeater that has
four inputs located throughout the county and we have to
program four different tones. This can be confusing
during an event not only knowing which input to use, but then having
to match the correct tone. We are located in a congested
metropolitan area so we have no choice. (We are currently
looking for grant money to convert this repeater to a voted*
system).
The point is
"keep it simple". As long as we are on the subject
of CTCSS tones our RACES group has considered changing the tone(s)
during an event to reduce unwanted traffic. I imagine other
EmComm groups have had similar thoughts. This is counter productive
and tunnel vision thinking.
I believe the
best way to counter unwanted traffic is to have a Net Control
Operator that can take control and administer the net with
authority, be non-confrontational and calm. Also a good
practice is to drill using simplex; you can not count on repeaters
being there when you need them.
One last issue
I would like to point out, EmComm groups need to work with repeater
owners to be allowed to turn off timers. When a major event
happens the traffic will flow at a rate that will cause the
repeater to timeout this is fact and was an issue here in the San
Francisco Bay Area during the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.
Thank you for a great publication with
tremendously useful information. Keep up the hard
work."
- Dave Hodgson, KG6TCJ, Training Officer, Marin County
(CA) RACES
NOTE:
*A voted repeater system is one with multiple inputs and is similar
to cellular phone technology where the site with the strongest input
signal will route it to the phone company (or in our case the
repeater). A Voted system also uses only one CTCSS tone for all
inputs.
EM
COMMENTS: I agree with you Dave, specially the part
about "keeping it simple". In our county the topography is
so varied that the Sheriff's Dept. uses ten (10) (same
frequency-but different tone) repeaters! (And there are still many
"dead" spots!). In my commercial/public service
transceivers (I am in SAR) I have each of the repeaters programmed
into a different memory channel, each has the same
frequency pair...but with a different CTCSS. Also, whether on
repeaters, VHF simplex, or HF; having a skilled, experienced,
disciplined net control operator (and team members) sure solves a LOT
of problems!
I'm
not sure about the wisdom of turning off the time-out device.
Skilled operators know how to keep a message brief, and skilled
operators NEVER "quick key"! In an emergency incident
there must be frequent pauses for operators to "break
in" if needed. Ideally long messages and traffic
should be moved off to another frequency or mode.
ICS PERSPECTIVES - by
Jerry Boyd, KW7J
Is The Tail Wagging The Dog?
This is a slight departure from the monthly discussion of various
aspects of the Incident Command System. However, you may well
find the discussion related and relevant. The reason why there is a
monthly ICS column is because of the need for all amateurs involved
in EMCOMM to become proficient in both the theory and practice of
ICS. It is a federal mandate for all involved in
communications in support of government agencies if the involvement
is in any way related to Homeland Security issues. In my
opinion, getting EmComm hams up to speed on ICS ought to be the
number one priority for the parent organization which serves as the
umbrella under which most EmComm service is provided.
Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening.
What I do see happening is an
organizational leadership which has not met its responsibilities
when it comes to mandating ICS competence on the part of that
organization’s EmComm representatives. Yes, the subject is
addressed in courses they offer, courses which most EmComm leaders
are not required to take. What I see is a small group of that
organization’s members who have convinced the leadership to pursue
a technology approach rather than a knowledge and skills approach to
EmComm. I see an effort to attract favorable attention by
government authorities by teasing them with technology that makes us
(amateurs) appear to be "state of the art". State of
the art is every EmComm amateur being proficient at operating in an
ICS environment.
THE GEAR BOX
RUST POWER! by Don
Cantrell, ND6T - Weaverville, California
You've been
there: It's miles from anywhere, it rained, then froze, and the lock
is filled with ice. Or you took a glove off to work the radio and
now that hand is starting to go numb. Or you've been walking through
the snow for hours and your feet are telling you that you may be
getting into trouble. I hear you and I have an answer. It's about
3" by 4" , 1/8" thick and weighs less than 3/4
of an ounce. Flexible, it fits easily and comfortably in a jacket
pocket. Sturdy enough to keep in that pocket for most of ten years
now without damage. When I need some heat I tear open the envelope,
shake it up, and within five or ten minutes I have a toasty 120
degree heat that I can hold in my palm or slip into a sock. You
wouldn't believe what a difference this makes. Lasts for ten to
twelve hours, too. Says here on the package "Iron powder,
water, salt, activated charcoal and vermiculite". Works by
using the ambient oxygen to oxidize the iron powder. No flame, no
carbon dioxide.
