Mission Radio Operator

SQTR Tasks L0001 – L0010, P-0101

Prepared By Lt Colonel Fred Blundell TX-129 Fort Worth Senior Squadron For Local Training Rev 8.1 02-Jan-2014 1

This Training Slide Show is a project undertaken by Lt Colonel Fred Blundell of the TX-129 Fort Worth Senior Squadron, Fort Worth, TX for local use to assist those CAP Members interested in advancing their skills. The information contained herein is for CAP Member’s personal use and is not intended to replace or be a substitute for any of the CAP National Training Programs. Users should review the presentation’s Revision Number at the end of each file name to ensure that they have the most current publication.

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PREFACE

The following presentation covers the Training Tasks required by the Mission Scanner SQTR presented in eServices as of 25-Apr-2013. The Task information is taken from the current CAP Publication “Mission Base Staff Tasks ” – Evaluation Performance Measures, Published 11 Apr-2005. This presentation is not meant to be a replacement for the subject task’s explanation in their respective Task Guides as it concentrates on the subject tasks evaluation requirements.

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Role Of The Mission Radio Operator

  Provide Mission Base Communications Provide Communications support in the Field • Relay sites • • Staging Areas Equipment installation support 4

Basic Communication Procedures

(Task L-0001)

     Always listen before transmitting Know what you are going to say ahead of time Use Prowords and Alpha Numeric Designators Understand your radio equipment and channels Use the proper calling procedures • Aircraft: CAP _____ • Non-Aircraft  Assigned Call Sign Stations: Texas Cap _____  Functional Designators: Mission Base, Ground Team 1, Highbird, etc.

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Radio Operating Procedures

Task L-0002

   Radio Connections • 1 st – Antenna • 2 nd – Power Source • 3 rd - Microphone Radio Controls • On/Off Control • Volume Control • Zone / Channel Selector • Push Button selections Microphone Technique • Hold Microphone 3” away from mouth • Speak in a normal tone of voice 6

Radio Operating Procedures

(Task L-0002 Continued)

   Proper Calling and Acknowledgement • Calling and acknowledging a station :  Announce the other station’s call sign first followed by your station’s call sign – “Ground Team 1 this is Denton Mission Base; Over” Use Prowords and Alpha-Numerics • Use both PROWORDS and ALPHA-NUMERICS to shorten and clarify messages Know the INTERNATIONAL URGENCY SIGNALS • MAYDAY – MAYDAY – MAYDAY  International Distress Signal • PAN-PAN – PAN-PAN –PAN-PAN  International Urgency Signal • SECURITE – SECURITE – SECURITE  International SAFETY SIGNAL 7

Prowords

(Task L-0002 Continued)

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Prowords

(Task L-0002 Continued)

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Prowords

(Task L-0002 Continued)

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Numeric Pronunciations

(Task L-0002 Continued)

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Radio Operating Procedures

(Task L-0002 Continued)

 Procedure for grid assignment changes • To be determined by Communications Unit Leader • Always use Alpha-Numerics • Always require message to be read back by receiving station  Mission Status Boards and CAPSTAR • Understand how your particular operation uses and updates their status boards • In TEXAS ONLY, understand the use of the Communications Module in CAPSTAR 12

Radio Channels

Task L-0003

 Identifying the primary radio operating channels • The Communications Unit Leader or your operations Communications Plan will identify the radio channels to be utilized.

• Each CAP radio has 16 Zones (Banks) of channels with each zone being capable of storing 16 channels.

 Zone 1 – CAP Simplex Analog Channels  Zones 2 & 3 – CAP Digital Repeater Channels  Zone 4 & 5 – Interoperability Channels with other agencies  Zone 6 – Canadian Border Channels  Zone 7 – Liaison Agency Channels  Zones 8 through 11 – Analog Repeater Channels  Zones 12 through 15 – Digital Repeater Channels  Zone 16 – CAP Simplex Digital Channels 13

Message Handling Procedures

(Task L-0004)

 Message handling procedures will be established by the Communications Unit Leader  General Procedures: • Always write down the questions you are told to ask other stations and the station’s call sign. Repeat the question back to the requestor • Always write down the answer given by the responding station with their call sign. Repeat the answer back to the issuer • Always deliver the written message answer back to the requestor in person unless a courier system has been established 14

Message Handling Procedures

(Task L-0004 - Continued)

