Net Operations
Many VHF and UHF local or semi-local nets operate in just about every mode authorized by the FCC. These include repeaters which, by their inherent nature, may be defined as nets, though they may be seldom, if ever, subject to net controls. Each of these nets has its own procedures, schedule and operating practices and many of them shift almost automatically from routine, casual operation to emergency mode.
It is not the intent of this plan to prescribe operating functions or procedures for any of these nets unless they are explicitly part of the County, District, or Section ARES program. Individual participation in almost any well conducted net in any mode, on any frequency is strongly recommended as a way to become familiar with nets and how they operate. The discussions below refer to and recommend procedures for ARES-affiliated circuits; however, most of these procedures work quite well in any well-disciplined traffic or emergency net.
Duties of Net Managers during emergency Operation:
Overall supervision of the net's operation to maintain net discipline and efficiency.
Reporting to both the SEC and the Appropriate DECs if an activated District is not consistently represented in the net by the GATEway stations.
Suggesting measures to the SEC to improve the existing ARES operation.
Selecting and assigning Net Control operators to keep the net going for long hours.
Arranging relief for NCS operators at reasonable intervals.
Replacing NCS operators who cannot maintain effective control of the net.
Reporting immediately to the SEC or SM any deliberate interference or persistent destructive interference of any kind.
Advising the SEC or his designee immediately of any disruption of net operations that the manager can't immediately handle.
Making sure that NCS operators adhere to guidelines for identifying GATEway stations and use them appropriately.
Calls of NOS operators and their times on and off duty.
Net frequency.
Changes of band conditions and interference levels.
Number of Priority messages handled by the net during each NCS duty shift.
Suggestions for further NCS and net member training.
Suggestions for changes in standing net procedures.
Writing prompt reports after emergency net operation ceases, using log entries and other available information.
Copies of this report should go by email to the SEC, SM, STM and the other net co-manager as the manager's shift ends. These reports should be used to guide discussions on subsequent sessions of NFAN for training, and for distribution via the Alaska ARES home page on the World Wide Web and via the ARES email list.
Section-wide coverage during an emergency is normally maintained using frequencies on 75- or 40-meter side-band. The Net Control operator on duty will decide whether to keep the net on its current frequency, or to move up or down a few kHz to avoid interference. However, if it becomes desirable to move the net to another band, the Net Manager on duty at the time decides whether to move the net and if so, to what band, frequency, and mode. The manager, after consulting the SEC, may also opt for running simultaneous sessions on two bands at once, or he may set up direct "hot-line" circuits for special purposes. For example, if conditions are unfavorable on 75 and 40 meters, a CW or digital circuit might be set up on an arbitrary frequency, perhaps on 30- or 160-meters, or via other digital modes, thus maintaining contact with critical locations while the net itself continues to operate on one of its normal frequencies.
The Emergency Net may operate simultaneously on both 40-meter and 75 meter, each with its own Net Control and its own set of side frequencies. The "primary net" is where net control is. Frequencies on either side of the primary net used for exchanging traffic, are called "secondary nets" or "side frequencies." The primary frequency and all its secondary frequencies are referred to collectively as "the net."
Traffic should not be handled on the primary frequency of the Emergency Net except during periods of light activity. If the net frequency becomes continuously busy, it blocks the listing and dispatching of traffic and the conduct of other business. Mobiles and other weak stations may have trouble being heard. if the net is handling much traffic off-frequency, the NCS or Net Manager should consider designating a separate frequency a secondary net for use by stations handling this traffic. And if a waiting line develops on the secondary net additional frequencies may be added to accept the overflow.
If operation is in Condition Red, and if FCC has declared a "voluntary communications emergency" for NFEN operation, these secondary nets should be operated within the channel specified by FCC. Very rarely, it may be necessary to ask FCC to widen the protected channel to make room for the additional net frequencies.
Under FCC regulations and international law, any person may use any available means at any time to summon help in an emergency. Any person may initiate emergency operations on any frequency. if this occurs in an Amateur band, control of the resulting net will rest with the station at the scene until a fixed-station operator can assume net control. A spontaneous net of this kind is not necessarily an ARES net however. ARES officials should be careful not to intrude if the net is already functional and getting the job done. ARES members should simply monitor the frequency and offer whatever aid is appropriate without disrupting the operations. If an ARES member or ARES official started the net however, or was requested by the station at the distress scene to assume control, the net should adopt standard ARES procedures.
Nets may also be activated by ARES officials on their own initiative or upon request from any agency supported by ARES. Each EC and DEC must have a well-designed plan for alerting local nets and ARES members. The highest ranking Alaska ARES official active in the operation will usually assume over-all control and should designate a temporary net control. Some Amateur Radio nets not affiliated with the ARRL or ARES operate in support of ships at sea, or of missionaries in Third World countries. Individual ARES members are encouraged to monitor these nets and to assist when possible with any distress traffic. However, they should remember that these nets are NOT ARES nets and their leaders may not need or want other parties involved.
