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Author Topic: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....  (Read 3892 times)

AI7PM

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Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« on: June 09, 2018, 03:44:39 PM »

I'd like to hear from others about how EmComm nets are conducted in their group, area, or region.

Is it just another rag chew? Somewhat formal? Highly disciplined?
Does everyone use/practice good mic technique, (ie: no breath popping, breathing into mic, proper volume and rate of speech, use courtesy tone)?
Plain English and standard ITU, or jargon, Q-codes, and one's own style?
Brevity?
Openly give AND take critique from fellow operators on technique?

I'm fortunate to be in an area where I can listen (2m/70cm) to many other groups, as well as three regional nets on linked systems. The procedures are diverse, and sometimes contrast greatly from one county/district/organization to the adjacent county/district/organization.

Just collecting data, or ideas you want to share.
Details/data/examples only please. No slams/comments on the "Wannabes, Whackers, Green Tuxedos" etc. We all know about them already.
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KG7LEA

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2018, 04:43:17 PM »

Definitely "formal and directed" and so stated at the top of the net. In our city and county we take turns so that new operators have experience being net control. The opening script is as follows:

"Good evening! This is __________, my call is __________, and I am located in the __________ sector.
Welcome to the Monday Night Information Net.
Is there any emergency or priority traffic for the net tonight? (Pause)

This net meets to exchange information, to check the functioning of our radios, and to keep members in practice with current net procedures. Should we experience a failure of the repeater system during the net, we will attempt to continue operating in simplex mode on the output frequency.

Please remember that this is a FORMAL and DIRECTED net.

First, are there any Echolink or IRLP Internet Connections wanting to check in now? (Pause for 10 seconds.)

Next, we will take member station check-ins. Then, we will do Announcements. And finally, we will take visitor check-ins.

When you check in, please key-up, wait two seconds, and then give me:
Your call sign, spelled out using the ITU Phonetic Alphabet
Your first name
Your current sector location; if you are unsure, then what neighborhood are you in or near
Whether you have any announcements, and if so, whether voice or digital

I will confirm each station checking into the net. If you don’t hear me acknowledge that you checked in, call me again before I move on to the next group.

Once again, this is __________, my call is __________, and I am located in the __________ sector.

First are member check-ins. Visitors should not check in until later."

Instead of doing a roll call, stations check in by groups. Sometimes there are pileups, but that is good practice. We make certain that the net is over in half an hour to accommodate another scheduled net.
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N5CM

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2018, 07:59:33 PM »

Our local ARES net is formal and directed.

The net control station uses a preamble similar to the one shown above. 
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K6CPO

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2018, 01:35:57 PM »

One weekly net (Sunday mornings) we have here is very similar to the one detailed above, but starts with a roll call of all the Emergency Coordinators and other personnel in positions of authority—Section Manager, Assistant Section Managers, Section Emergency Coordinator, Section Public Information Coordinator, etc.  If these people have any announcements, they give them, in turn, at the end of the EC roll call.  This is followed by a general roll call of members who have signed up previously.  If anyone is absent from the net for three consecutive weeks, they are removed from the roll call.
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AI7PM

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2018, 04:49:57 PM »

Ok, so I have two saying directed and formal. I'll assume that's the usual ARES format. What about the other items I mention, during the course of the directed/formal net?

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KG7LEA

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2018, 05:01:04 PM »

What about the other items I mention, during the course of the directed/formal net?


No breath popping, no Q codes, phonetics are UTC pretty much. The formality sets a professional tone. When we activate for drills or public service events or operationally we want to demonstrate to emergency managers that we are reliable.
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KC2QYM

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2018, 09:09:02 AM »

There's nothing glamorous or remotely exciting about our RACES emergency net.  The every other Wednesday schedule exists to ensure that our volunteers are committed to showing up at the OEM, emergency center, etc. and are prepared to check in exhibiting business like operating skills. Attendance and promptness is key so when the net starts all are ready to pass traffic as required.  It's not a chit chat net and shouldn't be.  The net control script is known to all stations as each will in turn act as net control in subsequent net nights. The read down of the station call out roster follows the same order every two weeks.  The net duration lasts about fifteen minutes and now covers about fifteen towns and three medical centers in our county.  Again, very cut and dry.  For those reading this who are not involved in emergency service groups and their associated nets please be aware; radio nets function as a very important auxiliary communications tool, not an extension of ham radio rag chews.  You have to be committed to providing a communications tool to the served agencies and dedicated preparation is key.
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KG6LI

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2018, 10:56:30 PM »

We use our net as an opportunity to polish some of our skills. This typically involves practicing with 213 messages and using part of the net for the digital guys to pass the message out of the region. We encourage the other cooperating organizations to participate and their individual groups are given an opportunity to give a report on their activities.

I found with time that simple check-in/check-out nets tend to bleed off members.

Mark
KG6LI - Temecula Valley ARES
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KI7RPM

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2018, 11:53:50 PM »

I belong to two nets here in Arizona
one being the saguaronts net
the other being ATEN (Arizona Traffic and Emergency Net)
they are directed nets all Communications are directed by a Net Control Station
we practice receiving and sending ARRL Radiograms into and out of our service area
as well as out of state messages Via Digital radio
we also practice with the ICS 213 form used by FEMA
the saguaro nts group just had a practice exercise two weeks ago with the OEM here in Pima County AZ 
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KJ4HVL

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2018, 05:42:53 AM »

We run 2 nets on our fledgling repeater network. 3 repeaters cover about the entire ARES district.

The first net is a "public service" net, and the second is the ARES practice net. Both begin with a preamble, announcements, prioritized check-ins, regular check-ins (organized by county, and then last letter of call if needed), then a report of the check-ins.

The PS net is less formal and includes more audio reports, and "sittin' on the porch enjoying the weather" type comments.

The ares nets are kept short and request station details to be logged/reported. "Location, Power Source, Is backup power available?, Current power output, Max Power Output" Occasionally the NWS will jump in and request Snowfall measurements if we've had a recent snowstorm (We are in mountainous KY where the radar can't really measure snowfall well).
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LYFAN

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RE: Your NETS? ARES, RACES, AuxComm.....
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2019, 07:47:19 PM »

Any formal emcom/auxcom net, conducted by any group (ARES, RACES, or other) that is a recognized participant in formal responses, will be conducted according to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and other first-level federal protocols and standards.

And that means, expressly NO JARGON. NIMS prohibits that. NO Q-CODES, PLAIN ENGLISH. ITU Phonetics, yes.

If the OP gets involved in any formal training or just gets a start from the FEMA online standards and the federal (thick and boring) upper level guides...they make it clear.

Private local groups can do whatever they want, and they'll do it with varying levels of proficiency. But yes, there are federal standards and responders are expected to comply with them. And if you are "responding" in a mutual aid situation or out of your local area, you really look the hick fool if everyone else if up to the standards, and you're unable to comply. The folks in charge may just send you home.
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