    If Formal Message Traffic is anticipated utilize the Formal Communications Traffic CAP or ICS Form Fill out all Communications Traffic Forms completely (use N/A for unused spaces) Disperse Formal Communications Forms as directed Communications Logs: • All communications are to be recorded in the Operational Period’s Communication Log CAP Form 110 (This includes all communications flowing through the communications center – Radio, Phone, Cell Phone, etc.) 15

Selecting A Good Communications Site

(Task L-0005)

 Remote Radio Communications Site Selection • Select the highest possible safe and accessible location • Remember that our VHF-FM communications are “line-of-site” obstructions will block or weaken signals • Take into consideration natural and man made radio interference sources  High Power Lines  Transformers  Underground cabling  Other radio interference (radar, commercial radio transmissions and other RF sources)  Computer Equipment  Physical Obstructions (hills, mountains, buildings, bridges, etc.) 16

Steps To Regain Lost Communications In The Field

(L-0006)

 Make the following checks and/or changes to regain lost communications: • Check the power and antenna connections • Move to higher ground • Change operating modes (Simplex / Repeater) • Set up a relay operation • Use other means of communication (phone, email, internet) 17

Conducting Scheduled Field Radio Checks

(Task L-0007)

 Before you check in: • Know the time in Zulu • Know your location • Know your team’s status  When to check in: • As directed by the Incident Command Center • At time of departure and return to check in point • When entering and leaving your search area • Unexpected and prolonged stops • Operational checks • When a “clue” or find is discovered • When you have questions 18

Conducting Scheduled Field Radio Checks

(Task L-0007 Continued)

 What to report: • Whatever information is necessary - accurately, clearly and concisely • Always confirm that your transmissions have been received correctly be requesting they be read back by the receiving station 19

Sending A Position Report

(Task L-0008)

 Know your position and how you are going to describe it prior to reporting it (Lat/Lon, municipality, intersection, geographic description)  Transmit your location using alpha-numerics (if a decimal point is used, say “DECIMAL POINT”)  If using Lat/Lon, be sure you clarify if you are referencing ‘seconds’ or ‘tenths of a minute’  Always require the receiving station to read your location back to you.

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Reporting A Clue / Find

(Task L0009)

        Contact the Incident Command Center and identify that you have discovered a clue / find Identify your location as previously discussed Identify the clue / find in simple and concise verbiage, reporting only what you see Identify the clue’s / find’s status Identify the resources needed Have the receiving station read back your information Request instructions DO NOT DISTURB WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND OR THE AREA AROUND IT!

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General Safety Procedures

(Task L0010)

  Lightening is the #1 safety hazard – IT IS DEADLY!

• If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to get struck • Immediately disconnect all antennas and power sources from the radio whenever thunder or lightening is present • If in the field:  On foot – Seek sturdy shelter inside a building or vehicle or seek the lowest terrain  In a vehicle – Move to low ground Radio / Antenna Installation Safety • Install antennas to minimize RF exposure and EMI • Mark all guy wires and transmission cables for visibility • Route antenna cables and radio wiring out of travel paths or cover them an tape the coverings to the floor or tape the wiring directly to the floor.

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Keeping A Log

(Task P-0101)

 When working an incident, staff members are required to keep a log which is written legibly and completely. At a minimum each log should contain the date, time (Zulu) and the event being noted. Logs may become legal Documents of Record or evidence. Keep them wisely.

 For the following specific operations the following information should be recorded: 23

Keeping

A Log

(Task P-0101 Continued)

For Ground Operations – Departure and return times to base Routes to and from the search area Entering and leaving the search area Search direction changes Witness interviews Time/Location of clue, target and other finds Time/Location of Operational Check In Encounters with Public safety or Media Changes to instructions Distress Beacon signal acquisition and silencing Any significant event or as instructed by the GTL 24

Keeping A Log

(Task P-0101 Continued)

 For Air Operations – • Briefing Details including sortie numbers • Names/ID Numbers of crew members • Engine start and stop times • Take off and landing times • Communications/Operational Checks • Assigned search area/grid identifier • Search area entrance/exit times • Significant weather, turbulence, etc.

• Time and location of finds (clue & site) • Scheduled/unscheduled stops • Crew condition and changes • Refueling/maintenance occurrences • Ground Team interaction 25

Keeping A Log

(Task P-0101 Continued)

 For Incident Command Post Staff Operations – • Date and time of log activation/deactivation • Name of operation, supervisor, and recording personnel • Briefing notes issued to recording personnel • Operational change instructions • Operational Period meetings • Significant events, directions given/received, actions taken • Any significant, safety or other notable occurrence 26

QUESTIONS?

ALWAYS THINK SAFETY!

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