Plug for Winlink

As I was preparing for the net, I compiled a report of our activity through November of this year. 

Each net lasts approximately 15 minutes, and over these last 11 months there were 104 check-ins which translates to 1,560 minutes, or 26 hours of training and testing our equipment. I want to thank each of you for your willingness to join the net each month and I look forward to next year.

Tonight's training topic will be another plug for all stations who are not currently using Winlink to begin doing so.

In last month’s training topic we discussed the process of assessing damage after a disaster in preparation to submit a disaster report to local government agencies or a faith based organization. If there are no communication outages preventing transmission of the message by email, it is perfectly acceptable to enter the data in the specified form each recipient requests, and attach it to an email.

In the remote areas of the county where it may not be possible or feasible to hand-deliver paper copies of the forms, if there is a communication emergency as a result of the disaster, there are two options for transmitting the information - sending data messages over radio frequencies, such as Winlink messages, or voice messages over radio frequencies.

Having used the report form requested by local government emergency managers, as well as the Church’s disaster report form, sending the information via Winlink message is my preferred option. Imagine the time it would take for each community in the valley to read their damage assessment report line by line to the County EOC in a voice transmission…

And, to make it even better, thanks to the work of one of our area communications specialists, Brad Farnsworth, the disaster reporting forms used by the Church are now Winlink compatible, making it so much easier to complete and send the forms if normal modes of communication are not available.

Likewise, a member of Cache County's ARES leadership has prepared the Cache County Emergency Management reporting form to be used with Winlink. If you are interested in these forms please send an email to greg.fabricius@gmail.com.

Winlink Express is a radio email client, compatible with Microsoft-supported 32- or 64-bit Windows OS, including Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. It can also be used on Apple Mac and Linux machines using a virtual machine engine or dual boot setup.

There is usually some additional hardware required before you can use Packet Winlink or VARA FM over radio frequencies, but thankfully there are inexpensive options that allow you to connect the radio you already have to a computer to send data over radio frequencies. In the blog post for tonight’s training topic I have included links to three manufacturers of these sound card interface devices.

If you have not added a higher power transceiver with an elevated antenna to your station, don't feel left out. There is a conveniently located gateway at the Newton EOC to accomodate operators in town using handheld radios.

If you are not ready to take the leap to add the radio interface components to your shack, do not let that prevent you from becoming familiar with Winlink. Once the client program is installed on a compatible computer all you need to send messages via Telnet is an amateur call sign and access to the internet.

If you have questions about installing or using Winlink please reach out to me by email or a phone call. I am happy to help.

Sound card interface links:

Digirig: https://digirig.net/

Signalink: https://tigertronics.com/slusbmain.htm

Masters Communications: https://masterscommunications.com/

From a training topic in 2022, here is a post with Winlink installation and setup links:

https://nwcvnet.blogspot.com/2022/09/winlink-setup.html

Disaster Response Process

In October I was invited to observe emergency response exercises held by the North Logan and Hyde Park Stakes. The purpose of the exercises was to test the process of assessing the households in the Wards, as well as the ability to communicate those findings to the Stake Communications Specialist, who in turn forwarded pertinent information to the EOC’s of the respective cities. In North Logan, the exercise also involved their CERT personnel, moving beyond the assessment and reporting phase into response and recovery operations. 

With this experience fresh on my mind, tonight's training topic will summarize 4 critical steps to take after an emergency occurs. As a reference, follow this link to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Stake and Ward Emergency Planning Guide. Section 3 of that guide outlines these steps:

• Account

• Assess

• Respond

• Report

Account. The Church respects and may defer to civil authorities and their response efforts in an emergency, but Church leaders may also take independent action on behalf of Church members. Ward and stake councils have responsibility to account for all missionaries and members and to help with life-threatening circumstances. The ministering companionship network can be utilized, or in some instances Wards will create sectors within their boundaries, with assignments given to specific individuals to assess the status of the households within their sector and report their findings to the command post.