I've used
several different brands. No big difference in performance so shop
for the best price. I bought a big box of them at Costco a couple of
years ago. All said and done, even the most expensive of these is a
bargain for safety and comfort.
"GEAR SHIFT":
Chemical heat packs
have been added to GEAR LIST (2.16) -- And
speaking of heat sources, A small, portable (travel-type)
electric hair dryer has also been added. (3.41) Use
to shrink tubing, thaw pipes, dry out water logged gear, warm
hands, use as space heater (smaller spaces), and even dry your
hair. (If you have any!) GEAR LIST: http://www.emcomm.org/gear_list.htm
NETWORK NEWS
NETWORK NEWS provides
schedules and updates on regional, national, and international
specialty EMCOMM and TRAFFIC nets. NN is not intended to
duplicate other resources such as:
ARRL Net Directory: (ISBN: 0-87259-835-7)
#8357 $5.00
ARRL Net Search: www.arrl.org/FandES/field/nets/client/update.html
EMCOMM.ORG NET DIRECTORY PAGE:
www.emcomm.org/netdirectory/
RADIO WATCH • MONITOR • CALLING • TRAFFIC • EMCOMM
• GUARD
• 7111 kHz DAYTIME / 3711 kHz NIGHTTIME / 146.52 MHz
• ALASKA WATCH - 3540 / 7042 kHz / 14.050 MHz
• NEVADA ARES® MONITOR/CALLING SSB: 3965 ± kHz SSB
• NATIONAL RADIO EMERGENCY NETWORK: 7068 / 10122 / 14050 kHz •
• WEST COAST NET (WCN) Slow Speed Traffic/Training Daily 1900
Pacific 3702 kHz
• Alaska-Pacific Emergency Preparedness Net 1630Z 14.292 MHz
• IMRA TRAFFIC NET (INTERNATIONAL MISSION RADIO ASSOCIATION)
14.280 MHz USB M-F 1800Z (summer) 1900Z (winter)
• ARES® 146.55 MHz
• ARES®/Red Cross 147.42 MHz
• NATIONAL CALLING (and Wilderness Protocol) 146.52 MHz
• WILDERNESS PROTOCOL (ref. June 1996 QST, page 85).
Primary frequency: 146.52 MHz (FM simplex). Secondary frequencies:
446.0, 223.5, 52.525
and 1294.5 MHz. All stations (both fixed, portable or
mobile) monitor the primary (and
secondary if possible) frequency(s) every three hours starting at
7:00 am local time, for five
minutes (7:00-7:05 AM, 10:00-10:05 AM, etc.) Additionally,
stations that have sufficient
power resources monitor for five minutes starting at the top of
every hour, or continuously."
WINCOM NETWORK - 1st and 3rd Wednesdays 1930 Pacific Time
on 3987 kHz (down).
WINCOM is for EmComm stations in
Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon,
Montana and anywhere else within range. Scheduled nets are
on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays
at 1930 Pacific Time on
3987 kHz (down).
The WINCOM
NETWORK may be activated during disasters, communications system
failures, and other emergency incidents as a regional SSB
network for tactical and/or formal
EMCOMM traffic. WINCOM is not intended to replace local or
section ARES® or RACES nets,
but rather to supplement and provide regional support by skilled
operators who know each
other and work together on a regular basis.
EMCOMM stations are encouraged to monitor
and/or use these frequencies for routine
calling and for a RADIO WATCH during actual or potential
incidents. (During actual events
move message traffic at least 5 kHz up or down.)
Nighttime: 3987 kHz (down) 1982 kHz (down) alternate).
Daytime: 7232 kHz (up)
NOTE: These frequencies may be in use for other scheduled state or
regional nets.
Always yield for scheduled nets. E.g. - JNN is daily at 1200
Pacific on 7232 kHz SSB.
REGIONAL EMCOMM NET LIST
AVAILABLE
EM maintains
a roster of REGIONAL EMCOMM NETS. These are active
ARES and other EMCOMM nets (RACES nets are not listed).
It includes primarily VHF and HF local, district, state and
regional nets in Washington, California, Oregon, Nevada, and Alaska.
A few international nets are listed. The list is NOT
routinely dispatched, but anytime you would like a current list by
email, simply request a copy at: lazyt@cot.net
EMCOMM
TRAFFIC
“For want of a letter, a word was lost.
