Emergency Response Network of the Inland Empire Communications Plan February 2010

Background and Objective:

Establish an Amateur Radio Communications Plan for the member agencies of ERNIE to be implemented in the event of a disaster, where current business band radio and telephone (cell and landline) are rendered useless and there is absolutely no other means of communications.

Method:

a. Teach and license as many water district employees as possible in the use of Amateur Radio. b. Teach and continually practice with these employees how to use the radio, how to talk on the radio, how to send and receive messages; in short, feel at ease using Amateur Radio. c. Inventory and keep current, the type of radios installed, the number of handheld radios in any caches or assigned to employees and those employees who are licensed Amateur Radio operators.

Implementation:

a. Establish a Communications Plan using specific frequencies via a repeater and via simplex. Knowing that in a disaster when all other modes of communications have failed, duplex operation (through a repeater) may not be the best option. A comprehensive simplex plan must be established and exercised regularly to insure all participants can either (1) talk to each other and/or (2) have established relay stations for outlying members. For definition of using a repeater and simplex, please see Appendix D. b. Inventory all Amateur Radio equipment and licensed operators at each location. Please see Appendix A c. This Plan will be exercised monthly incorporating two drills and Exercise Protocol, found in Appendix B. This exercise serves two purposes, exercise the operators and insure that the radios and equipment are working properly. d. Work with member agencies in the purchase and installation of radios and antennas. e. Program all radios with the same frequencies and in the same sequential order. f. Because the Federal Communications Commission has recently issued an interpretative statement regarding the prohibition of paid employees (pecuniary interest) participating in drills or exercises utilizing amateur radio, we must train and practice without the mention of the member agency’s name and simply identify by call letters and first name. Please see Appendix H for that statement.

1 g. For FCC regulations for authorized and prohibited transmissions, please see Appendices F and G, respectively. h. The FCC did establish a procedure for governmental agencies to apply for a waiver to conduct exercises and/or drills via Amateur Radio. If desired, a waiver could be applied for. i. Synopsis from February 2010 CQ Magazine regarding this interpretation is reprinted in Appendix E. j. Amateur Radio licensed agency employees will regularly use their handheld radios to become more at ease using a repeater by simply getting on the air and talking to other amateur stations. k. Exercises will be monthly and twofold. Stations will contact other stations for signal strength then pass messages, speaking in Clear Text (without the use of codes or signals) and using the uniform Phonetic Alphabet to alleviate any misunderstandings. Please see Appendix B for the Exercise Protocol and Appendix C for the Phonetic Alphabet. l. Because we have an arrangement with Keller Peak Repeater Association and because of the recent FCC Pecuniary Interest interpretation, I respectfully suggest that individual memberships be established (under the employee’s name) to support our usage of the repeater, as we do not want to draw attention to our agencies and our purpose for using the repeater.

The Plan

a. In the event, and only in the event that the (collective) water district’s radios fail and in the event that landline and cell phones are inoperable, amateur radio will be used. b. When Amateur Radio is utilized, the primary frequency will be the Keller Peak repeater, 146.385 (transmit up: 146.985), with a tone of 146.2. Arrangements have been made with the Keller Peak Repeater Association to utilize the repeater. The Salvation Army, SATERN, the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network, also has an agreement to use the repeater. (SATERN consists of volunteers who do not fall under the recent FCC interpretation). c. Secondly, a simplex frequency will be used, 144.330, to talk from water district to water district, however (1) monitoring tests need to be performed to insure this simplex frequency is not being regularly used by anyone else in the area and (2) signal strength testing needs to be performed to determine the distance and strength of the simplex signal from each fixed location. It is highly unlikely that agency to agency communications can be achieved via handheld radios operating simplex, therefore more powerful base radios need to be installed and used. (Again, for definition, please see Appendix D). d. An Exercise will be implemented monthly on a controlled basis where there is a rotating “Net Control” and the other agencies check into a net (a controlled “roundtable.”). This will be performed on the simplex frequency and there will be one station from each agency. If the agency’s signal does not reach completely to

2 another agency, there will be designated relay stations. Exercise protocol will be found in Appendix B. The monthly Exercise will be carried out in two parts. 1) The first will be a readability/signal strength test performed on simplex. Using the database matrix with the simplex mapping, it would be predetermined what station can talk directly to another station without the use of an intermediary station to relay the information. Use of some relay stations is inevitable. This exercise is performed for two reasons, (a) insure the equipment is operating properly, and (b) to insure the operators keep competent. Please see Appendix I. 2) The second part of the monthly Exercise will be the passing of messages using the Phonetic Alphabet to maximize message understanding. In each Exercise, the message portion will change; messages such as the street on which you live, town where you were born, town in which you work, street on which you work, etc. An example will be found in Appendix B.