Assess. This step takes a deeper look at the needs of the households affected by the emergency, identifying the disruption that has occurred, and what can be done in the short, medium or long term. For example, if the disruption is damage to homes, a short-term need could be using a meetinghouse for shelter, a mid-term need could be performing minor repairs to homes or purchasing tents, and a long-term need could be constructing more permanent shelters. 

Respond. Planning for an emergency includes how to supply basic provisions and services—such as food, medical aid, temporary shelter, sanitation, and clothing—for members and others, something the Church does well during an emergency. It may also be necessary to provide assistance to members who have suffered damage to homes or belongings, emotional trauma, injury, or loss of livelihood. When the response involves heavy equipment or supplies outside the Church’s expertise, coordinate response efforts with civil authorities, private citizens and community relief organizations.

Report. This is where Stake and Ward Communications Specialists and EOC radio operators shine, using our equipment and knowledge to keep the flow of information constant even if normal communications systems fail. Regardless of the mode of communication you must use, as you plan, consider how you will report the condition of:

• Missionaries and members, as well as their locations.

• Member housing

• Church properties

• The community (including roads, public utilities, commerce, facilities, and other infrastructure).

This information should flow from the Wards to the Stake and through priesthood lines up to the Area Presidency. Additional reporting channels are your local government officials and the Cache County EOC, depending on the nature of the resources you need to manage the emergency.

The Emergency Planning Guide includes links to disaster reporting and resource request forms the Church has developed. Cache County Emergency Managers have also developed specific forms used for reporting. 

I encourage all operators to follow the link to the Stake and Ward Emergency Planning Guide found in the blog post for additional planning and response guidelines.

Radio in Recent Emergencies

The recent hurricanes causing major damage in the southern states provided real-life examples of the value of amateur radio during an emergency. In preparation for the net I located an online article summarizing the situation, and will read two paragraphs:

Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact on communication infrastructure highlighted the crucial role of amateur radio operators. When all other systems failed, ham radio operators coordinated vital communications and relayed critical information during the disaster. Their efforts proved invaluable in rescue operations, helping to save lives and coordinate relief efforts in the storm’s aftermath.

The hurricane’s destruction left many areas without power or cellular service, making traditional communication methods unreliable. Amateur radio operators stepped in, using their skills and equipment to bridge the communication gap. They provided a lifeline for emergency responders, government agencies, and affected communities, demonstrating the enduring importance of this technology in crises.

Here is a link to the rest of the article: Continue reading.

Northern Utah has its own hazards to prepare for, but I believe the response to an emergency in our area would be similar. Radio operators will take to the airwaves to provide necessary communications, using voice and data channels to pass damage reports and resource requests to the responders best suited to help with each request.

As we work to prepare for an actual emergency in our own area, here are a few things to consider:

• If your city has an EOC, or your local congregation has an organized team of communicators, contact these groups to find out what frequencies they use and program them into your radios. Earlier this year Cache County ARES solicited frequency assignments from the active communications groups and updated their database. A link to that database is here.

• Plan for operations during a power outage. Obtain extra batteries for your handheld radios and if possible buy batteries with USB charging capabilities. It's also a good idea to pick up a rechargeable battery with a USB output to allow you to recharge your handheld batteries to stay on the air even longer.

• For a base station, battery backup power is as affordable as ever. The higher wattage output of a base station coupled with an antenna at a higher elevation will provide for excellent range on simplex frequencies.

• Regularly test your radios on your backup power system in order to know exactly what you can expect should an emergency occur.

This is just a short list of preparations. I encourage each of you to research emergency power options for your radios to maintain communications should an emergency occur.

Are You Ready?

September marks National Preparedness Month, the annual campaign to remind everyone that

preparing for emergencies and disasters can keep them, their families and their communities safe.

Disasters disrupt thousands of lives every year, leaving behind lasting effects on people and property. After a disaster, many others in your community need help as well. For this reason, local first responders and other assistance may not be able to reach you right away. You and your family can take simple steps now to prepare for emergencies. By doing so, you take back control—even in the uncertainty of disaster. In the FEMA document labeled Are You Ready? a three-step preparedness process is outlined:

1. Know Your Risks

Most communities face many types of hazards. It is important to learn the risks specific to your home and the ways to assess your risks if you are away from home. Know how and when to take action before, during, and after different hazards. 