For want of a word, the message was lost.
For want of a message, a life was lost.”
CW NIGHTLY SLOW SPEED (10 WPM)
TRAINING-TRAFFIC WEST COAST NET (WCN)
• NIGHTLY 3702 kHz ± 1900 Pacific Time
SSB ON-THE-AIR RADIOGRAM TRAINING-PRACTICE NET (WEST COAST)
• 1st and 3rd WEDNESDAYS 3987 kHz ± 2000
Pacific Time (approx.)
• BEGINS shortly after WINCOM and/or SV Section ARRL/ARES® NET.
• NON-HF HAMS AND SWLS ARE INVITED TO LISTEN AND COPY.
• A SPECIAL CERTIFICATE IS AVAILABLE to anyone who submits a correct
copy of at least one of the transmitted RADIOGRAMS postmarked
within
three (3) days of the practice session.
• Use standard ARRL RADIOGRAM format and send to: EMCOMM, PO Box 99,
Macdoel, CA 96058. (Enclose a #10 self-addressed
stamped envelope.)
NOTE: When band conditions are poor or there is thunderstorm activity
in the area,
the SSB training-practice net may be canceled. Listen
the following Wednesday.
HOW TO USE ON-THE-AIR RADIOGRAM
TRAINING AND PRACTICE SESSIONS:
1) Organize small “study groups”
to meet at a HF capable ham’s shack, an EOC or club station,
or the home of anyone with a short-wave
receiver. Pass out blank forms and have your members
copy the RADIOGRAMS. Follow the
on-the-air session with a discussion period and refreshments.
Have printed reference material, such as
the ARRL Net Directory on hand.
2) Tape record the on-the-air
sessions and play them back at your local meetings.
Provide blank forms and have your team’s
members copy the RADIOGRAMS.
Follow with a critique and
discussion period (and refreshments)!
Have printed reference material, such as
the ARRL Net Directory on hand.
3) A few ARES® units around the
country have been using the RADIOGRAMS published in EM
in training sessions...both on-the-air and/or in classroom settings.
Feel free to use any or all if it will be of help!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRAINING RADIOGRAMS SENT DURING NOVEMBER
2004 ON 3987 (SSB)
(EM's
RADIOGRAM PRACTICE SESSIONS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED FOR THE HOLIDAY
SEASON.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE “TRAFFIC HANDLER’S MANTRA”
(Recite to help remember the eight parts in preamble):
“No • Prepared • Ham • Should • Copy • Priority •
Traffic • Delayed”
“No • Prepared • Ham • Should • Copy • Priority •
Traffic • Delayed”
“No • Prepared • Ham • Should • Copy • Priority •
Traffic • Delayed”
(NUMBER-PRECEDENCE-HX-STATION OF ORIGIN-CHECK-PLACE OF
ORIGIN-TIME-DATE)
RETRO REVIEW - “EMCOMM
viewed through the Retrospect-O-Scope”
• See "PEARL
HARBOR DAY -- DECEMBER 7, 1941" in SHORT
CIRCUITS (above)
QSH ! EM’s Quiz,
Survey, Satire ;-) , and [attempt at] Humor :-) Section
Y2K+5 -- New Years Eve
"Gala" Planned
I am pleased to announce that a New
Year 's Eve Gala to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Y2K fiasco
will be held December 31, 2004 - January 1, 2005 in the basement of
the EOC. We have a whole lot of MREs that are
about to go out of date...so please attend and help us celebrate!
The menu will include (Mil-spec
MREs):
Happy Hour:
• Beverage powder (bring your own
H2O and please be discrete with smuggled in ETOH).
• Third alarm jalepeño process
cheese product in individual serving squeeze packets.
• Creamy smooth peanut butter
product in individual serving squeeze packets.
• Hi-protein Civil Defense
crackers (circa-1950).
Entree - (choice of):
• Chili beans and Macaroni
• Chopped Beef Steak
• Cheese Tortellini in tomato
sauce (vegetarian)
All entrees served in Mil-Spec PVC bag.
(Save it. You may need it later.)
Note: The gas masks are in the locked
cabinet in the ladies' rest room. See any IC for a key.
• Applesauce with cinnamon
flakes. (At least that what it looks like.)
• Choice of chocolate coated
oatmeal cookie or granola bar.
