ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual TOC Public Service Communications Manual Section I: Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) · Section II: National Traffic System (NTS) l F oreword l In troduction Section I: Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Chapter One: Amateur Radio Emergency Service 1.1 ARES Organization 1.2 Section Level 1.3 Local Level 1.4 District Level 1.5 Assistant ECs 1.6 Planning Committee 1.7 Operation and Flexibility 1.8 ARES Operation During Disasters Chapter Two: Simulated Emergency Test (SET) 2.1 Purpose of SET 2.2 SET Format 2.3 Preparing for SET 2.4 During the SET 2.5 After the SET 2.6 NTS in SET 2.7 Summary Chapter Three: ARES Mutual Assistance Team (ARESMAT) Concept 3.1 Pre-Departure Functions 3.2 In-Travel Functions 3.3 Arrival Functions 3.4 In-situ Functions 3.5 Pre-demobilization and Demobilization Functions 3.6 ARESMAT Member Qualifications 3.7 Summary http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/ (1 of 4) [10/31/2000 10:41:15 AM] ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual TOC Chapter Four: ARES and RACES 4.1 What is RACES? 4.2 Operating Procedure 4.3 ARES and RACES 4.4 Other Amateur facilities Chapter Five: ARES Principles of Disaster Communications Chapter Six: Working With Public Safety Officials Chapter Seven: On Serving "Served" Agencies 7.1 What to do? 7.2 Pulled Every Which Way But Loose 7.3 Another Kind of Competition Section II: National Traffic System (NTS) Chapter One: National Traffic System 1.1 Membership in NTS 1.2 Mode Chapter Two: Principles of NTS Operation 2.1 Local Nets 2.2 Section Nets 2.3 Region Nets 2.4 Area Nets 2.5 Transcontinental Corps 2.6 Digital Stations Chapter Three: NTS Policies 3.1 Sequence of Net Meetings 3.2 Options 3.3 Deviation from Normal Routing 3.4 Adherence to Schedules 3.5 Alternate Routings 3.6 Check-in Policy 3.7 Boundaries 3.8 Nomenclature 3.9 Combined Section Nets 3.10 Limited Load Capability http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/ (2 of 4) [10/31/2000 10:41:15 AM] ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual TOC 3.11 Observation of Time 3.12 Frequencies 3.13 Manager Appointments 3.14 Certification 3.15 Special Liaison Methods Chapter Four: Operation During Disasters 4.1 Section Traffic Manager, Net Manager Functions 4.2 Region Net Manager Functions 4.3 Area Net Manager Functions 4.4 Transcontinental Corps Director Functions 4.5 Area Staff Chairman Functions 4.6 General Policy 4.7 Health and Welfare Traffic Chapter Five: NTS Standard Net Procedures 5.1 Section Nets 5.2 Region Nets 5.3 Area Nets 5.4 Send and Receive Stations 5.5 Miscellaneous Procedures 5.6 Section and Local NTS Traffic Nodes 5.7 HF Digital Stations Chapter Six: ARRL Precedences and Handling Instructions 6.1 Emergency 6.2 Priority 6.3 Welfare 6.4 Routine 6.5 Handling Instructions Chapter Seven: Operation of the Transcontinental Corps 7.1 TCC Station Functions Chapter Eight: Operation of the Digital System 8.1 HF Digital NTS Operations 8.2 VHF Packet Radio Bulletin Boards Chapter Nine: NTS Traffic Routing http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/ (3 of 4) [10/31/2000 10:41:15 AM] ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual TOC 9.1 Example of NTS Message Routing 9.2 NTS Routing Guide 9.3 Message Routing in the Digital Station Network Chapter Ten: Counting Net Traffic 10.1 Net Traffic Count 10.2 Individual Traffic Count Chapter Eleven: On Getting More Traffic Appendix A: National Traffic System Terms of Reference Article One: Name Article Two: Purpose and General Functions Article Three: Specific Responsibilities Article Four: Membership Article Five: Area Staff Chairman Article Six: Methods and Procedures Page last modified: 11:10 AM, 10 Jul 2000 ET Page author: [email protected] Copyright © 2000, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/ (4 of 4) [10/31/2000 10:41:15 AM] ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual Foreword Next · PSCM Contents Public service communications have been a traditional responsibility of the Amateur Radio Service since 1913, when amateurs at the University of Michigan and Ohio State University, in conjunction with numerous individual amateurs in and around the region, successfully bridged the communications gap surrounding a large isolated area left by a severe windstorm in the Midwest. In those early days, such disaster work was spontaneous and without previous organization of any kind. In today's Amateur Radio, disaster work is a highly organized and worthwhile part of day-to-day operation, implemented principally through the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS), both sponsored by ARRL. The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), independent nets and other amateur public service groups are also a part of ARRL-recognized Amateur Radio public service efforts. The ARES now consists of approximately 80,000 licensed amateurs who have registered their availability for emergency operation in the public interest. The operational leadership of ARES consists of approximately 2500 local and district emergency coordinators, along with the section ECs. NTS operates daily to handle local, medium and long-distance written traffic in standard ARRL