2. Make a Plan

An emergency plan can help you reach loved ones when normal communication methods are not working or are inaccessible. Most importantly, it may help you stay safe in a disaster and give you peace of mind. Consider making plans for evacuation, communication, and to protect critical documents and your property.

3. Take Action

There are many simple actions that you can take now to prepare yourself and your property for a disaster. Prepare kits with the supplies you will need if you must evacuate your home. If circumstances allow store non-perishable food and water. Keep informed by signing up for alerts and warnings through your mobile devices. Regularly practice your disaster plan with your family and review and understand your insurance coverage. Document your property on a list and include pictures to help you make any claims that are necessary. Additionally, based on the hazards you identified in step 1, see what you can do to mitigate potential damage to your home should a disaster occur.

This is a brief outline of the material covered in the document. I encourage all of us to review and enhance our disaster preparedness capabilities using tools such as the FEMA document you can download with this link.

9-1-1 in a Disaster

Let’s say we have experienced an actual emergency in Cache Valley.

If the emergency occurred during work or school hours, is your Family Communications Plan prepared and does everyone in your family know how to get in contact?

If communications systems are overloaded, have you specified an out-of-area contact that each family member can communicate through when local calls are not possible?

If you need emergency assistance but local communications systems have failed, do you know the disaster communications procedures used by the first responders responsible for your community?

These are just a few of the things to consider when you make a family emergency communications plan. Let’s discuss that last scenario a little more - an inoperable phone system.

When communications systems are operating normally, it is always best to dial 9-1-1 to report a true emergency requiring law enforcement, firefighters or an ambulance. Your need will be triaged, prioritized, and placed in line with all the other incidents waiting to be dispatched to the appropriate responders.

If a disaster has tied up local lines, there are some other options to try. If you have a wifi connection through your phone you can try to make a call by enabling wifi calling in your settings. It's available on most Android and iOS devices and can be useful in areas with poor or no cellular coverage. If you are not sure if this would work with your provider, I encourage you to test the feature to see if it could help in an emergency.

Another option in Cache County is "text-to-911", which can be helpful when local phone systems experience high use, because text messages use less bandwidth than voice calls, so dispatch centers can receive more texts during times of high call volume.

To access the text-to-911 system, open a new message using “911” as the recipient (no dashes), type a message and send. Here are some guidelines if you need to use the service:

• Provide your exact address or location

• Briefly explain the type of emergency

• Be prepared to answer any questions that the 911 telecommunicator texts back

• Use plain language; no abbreviations, symbols, emoticons or photos

• Messages should be brief and concise - 160 characters are all you have to work with

If you do attempt contact via text and the service is not available in the area, you should receive a bounce-back message notifying you the message was not received at a dispatch center.

If voice calls over the cellular network or via wifi calling and text-to-911 are inoperable, the next option is to go out in search of help - if it is safe to do so. The communities of Amalga, Benson, Clarkston and Newton are remote, but Clarkston and Newton do have emergency services agencies within the community, while Amalga and Benson receive fire and EMS support from Smithfield.

In Newton, for example, when a disaster occurs the first responders will gather at the fire station when alerted by dispatch, or on their own, in order to complete an assessment of damage in the community. The same would be true in Clarkston. If you live in those communities the fire station is the place to go if you cannot get help with a phone call or text-to-911.

Additionally, Newton does have an emergency communication center at the town hall that could help citizens get in contact with emergency services via amateur radio, once it is activated. As far as I am aware, there are no emergency communications centers established in the communities of Amalga, Benson and Clarkston, but as Clarkston does have first responders, if it is safe to travel, attempt to locate a fire department unit and ask them to coordinate a response to your emergency.

For those living in Amalga and Benson where you are a significant distance from a fire station, it would be beneficial to make contact with the Smithfield Fire Department to learn how to get fire and EMS help during a disaster - if normal communications modes have failed.