• Instant coffee, cream
substitute, imitation strawberry jam, salt, pepper, chewing gum and
towelette.
• Complimentary matches and
packet of toilet tissue.
• BYO mess kit or use plastic
spoon and fork (provided)
• BYO Beano® and Maalox®
New Years Day breakfast (if you are still
awake/alive):
• Hermetically sealed ham
omelet and Tabasco® sauce.
HUNDREDS of DOOR and RAFFLE
PRIZES!
GRAND PRIZE: A pallet pinto
beans.
NO CODE! (dress code that
is):
Casual: Come as you are...or wear
camo BDUs.
Formal: Polyester golf shirts/slacks
and "high rise golf cap" with call sign or
"handle".
PARKING:
Park in visitors or Board of Supervisor
member spaces.
(They won't be present. Their party
will be at the Marriott® Hotel Penthouse Suite)
4WD high rise truck drivers may park
anywhere they can.
WEAPONS:
Check ALL guns, ammo, tazers, blowguns,
crossbows, pepper spray and knives at the door.
Toenail clippers and nose hair tweezers
may be carried if openly displayed in belt holster.
(Permit must be displayed in plain view)
LIVE MUSIC BY:
Spiral Baton and the Home Guard, and The
Motion Detectors.
LIGHTING: a quartet of 150,000 volt
strobe lights
The RADIO ROOM will be
open to the public from 0400 to 1600Z . Bring your family and
friends and let them "have at it." (Control
operators please remain somewhere on the property.)
Operating guidelines:
1. Use TACTICAL call signs...(only).
2. If you operate more than 10 kHz outside
the legal band edge, be sure to strictly observe #1 (above).
3. Listen carefully for other New
Year's Eve State EOC nets. (Most of them will be between 3.990
to 3.999 kHz.) Be sure to zero-beat another net before
transmitting. Ignore any complaints and just crank up the power.
After all, who do they think THEY are? No one owns
the frequency!
(You may be advised to ignore #1 (above),
in other words DO NOT use ANY call sign!)
4. FM signals must not exceed a deviation
of 150%.
5. No CW allowed. (No one uses
it any more anyway.)
6. The new laptop computer and TNC went
missing after the last training session. (Two years ago.)
So there will be no packet
station online.
7. No ARRL/NTS format traffic allowed.
It's too complicated. (Tell them your EOC only takes message
traffic via email, and only using a special format that only your
location knows anything about.)
8. If you hear a weak signal...just crank
up your power so other can hear only you and drown out the calling
station(s).
9. Behave any way you like.
(After all...it's New Year's Eve and the security cameras have been
off for months due to a labor dispute.) However, be advised
that the local EMS has not yet received official clearance to
enter the EOC since the office secretary is away on
maternity leave.
10. Please be out of the EOC by 0900
local, 2 January 2002, so the HAZMAT and de-contamination drill and
exercise for the paid staff can commence.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
NOVEMBER SURVEY RESULTS:
Last month EM
asked:
1. Does your EMCOMM "service
area" (county, district, section, state) have any topographical
features that potentially might have a need for underground
communications?
2. If yes, what type?
Natural caves and/or
cave systems?
Abandoned mines and/or mine systems?
3. Does your amateur radio EmComm Team
(do not include SAR,
Cave Rescue, or Mine Rescue Teams)
have a communications plan to provide underground communications if
called upon?
4. Has your EmComm team ever been
deployed to provide underground communications?
5. Comments:
RESULTS:
The response to EM's
November Survey wasn't exactly overwhelming. Four (4)
replies were received.
Either there are no caves, mines, tunnels or
subways in our reader's areas and therefore it is perceived that
there is little need for underground EmComm, or AAD (Affective Apathy
Disorder) has struck again.
Anyway, of those four who did
respond, three (3) said that there are no caves, tunnels, or
mines in their area and (therefore) no need or plans for underground
emergency communications. One commented that they do have an
abandoned subway system in their area (Cincinnati).
One (yours truly) does
have several cave systems in his home county and "for what it is
worth" what follows are some comments and tips regarding
underground communications.
UNDERGROUND COMMUNICATIONS
- by D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ
In July 1999 the
National Cave Rescue Commission conducted a national Operations
and Management Seminar and Training Session at Lava Beds National
Monument in eastern Siskiyou County, (at the far northern end of
California). The event included both classroom and field
rescue training seminars spread out over a 200 sq. mi. area.
