MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

 BETWEEN THE

ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI AND TENNESSEE SECTIONS

IN THE DELTA DIVISION

OF

THE AMERICAN RADIO RELAY LEAGUE

8 August 2011

Purpose:  Recognizing that the south-central region of the United States is subject to large scale disaster events and that Amateur Radio operators are frequently asked to assist with emergency communications during such events, this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been prepared to establish a framework for cooperation between the Arkansas (AR), Louisiana (LA), Mississippi (MS) and Tennessee (TN) Sections in the Delta Division of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL).

During natural and man-made disaster events, amateur radio operators in an impacted area often cannot participate in emergency operations at the Section level because they must attend to family and local problem areas.  Thus, the availability of emergency coordinators, experienced net control stations, traffic handlers, etc., can be at a premium in a given Section.

In order to mitigate this potential problem and take advantage of the expertise of nearby amateurs not in the impacted area, the AR, LA, MS and TN Sections agree through signature of their respective Section Managers (SMs) to the following:

(a)    The SM of the Section that is anticipated to be the first and most impacted by the disaster event will be the SM Coordinator (Incident Commander) for the event.  The selection of the SM Coordinator shall be by mutual agreement of the four Section Managers.  The SM Coordinator will organize and staff an HF Emergency/Tactical phone net (see note 3 and Addendum).  The coordination of this net will by the designated Delta Emergency Net Manager (see note 3).  Net frequencies shall be 7275 kHz (daytime) and 3890 kHz (nighttime).  The SM Coordinator will inform ARRL Headquarters (see note 1) of the Emergency/Tactical net’s activation.  The actual start time of the net shall be determined by mutual consent of the four Section Managers based upon available information.  In the event that the SM Coordinator becomes unavailable, the applicable Section Emergency Coordinator will assume coordination.

(b)    If the emergency traffic within a given section is very heavy during the disaster event, the SM Coordinator may request that an HF phone net in that section also be activated to handle the overload with appropriate liaison between the nets (see Addendum for section emergency operation frequencies).  It is understood that Command and Control nets are considered local in nature and shall be established by the appropriate EC, DEC, SEC or SM as established by local procedure.

(c)    In wide area storm events (such as hurricanes or ice storms), organizing and staffing the Emergency/Tactical net must start well in advance of the storm’s arrival.  Since many disasters can occur with little or no warning, each section will establish and periodically update rosters of net control station volunteers, rapid response teams and individual deployment volunteers.  Intersection deployment of teams or individual volunteers shall be strictly controlled by Delta Division SMs or SECs, if so delegated by an SM.

(d)    The SM Coordinator shall contact the Net Managers of RN5 and DRN5 to make arrangements for handling Health and Welfare (H/W) traffic, if deemed necessary, and to ensure that an NTS Liaison will monitor the Emergency/Tactical Net to move H/W traffic off frequency for handling as necessary.  The managers of independent traffic nets may also be contacted for assistance, if the anticipated traffic load warrants.  The SM Coordinator may declare a moratorium on inbound H/W traffic contingent upon capability to deliver messages in a timely manner to the addresses in the impacted area.  When conditions improve such that messages can be delivered, the moratorium shall be lifted.

(e)    Operational decisions made by the SM Coordinator relating to Amateur participation in the emergency event shall be made in consultation with other SMs as necessary.

(f)     The SMs of the remaining lesser impacted Sections shall coordinate with their SECs and STMs to render assistance as needed.

(g)    This MOU shall survive changes in Delta Division SMs and shall remain in affect until modified by consent and signature of the current SMs of the AR, LA, MS and TN Sections.