If you are a licensed amateur operator living in Amalga or Benson, Smithfield does have a functioning emergency communication center at the fire station where amateur radio operators will assemble during a disaster. When you contact the fire station you could also ask them how you could help your remote community communicate the need for fire and EMS response with their ECC during a disaster.

This training has focused on just one aspect of communications in an emergency. For additional information on how to prepare a family emergency communications plan I encourage you to research the topic on ready.gov and beready.utah.gov via the following links:

Ready.gov

beready.utah.gov

Reporting an Emergency

A week or so ago I answered a call on the Mt Logan repeater where a station had come across an accident in Logan Canyon and was requesting help to report it to public safety dispatch. For tonight's training, let’s consider a few things that can help if you need to report an emergency to your local dispatch center.

In most circumstances, the person reporting an emergency will be the person who is at the scene of the emergency, using a phone to call 911. The dispatcher will ask a few basic questions in order to determine what help is needed.

First of all, what is the location of the emergency? In rural areas your answer could be a milepost and the name of the road, or the standard two-direction coordinate using the address assigned to the location, such as 51 S Center, in Newton, the address of the Newton EOC. 

As a reporting party, the dispatcher may ask for your name and a phone number, in case they need to contact you again if the call disconnects. This may not be necessary if there are multiple calls for the same incident, but be prepared with this information just in case.

Next, the dispatcher will ask you what is the nature of the emergency. Your answer should include a brief description of the emergency, such as, I’m reporting a vehicle crash, a house fire, a grass fire, or, I need an ambulance for an injured person. If you need a police officer, briefly describe what occurred just as you would if it were a fire or crash. 

Based on your initial description of the emergency, the dispatcher may use a scripted list of questions to gather additional information that could be helpful for the units responding to the incident. You should try to answer the dispatcher's questions clearly and calmly. You should also stay on the line and follow the dispatcher's instructions until help arrives. 

If you happen to answer a radio call from another ham asking for help to report an emergency to dispatch, the experience will be similar, with the exception that you are not the person at the location where the emergency is happening, and your role will be to relay information between the reporting person and dispatch.

When I answered the call from the station in Logan Canyon I was able to gather a few details from the reporting operator before calling dispatch, such as the location and nature of the emergency. In this case it was a vehicle crash at a mile marker on US 90, as well as the closest landmark. With this information I contacted dispatch by phone where I identified myself by name, and that I was relaying the report of a vehicle crash in Logan Canyon from someone who called on the amateur radio repeater.

After providing the information you know, if the dispatcher needs additional information be prepared to relay questions to the reporting operator and provide the answers back to the dispatcher. As we have discussed in other training topics, I strongly encourage all operators to keep paper and pencils nearby whenever you are monitoring a radio. Writing down the pertinent information can ensure accurate information is relayed, whether it be an EOC activation for an emergency situation, or when you need to jump in to help report an emergency to dispatch.

Last but not least, if you are in a situation where you need to report an emergency but do not have a mobile phone signal but you do have a radio available, don't forget about the autopatch on Mount Logan.

If you have a good signal into the repeater, key your microphone and state your call sign, then while the PTT is pressed use the DTMF keys to dial the star key, followed by 9-1-1. Release the PTT key and listen for the autopatch response to your request. When the call is in process you can release the PTT to listen, and press it to speak. When complete, press the PTT key and give your call sign again followed by the pound key, to terminate the autopatch. The blog post of tonight's topic will include a link to the BARC Autopatch instructions page.

Here is a .pdf detailing the autopatch instructions: BARC Autopatch.

Communication Skills

Announcements:

The Cache Valley version of the MS150 Bike Tour is next weekend, Saturday and Sunday June 22 and 23. There will be a lot of radio traffic on the local repeater system as amateur operators support the event. It's a chance to listen in to get a feel for how an emergency net would be handled.

Training:

Last week we discussed message formats and some basic message handling rules, as seen in the Introduction to Emergency Communications Course from the Amateur Radio Relay League. For our training tonight, I referenced Section 2, Topic 5 of the course, titled Basic Communications Skills:

Life-and-death communications are not part of our daily experience. Most of what we say and do

each day does not have the potential to severely impact the lives and property of hundreds or thousands of people. In an emergency, any given message can have huge and often unintended consequences. An unclear message, or one that is modified, delayed, misdelivered, or never delivered at all can have disastrous results.

