EMC274 ALE Experiences 4/5
To:   Emergency Communications Units - Information Bulletin
To:   Emergency Management Agencies via Internet and Radio
By:   Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) of the
      California Governor's Office of Emergency Services  

EMC274 ALE Experiences 4/5          Release 1/29/01

During system development I conducted several tests from the ACS
CommCenter to a group of selected ALE addresses placed in several
locations up and down the state. A computer was used for a MANUAL
automated "call". That took 1/2 hour for the computer controlled
radio to go through the process of trying to connect to each of
the stations. The same process with NON-ALE could have been done
in 2 minutes or less per station by a trained HF operator. My
report said that such testing was inherently self defeating and
that such system testing should be reversed, that is the link
testing should occur from the other end; that is at the "slave"
unit, not the "master" which is how the FEMA radio is TESTED
manually.  Later tests were more successful.This illustrates the
need to set the system up in its most effective manner from a
design standpoint.

Today, the OASIS System ALE program with the Motorola XF radio
is under further study as a public safety system. It was never
designed as an ACS system although the ACS supports and operates
public safety systems when required. OES has acquired the newer
MICOM 2E and it is being evaluated. The future of the HF radio
ALE system for OASIS will depend on how it is considered in
future plans, and whether legislative funding becomes available. 

Harris ALE
 
State OES uses a Harris ALE radio that is funded and maintained
by FEMA. It is rack mounted in two six-foot high cabinets in a
separate vault from the State Warning Center. It is a 2500 watt
radio using diversity receivers, internal modem and data system.
It is a technicians dream to service, with easily accessible
components in pullout sections. The radio controller unit (the
size of large Amateur HF receiver) provides an error report
coded to a manual which details what has failed for all units
except the power supply.

While ALE can be operated from the radio itself, for day-to-day
needs it is set for remote access. That remote access is a black
push-button type telephone handset that sits on a console in the
State Warning Center and the ACS Comm Center. Except for manual
operations in NON-ALE mode, the personnel need NOT go to the
radio to use it for FEMA ALE contacts. They do NOT need to know
how to operate the radio; only how to use a handset and dial the
station-call codes.

To use the system the operator lifts the telephone handset and
dials a three-number code, NOT the radio call sign. An internal
radio controller selects the right channel and sends a signal
over that channel to the called station. The handset at the
called station rings, the person lifts the handset and talks to
the person calling via the radio. There is no operator at the
radio; it is unattended and operates automatically pursuant to
commands of the built-in controller unit.
Continues next bulletin.

 Cary Mangum, W6WWW        E-mail: cary.mangum@macnexus.org
                           ---
Bulletins are on the ACS Web page: http://acs.oes.ca.gov  -and a
Landline BBS: 916-262-0856 (graphical & standard interface)
EOM