[MRIC] Recommended RACES Capabilities and Equipment document

Wed Apr 23 13:03:18 EDT 2008

Dan is correct on the regions, and in us not getting into a RACES vs. 
ARES debate.  Frankly, if we are as concerned with the serving of the 
communities as we claim, there should not be any petty RACES vs. ARES 
turf battles at all!  Both groups have their places in amateur radio 
public service communications and neither group should shun nor bad 
mouth the other group as most often in today's environment, RACES and 
ARES (or ARES and RACES if one prefers) draw upon an unfortunately 
extremely small pool of interested and qualified amateur radio operators.

So, as Dan said extremely eloquently, "...we as amateurs should be 
looking at both programs and using the best practices from both programs 
to provide services to our served agencies."

73,
Pat Scolla, WB0EGR
Harford County RO & EC (or EC & RO)

Dan Blasberg wrote:
> Al,
>
> A region is a region regardless of who uses the phrase or what it is 
> used in.  There is no misunderstanding when referring to regions based 
> on how things are set up, especially if we decide to divide the state 
> up in regards to the seven MEIMS hospital regions.  Let's not get into 
> a RACES vs ARES debate on anything, if anything, we as amateurs should 
> be looking at both programs and using the best practices from both 
> programs to provide services to our served agencies.
>
> Brett,
>
> Leave Region in the document, it is fine, and I agree on the SSB 
> frequency listing, list the dial frequency and leave it at that.
>
> As for the frequency list, add the Samelex P/S to the VHF voice 
> equipment list,  make the HF antenna list the same for both HF voice 
> and Data (all of the antennas can be used as NVIS  as well as long 
> haul),  we also need to provide a list for VHF/UHF Airmail use as well 
> for an alternative to the HF equipment do to cost considerations.
>
> Dan Blasberg
> KA8YPY
> Prince George's County RACES RO
> Prince George's County ARES EC
>
> As for the list,
> On Apr 22, 2008, at 7:22 PM, al.fitzsimons at att.net wrote:
>
>> Brett,
>> A very impressive and thorough document!
>> Two suggestions to hopefully make it better:
>> 1. The conventional frequency description for SSB or AM on ham bands 
>> is the dial
>> freq which is the center freq of the AM signal or the "zero beat" 
>> freq for SSB.
>> The only exception is the new channelized 60M band where the  
>> tuning/dial freq
>> is  adjusted to center the  SSB energy in the channel.  So I 
>> recommend the 80
>> and 40M frequencies be stated  as the dial freq i.e.  3.950 and 7.250 
>> (as should
>> all other  ham band freq except 60M).
>> 2. Suggest that it is unnecessary to use the descriptor "Region" for the
>> Eastern, Western and Central nets.  Although MEMA has assigned an 
>> individual for
>> certain specific areas, I don't recommend we try to align our nets 
>> with those
>> specific lists of counties - we need the flexibility to allow check 
>> ins based on
>> ability to make reliable contact.  Also these are the terms used in 
>> the ARRL
>> plan and we don't want them to be mixed up.  So I recommend the use 
>> of Eastern
>> Net, Western Net and Central Net.
>> Al in LA-Back in MD on the 24th.
>>
>>  -------------- Original message from brettham at aol.com: --------------
>>
>>
>>> All Maryland RACES Officers,
>>>
>>> I took the information that the MRIC Winlink Technical Committee
>>> compiled regarding recommended equipment, and put it into a document
>>> that covers all recommended equipment and procedures required for
>>> Maryland RACES Interoperable communications (VHF, HF voice, data).
>>> Please review it sometime in the next few days. If you think we should
>>> recommend a different piece of equipment than is in the document,
>>> please provide manufacturer name, model, price and rational and I will
>>> incorporate it into the document for discussion. Please save any minor
>>> corrections, rewording or typos for the meeting, and I will be happy to
>>> correct them then. All expert advise is much appreciated, so feel free
>>> to start technical discussions  via email.
>>>
>>> If you take issue with a major premise, or section, please say so now
>>> so we can resolve it before the MRIC meeting Saturday. I would like to
>>> approve this document, or modification thereof, on Saturday. I think
>>> this is pretty much in line with what we have been discussing,  and
>>> don't think any of this should come as a suprise to anyone (I just put
>>> it all in one document), so I'm hoping it goes smoothly.
>>>
>>> I did not incorporate a section on what equipment already exists,
>>> because I did not receive any feedback, save one or two.
>>>
>>> Please remember to bring with you to the meeting a plan on how you will
>>> be expanding the winlink network in your jurisdiction, if you plan to
>>> set up more than just the EOC station at this time.
>>>
>>> Thank you for your diligent review of the document below.
>>>
>>> Brett Hammond
>>> Chairman, MRIC
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>>>
>>> ---
>>>
>>> D  R  A  F  T
>>>
>>> Recommended Amateur Radio Capabilities for Maryland Jurisdictions
>>> by the
>>> Maryland RACES Interoperability Committee (MRIC)
>>> of the Maryland Emergency Management Association
>>> on
>>> April 26, 2008
