Announcements:
For anyone interested in testing for an amateur license, visit this link at the BARC website to see the testing dates for the remainder of 2025: BARC Licensing Info.
Ward Specialists who do not feel ready to pursue an amateur radio license: please consider applying for a GMRS license. This is a no-test option that will help us coordinate the needs of the Stake should an emergency occur and normal modes of communication fail. Please contact me and I can help you with the process.
A county-wide radio exercise is in the planning stages for October. I will update the net participants as soon as more information is known.
Training:
One thing hams, as well as police, fire, military, government, and EMS personnel find useful while communicating during an incident is the use of tactical call signs. It's not the same as your FCC-issued call sign, and does not replace it, but can be used as a shortcut or abbreviation during an exercise or emergency.
During an actual emergency it can get really tedious, if not confusing and frustrating, if you had to remember who is where by their FCC call sign alone, possibly fumbling with unfamiliar call signs as you try to transmit important information through the net. Tactical calls can prevent such confusion and will increase the efficiency and speed in identifying a specific function or location.
Tactical call signs should be used for all emergency nets and public service events if there are more than just a few participants. If one does not already exist, the Net Control Station (NCS) may assign the tactical call sign as each location is “opened.” Tactical call signs will usually provide some information about the location or its purpose.
For example, a station identifying as "Newton EOC” or “Benson Stake” is immediately known as to where and what they are by everyone on the net. For an operator who is not at a fixed location, the tactical call sign assigned should denote the function, or role they are assigned to, such as “Search Team 1”, or “Medic Team 1”, etc.
To expedite traffic, stations on the net can simply use the tactical call sign assigned to the location or role they want to contact without worrying about remembering the FCC call sign of the operator at the location or assigned to the role. This is especially efficient during lengthy incidents where amateur operators fulfilling an assignment have changed after their shift.
Note: It is not necessary to include your amateur call sign after each time you reply with your assigned tactical call sign, but it is necessary to comply with station identification requirements as read in Part 97 of the FCC regulations.
Here is an example of tactical call signs in use while adhering to station identification requirements:
Net Control: "Search Team 1, this is Net Control";
Search Team 1: "Go ahead, Net Control";
Net Control transmits the message and Search Team 1 acknowledges. If there are questions or clarification needed, the conversation continues. At the end of the conversation, and every 10 minutes during a longer conversation, to comply with FCC rules each station identifies with their FCC call sign after the tactical call sign:
After exchanging a short message, Net Control ends the conversation: "Net Control, N7GRF".
This weekend (Friday and Saturday) is the Bear 100 Endurance Run through Logan Canyon where the Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club will provide communication support over the Mount Logan Repeater System. This would be a good opportunity to monitor the traffic to hear how tactical calls signs are put to use.