The Lava Beds
N.M. is considered "undeveloped" and boasts dozens of caves
and cave systems open to the general public. Only one cave, near
the visitor's center is "developed". (Lighted, stairs
and guard rails, and self guided tour information.)
I was the EC of
the Siskiyou County ARES team in 1998, and we were asked to
provide a communications network for the 8 day event. Volunteers were
recruited and schedules were developed to provide 4 to 8 operators
on any given day.
A base station
was established at the Tulelake Fairgrounds some 20 miles
away and a second base was set up at the park's H.Q.
Mobile/portable stations were assigned to the 2 or 3 sites where
training events were scheduled every day. Radio traffic from
these field stations (at cave entrances) was relayed to one of
the base stations who had solid contact with each other. Above
ground radio communications were handled entirely on VHF SIMPLEX
(2 meters) without any significant problems.
During this event
(and at previous other SAR training in the caves) experimentation with
underground communications has been performed. What follows are
some anecdotal findings and are offered here to provide some stimulus
to get you thinking about underground communications. I have not
been able to find a whole lot of concrete information from other
sources on this subject.
At Lava Beds N.M. the
deepest cave extends back about 1.5 miles. Compared to other caves
and cave systems (and mines) around the world this is "kid
stuff". However, if you are lost, injured, or your light
source is extinguished; a mile-and-a-half is a very long way
to grope your way to the outside world and help!
Suppose your team has been
called upon to provide EMCOMM for a cave or mine rescue operation.
Do you know what equipment is needed? Do you know what might
work and what won't work?
Experienced and
prepared underground rescue teams have traditionally relied upon
dedicated telephone circuits and will normally arrive equipped
and prepared. (Don't bother with a cell phone. They
are not edible and don't even much light.) However, the
cave/mine may be in a very remote location and radio communications
may be warranted to provide contact between the cave (or
mine) entrance staging area and/or command post and other
locations. Therefore, an above ground radio EmComm network
should be established ASAP.
But suppose that
the cave rescue team's telephones are not available or malfunction?
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to help? Here's how your team
might prepare:
For a telephone
circuit you'll need a "quantity sufficient" of two conductor
wire. Just about anything will work over distances up to a few
miles. Bell wire, lamp cord, TV twin lead,
surplus "aerial drop" telephone wire (this stuff is so
strong you can tow a vehicle with it...but...it is very heavy!) .
Whatever you can "scrounge up" on the surplus market will
probably work, but select as light a wire as possible.
"Twisted Pair" field telephone wire is typically sold in 1/4
mile rolls and varies widely in price. Try to buy it already on
a spool if possible. I bought two quarter mile lengths and they
arrived coiled up. It was NOT fun winding it onto
spools!
Cave rescue teams often
"pay out" a twisted pair as they descend. The
line is left in place until the job is done. Anyone with a
telephone set equipped with two alligator clips can then tap in at any
point along the route by simply scraping the insulation off.
Keep the two bare points about 12" apart to avoid contact with
each other. It is not usually necessary to tape the
connection points, but the bare spots should be "flagged"
with some reflective or light color tape to let others know about
the existing connect point. An underground rescuer now
has communications with the cave entrance station.
Of course at least two
portable telephones that are rugged enough for emergency field
duty will be needed. Sadly, these instruments are rapidly
going the way of the caboose and manual transmissions! This may
sound strange coming from a radioman, but recently I tried to find an
"wired" intercom to install between home and shop.
Much to my dismay, everything being offered to day on the
consumer market seems to have gone "wireless"!
The few non-wireless intercom units that are available are
designed to work through your 110 van "house wiring".
Neither is
these types are of any use for field communications...especially
cave rescue work! I also checked out a few
"cheap" standard telephones.
"Cheap" doesn't even begin to describe them, plus they need
up to a 48 v. power source. Here is a partial list of what may
be available (that is useable):
EE-8 Field Telephones
(my choice). Either U.S., Dutch, French or ???.
(They are all basically the same)
I have two French Army units. They
are practically indestructible and easy to service/repair.
U.S. (military) "old
style" Field Telephones
(Both of the above types require two
"D" cells each.)
Farm Phones - These
units used to be offered for sale just about everywhere for about
$3.00 each. They consist of simple handset with a
couple of alligator clips on a wire and were intended to be used
by clipping onto a barbed wire fence. Some were "sound
powered" and others required a couple of D cells.
