Amateur Radio donates thousands of man hours of supplementary public service communications in civil emergencies, official drills and events such as parades and marathons each year. Such events show Amateur Radio in its best light, and it is critically important that ARRL bring documentation of this public service work to the attention of the Congress, the FCC and other public officials. Your information below is an important addition to the record. Please complete and return this form to the Public Service Branch at ARRL Headquarters. Thank you.

1. Nature of activity (Check one).

2. Brief description of activity: Communications Exercise

3. Places or areas involved: Anchorage, AK; Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Alaska

4. Number of amateurs participating: 23

5. Event start date/time: 27 Oct 98/2017L             6. Event end date/time: 27 Oct 98/2049L

7. Duration of event (hours): .5                               8. Total man-hours: 11.5

9. Number of repeaters used: 0

10. Estimated manpower cost: $115 (man-hours times $10/hr)

11. Estimated cost of equipment used: $8,050 (hand-helds, repeaters, etc.)

12. Total estimated cost of service: $8,165 (add amounts from lines 10 and 11)

13. Nets and/or frequencies used (including repeater call signs): Big City Simplex Net, 146.52 MHz; subnet on 146.46 MHz; subnet on 446.4 MHz.

14. Number of messages handled: Continuous exercise tactical traffic.

15. Names of agencies receiving communications support: N/A. Communications training exercise.

16. Please list call signs of amateurs who were major participants: KL0CY, WL7BER, WL7CKB, NL7NN, KL7GLU, WL7NJ, KL0KQ, N9CQ, KL5T, KC5ZLV, WL7NS, KL0MP, KL4E, KL7HHO, AL7RE, N5JUM, WB7SFO, KL7HIU, WL7CLX, KL0MQ, WL7WH, WL7WK, KL0IU

17. Other comments: See attached exercise summary.

Please attach photos of amateurs in action, newspaper clippings or other data.

_____________________________________________________________________

Name of Amateur Radio organization providing service: South Central Radio Club, Anchorage Amateur Radio Club, ARES

Location of organization: City or town: Anchorage        State: AK

Your name: Larry K. Petty Call sign: KL5T

Address: 2631 W. 27th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99517

ARRL appointment, if any: ASM, VE, ARES             e-mail address: [email protected]

Telephone:  (907) 552-2448     (907) 248-3864
                            (days)                    (evenings)

I attest that the information provided above is complete and true to the best of my knowledge.
 

//SIGNED//
LARRY K. PETTY                                                                                                               27 Oct 98

A communications exercise (COMMEX 981004) was held on the Big City Simplex VHF phone net on 27 Oct 98. The net is held each Tuesday evening at 2000L on 146.52 MHz. After net check-ins tapered off, net control, KL0CY, kicked off the exercise.

The overall goal of the exercise was to achieve 100 percent participation. The objectives were to determine how many stations had 440 MHz capability, direct selected stations to subnets on 146.52 MHz and 446.4 MHz (based on that determination), have those stations contact fellow hams not already checked into the net and request they check in, and (cross our fingers) to have has many of the contacted stations as possible check in on 146.52 MHz

I believe this was yet another very successful exercise. We had 16 stations checked into the net when we commenced the exercise. Thirteen stations, or 81 percent of those participated in the event, and that's down from 100 percent participation last week. Nine stations, or 56 percent of exercise participants indicated they had 440 MHz capability, while the remaining 7 stations, or 44 percent indicated they had 2-meter only capability. Ten stations, or 77 percent of directed stations successfully changed to their assigned frequency, while 6 stations, or 60 percent of them were able to contact a fellow ham. Eleven of the twelve notified stations, or 92 percent, actually followed up and checked in to the Net. This exercise commenced at 2017L and terminated at 2049L, for a total elapsed time of 32 minutes.

There were many instructions given out during this exercise which required participating stations to pay close attention to successfully act upon net control's instructions. Generally, very good net discipline was noted throughout the exercise. However, as with any exercise, a couple minor areas were identified that could be improved:

- At least one station had some difficulty changing frequency. This was one of the prime objectives of the exercise, and showed how important it is to be familiar with our equipment.

- One of the contacted stations actually showed up on 146.52 well after the net. The reason for the delay was the individual had to dig out the power supply for the radio. Again, a need for preparedness clearly demonstrated.

- One station acknowledged understanding of net control's instructions, but actually didn't receive the info. This station was persistant enough though to stick with it, and eventually got back on track and successfully completed the assigned tasks. GREAT JOB!

- KL5T actually encountered a bad 440 MHz antenna. This was rather troubling and did cause a delay of the operation on 446.4 MHz. Lesson learned, and antenna flagged for replacement!

Other than these lessons learned, everyone did a GREAT job, and should be proud of their operating skills. Between the calls put out to fellow hams due to the exercise, and additional late checkins, the net role doubled from 16 stations at exercise excecution time to 32 at the end of the net!

A hearty congratulations goes out to the following exercise participants:

KL0CY
KL0KQ
KL4E
WL7CLX
WL7BER
N9CQ
KL7HHO
KL0MQ
WL7CKB
KL5T
AL7RE
WL7WH
NL7NN
KC5ZLV
N5JUM
WL7WK
KL7GLU
WL7NS
WB7SFO
KL0IU
WL7NJ
KL0MP
KL7HIU

A special thanks goes out to KL0CY and WL7CKB for their assistance.

