[Oremem] OR/ID STATE AAR FOR OPERATION RED ROSE-BAD BUG EXERCISE

Sat, 18 May 2002 08:11:23 -0700

ST AAA9W @ AA9USA
RR MTS 1R AAA9W
DE AAA0OR NR 92
R 181418Z MAY 02
FM JOHN JEWKES/ AAA0OR OR/AAA0ID ID
TO: JAMES BANKS/ AAA9W AZ
INFO ZEN ALL OR/ID ARMY MARS STATIONS AND MEMBERS
ZEN AAA0WA WA
ZEN NNN0GBP OR NMCM SMD
ZEN NNN0EHG OR NMCM ECOM
BT
MARS EXERCISE
SUBJ: STATE AAR- BAD BUG/OPERATION RED ROSE/ OR

1. 5 (3 OR, 1 WA - ARMY, 1 NMCM)
2. NONE
3. PORTLAND OR VA MED. CTR. (SMD)
4. BATTERY- 2, GENERATOR 1.
5. OPERATIONS A. PORTABLE SUPPORT REQUESTED FOR NMDS EX
TO BE STARTED/STOPPED ON SHORT NOTICE, AS WOULD HAPPEN 
IN A REAL EVENT. SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO NOT LET THE CAT
OUT OF THE BAG EARLY BY PRE-DISCUSSION WITH THE MEMBERS.
B. NMDS, FEMA RGN X, VA MED CTR, OHSU REGIONAL TRAUMA CTR,
OREGON DEPT. OF HEALTH, PORTLAND AIR NATIONAL GUARD, CITY
OF PORTLAND, CITY OF SALEM, OREGON EOC/OEM, CITY OF EUGENE,
STATE OF OREGON STATE POLICE, STATE OEM, ARES/RACES ALLOR
DISTRICTS, ROSEBURG VA MED CTR, SISTERS OF PROVIDENCE HOSP
SYSTEM, KAISER-PERMANENTE MEDICAL SYSTEM, OREGON ARMY
NATIONAL GUARD, MARINE AND NAVAL RESERVE UNITS. STATE OF
OREGON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, FBI PORTLAND, USCG PORTLAND,
CIVIL AIR PATROL.
6. NOTIFICATION: SMD NOTIFIED 220705Z MAR 02 DURING INITIAL PLAN
AND OPERATIONS MEETING WITH ARES/RACES/NMDS OBSERVERS.
A. SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO NOTIFY THE MEMBERS NO SOONER
THAN 07 MAY 02, IN ORDER TO TEST HOW QUICKLY THE MEMBERS &
ARMY MARS AS A WHOLE COULD RESPOND TO A REAL DISASTER. SO
SMD BCST WAS USED 070615Z MAY 02 TO NOTIFY THE WAMC AND THE
OREGON AND IDAHO MEMBERSHIPS AND WAS FORWARDED TO WA
SMD AND NMCM SMD AS WELL.
B. VIA RELAY VHF TO HF VIA NMCM STA NNN0GJH OR/ JOHN HAVERY.
IN REAL-TIME DURING EVENT, NON-SCRIPTED.
7. MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SOME SHOWERS AT EVENT LOCATION.
8. KFC- EXCEPTIONAL RECEPTION EXCEPT AT EVENT LOCATION. KDB-
EXCEPTIONAL EXCEPT AT EVENT LOCATION. VHF EXCEPTIONAL ON NMCM
VHF FREQ FOR REPEATER IN PORTLAND. AMATEUR CROSSBAND DID
NOT WORK FROM EVENT LOCATION, AS I WAS UNDER THE 'SHADOW' OF
MOST AMATEUR REPEATERS BEING USED DURING EXERCISE.
9. WIRE BASED- INTERNAL HOSPITAL EMERGENCY PHONES USED TO 
KEEP CONTACT BETWEEN HOSPITAL EOC AND MY DEPLOYED LOCATION.
10. 15
11. 04
12. PROBLEMS/ISSUES/KUDOS:
A. INTEROPERABILITY: NAVY/MARINE CORPS MARS AND ARMY MARS WERE
ABLE TO USE VHF TO HF RELAY TO OPERATE THE NET AND PASS MESSAGES.
THIS IMPRESSED THE VARIOUS AGENCIES BOTH PARTICIPATING AND THOSE
OBSERVING THE EXERCISE. THE FACT THAT WE COULD USE VHF SURPRISED
SOM IN ATTENDANCE WHO THOUGHT MARS HAD ONLY HF RESOURCES.
B. INTERAGENCY SUPPORT OPERATIONS. VARIOUS AGENCIES HAVE ASKED
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW THEY CAN GAIN ARMY/NMC MARS AND
AF MARS ECOM SUPPORT AS A RESULT OF THIS EXERCISE.
C. EXCEPTIONAL OPERATORS NOTED: NNN0GJH OR/JOHN HAVERY- WHILE HE
WAS NECOS (NCS) FOR THE 7X2E FEDERAL AGENCIES SUPPORT NET, HE DID
ALSO MONITOR THE NMCM VHF REPEATER. WHEN I CALLED FOR ANY STATION
FOR RELAY ASSISTANCE, HE IMMEDIATELY ASKED THE ANCS ON HIS NET TO
