The test includes voice nets and digital nets, passing tactical traffic and National Traffic System formal messages to and from any of the served agencies. Served agencies include Red Cross, Emergency Management, and local government officials.
On October 5th, the Butler County Amateur Radio Emergecny Communications Team participated by forwarding messages utilized in our September drill, and by being a contact point outside of the other ARES groups counties.
One of our goals was to test our simplex capability from the Communications Center to mobile units throughout the county. 98% of the county can be covered by a 5 watt radio using a 5/8 wave antenna.
We also participated by messaging the differant ARES groups on the APRS system.
APRS or Automatic Packet Reporting System, is a digital mode that uses a 2 meter radio, a Terminal Node Controller (TNC), and a computer. Some radio's now come with the TNC built in and can be used without a computer to communicate.
The computer is loaded with APRS software that displays a map of the area you are in. Field units equiped with a 2 meter portable or mobile, a TNC and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver can automatically send their GPS location at set intervals, usually every 3 minutes.
The call sign of those units will appear on the computer screen showing you their location on the map. As they move-their call sign icon moves, updating their location every 3 minutes, or every time their radio sends a data burst.
This system is very useful in sending messages back and forth also. The computer software includes a format for sending a National Traffic System message via the APRS digital system.
One major advantage of utilizing the digital messaging is it keeps voice channels open for critical and crucial information. The second advantage is it may take upto 4-5 minutes to send a NTS message on a voice channel, it takes 4-5 Seconds to send it digitally, accuracy of the message is increased digitally because it can be printed out on a printer the way it was sent!
Digital nets can also be utilized to send lengthy messages such as shelter supply list, list of who is at a shelter, damage assessment reportsb, and operator assignments or status'.
This was not a written drill. Rather an exersize of our simplex capabilities form a brand new amateur radio emergency communications center provided by the Butler County VHF Associaion W8CCI Amateur Radio Club. (www.mindspring.com/~bcvhfa/)