format. NTS consists of nets at four levels, with lines of liaison connecting them for the systematic flow of message traffic from point of origin to point of delivery in the shortest possible time consistent with organizational training objectives and mass handlings. A subpart of the US amateur regulations (Part 97, Subpart E) provides for the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. RACES is a special phase of amateur operation sponsored by local emergency management agencies with support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and applies to US amateurs only. The primary purpose of RACES is to provide amateurs with a special opportunity to serve governmental civil preparedness agencies. ARRL has signed a memorandum of understanding with FEMA to enhance the coordination of ARRL and FEMA resources. This edition of the Public Service Communications Manual constitutes an overall source of basic information on the League's public service communications program. The appendices will provide the reader with additional operational details that are not covered in the rest of the booklet. Thanks go to Rob Griffin, AB6YR, Santa Barbara Section Manager and the section's former Section Traffic Manager, and especially Bill Thompson, W2MTA, Western New York Section Manager, for their efforts in making this 1996 edition of the PSCM an accurate source of guidance for both the new and experienced public service http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/foreword.html (1 of 2) [10/31/2000 10:41:17 AM] ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual communicator. Previous | Next · PSCM Contents Page last modified: 11:13 AM, 10 Jul 2000 ET Page author: [email protected] Copyright © 2000, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/foreword.html (2 of 2) [10/31/2000 10:41:17 AM] ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual Introduction Previous | Next · PSCM Contents Throughout our history, we amateurs have established a reputation for public service communications which is of the greatest importance to our continued occupation of frequencies. At first, this service was rendered spontaneously and on an individual basis. As time progressed, the need for and value of organization became evident, resulting in the establishment of organized trunk lines and net systems; later the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS) were formed to complete the organization. The ARRL Field Organization includes the combined facilities of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, as it has developed since 1935, and the National Traffic System, which was begun in 1949. It is significant that Part 97 of the FCC's Rules and Regulations states, as the first principle under "Basis and Purpose," the following: "Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary non-commercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications." ARES and NTS exist as the League's implementation of this basic principle. ARES and NTS have much in common. Every emergency net is bound to be, to some extent, a traffic net, and every traffic net should be prepared to take on various forms of emergency-related communications duties. Emergency-conscious and traffic-conscious operators have this in common: They both derive their chief reward out of activities which are directly beneficial not only to Amateur Radio, but also to their communities and country. Implementation: The ARRL Field Organization Basic Organization and Functions The organization chart in Figure 1 shows how ARES and NTS work together from top to bottom. Most ARES nets exist only at the local level, and are tied into NTS at local or section level for integration into the national system. The overall support for all levels of ARES and NTS is provided by the Field Services Department at ARRL Headquarters. Leadership in the emergency division (ARES) is exercised by the Section Emergency Coordinator and the District ECs and local ECs, as shown; in the traffic division (NTS) by Section Traffic Manager and by Net/Node Managers at the local and section levels. Usually, emergency operation is initiated at the local level and is the business of the ARES local Emergency Coordinator. Even if the emergency situation transcends the local level and becomes of statewide, regional, or even national concern, the immediate http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/intro.html (1 of 2) [10/31/2000 10:41:18 AM] ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual situation and what to do about it are primarily the concern of local ARES officials. Much of the emergency messages and other communications will be generated by civic and welfare officials, or at their request, with resulting logistical challenges in effecting their conveyance, are handed to the ARES for solution. While ARES and NTS are two of the ARRL's public service organizations, it should not be concluded that this is all that there is to Amateur Radio public service, or that this is the extent of the League's interest in public service communications. On the contrary, there are many other amateur public service operating groups under different sponsorship which are a vital part of the public service function of the