I wish I could find some. Keep
YOUR eyes open at estate, bankruptcy, farm, yard sales and flea
markets.
UNDERGROUND RADIO
COMMUNICATIONS
VHF and UHF FM -
Don't rule these bands/mode out. They can provide
limited underground coverage in many situations.
As with all radio signals, it depends upon the signal path.
1/4 mile is not that unusual even if there is no "line
of sight". Also, consider equipping all persons with an
FRS HT. Then every non-ham is a potential relay.
In our field tests at the Lava Beds N.M. we found that there are
"radio corridors" from underground spaces to the
surface. The trick is to keep a radio operator on the
surface directly above the underground operator. This takes
skill, experience, some experimentation, and patience! A
good map of the cave or mine system and a GPS receiver is
extremely helpful.
11 METERS (CB) -
Believe it or not, a CB AM HT may work for some distance in
underground settings. (Again, no license required.)
I've heard that a signal will "follow" a single (or
double?) wire laid out along an underground route to the surface.
No actual connection is made between the radio(s) and the wire.
I have not tested using this technique...but may do so when the
opportunity presents. I would be interested in hearing from
any of our readers who have tried this (whether it works or
not.)
VLF and LF Radio -
These frequencies are in the experimental realm of the
mysterious. Those of our readers who may be looking for a sparsely
explored area of radio may want to venture "down
there".
Underwater cave
exploration communications is a yet even more specialized
frontier.
SOURCES FOR SURPLUS TELEPHONE
AND OTHER FIELD GEAR:
Try searching on eBay
or these commercial mail order supply houses:
(Pictures, schematics and other
hard-to-find information)
(Telephones, radios, medical items,
and tons of other interesting things.)
EM'S DECEMBER SURVEY - This
month EM asks:
The amateur EmComm
“community” is currently fragmented into many groups and
organizations. EM is considering
sponsoring a "one-stop all-encompassing", world-wide
Registry of (Amateur Radio) EmComm Operators who are capable of
providing emergency communications during natural and man-made
disasters, communications systems failures, and other incidents
that require skilled communicators using their own fixed,
mobile and/or portable stations.
The Registry of EMCOMM Operators will not be
intended to usurp, replace, or
upstage any other organizations or networks. It is to
supplement them, and provide a
resource pool of skilled operators able to provide
EMCOMM whenever and wherever needed.
The registry
would be all-encompassing and open to any serious amateur
operator who is
available and capable of providing infrastructure free
communications using his or her own
equipment and (when necessary) without any commercial power
source or landline based
communications systems such the telephone, email,
Internet, etc.
The registry would be open to all currently
licensed radio amateurs, of any license class, that are
serious about proficient radio emergency communications.
Every registrant will attest that he or she is
capable of handling tactical AND formal record message
traffic (RADIOGRAMS) accurately, in a timely manner, in at least
one mode.
Registrants would pledge to maintain their
station(s) in a state of readiness, and participate
in at least one NTS, ARES, or other EmComm traffic net at least
once a week.
Every Registered EmComm Operator (REO) may be
issued a certificate assigning them a
number in the order in which they originally registered and
indicating their home state (or
province) Example: CA-1 (K6SOJ)
If a REO, moves to another state and notifies the
registry, they would be reassigned a new
number (if their old number has been assigned) , but would also
retain their original number.
An on-line data-base would be maintained and
available to any interested party.
- Registrants would have a password that would
allow them to update their own data.
- It would include an assigned registration number.
Example: CA-1
- Registrant’s name
- Call sign
- License class
- Mail address
- County, parish or district
- Telephone number(s) (optional)
- Email (optional)
- Other amateur affiliations
ARES
NTS
RACES
SKYWARN
SATERN
OTHER (Specify)
- The time, frequency and name of at least two nets in
which the REO regularly participates.
- Also the frequency and mode
the REO normally monitors.
- Visitors to the Registry of EmComm Operators
would be able to search by
State (Province or Country), county or
parish, zipcode, call sign or name.
EM Survey regarding
a proposed Registry of EMCOMM Operators:
The
results will be published in the January issue of EM
(All questions must be answered or
survey answers will not be accepted.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EMCOMM
SPECIALTY PRODUCTS
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
“License Plate”:
-----------------------------------------------
EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS
------------------------------------------
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• Durable Metal
• 6” x 12” with usual holes for mounting
• Mount on vehicle
• Place on visor or in window
• Space to
"customize" with your county or city's name, or your
callsign using one inch vinyl letters
(available at hardware
stores)
• Use at fixed or field EMCOMM stations
• MADE IN U.S.A!
