Net Control Workshop W9TN Planning AEC 3/12/11
Net Control 101 You and Your Station
Anyone should be able to figure out which station is the NCS just by listening to the net for a few minutes.
Station Construction Priorities Good signal Full quieting into the repeater Consistent over time Good audio Permanent outdoor antenna Backup power source Backup radio and antenna 2m and 440MHz capability
Keys to Good Audio Speak into the mic Hold the mic about 3 inches away Pretend you re talking to someone across the room Speak clearly Use clean power Ask for signal reports
Act Like You re in Control Speak clearly Speak with authority L I S T E N Be responsive Maintain control of the frequency Ask for help when you need it Don t think on the air
Communications Efficiency Keep transmissions short Quickly make your point Keep net participants informed Use other frequencies for passing traffic
Learn Listen to a good experienced NCS CISN N9GDR WR9A WA9DDI Read TCARES SOPs on w9tca.com Run a net Participate in exercises
Operating Skills Be firm but diplomatic I want to remind all stations to please use standard phonetics. One purpose of this training net is to teach participants to listen to and follow the instructions of the net control. I appreciate your understanding. Don t let the repeater drop out unnecessarily Don t over think missed calls Acknowledge in the check-in order
Net Conditions NET 1-1 (Net Management)
Net Condition 4 Lowest level of increased readiness No immediate threat Example: Severe weather watch Prepare! Informal net is optional
Net Condition 3 Increased potential threat Example: Severe weather watch with approaching storm cells Example: Severe weather warning issued for adjacent county Directed tactical net Assign duties Identify resources
Net Condition 2 Immediate threat Example: Severe weather warning Directed tactical net Traffic restricted to NCS requests and responses only
Net Condition 1 Major disaster has occurred Emergency or priority traffic only Welfare or routine traffic handled on other net(s) Example: New Madrid Fault quake Example: Airliner crash in city
Repeater Net Modes WIRES Repeater
Purpose Let listeners know something special is happening on the repeater Alert ARES personnel Cuts down on Is there a net up? Change repeater operation Courtesy beep Weather radio behavior Periodic voice announcement
SKYWARN Net NCS activates for any directed SKYWARN net Net Condition 3 (Watch+) Net Condition 2 (Warning) Repeater weather radio muted Special courtesy beep
Emergency Net NCS activates in disaster situation Net Condition 3 Net Condition 2 Net Condition 1 Repeater weather radio active Special courtesy beep
Auxiliary Net NCS activates in non-emergency public service or event situation Directed tactical net but normal traffic allowed Example: WRCC event Repeater weather radio active Normal courtesy beep
Repeater Commands Format: Command-Code* Example: 4* Usually a voice acknowledgment
SKYWARN Operations OP PLAN 100 (SKYWARN Operations Plan) NET 1-4 (Net Formats)
The sole purpose of a SKYWARN net is to relay severe weather reports to the National Weather Service.
Prepare and Be Aware Keep your station ready Know the severe weather outlook Track approaching severe weather Monitor the repeater during a watch Monitor CISN if they activate Listen for an activation request Listen for a severe weather warning
NWS Severe Weather Watch Repeater weather radio one-time announcement of watch details Repeater periodic announcement: Severe Weather Watch Automatic Net Condition 4
Informal Net Optional Net Condition 4 Monitor Central Indiana SKYWARN Make everyone monitoring aware Repeater open for general use (no repeater net mode) Periodic announcement by repeater: Severe Weather Watch
Get Ready Track current weather conditions Central Indiana SKYWARN activates SKYWARN spotter activation Warning issued for adjacent county Assign ANCS and NWS Liaison Establish spotter locations
Pre-Warning SKYWARN Net Required if Central Indiana SKYWARN request Warning issued for adjacent county Net Condition 3 Repeater in SKYWARN net mode Periodic announcement by NCS
CISN NCS is Calling! Now What? Acknowledge CISN NCS on KA9VXS/R Coordinate on the WIRES repeater with any other NCS You are required to bring up the net!
NWS Severe Weather Warning Repeater weather radio periodic announcement if net not up yet You are required to bring up the net! Automatic Net Condition 2
SKYWARN Net Summary Required if Central Indiana SKYWARN request or NWS severe weather warning issued Automatic Net Condition 2 on severe weather warning Repeater in SKYWARN net mode Assign ANCS and NWS Liaison Periodic announcement by NCS
Exercise
NCS Appoint ANCS and NWS Liaison Maintain a log Start time, ANCS, NWS Liaison Stations checked in with locations Spotter reports with timestamps Any relevant events with timestamps Coordinate all traffic Take breaks in long duration nets
Alternate NCS Maintain a duplicate log Substitute for NCS NCS takes a break NCS station failure Help NCS monitor weather conditions WLFI radar NWS radar
NWS Liaison One liaison at a time Relay local severe weather reports KA9VXS repeater link to CISN Telephone call to NWS Web espotter report Relay requests from NWS CISN NCS NWS direct Monitor our net and CISN
SKYWARN Net Traffic Spotter reports to NWS Who What When Where the spotter was Details such as speed, direction, severity Updates or requests from NWS Warning extended or cancelled Spotter report clarification New spotter location After net report to CISN NCS
Undesirable Traffic Traffic not coordinated by NCS Debate or second guessing NCS Amateur meteorology discussions Radar data interpretation discussions Second hand reports except for situational awareness
Spotter Reports Tornado, funnel cloud, water spout, or wall cloud Any size hail Wind speed > 50 mph (how measured?) or wind damage Rain > 1 in/hr (how measured?) or depth of street flooding Other as requested by NWS
Spotter Report Details Actual hail size or coin size estimate Size and viability of downed limbs Actual wind speed or estimate from effects
Exercise
QRT