Amateur Radio Service. As such, they merit and receive the League's recognition and assistance to the extent desired and feasible. Previous | Next · PSCM Contents Page last modified: 11:10 AM, 10 Jul 2000 ET Page author: [email protected] Copyright © 2000, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/intro.html (2 of 2) [10/31/2000 10:41:18 AM] ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual S1C1 Section I: The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Previous | Next · PSCM Contents Chapter One: Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization, is eligible for membership in the ARES. The only qualification, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license, is a sincere desire to serve. Because ARES is an amateur service, only amateurs are eligible for membership. The possession of emergency-powered equipment is desirable, but is not a requirement for membership. 1.1 ARES Organization There are four levels of ARES organization--national, section, district and local. National emergency coordination at ARRL Headquarters is under the supervision of the ARRL Field Services Manager, who is responsible for advising all ARES officials regarding their problems, maintaining contact with federal government and other national officials concerned with amateur emergency communications potential, and in general with carrying out the League's policies regarding emergency communications. 1.2 Section Level At the section level, the Section Emergency Coordinator is appointed by the Section Manager (who is elected by the ARRL members in his or her section) and works under his/her supervision. In most sections, the SM delegates to the SEC the administration of the section emergency plan and the authority to appoint District and local ECs. Some of the ARRL sections with capable SECs are well-organized. A few have scarcely any organization at all. It depends almost entirely on who the section members have put into office as SM and whom he/she has appointed as SEC. 1.3 Local Level It is at the local level where most of the real emergency organizing gets accomplished, because this is the level at which most emergencies occur and the level at which ARES leaders make direct contact with the ARES member-volunteers and with officials of the agencies to be served. The local EC is therefore the key contact in the ARES. The EC is appointed by the SEC, usually on the recommendation of the DEC. Depending on how http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/sec1-ch1.html (1 of 5) [10/31/2000 10:41:19 AM] ARRLWeb: Public Service Communications Manual S1C1 the SEC has set up the section for administrative purposes, the EC may have jurisdiction over a small community or a large city, an entire county or even a group of counties. Whatever jurisdiction is assigned, the EC is in charge of all ARES activities in his area, not just one interest group, one agency, one club or one band. 1.4 District Level In the large sections, the local groups could proliferate to the point where simply keeping track of them would be more than a full-time chore, not to mention the idea of trying to coordinate them in an actual emergency. To this end, SECs have the option of grouping their EC jurisdictions into logical units or "districts" and appointing a District EC to coordinate the activities of the local ECs in the district. In some cases, the districts may conform to the boundaries of governmental planning or emergency-operations districts, while in others they are simply based on repeater coverage or geographical boundaries. Figure 2 depicts the typical section ARES structure. 1.5 Assistant ECs Special-interest groups are headed up by Assistant Emergency Coordinators, designated by the EC to supervise activities of groups operating in certain bands, especially those groups which play an important role at the local level, but they may be designated in any manner the EC deems appropriate. 1.6 Planning Committee These assistants, with the EC as chairman, constitute the local ARES planning committee and they meet together from time to time to discuss problems and plan projects to keep the ARES group active and well-trained. There are any number of different situations and circumstances that might confront an EC, and his/her ARES unit should be organized in anticipation of them. An EC for a small town might find that the licensed amateur group is so small that appointing assistants is unnecessary or undesirable. On the other hand, an EC for a large city may find that even his assistants need assistants and that sometimes it is necessary to set up a special sub-organization to handle it. There is no specific point at which organization ceases and operation commences. Both phases must be concurrent because a living organization is a changing one, and the operations of a changing organization must change with the organization. 1.7 Operation and Flexibility We have discussed how a typical ARES unit may be organized. Just what shape the plan in your locality will take depends on what your EC has to work with. He/she uses what he/she has, and leaves provision in the plan for what he/she hopes, wants and is trying to http://www2.arrl.org/field/pscm/sec1-ch1.html (2 of 5) [10/31/2000 10:41:19 AM]