SARES Training Meeting

January 17, 2019

1/21/2019 1

SARES Training Meeting

Agenda:

• Welcome, Introductions & Housekeeping

• SARES Calendar for 2019

• Packet Citywide Bulletins

• ARRL ARES Strategic Plan

• County DSW Program

• MESH at October Moffett Drill

• SARES-RG

• Questions

• DMR Radio Presentation

• Close of Meeting

• Radio Programming & Vests

Quiz

Script for gathering reports:

Information gathering after an

earthquake:

• Anyone can lead this net

• Provides a quick view of

potential damage

• Fast and simple

• Focus on MM6, 7 & 8 reports

In Sunnyvale we collect reports

for city quadrants on either

SARES channel 1 or 12

repeaters.

Other cities report to the county

on AA6BT SARES channel 22.

PDF version @ SARES-RG

Resources Page

https://www.saresrg.org/resources

Homework:

1. Download and print copy for go

bag

2. Identify quadrant in which you live

or work

3. Identify closest fires station to

your home or office

4. Note the difference between

quadrant number and fire station

number

2019 SARES Calendar

1/21/2019 7

January February March

SPECS Annual Mtg – 1/12 Member Mtg – 1/17 AEC/EC Mtg – 1/24

SVECS Breakfast 1/26

EC Council Mtg 2/13 County Drill – 2/23 AEC/EC Mtg – 2/28

SPECS 144/220/440 Nets Each Monday City &CERT Graduation Drill 3/2

AEC/EC Mtg – 3/28

April May June

Member Mtg – 4/10 Fit and Fun Fair – TBD

AEC/EC Mtg – 4/25 SVECS Breakfast - 4/27

EC Council Mtg 5/9 County Drill - 5/18 AEC/EC Mtg – 5/23

City & CERT Graduation Drill – 5/18

Art and Wine Fest – TBD AEC/EC Mtg – 6/27

Field Day - 6/22 & 6/23

July August September

AEC/EC Mtg – 7/22 SVECS Breakfast - 7/27

Member Mtg – 8/7 EC Council Mtg 8/8 County Drill - 8/17 AEC/EC Mtg – 8/23

SPECS 144/220/440 Nets Each Monday AEC/EC Mtg – 9/26

October November December

Pancake Breakfast - TBD EC Council Mtg 10/18 AEC/EC Mtg – 10/24

City & CERT Graduation Drill – 10/19 SVECS Breakfast - 10/26

EC Council Mtg 11/14 County Drill - TBD

Member Mtg – 11/13

County Year End Summary 12/14 AEC/EC Mtg – none

SARES Net every Monday night at 1930 hours

SVECS Net every Tuesday night at 2000 hours

Biweekly SARES lunch Tuesdays at 1130 Black Bear Diner

Sunnyvale Specific Bulletins

• Drills, meetings, activations & other

events

Within Outpost

• Setup > BBS > Retrieving

Set for all county BBS’s

• Each must be done individually

Sunnyvale Packet Bulletins

ARRL ARES Strategic Plan • Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a field organization of the

ARRL established in 1935

• Strategic Plan objectives: – Align standards with needs of served agencies and partners

– Align with Incident Command System (ICS), National Incident Management System (NIMS)

– ARES Connect software database system for managing and reporting local ARES membership and activity

– http://www.arrl.org/stratplan

– QST September 2018 page 68

• Santa Clara County ARES/RACES response addressed concerns about the requirements and questioned who was consulted during development of the plan

• The ARRL Board was to vote on the plan this month

• So far no response from ARRL on county comments and no confirmation of when the board will address the plan

• What does it mean for SARES? Stay tuned…

County DSW Program

• Cal OES Program and Guidance info at

https://www.scc-ares-races.org/operations.html#dsw

• Provides insurance coverage and liability protection during an activation (and training *)

• Governed by an ADC (accredited disaster council) in each jurisdiction, designated by government

• Process and maintain proper paperwork: form, loyalty oath subscription, signatures and oath authority, record keeping

• Covered and eligible activities, activations

• DSW classifications (CERT, EmComm, EOC/IC) and training

• Mutual Aid procedures and process

County DSW continued

• Rules mostly unchanged, but now we have explanations, interpretation and guidance (lawyers at work!)

• “Reboot” during 2nd half of 2018 in Santa Clara County

• We had to start over because everyone was doing it wrong and everything was done wrong

• Re-do paperwork, oath, cards and stickers, file paperwork

• Submit training events for approval months in advance

• Document supervision during events, this is why we keep logs and forms, remote supervision via radio is OK

• Be prepared to issue and process paperwork ”within 24 hours” in case of a claim

• Similarities and Differences to the City of Sunnyvale

MESH at October Moffett Drill

What was the October Moffett Drill ?

What is MESH ?

What does MESH have to do with Amateur Radio ?

How was MESH used at the Drill ?