Listening is at least 50 percent of communication. Discipline yourself to focus on your job and “tune out” distractions. If your attention drifts at the wrong time, you could miss a critical message. Consider a headset to help reduce the ambient noise around you so you can better concentrate on the radio messages.

Even something as simple as using your microphone correctly can make a big difference in intelligibility. For optimum performance, hold the mic close to your cheek, and just off to the side of your mouth. Talk across, rather than into, the microphone. This will reduce breath noises and “popping” sounds that can mask your speech.

Speak in a normal, clear, calm voice. Raising your voice or shouting can result in over modulation and distortion and will not increase volume at the receiving end. Speak at a normal pace — rushing your words can result in slurred and unintelligible speech. Pronounce words carefully, making sure to enunciate each syllable and sound. Radios should be adjusted so that a normal voice within two inches of the mic element will produce full modulation. If your microphone gain is set so high that you can achieve full modulation with the mic in your lap, it will also pick up extraneous background noise that can mask or garble your voice.

As ham radio operators, we use a great deal of jargon and specialized terminology in our daily conversations. Most of us understand each other when we do, and if we do not on occasion it usually makes little difference. In an emergency, however, the results can be much different. A misunderstood message could be costly.

Not everyone involved in an emergency communication situation will understand our slang and technical jargon. Even terms used by ham radio operators vary from one region to another, and non-hams or new hams will have no knowledge of most of our terminology. Ham radio operators assisting from another region might understand certain jargon very differently from local ones.

For these reasons, all messages and communications during an emergency should be in plain language. “Q” signals (except in CW communication), 10 codes, and similar jargon should be avoided. The one exception to this is the list of standard “prowords” (often called “prosigns”) used in amateur traffic nets, such as “clear,” “say again all after,” and so on.

Avoid words or phrases that carry strong emotions. Most emergency situations are emotionally charged already, and you do not need to add to the problem. For instance, instead of saying, “horrific damage and people torn to bits,” you might say “significant physical damage and serious personal injuries.” And please watch the speed at which you speak. It should be at a normal rate. Many times, emergency operators get too excited and talk very fast, making it hard for receiving stations to understand them. 

In the course of sending and receiving messages, certain words in a message may not be immediately understood. This might be the case with an unusual place name, or an unusual last name. The best way to be sure it is understood correctly is to spell it. The trouble is, if you just spell the word using letters, it might still be misunderstood, because many letters sound alike at the other end of a radio circuit. “Z” and “C” are two good examples. For that reason, radio communicators often use phonetics. These are specific words that begin with the letter being sent. 

To reduce requests to repeat words, use phonetics any time a word has an unusual or difficult

spelling, or may be easily misunderstood. Do not spell common words unless the receiving

station asks you to. In some cases, they may ask for the phonetic spelling of a common word to

clear up confusion over what has been received. Standard practice is to first say the word, say “I

spell,” and then spell the word phonetically. This lets the receiving station know you are about to

spell the word they just heard.

Several different phonetic alphabets are in common use, but most ham radio operators and public safety agencies use the ITU Phonetic Alphabet, and others use military alphabets. Many ham radio operators like to make up their own phonetics, especially as a memory aid for call signs, and often with humorous results. This may not be good practice in emergency communications, as in poor conditions, unusual phonetic words might also be misunderstood. We need to be sure that what we say is always interpreted exactly as intended.

Here is a reference copy of the ITU Phonetic Alphabet:

Message Handling

Message handling comes in two categories: formal and informal, and both have their place in emergency communications. In general, informal messages are best when the content is non-critical and simple, or when they require immediate action, and these messages go directly from the sender to the recipient.

Some emergency messages are best sent informally in the interest of saving precious seconds. If you need an ambulance for a severely bleeding victim, you do not have time to compose and send a formal message. Other messages do not require a formal written message because they have little value beyond the moment. Letting the Net Control Station know where you are or when you will arrive need not be formal. The message is going directly to its recipient, is simple and clear, and has little detail. Many of the messages handled on a tactical net fit this description. 