Boroughs and Districts may be partially or fully alerted by their ECs and DECs as necessary. Local VHF and UHF repeaters are commonly used for emergency nets and usually require no special alerting.
Any EC or Assistant EC may put a County net on White or Orange status at any time, consistent with the Borough and District emergency plans. if the operation seems likely to continue for more than a few hours, the EC should notify the DEC, briefly describing the nature of the emergency.
The DEC may extend the alert to other Boroughs and Key Cities in his district at his/her discretion. Any DEC or assistant may put the District net on emergency status at any time, consistent with the District and Section emergency plans. The DEC will notify the SEC immediately by radiogram, email or telephone of any District operational alert.
Section HF net frequencies may be used in emergency at any time by ARES members or officials consistent with other emergency communications that may then be in progress on the frequency. Use of the net frequency is not the same thing as establishing an emergency net. When a local or District ARES official begins emergency use of an HF circuit, the SEC and Net Manager should be notified immediately by radio or landline. The SEC may (or may not) designate the ad hoc net as an emergency circuit at his/her discretion. The SEC or his designee will promptly notify the Section Manager, Net Manager and STM of any formal activation of the Section Emergency net on an NTS net frequency.
Once the operation is under way, it may be brief, or it could last for days. Relief operators must usually be recruited for ARES operations that last more than a few hours. Keeping each active operating position filled during a long operation is a necessary but time-consuming task that should not be allowed to interfere with the EC/DEC's other duties. Such recruiting is best conducted by the Administrative AEC - the one who keeps the ARES membership records and sends monthly reports to the DEC. If an EC believes he will exhaust the pool of reserve operators, he should advise the DEC and request reinforcements from other counties. If reserves within the District have been depleted, the DEC must advise the SEC of the need so that other Districts can be tapped for assistance.
Every effort should be made to assign trained, experienced ARES members to critical posts, avoiding "walk-ons" of unknown ability. Any broadcast" recruiting by public announcements must be authorized by the SEC. Operators recruited by such methods can create more problems than they solve.
Net control should not be located in a disaster area, where it could suffer from adverse conditions. Rather, NCS should be located so as to hear stations in the impacted area as well as possible.
The Net Manager should select net control operators on the basis of signal quality and strength and operating skills, and should take propagation into account. NCS will appoint relay stations as necessary.
A two-hour emergency-net control shift is the norm, but the NM will adjust this duty cycle as convenience and necessity require. GATEway stations should not be used as NCS, except perhaps during very slow activity hours, or when their GATEway services are not being utilized.
If destructive QRM occurs on an emergency net frequency, the SEC should be notified promptly by telephone or radio (but not on the net frequency). If the NCS is unable to move the troublesome station by polite request, the SM may ask the FCC to intervene.
During a WHITE Alert, each regular Section Net continues its accustomed meeting schedules. No NCS is usually assigned when the formal nets are not in session, but ARES members are asked to monitor the frequency as convenient, in case an activation should develop. Chit-chat, long silences and short random QSOs have their usual play on the frequency. That is "Monitor Mode" operation. It saves the energies of NCS operators and others for use when they are needed.
When NFEN is activated, its alert status changes to ORANGE. At that point, the net shifts to "directed mode" and a Net Control operator designated by the Net Manager assumes control of the frequency in the name of the Alaska Emergency Net. Thereafter, for the duration of the activation, stations wishing to contact other stations through the net must first access Net Control by saying "Net Control" or "Net Control from KG4ZZZ" and waiting for NCS to reply.
During directed operation, NCS calls a roll of GATEway stations in activated Districts at least hourly depending on the level of activity. NCS will ask all stations to listen for weak signals, but net control operators should not maintain a constant chant, even when the frequency would otherwise seem idle be-cause of slow business or quirky conditions. Constant transmissions can interfere with stations trying to contact the net.
In order to keep the primary net frequency as uncluttered as possible, it is used primarily as a dispatch frequency. Stations with Welfare and Priority traffic are normally sent to a side frequency to handle it.
Distress calls made on the primary net frequency, however, are always handled on that frequency and all other net business ceases until the distress traffic is cleared. Net status automatically shifts to Directed Mode, Condition RED, until all distress traffic has cleared.
If the activity level is very low, the net frequency is maintained primarily for formal Priority traffic or tactical traffic (i.e. ARES coordination). See "Policies and Definitions" section above.
If curious operators ask what's going on, NCS should have a brief, "canned" response ready, such as: "We're supporting the National Weather Service in a weather emergency."
NCS should respond immediately if other stations, not realizing the frequency is occupied, try to begin operation there. A polite but firm request to respect the emergency frequency is usually all that's required. A slight shift in frequency by the emergency net should be made if reasonably necessary. The SM or SEC should be notified if interference becomes destructive and persistent or seems to be intentional If the NCS is unable to move the troublesome station by polite request, the FCC may be asked to intervene.