• $10.00 each or two for $18.00 [Postpaid to one
address includes all applicable taxes]
Send check or money order and
shipping address to:
EMCOMM
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• Allow 2 weeks for delivery
TRAFFIC HANDLERS
SUPPLIES
NEW! RADIOGRAM RUBBER STAMP
• Use on plain paper
• Use on front of envelope
• 3/4” x 3” wood handle stamp
Order: WRGS - Wood handle (traditional) rubber
stamp $10.00 each postpaid
($8.00 if ordered with Message Service Cross stamp
(below)
• Send check or money order to:
EMCOMM
P O Box 99
Macdoel, CA 96058
• Please allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery
"MESSAGE
SERVICE CROSS" - RUBBER STAMP
• Makes the “record” part of
record message traffic handling easy and efficient.
• Use on any message form or on plain paper.
• A message received and forwarded should be stamped twice (L
lower / R lower).
• Check TOR (Time Received) or TOD (Time Delivered / Forwarded).
• Available in two styles:
Order: SIRS - Self
inking rubber stamp - $15.00 each postpaid.
Order: WHRS - Wood handle
(traditional) rubber stamp - $12.00 each postpaid.
• Order yours today!
• Specify style, quantity, and shipping address, and send check
or money order to:
EMCOMM
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• Please allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery
NEW SUBSCRIBERS
• Jonathan Scherch, KK7PW, Seattle,
Washington - City of Seattle ACS
• Dan Richmond, WØNBX, Rapid City,
South Dakota - AF MARS State Director ND/SD, SHARES, Red Cross
• Tony Olivero, N9ZWM, Richmond,
Indiana - RACES
• Bill Hooper, K6WWH, Roseville,
California - ARES
• Steve Hawes, WB6UZX, Berkeley,
California - Alameda County Sheriff's Communications Team (RACES)
• Bill Hoogstad, KB6KY, Shasta,
California - ARES
• Jim Humphrey, NO7T, North Bend,
Oregon - EC Coos County ARES, RACES
• Robert French, N8EHA, Eaton, Ohio
- AEC (Admin&Trng) ARES, CRO RACES
• Barry Noel, W1BSN, Providence, Rhode Island - SATERN
• Randall Hamm, KBØLVU, Hearne, Texas -
ARES, RACES
• Dan Miller, KCØFRL,
Des Moines, Iowa - ARES, RACES
RECENT CONTRIBUTORS
• George Simmons, KG6LSB - Auburn,
California
• The Wireless Store - Akron, Ohio -- Jerry Gosnell, Owner (See
listing below)
Thank you...George and
Jerry ! Support has been a little
"lean" lately, and we really appreciate your
donations to help keep EMCOMM MONTHLY and EMCOMM.ORG
alive.
Best wishes for a Happy
Holiday Season. - D W Thorne, K6SOJ, Editor-Publisher
SOS - SUPPORT OUR
SUPPORTERS
When contacting these fine vendors
tell them that EMCOMM MONTHLY sent you!
Books, etc.
Jack (AC6FU) and Margaret (KE7AWA) Ruckman, Owners
www.hamradiobooks.com
ac6fu@arrl.net
(775) 577-2639
P.O. Box 309
Silver Springs, NV 89429
(Amateur Radio Books, ARRL patches, decals and other supplies)
EmComm-Products LLC
Robin Faulkner, N7GSU
Kathy Faulkner, KD7OTY
www.emcomm-products.com/index.html
(775) 521-6153
(775) 307-7101 (Fax)
PO Box 383
703 Sixth Street
Fossil, OR 97830-0383
(Manufacturer of the RADS 9-11 Rapid Antenna Deployment System)
Q. R. Zed Engraving
Gordon Yee, KI6UH
www.qrzed.8k.com
(415) 467-2235
P.O. Box 651
Brisbane, CA 94005
(Name badges, desk plates, signs, and more. Custom work.)