What was the October Moffett Drill ?

Countywide CERT Drill at Moffett Field

Full day training exercise in two shifts

Six CERT groups practicing at the same time

One CERT ICP for all CERT groups

ARES/RACES provided the communication

ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) for

SCCo

Biggest and most realistic training event of

2018

What is MESH ?

A regular WiFi network consists of a single

WAP (Wireless Access Point), often

integrated in a broadband router.

The WAP configures the IP network

parameters of the client and controls

access to the network.

Without the WAP there is no

communication between the clients (unless

manually configured into ad-hoc mode).

- The WAP is a single point of control for

the entire WiFi network.

- All communication is directly between

client and WAP. A client that can’t reach the

WAP cannot participate in the WiFi

network.

What is MESH ?

Standard WiFi hardware (consumer or

commercial grade).

Custom MESH firmware (BBHN or

AREDN).

Each Node is fully independent.

No central control, no single point of

failure.

Any 2 Nodes will start a MESH

network.

Fully auto-configuring, self-healing

network.

Unique IP address assigned by local

Node to each client device, if any.

Automatic routing when there is no

direct RF link between source and

target Nodes (dotted line from Green to

Orange).

What does MESH have to do with Amateur

Radio ?

MESH Networking is wireless communication.

Unlicensed (Part 15) WiFi equipment operates

in frequency bands that overlap with Amateur

Radio (Part 97) bands.

Cheap, fast and versatile (Audio,Video,Data).

Hams can choose whether to operate a MESH

network under either Part15 or Part97 (but no

mix and match of rules!)

Amateur Radio versus WiFi Bands

Part 15 versus Part 97 rules

Part 15 Rules

Can use unlicensed User/Operator.

May use encryption.

No restriction on content of transmitted

data.

Must use OEM antenna.

Restricted Tx power levels.

Part 97 Rules

Requires licensed ham as control operator

to be present.

Only clear transmissions, no scrambling or

encryption allowed.

Content restrictions apply.

Can use directional/gain antennas.

Higher Tx power levels are permitted.

Can use channels outside of Part15 as long

as they are within the Amateur Radio bands.

Use your FCC callsign as prefix for each

Node name to identify each transmission.

How was MESH used at the Drill ?

1 MESH Node at the CERT ICP

1 MESH Node at the ARES/RACES HQ & EOC

6 MESH Nodes (1 each) for the CERT CPs

Each Node was configured with 1 VoIP phone

Each Node was fully battery powered for the

entire event

1 MESH Network Control station (connect via

WiFi to the CERT ICP Node)

1 Raspberry Pi Asterisk VoIP PBX at CERT ICP

How was MESH used at the Drill ?

VoIP Phone

Zultys ZIP2

Antenna L-com

HG2415U-PRO

Ubiquity Bullet M2

MFJ-1919EX tripod

and mast

Battery Box

Node Box

What is a Node Box ?

Mounted inside are:

Network Switch

Passive PoE Power Injectors

Fused DC distribution panel

During transport it also contains:

Distinctly colored Ethernet Cables

MESH Radio

VoIP Phone

Instructions

CERT HAM

MESH

MESH Network Control

How was MESH used at the Drill ?

Only used for audio (VoIP) communication this

year

Mostly informal traffic from CERT CP to ICP

Also successfully tested a 5-station conference

call

Any Questions ?

SARES Opportunities

• EOC to EOC Radio Test

– First Wednesday each month at 0930 hrs

• Net Control

– Operate from radio room

– Weekly SARES Net

– March and September Monday SARES and SPECS nets

• Net control and scribe positons

• SARES main net – 1930 to ~ 2030 hours

• SPECS 220/UHF net – 1930 to 2000 hours

• SPECS main net – 2000 hours to ~ 2030 hours

– Scribe and net control positions during CERT Graduation drills

Training

• City, County and CERT Drills

– City & CERT Graduation Drills in March, May and October

– County Drills in February, May, August and October

– Dates? – See SARES Calendar

• Monthly County Classes

– Typically 1st Saturday morning of the month – 0900 – 1200 hours

– Most held in the DPS Classroom

– Schedule announced each week on the SARES net

– Also see https://www.scc-ares-races.org/activities/events.php

– Monthly on the air message passing training – AA6BT or W6ASH

• Sign up on the county event sign up page described above

• SPECS Nets

– SARES is responsible for 2 meter and 220/UHF nets in March and September

• Quarterly SVECS Breakfast

– Dates? – See SARES Calendar

SARES-RG

• K6SNY on Crystal Peak

– 444.525 MHz, plus, 94.8 Hz PL

(SARES Channel 8)

– Open repeater with coverage of

San Francisco and Monterey Bay

area

– Use it and have some fun.

– SARES-RG is a 501(C)(3)

organization.

– http://www.saresrg.org/

Questions?

DMR Radio Presentation