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From Kevin Brown, KCØCZI , 7-31-03 @ 2033 local---
I wanted to take a moment to let you know that the communications exercise
portion of the Joint User Interoperability Communications Exercise (JUICE)
2003 has begun. The various agencies involved have begun the process of mobilizing
their people and resources.
As it stands right now - we are still on schedule to participate on Monday August 4, 2003 from 8am - 3pm local time.
I want to thank KMOR, AEOS, KB0EMB, N0XG (and I'm sure several others
I'm forgetting) in helping to get the word out to the entire ARES membership
that this exercise will be occuring. I also wish to thank you all in advance
for putting up with my piece-part information -though I can assure you it's everything I know.
Let me provide some clarification on some questions I've been asked:
Q: When will ARES be asked to participate?
A: The Missouri National Guard is currently planning to request ARES activation
on Monday at 0800hrs. However - the exercise began today - and the Guard could
- at it's own discretion - call for our activation anytime between now and
5pm on Monday. I would ask each of you to stay in touch with your ARES leadership
and perhaps monitor the MESN frequencies for additional information.
Q: What frequencies will be used?
A: By default 3963/7263 Mhz are the suggested statewide rally frequencies
for ARES. However, by the very nature of the Amateur Service those frequencies
could vary dependant upon QRM, propagation, mode use, etc. Currently, we are
expecting to activate 7263 Mhz as the initial coordination frequency on Monday
morning at 8am. Other frequencies - appropriate for the modes being used will
be selected as necessary. From an overall exercise - they will be using MANY
different frequencies including satellite, Federal HF allocations, state HF allocations, military allocations, etc.
Q: If I want to participate - do I have to commit to the whole day?
A: No. But I'm sure whoever acts as net control station will want to know
when you join and leave the net(s). Please be sure to let them know your status as it changes.
Q: What kinds of traffic will we be asked to handle?
A: Potentially we could be asked to handle short-message traffic, command
and control instructions, phone patches, act as a calling-tree hub for agency
personnel, the possibilities are infinite. It is my belief that we'll have
to be flexible and responsive to their requests - whatever they might be.
There has been talk of asking for operators to deploy to sites around the
state. Bottom line - I simply do not know for sure what they'll ask us to
do. Remember that this is an emergency communications exercise - any frankly
- anything goes. We will have to ensure the traffic is appropriate and within
the limits of our abilities. From my perspective: this is the opportunity
that we've all been waiting for - to EXERCISE our ability to respond - without
actually having destruction occuring and potentially lives on the line.
Q: I live in <city> will my participation benefit the exercise?
A: Absolutely. This exercise has implications all over the State of Missouri.
Yes the main simulated physical destruction is limited to St Louis and Jefferson
City - but during an actual event - resources will be required from all-over
in order to mitigate and respond to the disaster. Our ability as ARES to cast
a statewide net will be extremely valuable to those who will assess our capabilities
after the exercise is over. They will be sending messages to various nearby
states as well as part of the exercise.
Q: What state agencies are participating?
A: The major proponent is the Missouri National Guard headquarters - and ALL
of it's various area commands. Other agencies include the Dept of Public Safety,
Dept of Transportation, SEMA, Dept of Health, Highway Patrol, Ft Bragg, NC,
Ft Monmouth, NJ, and the list, I'm sure... Goes on.
Q: Who knows about this exercise?
A: This exercise is visible to all of the above-mentioned agencies plus
- Missouri Director of Homeland Security, Governors Office, National
Guard Bureau (Federal), and likely many others.
Q: What kinds of capabilities are you looking for from ARES?
A: ANYONE can participate in this exercise. It may require local-area
radio links, HF long-haul links, packet, phone, digital modes. The key
to our combined success is the wide-spread list of capabilities. Further -
this exercise is likely going to require cross-coordination with the Military
Affiliate Radio Service (MARS). If you don't already know a local MARS operator
- now might be a good time to find out who they are. Having the ability to
cross-coordinate locally - in your town
or city - is something we all need to be able to do. Generally - if you
can operate a radio - you can participate. Be sure you let the net
control station know what your capabilities are when you check in.
Q: Should we make contact with our local Red Cross, EMA?
A: I doubt it will be necessary. Yes, the exercise is wide-reaching,
but I don't believe local jurisdictions or service organizations are
being implicated in this exercise. Contacting them about this exercise
would likely result in a confused reaction. If they have been asked to
participate - I suspect you know about it already.
Q: Can we deploy a field station?
A: If you would like to exercise your local plan and deploy a field
station - I would absolutely encourage that. I think that's a wonderful
idea.
Q: Can my participation in this exercise be counted as SET credit?
A: I haven't asked that question. Don, KM0R may be able to answer that
more directly.
Q: Do I need to operate on emergency power?
A: Although it's not mandatory - I would encourage you to consider operating
as you might during a real emergency. I am planning to quit using email and
phones once the 'explosion' occurs in Jefferson City.
I'm doing this simply because I want the scenario to be more realistic for
me - as a test of my actual ability to function in a reduced-capabilities scenario.
Q: How much activity should we expect to have to deal with?
A: I have no concept of the volume we might expect. They will be
conducting various checks and validations of many different emergency
communications options - including ARES/MARS. Utilization of our
resources will likely depend upon the breadth of our net(s),
capabilities we bring to the table, and success/failures of other
systems they will be validating.
Q: Will this be an annual exercise?
A: JUICE is a federally driven exercise, and this is the first time
Missouri has participated in a significant capacity. I have heard that
Missouri has already committed to participate in the 2004 exercise.
Q: Who will be the point of contact if I have additional questions?
A: I will be more than happy to answer additional questions as best as
I can. Once the 'explosion' occurs however - understand that I won't be
reachable by phone or email. I will likely be monitoring the Missouri
Traffic Net each evening.
8-4-03 @ 1654 local
We have received the 'END EXercise' notification from the MOARNG. I
wanted to provide a quick summary - a full After Action Review will be
conducted, and I hope to be able to transmit to you the relevant
information.
However I did want to provide you with a couple of notes during todays
'hotwash' call where all the agency liaisons get together and discuss
progress thus far and/or plan for the next operational period.
Over 40 MARS/ARES operators involved during today's event. Many simply
checked-in and stood ready to receive traffic if necessary which is much
appreciated. It did provide the 'customers' with a show of force as it
relates to the size of net that Amateur Radio can provide as a whole.
Of the main notable items we demonstrated:
- Tactical phone patch capability.
- Mass resource aggregation
- Use of digital modes in failed or failing propagation
- Short-fuse muster capability (they did send the activation 3 days
earlier than expected!!)
- Inter-service message handling
- Established and/or made level-sets of our capabilities and
relationships
- Proved that the best way to ensure high efficiency - is through
training with them - expect more of that to come!
- Pleased that we did not suffer from man-made interference on our
operating frequencies!
- Did suffer from malicious interference localized to Jefferson City but
worked around it.
- Above all - that we are responsive and conscious of the needs of our
'customers'
I can nearly assure you that we as Amateur Radio operators will be asked
to participate again in future communications exercises like this one.
It should also be known that several hotwash participants felt that 4
days was too short.
Thanks to EVERY Amatuer Radio Operator who participated - or quietly
monitored the exercise. While it may have seemed awful quiet at times -
the evaluation from those we were serving was " Participation of
ARES/MARS continues to exceed goal and expectations"
WELL DONE!
73
Kevin Brown, KC0CZI
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