From: Ed Harris [[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 1999 8:43 AM
Subject: Blackburg Handout on the VEN


Introduction - The Virginia Emergency Nets exist to provide communications for State and local governments, and other served agencies, in time of emergency and for periodic drills.

Coverage - The primary coverage area of the Virginia Emergency Nets is the State of Virginia. Establishment of inter-section nets may be determined by state or local needs.

Activation and duration - The VEN shall be activated by the SEC, SM, STM or designated representatives.

NM Responsibilities - Each NM shall arrange NCS schedules after their particular net has been called. NCS shifts generally limited to 2 hours.
Qualifications

• NCS and liaison stations must be knowledgeable of net discipline and proper traffic handling procedures.
• NCS must maintain net discipline at all times, and is responsible for frequency coordination and maintenance.

Net Discipline - The Virginia Emergency Nets are formal directed nets and shall always be operated as such. NCS must maintain strict control of the Net, especially during emergencies. Informals and comments should be allowed only when they are operationally necessary.

Procedures for Emergency Nets - Most emergencies require a "fly by the seat of your pants" approach to some extent. There are, however, standard operating procedures which should always be followed.

I. Net call-up

Briefly Identify Net and NCS:

Which net, why it is being called now, who is NCS, where located (for beam heading). Avoid long call ups!

Identify key receive stations:

such as the Virginia EOC, those in affected areas, and designated liaisons.

Don't wait until you need liaisons to call for them!

Failure to do so causes confusion.

II. Traffic

Call for emergency, priority, or welfare traffic first.

III. Routing

In high traffic loads it isn't possible to determine routing for all traffic to be passed at once.

As soon as traffic can be handled, begin calling for outlets and get things moving! Then go back and continue listing.

The proper use of side frequencies is very important in high traffic loads. Use them wisely.

IV. Use of relays and alternate frequencies

When poor HF conditions or loss of repeaters make operations difficult, NCS has 3 alternatives:

- First Choice is the use of relays.

- Second is to move stations with traffic to the alternate frequency, (if conditions there are better).

- ONLY as a last resort should you move the net to the alternate net frequency. This is because some stations get "lost in the shuffle".

V. Check-ins

General check-ins should be called for only if time and traffic loads permit.

Always remember that the purpose of Virginia Emergency Nets is to provide emergency communications, match up needs with assets and move on, not just to fill up a roster!

VI. Closure

Emergency Nets shall remain in operation until instructions for closure are received.

VII. Reporting

Net controls are responsible for reporting net stats to the proper NM.

VIII. Conclusion

The most important function of any Net is that of the Net Control Station, who must be able to "take charge" and maintain control and direction of the net.

There should always be an alternate net control station who can take over if operating conditions change or if the primary NCS must leave the air (active thunderstorm, tornado takes the tower down, etc.)