ACES Drills

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ACES Drills

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There are two types of drills that occur on a regularly scheduled basis. The first is the monthly RACES Drill, called COMMEX, or communications exercise. These drills are scheduled on the 2nd Tuesday of the Month and last for an hour or less. There is usually no COMMEX during the months of July and August.

The second regularly scheduled drill is the annual SET, at this time we are not certain that ACES will participate in the SET. This drill us usually held early in October. This drill is planned by the leadership of the Maryland D. C. Section of the ARRL. Given their guidance the details of the drill are refined by the local leadership. The state leadership plans for a drill the might last as long as six hours.

Current details of the drills are listed in the table below.

Local Commex Drills - 2010:

Date	State Scenario	Local Support
January 12, 2010	Exercise Scenario for January 12, 2010 will be a Space Weather Event involving a major solar wind with disruptive properties that will affect both communications systems and the global power grid.	Our local COMMEX for January will consist of passing a SITREP using simplex communications . We will hold to the 2 meter frequencies, the 146.94 repeater and our primary simplex frequency, 146.43. During the net we will be asking for information regarding the possibility of using other modes. Please check you manuals to refresh your ability to put your rig in CTCSS modes. We included with our latest newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz.
February 9, 2010	Exercise Scenario for February 9, 2010 will be Major Ice Storm affecting the mid-Atlantic Region. A building fire has compromised the State Emergency Operation and Maryland Joint Operation Centers. Relocation efforts are underway during which time RACES connectivity to MEMA uses < [email protected] >. No voice communications to MEMA Command and Control is initially available.	Our local COMMEX for February will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we will be asking for information regarding the possibility of using other modes. We included with our latest newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz.
March 9, 2010	Exercise Scenario for March 9, 2010 will be a Medical Emergency Transportation Coordination Network Operation.	Our local COMMEX for March will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we hope to operate from both the Hospital and Elliott Parkway. It is hoped that we will participate in the State Commex from Elliott Parkway as well. We will include with our March newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz.
April 9, 2010	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for April will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are scheduled to operate from the Elliott Parkway classroom C. Our plan is to run the local net and participate in the MD. COMMEX from that location. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our April newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
May 11, 2010*	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for May will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Elliott Parkway . Our plan is to run the local net and participant in the MD. COMMEX from that location if than can be arranged. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our April newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
June 8, 2010*	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for June will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Elliott Parkway . Our plan is to run the local net and participate in the MD. COMMEX from that location if than can be arranged. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our April newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
July 13, 2010*	No information available at this time	The local COMMEX for July will be a communications equipment check. We may also go over some SKYWARN operations standards.
Aug. 10, 2010*	No information available at this time	The local COMMEX for August will be a communications equipment check. We may also go over some more of the SKYWARN operations standards.
Sept. 14 2010*	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for September will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Elliott Parkway . Our plan is to run the local net and participate in the MD. COMMEX from that location if than can be arranged. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our April newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
Oct. 12, 2010*		Our local COMMEX for October will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Washington County Hospital. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our October newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
Nov. 16, 2010*	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for November will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Elliott Parkway . We will include with our November newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
Dec. 14, 2010*	Usually there is not a State COMMEX in December	Our local COMMEX for December will be an equipment and mode check We will move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call then we will move to 10 M (28.450 MHz +/- ) We will include with our December newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form for future use.

^{* The local COMMEX activities for these months
may change as conditions dictate.}

Local Commex Drills: - 2011:

Date	State Scenario	Local Support
January 11, 2011	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for January will consist of passing a SITREP using simplex communications . We will hold to the 2 meter frequencies, the 146.94 repeater and our primary simplex frequency, 146.43. During the net we will be asking for information regarding the possibility of using other modes. Please check you manuals to refresh your ability to put your rig in CTCSS modes. We included with our latest newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz.
February 8, 2011	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for February will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we will be asking for information regarding the possibility of using other modes. We included with our latest newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz.
March 8, 2011	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for March will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we hope to operate from both the Hospital and Elliott Parkway. It is hoped that we will participate in the State Commex from Elliott Parkway as well. We will include with our March newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz.
April 12, 2011	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for April will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are scheduled to operate from the Elliott Parkway classroom C. Our plan is to run the local net and participate in the MD. COMMEX from that location. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our April newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
May 10, 2011*	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for May will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Elliott Parkway . Our plan is to run the local net and participant in the MD. COMMEX from that location if than can be arranged. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our April newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
June 7, 2011*	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for June will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Elliott Parkway . Our plan is to run the local net and participate in the MD. COMMEX from that location if than can be arranged. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our April newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
July 12, 2011*	No information available at this time	The local COMMEX for July will be a communications equipment check. We may also go over some SKYWARN operations standards.
Aug. 9, 2011*	No information available at this time	The local COMMEX for August will be a communications equipment check. We may also go over some more of the SKYWARN operations standards.
Sept. 13, 2011*	Usually the September drill is an equipment check	Our local COMMEX for September will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Elliott Parkway . Our plan is to run the local net and participate in the MD. COMMEX from that location if than can be arranged. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our April newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
Oct. 11, 2011*		Our local COMMEX for October will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Washington County Hospital. This net should not last the full hour. At the end of the net on the repeater we can try a 10 meter net if there is any interest. We will try to work on or about 28.340 MHz. We will include with our October newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
Nov. 8, 2011*	No information available at this time	Our local COMMEX for November will consist of passing a SITREP and an ICS-213 using the 146.940 repeater. We then move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call and to pass a simple ICS-213. During the net we are hoping to operate from the Elliott Parkway . We will include with our November newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form.
Dec. 13, 2011*	Usually there is not a State COMMEX in December	Our local COMMEX for December will be an equipment and mode check We will move to our primary simplex frequency, 146.43 for roll call then we will move to 10 M (28.450 MHz +/- ) We will include with our December newsletter both a SITREP form and an ICS-213 form for future use.

^{* The local COMMEX activities for these months
may change as conditions dictate.}

Field Day

Date	Location	Structure
June 26 and 27, 2010	Ruritan Park Leitersburg, MD	TBD

SET

Date

Purpose/Scenario

Local Support

October 2, 3, 2010

Purpose of SET

To find out the strengths and weaknesses of ARES, NTS, RACES and other groups in providing emergency communications.
To provide a public demonstration--to served agencies such as the American Red Cross, the emergency management agency and through the news media--of the value to the public that Amateur Radio provides, particularly in time of need.
To help radio amateurs gain experience in communications using standard procedures and a variety of modes under simulated-emergency conditions.

Format

TBD

The preliminary plans call for ACES to participate in the SET through the support of the Brierman Triathlon Events.

The purposes of this drill would probably be very close to the number 2 and 3 purposes found in the column to the left.

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Copyright � 2012 Washington County ACES

This page was last modified on December 12, 2012

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Send mail to [email protected] with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright � 2012 Washington County ACES

Send mail to [email protected] with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright � 2012 Washington County ACES