Again, many thanks to those who participated. I highly encourage all to script a communications exercise.

73,

de KL5T
 
 

Following is the script for the exercise:

STATE: "Attention all net stations, attention all net stations, this is KL5T. This net will now conduct a communications exercise. This exercise is identified as COMMEX 981004. I repeat, this net will now conduct a communications exercise. The current time is 2017L.

STATE: "The purpose of this exercise is to practice our ability to follow net control's instructions, operate our equipment, and notify fellow hams of a need for service. Our goal is 100 percent participation. Roll call follows."

Conduct roll requesting net stations report if they have 440 MHz capability.

Be sure to ask for additional check ins.

STATE: "This is KL5T. Please standby."

STATE: "Attention all net stations, attention all net stations. This is KL5T executing COMMEX 981004. The following stations are to change frequency to 146.46 MHz and standby for roll. Respond to me with your callsign and a 'roger' to indicate you've received your instructions"

Go down the list call by call for each station with 2-meter only capability, excluding KL0CY and WL7CKB.

STATE: "Attention all net stations, attention all net stations. This is KL5T. The following stations are to change frequency to 446.4 MHz and standby for roll. Respond with a roger to indicate you've received your instructions"

Go down the list call by call for each station with 440 capability, excluding KL0CY and WL7CKB.

STATE: "KL0CY this is KL5T. Please standby on this frequency for additional checkins. This is KL5T changing frequency to 446.4 MHz."

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Conduct a roll call based on the list of stations directed to this frequency by KL5T.

Once roll call is complete, STATE: "Attention all stations. Contact a fellow ham not already checked into the Big City Simplex Net by whatever means you have available. Advise them we are testing notification procedures and that their immediate checkin to the Big City Simplex Net on 146.52 MHz would be greatly appreciated. Once you have contacted this individual, report back to me who you contacted. Are there any fills?"

Once stations report back to you, log who they have contacted, then advise the reporting station to change frequency back to 146.52 and check back with net control to advise they have returned.

Once ALL stations have reported back to you, change frequency back to 146.52, check back in with KL0CY, and advise him of the stations he should be expecting to hear from.

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Conduct a roll call based on the list of stations directed to this frequency by KL5T.

Once roll call is complete, STATE: "Attention all stations. Contact a fellow ham not already checked into the Big City Simplex Net by whatever means you have available. Advise them we are testing notification procedures and that their immediate checkin to the Big City Simplex Net on 146.52 MHz would be greatly appreciated. Once you have contacted this individual, report back to me who you contacted. Are there any fills?"

Once stations report back to you, log who they have contacted, then advise the reporting station to change frequency back to 146.52 and check back with net control to advise they have returned.

Once ALL stations have reported back to you, change frequency back to 146.52, check back in with KL0CY, and advise him of the stations he should be expecting to hear from.

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Advise net control we should continue calling for the expected stations for 5-10 minutes.

Once it appears no additional stations will checkin, declare ENDEX.

STATE: "This is ENDEX, or end of exercise. All stations please standby for a brief exercise summary. The current time is 2049L. KL0CY, I'll be off for a few minutes calculating some statistics and will report back shortly. This is KL5T."

Calculate exercise metrics based on the data collected, and announce the following:

"All net stations, the following are preliminary exercise results:

STATE: We had 16 stations checked into the net this evening when we commenced the exercise. Thirteen stations, or 81 percent of those participated in the event, and that's down from 100 percent participation last week. Nine stations, or 56 percent of exercise participants indicated they had 440 MHz capability, while the remaining 7 stations, or 44 percent indicated they had 2-meter only capability. Ten stations, or 77 percent of directed stations successfully changed to their assigned frequency, while 6 stations, or 60 percent of them were able to contact a fellow ham. Eleven of the twelve notified stations, or 92 percent, actually followed up and checked in to the Net. This exercise commenced at 2017L and terminated at 2049L, for a total elapsed time of 32 minutes. Are there any comments or suggestions?"

Note any comments or suggestions for inclusion into the written exercise summary.

STATE: "This is (CALLSIGN), net control for the Big City Simplex Net COMMEX. I want to thank all net stations for their participation in the exercise this evening. A written summary will be provided in the SCRC and AARC newsletters. I highly encourage net members to take the time to script communications exercises of their own, either for insertion into scheduled nets, or for upcoming monthly COMMEXs. Please contact me, (CALLSIGN); or any radio club or ARES officer or participant if you'd like to become more involved in our effort to improve and enhance our emergency communications preparedness. We need your help"

Turn the net back to net control.

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The following data should be collected:

1. Note the time of the initial call announcing STARTEX.

2. Note the total number of stations participating in the net at STARTEX, to include net control.

3. Note the total number of stations that accepted exercise instructions.

4. Note how many exercise stations were 440 MHz capable.

5. Note how many exercise stations were 2-meter only capable.

6. Note how many exercise stations reported to their assigned frequency.

7. Note how many exercise stations indicated they successfully contacted a fellow ham.

8. Note how many stations checked into the net based on the exercise request.

7. Note the time of ENDEX.

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