Formal messages are more appropriate when two or more people will handle them before they reach the recipient, or when the contents are critical or contain important details. These messages should follow a standard written message format so everyone knows what to expect. This increases the speed and accuracy with which you can handle messages. It may be that informal or “tactical” messages are not written out in ARRL format, or not written at all. However, this does not mean that accuracy is any less important.

Two message formats, FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) form ICS 213 and ARRL’s message form, or “Radiogram,” are used for passing messages on various nets and are required for all messages sent through the National Traffic System. Another helpful form is the ICS 214 - a form to log the messages received at your location.

While these formats may not be perfect for all applications, they serve as a baseline that can be readily adapted for use by specific partners. Regular practice with creating and sending messages in any format is recommended.

Additional Message Handling Rules

Do not speculate on anything relating to an emergency! You do not want to be the source of any rumor. If your served agency requests an estimate, you can provide that information as long as you make it very clear that it is only an estimate. For example, “The estimated number of homes damaged is 12,” would be an acceptable thing to say. 

Pass messages exactly as they have been written or spoken. Even more important than speed is accuracy; your job as a communicator is to deliver each message as accurately as possible. Therefore, you must not change any message as you handle it. If it is longer than you would like, you must send it anyway. Seemingly misspelled words or confusing text must be sent exactly as received. Only the original author may make changes. If you note an inaccurate word count in an NTS format message, you must maintain the original count and follow it with the actual count received at your station, i.e., “12/11.”

Log all incoming and outgoing messages. Record the name of the sender, addressee, the station that passed the message to you, the station to whom the message was sent, the message number, and the times in and out. Keep the written copy of each message in numerical order for future reference.

Also, log which operators are on duty for any given period and record any significant events at your station. These might include changes in conditions, power failures, meals, new arrivals and departures, equipment failures, and so on.

In addition to the log, copies of all messages should be kept and catalogued for easy retrieval if needed later for clarification or message tracking. Many operators make notes about when the message was received and sent, as well as to whom and from whom, directly on the message form itself. This helps speed up tracking later on. Never rely on your memory.

Here are links to the message forms mentioned above:

ARRL Radiogram

FEMA ICS 213

FEMA ICS 214 - Message log form.

- source: ARRL Intro to Emergency Communications Section 3

SET Recap

Tonight I’ll share a my thoughts on the countywide emergency test held last Thursday in conjunction with the Great Utah Shakeout. The group that gathered at the Newton Town hall was a combination of operators from the EOC staff and some of the communications specialists from the local congregations in the Benson Stake.

Using the Cache County Community Disaster Impact form, we simulated the effects of the earthquake for Newton Town and surrounding area. Even though we were entering our simulated data rather quickly, I was reminded that in a real emergency the process of finding out what has occurred and compiling the report will take a significant amount of time. Until the full assessment is available to send by the easiest mode of communication available, as an attachment to an email, or by Winlink during a communication systems outage, passing emergency mmessages between organizations can be accomplished over voice channels. If we receive a specific request for less urgent information before the full impact report is ready, consider sending a response using the ICS 213 General Message form via email or Winlink to quickly send on what we do know, when it is needed. Again, it is important to note that information not critical to life safety can wait until the appropriate form is compiled and ready to send, freeing up the voice channels for emergency traffic. When it comes to passing messages with packet radio during a wide-scale emergency, expect the process to take some time. At Newton we had such significant delays sending our Winlink messages we were not able to spend much time practicing sending messages over the voice channels. If we had more gateway sites available throughout the area it would help, but access issues could be managed somewhat by reducing the size of attachments to Winlink messages as much as possible, and sending one message or small groups of messages at a time, minimizing the delay for other EOCs looking for access to the gateway system. I want to thank all of the net members who were able to join us for the exercise, as well as thank all of you for the consistent participation in our monthly net meetings. It is great to see your willingness to be a resource to your communities!