2016 ARRL Simulated Emergency Test

Over the past few SETs, we have exercised NBEMS, Packet, HF Phone and CW, in one case, even D-STAR.  But it has been quite a while since we tested our bread and butter; VHF/UHF radiotelephone. Indeed, the ability to effectively use phone relays is really key to our ability to respond.

For SET 2016, we will rely on VHF and UHF relays.  We might still use repeaters, providing those repeaters have backup power, but no Internet or telephone linking.  RF linking is OK.

SET 2016 will use a very large Coronal Mass Ejection as the scenario.  A fairly large CME was blamed for a 1989 outage across much of Quebec.  Much larger CMEs occur about once every 100 years, and we are overdue.  A CME similar to one recorded in 1859 would be devastating with today's dependence on technology.

Since a CME produces an HF blackout, Districts that relay on HF for in-District communications will need to come up with another plan.

The SEOC cannot reach Districts 7 and 8 by VHF, so District 3 will have to relay that traffic to District 7; 7 will then relay to 8.

The DECs will act as exercise controllers, providing injects according to a schedule with they already have.  When a DEC has to play, then he will need to select an alternate to act as controller since the exercise controller may not also be an exercise player.

Even though we are simulating a total loss of traditional infrastructure, stations are still encouraged to maintain their station status in the MI-CIMS Station Status Board.

 An incident has been set up for this exercise:
TRN-2016-10-08-ARRL Simulated Emergency Test

The SEOC will send and receive traffic from the Districts on a preassigned schedule. The frequencies are outlined in the 205 on MI-CIMS.  DECs already have this information.

As usual, we have left plenty of time for individual counties to prepare activities allowing them to test those capabilities important to their local jurisdiction.

The 2016 Participant Guide is available here.  Links will be sent to all the ECs around the first of October.  Note that the Controller Guide and Master Scenario Event List are password protected.  Only the Participant Guide is freely available until after the exercise.

Monitoring Emergency Frequencies

The recent spates of bad weather have served to remind us of the importance of monitoring our emergency frequencies any time we suspect there may be an issue.  If someone really needs us, they are in deep trouble.  They need a place to go to get help and our frequencies are that place.

It would be nice if it were as simple as a single frequency.  But propagation isn't always a kind mistress, so we need to be prepared to operate on different bands depending on the mood of the sun, and different modes as different modes are affected differently by propagation.  Plus, someone with only simple equipment or little power available may need to operate CW, and only a relative handful of us can do that.  But if someone can afford a large power budget and has capable equipment, then modes that are easier for the untrained are possible.

Here in Michigan, we primarily use 3 bands; 80 is our default, 40 is for times of high flux, and 160 for low flux.  In practice, 40 is daytime, 80 is nighttime, but at the sunspot peak in the summer "daytime" might extend 24 hours, and at night in the winter during the sunspot minimum the flux may be low enough to demand 160.

Our frequencies are as follows:

            CW      NBEMS     SSB
   160     1.812    1.803    1.932
    80     3.563    3.583    3.932
    40     7.068    7.043    7.232

Note that we check CW at the top of the hour, NBEMS at quarter past, and SSB at the bottom of the hour. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: You should have these frequencies available on paper at your EOC station.  You may remember them, but you might not be the operator at your EOC when they are needed.

In addition to HF, monitoring should include your local repeater, 146.58 and 146.52.

We should use the 160 meter frequencies whenever the F2 critical frequency is below 4 MHz, and the 40 meter frequencies if the critical frequency is above 8 MHz.  If you have Internet available, you can check the Near-Real-Time F2-Layer Critical Frequency Map. If you really need to call out on these frequencies chances are you don't have the Internet.  So you should always be aware of where we are in the sunspot cycle.  Basically, 80 is the default, go up in frequency in the daytime, down at night, up near the solar maximum, down near the minimum.

You can also tell by listening.  If you can hear close in stations then you aren't too high in frequency.  If the noise is so high you can't hear anything, then you are probably too low in frequency.

For monitoring purposes, we use Olivia 8/500 for NBEMS.  MT-63 1K long works well too, as long as there aren't thunderstorms in the area, but for calling and monitoring, Olivia 8/500 is the ticket.  

For CW, call at a relatively low speed.   The Michigan CW nets operate at 20WPM or higher, but the station in trouble might not have that skill.  Call at 15WPM or less.

When monitoring, it is useful to announce your presence.  This shouldn't be some long dissertation, QRV de WB8RCR is adequate.  Even if you can't hear the station in trouble, them hearing you gives them some confidence that someone is listening and they should keep trying.

And also keep your station status up to date in MI-CIMS if at all possible whenever an incident is available.  The SEC watches this closely and has a number of communications paths to MSP.  If someone is in trouble it can be a huge help to know a station is on the air in a particular area.  If you don't have access to MI-CIMS, ask your county emergency management coordinator if access can be arranged.

So when there is any reason to suspect a problem, please monitor.  Even if you simply leave the radio on in the background on the appropriate frequency, it could be a real benefit to someone in trouble.