TAKE OVER AS NECOS AND BEGAN ACCEPTING AND RELAYING TO ME VARIOUS
MTS TRAFFIC VIA VOICE.  AAR0JY OR/OLETTA SPEARS- FORMER SMD OREGON
AND VERY CAPABLE OPERATOR. SHE OPENED THE NET WHEN IT BECAME VERY
APPARENT THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACT AS NCS STATION. AAR0LQ OR/
JOHN KLEIN- AGAIN, A VERY CAPABLE OPERATOR WHO ACCEPTED THE NCS 
DUTIES DURING THE MID-POINT OF THE EXERCISE TO RELIEVE AAR0JY OR. HE
IS CAPABLE OF MORE THAN HE CREDITS HIMSELF FOR. AAR0DF WA/HARRY
CHIDESTER- AGAIN A VERY CAPABLE MARS OPERATOR. HE ACCEPTED AND 
ACTED AS ANCS DURING THE EXERCISE AND ASSISTED IN PASSING TRAFFIC
TO THE RGN 10 GATEWAY AND OTHER STATIONS AS NEEDED.
D. ANTENNAS PLAYED A BIG PART IN BEING ABLE/UNABLE TO OPERATE ON
THE DESIGNATED FREQUENCIES IN THIS EXERCISE. THE PORTABLE HF 
ANTENNA SETUP DID NOT WORK IN THE ASSIGNED LOCATION DUE TO A 
NUMBER OF FACTORS, INCLUDING THE STEEL REBAR AND CONCRETE OF 
THE STAIRWELL I WAS SENT TO FOR SET-UP. (SEE ITEM F. BELOW), THE VHF
ANTENNA WAS MORE EASILY ADAPTED TO THE SURROUNDINGS AND BECAME
THE PRIMARY LINK FOR THIS EVENT. STILL, THE VHF HAM REPEATERS WERE 
ON THE OPPOSING SIDE OF THE HOSPITAL, UNABLE TO BE UTILIZED BY THIS
STATION. (SEE ITEM F. BELOW).
E. HIGH RF NOISE ENVIRONMENT WAS FOUND TO EXIST WITHIN THE VA MED CTR
CAUSING SEVERE BIRDIES AT 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 AND 14 MHZ BANDS. (SEE ITEM F.).
AGAIN THIS MADE VHF THE MAIN LINK INTO/OUT OF THE HOSPITAL LOCATION.
F. REQUEST BY VA MED CTR MANAGEMENT TO ASSIST WITH PERMANENT SET
UP WITHIN HOSPITAL EOC A MARS HF AND VHF STATION. THEY ALSO REQUEST
ASSISTANCE GETTING MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN STAFF TRAINED AS BOTH HAM
AND MARS OPERATORS. THEY HAVE ALSO REQUESTED ASSISTANCE OF THIS 
STATION AND OTHER STATIONS/HAMS TO SELECT HAM AND MARS CAPABLE
RADIO GEAR. FOR THIS REASON, I HAVE INVITED SEVERAL OF THEIR STAFF TO
ATTEND AN UPCOMING HAMFEST (SEASIDE AMATEUR RADIO FEST ON THE
OREGON COAST) 31 MAY-02 JUN 02. MANY PROFESSIONAL VENDORS WILL HAVE
REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT TO ALLOW THE VAMC STAFF TO REVIEW THE 
ELECTRICAL AND PHYSICAL DIMENSION SPECS FOR THE RADIOS AVAILABLE TO 
THEM. 
G. I APPRECIATE THE INVITATION BY BOTH ARES/RACES AND NMDS TO HAVE
MARS PARTICIPATE IN THIS EXERCISE FOR A BAD-BUG INCIDENT, AS A RESULT
OF A HIDDEN SHADOW EVENT. AS MANY LONG TIME MARS STATIONS WILL 
KNOW, NOTHING STOPS MULTIPLE EVENTS FROM OCCURRING AT THE SAME 
TIME. BY ASSISTING THE VARIOUS INVOLVED AGENCIES, WE SHOWED THAT
MARS CAN PLAY A VITAL LINKING ROLE BETWEEN MULTIPLE SITES AND TYPE
OF INCIDENTS AND AGENCIES ALL AT THE SAME TIME. 
H. VAMC HAS ALSO OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE SPACE ON IT'S ROOF FOR 
DIGIPEATER AND VOICE REPEATER CO-LOCATION FOR MARS AND ARES/RACES
ECOM SYSTEMS. THIS ALSO WOULD SERVE TO REMOVE THE 'SHADOW OF THE
HILL' FROM ACTUAL DISASTER EVENTS. VAMC DESIRES TO HAVE ALL NEEDED
MOU AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS DEALT WITH NO LATER 01 SEP 02.

SGD- JOHN JEWKES, SMD OREGON AND IDAHO US ARMY MARS/W6HNC
BT

NNNN
/EX

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