Simulated Emergency Test
All Amateur Radio Operators Invited to Participate
Saturday October 3, 2020

Check in with Net Control
on 146.850 at 9:00 AM
for instructions
You do not have to deploy anywhere
Click here for the list of frequencies that will be used.

OPERATIONS ORDER
St Louis Metro Amateur Radio Service

Simulated Emergency Test
3 October 2020

1. Situation
   1. Remnants of a severe hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast has come North, still having high winds that took down power lines along with widespread flooding. Cellular phone service is out because most cell towers were knocked offline or completely collapsed. We have been asked to set up amateur radio stations at the following locations, St. Louis City EOC mobile command, St. Louis Co EOC, American Red Cross, Central Co 911 and several municipalities Fire Districts. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, all the above agencies will be simulated by operators.


2. Mission
   1. St. Louis ARES will simulate a mobilized contingent force of communications assets to provide communications to and from the above simulated locations in support of the served agencies.
   2. Messages relating to public safety, health and welfare, supplies and shelters will be generated using standard forms specific use of Federal Emergency Management Agency and local emergency management agencies (ICS213). Winlink digital mode will be used to send Red Cross Shelter messages and traffic to those who have Winlink capability.


3. Execution
   1. Each operator should be able to reach several 2 meter repeater or simplex frequencies. For those with HF and 6M, they will have the task of communicating with those operators outside of the St. Louis region. All frequencies will be known in advance and will be listed on a ICS205 communications form.


4. Service Support (for this simulation)
   1. Supply
      1. Operators must be self-sufficient. Battery or generator power is strongly sugested to be used if available.
      2. Participants should take into consideration anticipated weather in the area to make HF operations difficult.
      3. Operators should have a hand held (HT) radio just in case their main radio fails.
      4. Should an emergency occur, notify N0ARS via the main net frequency immediately.


5. Command and Zones
   1. Frequencies
      1. Main Net - 146.850 CTCSS 141.3
   2. Command
      1. SET leader will be the EC or an AEC.
   3. Repeater to use:
      1. 145.350 Tone 123.0
      2. 146.850 CTCSS 141.3
      3. 147.360 Tone 141.3
      4. 147.060 Tone 141.3
      5. 146.910 Tone 141.3
      6. 146.970 Tone 141.3
      7. 442.575+ DSTAR REF059CL Missouri Emergency Communications
   4. Simplex Frequencies to use:
      1. 7.263 MHz Statewide HF
      2. 52.550 CSQ Statewide HMCall
      3. 2M refer to stlares.net for 4 Zone simplex frequencies

ANNEX A Timeline

The team always needs help

There is a vast amount of work involved in maintaining and improving the St. Louis Metro ARES organization. You can help in the following ways:

• Financial
  Work under the EC
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Propose system for on-line donations. If approved, maintain the service. (Funds themselves will be handled by EC and STLCARES.)
• Membership coordination
  Work under the EC and PIO
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Recruitment
  • Stay in regular contact. Ask for suggestions and comments.
  • Keep database up to date
  • Keep participation lists up to date
• Public Information and Publicity
  Work under PIO
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Have promo kits, make sure material is at all events. This would include our event schedule flyers.
  • Take EC-015
  • Be able to make presentations to clubs or outside groups n absence of EC or PIO
• Exercise planning & development
  Assist AEC - Exercises
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Help find sites
  • Suggest various exercises and help develop those that are chosen
  • Help find other needed resources.
  • Create and send certificates to participants
• Asset management
  Work under the EC
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Keep track of assets (database space will be provided)
  • Store or find storage for assets
  • Work with EC to determine which assets to keep and which to sell
  • Make sure salable assets get to hamfests. Any that are sold should be noted as such in database.
  • Make sure that unsold items are returned to storage.
• HF operations
  Work under AEC - Operations
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Help develop HF operations plans
  • Help develop regular HF nets
  • Develop regular regional HF contacts
  • Help develop Metro area intra-zone HF plan (probably 10 meters)
• Archives Team
  Work under all the AEC's and the EC
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Act as recording secretary for meetings. Put minutes taken into on-line archives.
  • Make sure event photos are archived on-line.
  • Make sure exercise and event materials are archived on-line.
  • Make sure received QSL cards are archived on-line
• Repeater Team
  Work under the EC
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Maintain the group's repeaters. Repair, replace, improve as needed
• Mobile asset team
  Work under the EC
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Clean up and assemble a working communication center from available asset(s) (currently a trailer).
  • Maintain the mobile assets (gas up, charge batteries, test equipment, etcetera)
  • Help transport asset(s) to events or deployment sites
• Digital Team
  Work under AEC - Digital Operations
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Assist in build-out of digital networks
  • Help maintain existing digital infrastructure (such as APRS or Winlink RMS sites)
  • Help install and maintain MEPN MSTL node
  • Keep abreast of local and regional digital efforts and help determine which may be of interest to us (such as AREDN, VARA FM)
• Message/traffic handling team
  Work under the EC
  A sub-committee member should handle one or more of the following tasks:
  
  • Along with training coordinator and net managers, help develop protocols, training, and schedules for handling formal traffic.
  • Handle formal traffic received by St. Louis Metro ARES

Please contact Steve Wooten, KC0QMU if you are interested or have questions.