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Table of Contents
>>>
>>>
>>> Purpose 1
>>> Overview    1
>>> Maryland RACES VHF Voice Nets   2
>>> Maryland RACES HF Voice Net 2
>>> Maryland RACES Data Network (Winlink2000 Email) 3
>>> Appendix A – Equipment Recommended for EOC RACES Operations 4
>>> Equipment for Local VHF Voice Net   4
>>> Equipment for MEMA VHF Voice Net    5
>>> Equipment for Maryland RACES HF Voice Net   5
>>> Equipment for Maryland RACES Data Net (Winlink2000 email)   6
>>> Appendix B – Maryland RACES Winlink2000 Tactical Email Addresses    9
>>>
>>>
>>> Purpose
>>>
>>> In an effort to resolve interoperability issues between Maryland
>>> jurisdictions, the Maryland Emergency Management Association (i.e. the
>>> Association) created the Maryland RACES Interoperability Committee
>>> (MRIC). MRIC consists of the Maryland RACES Officers and meets several
>>> times per year, one vote per jurisdiction, to make interoperability
>>> recommendations subject to approval of the Association. The purpose of
>>> this document is to compile those recommendations and to advise what
>>> equipment is necessary to implement those recommendations.
>>>
>>>
>>> Overview
>>>
>>> To date, MRIC has made recommendations regarding three modes of
>>> inter-jurisdictional communications: VHF Voice; HF Voice; and Data
>>> communications. To resolve interoperability issues regarding these
>>> three modes of communications, MRIC has coordinated VHF frequencies and
>>> Maryland RACES nets; created a Maryland RACES HF Voice Net and
>>> operational procedures; and created the Maryland RACES Data Network
>>> (MRDN) standardizing on Winlink2000 Email for data communications
>>> statewide.
>>>
>>>
>>> Maryland RACES VHF Voice Nets
>>>
>>> To facilitate inter-jurisdictional voice communications, the Maryland
>>> Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) RACES operates three statewide VHF
>>> FM Voice Nets:
>>> 1. Maryland RACES Western Region Net (WRN)
>>> 2. Maryland RACES Central Region Net (CRN)
>>> 3. Maryland RACES Eastern Region Net (ERN)
>>>
>>> The frequencies and CTCSS (PL/CG) are specified in the Maryland RACES
>>> Interoperability Frequency List created and maintained by MRIC.
>>> Every EOC should have the capability to participate in one of the MEMA
>>> nets using the MRIC approved ICS-213 form for passing traffic between
>>> jurisdictions.
>>>
>>> Additionally, most jurisdictions operate their own local
>>> (intra-jurisdictional) voice network on either VHF or UHF FM.
>>> Therefore, an EOC should have a second radio for operating on their
>>> local net for local operations.
>>>
>>>
>>> Maryland RACES HF Voice Net
>>>
>>> MRIC has established the Maryland RACES HF Voice Net for communications
>>> between jurisdictions when the Maryland RACES VHF Voice Nets are not
>>> operational, due to tower outage or VHF repeater malfunctions.
>>>
>>> The net may operate on the following frequencies:
>>>
>>> 80 meters 3.950 MHz LSB (tune 3.9515)
>>> 40 meters 7.250 MHz LSB (tune 7.2515)
>>>
>>> If there is conflict on the MRIC HF frequencies, net control will
>>> attempt to find an available frequency by going up 3 KHz, if still not
>>> available then down 3 KHz, if not available then down 6 KHz, if not
>>> available then up 6 KHz from the original frequency. If none are
>>> available, Net control will find an available frequency. Net control
>>> will move the net to the available frequency. Also, MRIC members should
>>> report any nets found on the MRIC frequencies and the day-of-the-week,
>>> time, and frequency, be compiled by MRIC and posted on the web site for
>>> future reference.
>>>
>>> Delete Part of Brett's e-mail to allow sending on MRIC Mailing 
>>> List.  This is a retransmission of my e-mail to MRIC sent this 
>>> morning at 7:49 PDT.
>> Al
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> This email list is for the use of RACES Officers and Emergency 
>>> Managers. Only
>>> email related to the Maryland RACES Interoperability Committee 
>>> (MRIC) of the
>>> Maryland Emergency Management Association should be sent to this email
>> reflector
>>> list. All emails must be in plain text format (no HTML).
>>> MRIC mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/mric
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm
>>> Post: mailto:MRIC at mailman.qth.net
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> This email list is for the use of RACES Officers and Emergency 
>> Managers. Only email related to the Maryland RACES Interoperability 
>> Committee (MRIC) of the Maryland Emergency Management Association 
>> should be sent to this email reflector list. All emails must be in 
>> plain text format (no HTML).
>> MRIC mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/mric
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm
>> Post: mailto:MRIC at mailman.qth.net
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> This email list is for the use of RACES Officers and Emergency 
> Managers. Only email related to the Maryland RACES Interoperability 
> Committee (MRIC) of the Maryland Emergency Management Association 
> should be sent to this email reflector list. All emails must be in 
> plain text format (no HTML).
> MRIC mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/mric
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmmain.htm
> Post: mailto:MRIC at mailman.qth.net
>
>