EMC320 Operations Techniques 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 EMC320 Operations Techniques 5 For release 12/17/01 (Radio Procedures During Emergencies - continued) "27. On VHF and UHF frequencies, particularly when on the fringes of communications, look for a receiving "hot spot" site and use it. Don't walk around talking while in a communications fringe area. Repeaters have much more power than your handheld. Even if you have a good signal from a repeater, it does not mean you are good going into the repeater. 28. If you check into an emergency net, you must monitor on the net frequency. If you must leave the frequency, ask permission from the NCS. Report to the NCS when you return to the net. It is vital that the NCS know the availability of each station on the net and it is up to YOU to keep the NCS advised. However, if the NCS is very busy and you must leave the net, do so without interrupting the net. 29. Net Control Stations frequently are very busy with work that is not on the air. If you call the NCS or dispatcher and do not get a reply, be patient and call again in a minute or two. If you have an emergency, say you have "Emergency traffic" after you identify yourself when you call the NCS. Be patient with the NCS and other stations. 30. A mobile radio (that is one that is mobile, portable, or airborne) has priority over any other type of radio station AND other forms of telecommunications. This is true in all radio services. Fixed station operators must recognize that a call from a mobile station takes precedence over telephone calls, personal conversations, and other activities. Respond promptly to any call from a mobile station -- even if it is to advise the caller to standby. In conclusion, these few rules and suggestions are intended to help you become a better operator -- whether Public Safety or Amateur Radio. Analyze your present operating methods and try to polish each element so your participation in radio communica- tions is professional and worthwhile. Your Net Control Station operator may have the final authority but good, clean operating methods and procedures almost make a net run without an NCS." The author, WILLIAM L. OZMENT, W6LSW continues to be active in emergency radio service to his community, serving as Radio Officer for El Dorado County, and as HAMCO of the Volunteers in Prevention unit serving the Amador - El Dorado Ranger Unit of the California Department of Forestry. His email is W6LSW@arrl.net --------- 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