EMC316 Operations Techniques 1 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 EMC316 Operations Techniques 1 For release 11/19/01 This five-part series on operations is from an article by Bill Ozment, W6LSW, titled EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RADIO OPERATING PROCEDURES. This is a reissue of the six-part series that was first issued beginning 10/28/1991 as RACES Bulletins 193-199. CALLING AND COMMUNICATING TECHNIQUES "The secret to working quickly and efficiently in an emergency net is to use standard procedures. The techniques presented herein are the most common. It doesn't take much analysis to see that standards and guidelines must be established and then utilized. Before you key your mike, gather your thoughts about what you are going to say. Many hams have a tendency to talk and/or repeat too much. Say what you need to say without unnecessary repeats. Keep in mind that you must strive to get your message through the first time. In general, there are five parts to Calling/Communications. The more serious or complex the situation, the more important these procedures become. The information printed herein MUST be practiced until it is second nature. FIRST, you MUST give the tactical call of the station you are calling. This alerts that station that they are being called and that they should listen to determine who is calling. SECOND, say "THIS IS". The called station knows your tactical call follows. This is extremely important in cases where there is a lot of confusion or poor signal conditions. THIRD, give your tactical callsign. Note that we say tactical calls and not ham radio calls. Tactical call signs are important and ham calls are not, egos notwithstanding. FOURTH, give your message. Speak clearly. Don't speak too fast especially if the message needs to be written down. Pause after logical phrases. Do not use the word "break" when you pause. It is confusing, wastes time and has another connotation in formal message handling. Merely unkey and pause. If the other station has questions, they should key up and make their request known. This also permits other stations to break in if they have emergency traffic. FIFTH, end your message with OVER or OUT." Continues next bulletin --------- Send any bulletin topics/articles to cary_mangum@oes.ca.gov To get the bulletin each week send a blank e-mail message to to subscribe, or to to unsubscribe. You'll get a confirmation message to which you must reply in order for the command to "take." Bulletins archives: ACS Web page: http://acs.oes.ca.gov/ ftp.ucsd.edu/emcomm or ftp.oes.ca.gov/ACS/EMCOMM and a telephone BBS 916-262-0856 (graphical & standard interface). EOM