The Wireless Store
Manufacturer Distributor Niljon Antennas
Jerry Gosnell, Owner
1599 Faye Road
Akron, Ohio 44306-4115
(330) 701-9280 Toll free: 1 (877) 751-8125
http://www.niljon.com/
Authorized Dealer: WiFi-PLUS, Inc.
http://www.wifi-plus.com/
REFERENCE and RESOURCE SECTION
• ICS-ARCT GUIDE: www.emcomm.org/ARCT/
• TRAFFIC HANDLER’S CHALLENGE: www.emcomm.org (click bar on main page).
• TRAINING ARCHIVES: www.emcomm.org/svares/training/index.html
• PHONETICS: www.emcomm.org/svares/training/itu_phonetics_10_30_2001.htm
• NVIS PROPAGATION MAPS - http://www.w0ipl.com/ECom/NVIS/NVISprop.htm
• GEAR AND EQUIPMENT LIST: www.emcomm.org (Click on GEAR LIST)
• ARRL FSD-218. The famous “pink card” that contains
(almost) “everything you ever needed
to know about RADIOGRAMS”. An electronic version of the
FSD-218 is available at:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/forms/#fsd-218
• NATIONAL TRAFFIC SYSTEM (NTS) Methods
and Practices Guidelines:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/nts-mpg/
• NTS page by W7ARC: http://www.w7arc.com/nts/
• NATIONAL RADIO EMERGENCY NETWORK
(NREN)
www.aa8vs.org/nren/
(or) http://68.43.101.244:81/nren/
• PACIFIC AREA TRAFFIC NETS: http://home.earthlink.net/~k7bfl/nwnets.html
• NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SKYWARN www.emcomm.org (click on NWS or links) or
Contact your EC or local SKYWARN coordinator for local net
information.
• U. S. AIR FORCE Search and Rescue SURVIVAL MANUAL (AFM 64-5 Aug.
1969) -
Reference Charts - (Print and Save)
• GROUND-TO-AIR (close-in) VISUAL SIGNALS:
http://www.emcomm.org/drawings/Ground_to_Air_Signaling_mid.jpg
• GROUND-TO-AIR EMERGENCY CODE:
http://www.emcomm.org/drawings/Ground_to_Air_Emergency_Code_mid.jpg
• MIRROR (and other) SIGNALING:
http://www.emcomm.org/drawings/Mirror_Signaling_mid.jpg
SUBSCRIBE TO EMCOMM MONTHLY www.emcomm.org/subscription.htm
EMCOMM MONTHLY and EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN
archives:
www.emcomm.org/svares/archives/
SEARCH FEATURE AT EMCOMM.ORG
www.emcomm.org may be just what you need!
EMCOMM MONTHLY and EMCOMM.ORG are
funded solely by the voluntary donations of serious EMCOMM
operators who are concerned about preserving the ability of amateur
radio operators to be
prepared to provide skilled, accurate and efficient emergency
communications during times of
disaster or other events where normal channels of communication may be
interrupted or
overloaded. WWW.EMCOMM.ORG is “pop up free”. If you have benefited from our
efforts, and
would like to support this work in a tangible way; you may do so by
sending a check or money
order payable to: EMCOMM. Send to: EMCOMM, PO Box 99, Macdoel, CA
96058.
Your donation is an outright gift and is NOT tax-deductible.
The opinions expressed by individual
contributors do not necessarily reflect the
EM philosophy, the editorial position of EM
or its staff.
ARES® and Amateur
Radio Emergency Service® are registered servicemarks
of the
American Radio Relay League,
Inc. and are used by permission."
For permission to reproduce material in EMCOMM
MONTHLY
contact: D. W. Thorne at: k6soj@arrl.net
or write:
EMCOMM MONTHLY, P.O. Box 99, Macdoel, CA 96058 U.S.A.
EMCOMM MONTHLY - Copyright (c) 2004 - All
rights reserved.
STAFF:
D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ - Editor and Publisher
Bill Frazier, W7ARC - Associate Editor and Webmaster
Ed Trump, AL7N - Associate Editor and Alaska Correspondent
Jerry Boyd, KW7J - Associate Editor and ICS Advisor
John Moriarity, K6QQ - Associate Editor and Technical Advisor
Dave Nicholson, KB6PNT - Associate Editor and SAR Advisor
COMING IN THE JANUARY ISSUE
OF EMCOMM MONTHLY :
• ESTABLISHING A PRIVATELY OWNED
ECC (EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER)
• PLUS: NEWS... FEATURES... FEEDBACK.... QSH... and
MORE!
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