Carlsbad Irrigation District Ham Radio SET

-- After Action Report --

 

What, When, Where

Ø      Simulated Emergency Test (SET), based on Carlsbad Irrigation District (CID) Tabletop
Exercise held in September 2008.  Simulated support for County Emergency Managers during a major flood event, necessitating the "controlled" release of water from three CID dams: Sumner Dam, Brantley Dam, and Avalon Dam

Ø      Saturday, 11 October 2008 -- during the ARRL fall ARES SET time period

Ø      Stations were at their assigned location from 0930 to 1100 MDT

Ø      Involved 22 locations along 180 miles of the Pecos River, from the Puerto de Luna river gauge in the north to the Malaga river gauge in the south. See page 5 for map of area covered.

In this scenario, we supported the Emergency Managers and Dam Tenders in three counties during flood conditions.  One or more of the three CID dams were "over-topping," with the dam tenders needing to make a "controlled release" of life threatening flood waters -- into an already swollen river.  We reported river levels to the emergency managers as a "heads-up" in advance of the water release.  The release isolated citizens from fire, police, and EMS assistance, due to closed bridges and roads.  An evacuation of the projected inundation area was needed in Eddy County. 

 

Could this have actually happened?  Yes, when one or more hurricane remnants track through eastern New Mexico, during an already wet year.

 

We used realistic numbers for all the gauges along the river, based on NWS Hydrologic Prediction Service criteria.  The dam "elevation and rate-of-rise" information was right out of the Dam Tender's EAPs.


Objectives

Ø      Validate the ability of southeastern NM ARES hams to provide coordinated communication among specific Pecos River Valley gauge, bridge, dam, and emergency manager locations

Ø      Verify location of and access to river gauges, bridges, and low-water crossings that might need monitoring in the event of a flood, including tributaries (some of the gauges were not easy to find)

Ø      Validate the ability of our hams to provide back-up communication for the dam tenders

Who Involved

Ø      ARES hams from Southeastern New Mexico (see page 4 for specific assignments)

Ø      Several other hams who checked-in when "general check-ins" were called for

Ø      Eddy County Emergency Manager, Chaves County Emergency Manager (who aided preparations, but was out of town during the SET), and Debaca Co. Commissioner

 

Results and Conclusions

Ø      Twenty-two ham participants from Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Debaca, and Curry Counties -- sixteen were actually mobile with a view of a dam, river gauge, bridge or low-water crossing

Ø      We met the objectives of the SET for a 1-1/2 hour time period and probably could have "held out" for up to 10 hours.  But, we clearly would need help from other counties for a prolonged event of this type.

Ø      The net control stations (NCS) need more than one operator at each station, and need "scribes" to assist with the paperwork

Ø      Radio communication "down in the valley" is not easy, but can be reliable if multiple repeaters, simplex, and HF is all used

Ø      Portable VHF and UHF antennas on masts are needed in some locations and desirable in all.  Mobile antennas are inadequate in low-lying areas.  NVIS HF antennas can "save the day" (See antenna photos on pages 6 and 7)

Ø      The MegaLink does not work for multiple, simultaneous events involving different parts of the state

Ø      The Caudill Ranch, Claud, and Gallinas Peak repeaters are of little value in the Pecos Valley, due to an almost complete lack of coverage

Ø      APRS was valuable, but only two stations were sending beacons (a couple more evidently forgot to bring theirs)

Ø      W5TIC demonstrated the value of a satellite GPS beacon system marketed as SPOT Satellite Messenger (much like ham APRS, but better coverage due to the use of satellites)

Ø      The holiday weekend may have resulted in fewer participants?
 