Notes:

1. The recommended contact persons at ARRL HQ are Mike Corey at (860) 594-0222 and/or Steve Ewald at (860) 594-0265.
2. Traffic handlers (NTS or independent) not directly involved in emergency communications are encouraged to solicit H/W traffic by visiting shelters in the affected areas of their Section.
3. Delta Emergency Net Manager is Richard Webb, NF5B.  Richard is located in Eads, TN, and his phone number is 901-465-9921

Addendum: Sample Net Control Preamble

(Read only once at initial net activation and at the beginning of each subsequent day’s activities)

Calling the Delta ARES Emergency Net (repeat 1).  This net has been activated to provide emergency communications in response to (name of disaster event).  This is (call sign) in (location), net control for this two-hour tour of duty.  This is a directed net for liaison stations from emergency response agencies, stations with high priority traffic or stations in the affected emergency event area with information or inquiries.  Please transmit only when requested to do so by net control.  This is not a general check-in net.  If you do not have emergency or priority traffic please monitor the net and provide relay assistance when net control apparently cannot receive a calling station.

This net will handle emergency and priority traffic only.  All Health and Welfare or routine traffic should be routed via the National Traffic System.  If you have Health and Welfare traffic, an NTS liaison station on frequency will be glad to move you off and take your traffic.  (Only outbound H/W will be handled if there is a moratorium on inbound traffic).  During periods when the Net Control Station is not transmitting, please keep the frequency clear.

The sequence for stations checking into this net will be as follows:

• Any station with emergency traffic.
• Any station with priority traffic.
• Any station with weather related traffic or information.
• NTS Liaison Station (if no Liaison is on frequency, refer queries to active section or H/W nets).
• Check-ins from emergency response agency stations in the following order:
  1. State, city, county or parish EOC Stations.
  2. National Weather Service Stations.
  3. Red Cross, Salvation Army or other emergency response agency stations.

• Stations in the affected emergency event area with information or inquiries.

We will now take check-ins:

(Go to the top of the above list and call in order.  Log all check-ins and their tactical calls for future reference.)

SHORT FORM NET PROTOCOL FOR NET CONTROL SHIFT CHANGE

This is (your call) located in (your location).  I will be your Delta ARES Emergency Net control operator for the next two hours or until relieved.

This net will handle emergency and priority traffic only.  This is a directed net.  Please do not transmit unless directed to do so by net control.  This is not a general check in net.  If you do not have emergency, priority or significant weather related information, please simply monitor the net and offer relay assistance if needed.  If you have immediate emergency traffic use the pro words “BREAK-BREAK” and your traffic will be handled immediately.

We will now take check-ins:

• This is (your call) and the Delta ARES Emergency Net
• Is there any station with emergency, priority or weather related traffic or information?
• Are there check-ins from emergency response agency stations?
• Are there stations in the affected emergency event area with information or inquiries?

NCS Notes:

1. The four bulleted lines above should be read every 5 minutes as time and traffic load permit.  There will be periods of silence on the frequency, but this is necessary to keep the frequency open for emergency and priority traffic.
2. Be sure to keep a list of your check-ins so that you can pass this information on to the next NCS.  He can then call the roll to see who is still on frequency.
3. If non-emergency stations begin to attempt to check in, please thank them and reply:  “This is not a general check in net.  If you do not have emergency, priority or significant weather related information, please simply monitor the net and offer relay assistance if needed.”  Once this occurs a few times others will get the hint.
4. Operating frequencies are 7275 daytime and 3890 nighttime.  Frequency changes will be made at the discretion of the Net Control Station depending upon propagation conditions.  It is advisable to have other stations check propagation on the proposed frequency before actually making the change.
5. The Net Manager who called you initially to set up the schedule for NCS is coordinating the net schedule.  He/she will give you his/her contact information upon initial contact.  Please coordinate any schedule changes with him/her.

Section Emergency Operating Frequencies:

ARKANSAS – 3987.5 (SSB), 7260 (SSB), 3570 (CW), 146.52 (VHF), AND 3626.9, 7.1012 (DIGITAL)

LOUISIANA – 3910 (SSB), 7285 (SSB), 3573 (CW), 3595.9 AND 7079.9 (DIGITAL)

MISSISSIPPI – 3862 (SSB), 7238 (SSB), 3570 (CW)

TENNESSEE – 3980 (SSB), 7238 (SSB), 3562 (CW)