20100206

Amateur Radio
Emergency Network
AREN
2010 Meeting

John Ronan, EI7IG
National Co-ordinator
Clonmel, 6th February 2010

Agenda
• 10:00 - 10:30 Review of 2008/2009

• 10:30 - 11:00 MEM Process

• 11:00 - 11:15 Feedback

• 11:30 - 13:00 Radio Procedure Workshop

• 14:00 - 15:00 Intro to Map Reading

• 15:00 - 15:45 Intro to APRS

• 15:45 - 16:30 Digimode Workshop

• 16:30 - 17:00 Discussion

AREN Organisaton
National Co-Ordinator
John Ronan, EI7IG

Information &
Communictions Co- Technical Co-Ordinator Financial Co-Ordinator Operations Co-Ordinator Secretary
Ordinator Vacancy Timothy McKnight, EI5GPB Conor O'Neill, EI4JN John Ketch, EI2GN
Laurent Schoumacker

Training & Recruitment
Webmaster
Bernard Tyers, EI8FDB Officer
*Vacancy

*EI5GPB and EI2GN acting as training and recruitment officers until we find someone to fill the post

National Co-ordinator
• Reports to IRTS

• Expert on National Emergency Plan

• Sets strategy for organisation

• Set goals for assistants and follows them up

• Liaise with counterparts Internationally

• Recognisable to all Voluntary and Professional Emergency
services

Operations Co-ordinator
• Report to National Co-ordinator

• Expert on National Emergency Plan

• Define AREN callout system

• Maintain equipment bank

• Facilitate/organise/appoint Event Co-ordinators

• Define contents of Go-kit, Input to SOPs

• Appoint and manage Training and Recruitment Officer

• Manage Area Co-ordinators

Technical Co-ordinator

• Evaluate technologies and define standards for AREN

• Liaise with repeater groups

• Maintain current list of repeater keepers and repeater
details

• Work with Training and Recruitment Officer

• Define and use standard document template.

• Maintain document repository

• Respond to technical queries from members

Financial Co-ordinator

• Insurance

• Bank Account

• Fund Raising, Lotto, InterReg etc.

• Mailing documents to members

• Organise meetings and venues (doodle.ch)

• Maintain Calendar of events

Marketing/Public
Relations Co-ordinator

• Press releases, press liaison

• Needs to be comfortable/good speaker

• Prepare press packs for all members

• Receive updates systematically from events

• Updates to AREN web site, feed IRTS news

• Works with IRTS PRO

• Build event reports and photo history

Training and
Recruitment Ofﬁcer
• Report to Operations Co-ordinator

• ID Cards, Credentials, Training History

• Presence and stand at Radio Rallies

• Work with team to develop SOPs

• Maintain Membership database

• Take enquiries from interested licensees

• Send packs to new members

• Arrange training activities

2008 Events
• 4 x VES Meetings
• 2 South (EI2GN, EI4JN)
• 2 South East (EI7IG & EI2JB)
• 1 x AREN Committee Meeting (4)
• 1 x SVESO Training Seminar (1)
• 1 x AREN Meeting (11)
• 1 x SSB Field Day (5)
• 1 x 2m Counties Contest (8)

2008 Exercises
• May GlobalSET (5)
• STVES Exercise Clogheen (5)
• Galtee Walking Festival (6) (6)
• Imaal Walk (2)
• Sean Kelly Tour (7)
• November GlobalSET (6)
• Voice and Data Nets

2008 Review
• 19 Activities in Total
• Approx. 113 hours duration
• Approx. 561 volunteer hours
• 25 Active Members
• SEMRA, CD, SARDA, St Johns Ambulance,
Red Cross, Order of Malta

• November 2008
• Donation from East Cork Contest Group

2009 Events

• 1 x Severe Weather Net (7)
• 1 x AREN Committee Meeting (3)
• Meetings/Recce for Walking Club Marathon (3)
• 9 x VES Subgroup Meetings
• 2 x IRTS Committee Meetings
• IRTS AGM Weekend (12)
• Pre Meeting/Comeragh Challenge (8)

2009 Events
• Galtee Walking Festival (7)
• CW Field Day (28)
• 80m Counties Contest (7)
• VHF/UHF Field Day (3)
• Sean Kelly Tour (9)
• SSB Field Day (4)