Comments

Ø      Wow!  When you guys have an exercise, you do it up right!  I was highly impressed with how things went ....  I was way impressed the way the NVIS antennas worked on 75 meters.  It sounded like Alf was in my back seat - at least 10 over 9.  (see NVIS antenna photo on page 7)
-- KM5BS (retired 911 and dispatch managing officer)

Ø      Pretty realistic too! I know that you know this, but the more we practice this kind of stuff the better we will perform when we have the real event. Not only is it good practice but it is fun too!
-- KE5JDA (Eddy Co. EM)


Net Control Stations (NCS)

Ø      North Section -- W5TIC -- Debaca Co. EOC (simulated)

Ø      Central Section -- N5DCT -- Chaves Co. EOC

Ø      South Section -- KE5JDA -- Eddy Co. EOC

Ø      Facilitator -- W5ALL (got the exercise started and then just monitored)

Ø      State EOC -- N5MMI (WD8RMG)-- simulated the Santa Fe State EOC

Frequencies

Since most of our stations were located in the bottom of a river valley, we programmed our radios for several repeaters (and simplex) to cover the 185 miles involved.  The highlighted frequencies were actually used (needed) to accomplish our objectives.  The other frequencies were tested, but not used. 

We were advised by "some other group" that we should "get off the MegaLink," since they needed it for some exercise they were involved in.  We complied, but then noticed that the MegaLink was mostly idle for the next hour. 

We found the Caudill, Claud, and Gallinas repeaters to be of no value, since there was very little coverage of the Pecos Valley -- essentially none for mobile stations.

Capitan Mtn. (W5YFN)                   146.610-        100 Hz tone

Caprock (W8QD/R)                        147.180+       no tone

Carlsbad                                           146.880-        no tone

Caudill Ranch (KE5MNW)               145.250-        141.3 Hz tone

Claud (KE5MNW)                             145.370-        141.3 Hz tone

FLETC (W5COW)                           444.975+       156.7 Hz tone

Ft. Sumner MegaLink (WA5IHL)     147.140+       100.0 Hz tone

Gallinas Peak (KE5MNW)               145.115-        141.3 Hz tone

Maljamar MegaLink (WA5IHL)        147.140+       67.0 Hz tone

Roswell MegaLink (WA5IHL)          147.260+       100 Hz tone

Simplex                                             146.520         no tone

 

75 M -- 3939.0 kHz LSB

40 M -- 7236.5 kHz LSB

 

Assignments

Puerto de Luna Gauge (simulated)            W5ALL                       Alf   

Sumner Dam                                                W5TIC                        Rob

Debaca Co. EOC (simulated)                     W5TIC                        Rob 

Ft. Sumner US-60 Bridge                           KE5TYI/KE5SYS       Phyllis/Gene

Arroyo de la Mora/Pecos River                  KB5ZFA                      Joe

Acme Gauge near Bob Crosby Bridge      KA1CXE                     Al

NMMI DLC EOC (State EOC simulated)   N5MMI (WD8RMG)   Dan & NMMI Cadets

Chaves Co. EOC                                         N5DCT                        Paul

Hondo 2-Rivers Dam Gauge                      WB3BDX/WA3IBE    Marie/Russ

Roswell US-380 Bridge                              K5YQ                          George

Dexter Bridge                                               -------------                     ----------

Hagerman Bridge                                        KB0QNW                    Jim  

Artesia Gauge                                              N7RSF                        Rich

Penasco At Dayton Gauge                         N7RSF                        Rich

Brantley Dam                                               KE5IDX                      Glen

Rocky Arroyo Gauge                                   KE5IDX                      Glen

Avalon Dam                                                  KE5IAY/KE5IDY        Rich/Rose

Eddy Co. EOC                                             KD5JDA                     Joel (Eddy Co. EM)    

Carlsbad Dark Canyon Gauge                    KD5TQE                     Ethan

Carlsbad B'LO Drk Cyn Gauge                  AJ7J                            Roger       

Loving Bridge                                               KM5BS                       Jim

Malaga Gauge                                              KM5BS                       Jim



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KE5IDY / KE5IAY Emergency Communication Van
At Avalon Dam


Note The Portable Antenna Mast

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KM5BS Near Loving Bridge

Note NVIS HF Antenna