[KYHAM] Ky Section Traffic Planning in Progress

[Ron Dodson]

Since 1949, the National Traffic System (NTS) and
Transcontinental Corps (TCC) have relayed messages across the
nation during disasters and even daily for personal greetings
(Holidays, Birthdays etc.).  Most of you already are well aware
that the National Traffic System will be undergoing change in the
coming near future.  Effective January 1, 2004 it will become a
part of the ARES program within this section. Sections across
America are all seeing similar events.  Details are still sketchy
about the exact future of the National Traffic System (as we
currently know it) and I have held off on working toward
developing a Section Traffic Plan (STP) to this point.  The
reason being that the final look of the Ky section's traffic plan
will depend greatly on the final look of the national
"Transcontinental Corps (TCC)" level design of the system.
Regardless of WHAT the final end-animal looks like, we have a
need to maintain a organized means of passing traffic from point
A to point B in times when normal communications are
unavailable.  


Some "knowns" continuing onward from January 1, 2004 are the
following: 

On the HF bands we know that we have the Ky Emergency Net (KEN)
which serves as the section coordination and training net during
the once per week session each Monday evening on 3.888 MHz. at 8
PM Eastern Time.  KEN is also our section "tactical" frequency
during drills and emergency operations that affect either
multiple regions or the state as a whole. "Tactical Traffic" most
usually takes the form of verbal transmissions from point to
point (for the new comer's among us). It MAY be written traffic,
but also may simply be a verbal exchange, which is the norm.

The majority of any radiogram style written traffic either
entering or leaving the section as well as moving across the
state will continue to be handled on the lower sideband, Ky
Traffic Net (KTN) on 3.960 MHz. and our two daily CW nets; 
Kentucky CW Net (KYN) on 3.599 MHz CW at 8:00 PM Eastern and the
Kentucky Slow Speed CW Net on 3.721 MHz CW 10:00 PM Eastern
time.  None of this is changing except for the dropping of the
daily morning KTN session.  Hams on HF in the morning hours will
be finding a new "Good Morning Ky, Phone Net" for fellowship and
camaraderie.
                      
While awaiting the end word on national developments in future
traffic movement, I have decided that we do need to begin
gathering info on local VHF and UHF nets involved in ARES
"tactical" activity across the section as well as those nets
(some may likely be "independent nets" or "club nets") which
would handle localized health and welfare inquiries from the
outside world.   

If you have a VHF or UHF local or semi-regional net which is
tactical in nature or an existing net interested in being a local
"written radiogram style" or other written traffic type traffic
nets please send me all current net info so that work can begin
on a Kentucky Section Traffic Plan (STP). 

The Section Traffic Plan (STP) will first be done as a draft
which would be sent to DEC and EC level ARES staff for input
before a final end document will be promulgated for distribution
and use. The finished STP will be an attachment to the section's
Ky Emergency Response Reference (KERR) which is also now
undergoing a re-write.  

Ron Dodson, KA4MAP
Ky Section Emergency Coordinator