2009 Exercises
• 10 x Voice Nets
• Peak 15, normally 7-10
• 1 x 160m Net (5)
• 1 x Severe Weather Net (9)
• 6 x Data Nets
• Peak 9, normally 3-4
• Youghal Coast Guard Exercise (2 obs)

2009 Exercises

• Galtee Marathon (11)
• Maamturk Walk (2)
• April GlobalSET (3)
• Dublin Mini Marathon (George Adjaye)
• Recce/Dunmore East Coast Guard Ex (17)
• Donegal MRT Assistance (2)

2009 Review
• 62 Activities in Total
• 27 Exercises
• 34 Events
• Approx. 471 hours duration
• Approx. 2388 volunteer hours
• 38 Active Members

2009 Review

• Insurance
• Identiﬁcation Cards
• Financials...

Amateur Radio Emergency Network

Statement of Financial Activities

for the Year ended 31 December in €

Note 2009 2008

Income 1

Gifts and Donations 2
Cash 2,130.60 425.12
Non-cash 765.00 2,560.63
Membership Fees 3 450.00 0.00

Total Income 3,345.60 2,985.75

Expense 1

Equipment and Supplies 2, 4 2,613.96 2,500.00
Insurance 3 286.00 0.00
Account Maintenance Fees 35.50 4.80
Indentification Cards 3 202.60 0.00
Website Expense 0.00 113.75
Hire of Facilities 0.00 25.00

Total Expense 3,138.06 2,643.55

Net Surplus/(Deficit) of Funds 207.54 342.20

Cash Balance at Beginning of Year 5 342.20 0.00

Cash Balance at End of Year 5 549.74 342.20

What is AREN?
• Public Service Voluntary Radio Emergency
Network (PSVRN)
• Sanctioned following Ireland’s adoption of
Resolution 640 (1979) of the Radio
Regulations of the International
Telecommunications Union
• Allows for the utilisation of Amateur Radio
communications in emergency situations

What is a PSVRN?

• A group of licensed radio operators who
voluntarily make their equipment and time
available to the community, nationally,
internationally and in their local area to
assist professional and community groups by
passing third party trafﬁc in emergency
situations.

Deﬁnition from the
framework document
“A Major Emergency is any event which, usually with little or
no warning, causes or threatens death or injury, serious
disruption of essential services or damage to property, the
environment or infrastructure beyond the normal capabilities
of the principle emergency services in the area in which the
event occurs, and requires the activation of speciﬁc additional
procedures and the mobilisation of additional resources to
ensure an effective, co-ordinated response.”
-- A Framework for Major Emergency Management
http://www.mem.ie

What is an Emergency?

• If one is declared by any of (the PRAs)

• An Garda Síochána, the Health Service
Executive, a Local Authority

• Others (potential)

• Missing Person search that lasts longer than a
day

• Any situation where the existing resources of
the PRAs are unable to cope

AREN in the framework
document
“Consideration should be given to harnessing the capability of
the Amateur Radio Emergency Network to quickly erect/
conﬁgure communications networks, in the event of loss of
normal communications systems”
-- A Framework for Major Emergency Management, p69
http://www.mem.ie

Current Status
• Nationally
• Submitted text for “Guide to Working with VES”
Guidance document.
• South East (EI7IG/EI2JB)
• VES Working Group Conclusion.
• CD Clonmel, CD Waterford, Dunmore East CG
• South (EI2GN)
• North West (EI9JV)
• Mid West (EI5DD)

AREN’s Role
Internationally
• IRESC Tsunami Relief (2004) - Haiti (2009)
• 5MHz
• Tampere Accord (Support/Promote)
• GAREC (Participate when appropriate)
• IARU
• Simulated Emergency Test(s)
• Public Relations

What is AREN’s Role?
• Training (What to do during ‘non emergency’ times?)
• Both voice and digital modes.
• Increasing COMMUNICATIONS proﬁciency by
participation in Public Service Events, Field Days (PR)
• Building relationships with other agencies.
• If we don’t exercise, how do we expect to be able to do
the job when under pressure?
• “Auditing and Appraisal”
• Public Relations for the Amateur Radio hobby.
• Oh, and to assist the Primary Response Agencies and other
Voluntaries with COMMUNICATIONS at times of
emergency.

Other Items
• Dual VHF/HF Nets
• Net Participation
• Gerry’s Visualisation Tool
• Auditing and Appraisal
• Net Reports
• Standardisation/Continual Professional Development
• Go-Kits
• Be prepared

The Future
• Training
• Exercises
• Local Involvement
• Building Relationships

Feedback
• Who has never called into a Net and why?
• Article for Echo Ireland, what should be
addressed in it?
• Question to think about for later
• Suggestions for meeting next Year.
• Should we bring the MCP?
• Location?
• Decisions for Heroes

Training

• Block 1 - Introduction
• Block 2 - Net Operations
• Block 3 - Advanced Operations
• Block 4 - Net Control

Introduction
Basic communications skills

• Listening
• Microphone Techniques
• Brevity and Clarity
• Plain Language
• Phonetics
• ITU Alphabet
• Pro-Words

Voice Procedure

• Securely, Accurately, Speedily
• All words spoken may be heard by
someone ‘unauthorised’
• Interference and weak signals may result in
misunderstood messages
• The more people operating on the net,
the more confused it will get

Security

• Efﬁcient message passing aids security
• Gossip is wasteful
• Obscene language gives a bad impression

Accuracy
• Microphone position
• 1-2 inches from mouth
• speak across the microphone
• Manner - R.S.V.P.
• Rhythm - Natural, with sensible phrases
• Speed - Slower than normal conversation
• Volume - As per Normal conversation (don’t
overmodulate)
• Pitch - Slightly higher than Normal

Aids to Accuracy
(see handbook)

• Phonetic Alphabet
• Pronunciation of Figures
• Rules for Spelling
• Rules for Figures
• Rules for Grid References

Aids to economy (speed)
• Abbreviations
• Under good conditions use as for normal speech
• Under bad conditions only use when
transmission time would be saved
• Under bad conditions may be expanded if
operator is 100% sure of the meaning, otherwise
spell phonetically.
• Pro-Words
• Words/phrases with speciﬁc meaning.

Useful Information
• Common Repeater systems
• +1600
• +5000
• -600
• SERN and other Repeater Networks
• Battery Care and Maintenance

Accuracy

• Need 3 volunteers

Accuracy

• Listen carefully.

Accuracy

• And again (RSVP)

Accuracy

• And again (RSVP)
• And again!

Establishing Communications
(in an Ideal World)

• Select operator and scribe, who then;
• Issue preliminary instructions
• Conduct equipment check

Preliminary Instructions
(in an ideal world)

• Net organisation, who is in it, callsigns etc
• Frequencies in use, primary and back-up
• Time for net opening and estimated net
closing

Equipment Check

• If possible, a radio check should always
performed before any operators begin
moving into their designated position.

Radio Net
• Radio Check/Signal Report
• Normal Calls/Exchanges
• All Stations Calls
• Closing the Net
• Others
• Joining/Leaving the Net
• Formal Messages

Exercise 1
• Break into groups (6 per group)
• Pick Operator/Scribe
• Pick Frequency
• Decide on order of callsigns
• Decide on Net start time
• Operators head outside and spread out
•Pro-Words: Over, Out, Roger, Wilco.
•Remember: Rythm, Speed,Volume, Pitch

Exercise 2
• Pick new Operator/Scribe
• Pick Frequency
• Pro-Words: Over, Out, Roger, Wilco, Wait, All
After, All Before, Figures, Continue
• Remember: Rythm, Speed,Volume, Pitch

Exercise 3
• Pick new Operator/Scribe
• Pick Frequency
• Pro-Words: Over, Out, Roger, Wilco, Wait, All
After, All Before, Figures, continue.
• Remember: Rythm, Speed,Volume, Pitch

Formal Messages

• Basic format is agreed across all three IARU
Regions
• AREN’s message form is the new template
for IARU Region 1.
• Worked example.

Thank you for your
patience!
http://www.aren.ie
John Ronan, AREN Co-ordinator
ei7ig@aren.ie 086 8167310

20100206

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Editor's Notes