List of Appendices

A Amateur Radio Inventory B Exercise Protocol C Phonetic Alphabet D Repeater and Simplex Operation E Article from CQ Magazine, February 2010 F C.F.R. Title 47, Section 97.111, Authorized Transmissions (FCC) G C.F.R. Title 47, Section 97.113, Prohibited Transmissions (FCC) H FCC Interpretation: Amateur Service Communications During Government Disaster Drills (October 20, 2009) I Simplex Signal Strength Chart and Mapping J List of Member Agencies

Revised 2/08/02010

3 Appendix A

Amateur Radio Inventory

Agency Name: ______

Contact: ______

Address: ______

City: ______

Phone: ______

Make and model of fixed/base radios: ______

Number of fixed/base radios: ______

Location of fixed radios: ______

Make and model of handheld radios: ______

Number of handheld radios: ______

Name and callsign of employee Amateur Radio operator:

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

4 Appendix B

Exercise Protocol

(1) Net Dialogue

Net Control: This is KI6HYS calling W7BIA.

W7BIA (1st responder): This is W7BIA, you are Circuit Merit 1 “4”.

Net Control: Thank you, Arnie. You are a Circuit Merit 5 here. This is KI6YHS calling W6CK, come in please.

W6CK (2nd responder): This is W6CK, you are Circuit Merit 5.

Net Control: Thank you, Bill. You are Circuit Merit 4 here. This is KI6HYS calling K6RSF.

K6RSF (3rd responder): This is K6RSF, you are Circuit Merit 5

Net Control: Thank you, Bret. You are Circuit Merit 5 also. This is KI6HYS calling (next station…..)

(2) Message Handling

Messages will be passed from one station to the next station containing various information such as someone’s street name or city in which they were born, etc. To eliminate the chance of error and misinterpretation, these messages or phrases will be sent using the Phonetic Alphabet.

For example, if an operator lives on Wood Glenn Court, the message would say: “Wood Glen Court, I say Whiskey, Oscar, Oscar, Delta, Golf, Lima, Echo, November, Charlie, Oscar, Uniform, Romeo, Tango. Copy?” And if the receiving station copied everything correctly, they would reply: “(their callsign) copies.”

1 Circuit Merit System based on signal readability from “0” (unreadable) to “5” (loud and clear readability).

5 Appendix C

Phonetic Alphabet

A Alpha N November B Brave O Oscar C Charlie P Papa D Delta Q Quebec E Echo R Romeo F Foxtrot S Sierra G Golf T Tango H Hotel U Uniform I India V Victor J Juliet W Whiskey K Kilo X X-Ray L Lima Y Yankee M Mike Z Zulu

6 Appendix D

Repeater Operation

A repeater is a special radio installation that has the ability to listen to an incoming signal on one frequency and re-transmit the signal on a different frequency. However, the repeater typically has better antennas, sensitivity, and greater output power than the radios that are making use of it. So a user only has to be able to emit a signal strong enough to reach the repeater, then his/her signal will be repeated at a higher power and normally from a much better location (such as a mountaintop or the top of a tall building), thereby making the signal available to a much wider geographic area. This allows even a small, low-power handheld radio to communicate with others over a large region such as Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Most, if not all, repeaters have emergency power capability, but are subject to damage from external forces such as fire, earthquake, etc.

Simplex Operation

The term simplex refers to the mode of communication where radios communicate directly with each other, without any third-party assistance such as a repeater. If the radios are operated on battery power this type of communication is completely independent of any infrastructure, which makes it the only truly reliable way of relaying information in a timely fashion in times of serious emergency when power and telephones are not available.

Unfortunately, whether two or more people can communicate in simplex mode is highly dependent on the capabilities and locations of the radios involved. The quality of the antenna and the available power output determine the capability. However, even a powerful radio cannot always overcome some of the obstacles, such as an intervening mountain or tall buildings. The most common type of radio uses the 2- meter frequency band, which depends on relative line-of-sight communication. If a person is transmitting from a deep canyon, it is very unlikely that anyone outside the canyon will receive the signal.

Because of the constraints of relatively low power and line-of-sight communication, simplex operation presents a large challenge for covering a large area such as San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. In this case, it is desirable to have in place a network of operators and/or stations who can relay messages, and who already know the challenges they face.

One of the goals of this plan is to build a database matrix (see Appendix I) describing "who can hear whom from where" in the event of a disaster and to make this information available to all members.

7 Appendix E

(Editorial from CQ Magazine, February 2010)

To hear talk among some in the amateur radio community, the FCC's decision to offer an interpretation of this rule more than a year ago without the filing of a complaint or request for clarification still is puzzling and even troubling.

The commission legal counsel/enforcement officer, read a posting by on a bulletin board by a ham who helped his hospital put together and then participated in a disaster drill.

That ham got a communication from the FCC saying he was in violation of the provision of 97.113 regarding pecuniary interest and an employer benefiting from amateur radio.

The perception by some of this heavy-handed approach by the new FCC administration sent shockwaves among not only the amateur community but those it serves.

The result: Some organizations backed away altogether from using the services of amateur radio for fear they could come under FCC scrutiny. Then, a clarification from the FCC that waivers could be granted.

What followed, a petition by a group of hams seeking to change the rule to allow hams to take part in disaster training exercises put on by their employers.

But CQ Magazine editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, says so much more is at stake and that's why he filed a more inclusive petition with the FCC.

"We realized in reading through all this that really this interpretation goes beyond disaster and emergency communication," Moseson explains. "A very strict reading of this rule means, for example, that I as an employee of CQ Communications, would not be able to do equipment reviews.

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"Or, at least, not if involved transmitting. And, for decades, staff members of magazines have been doing equipment reviews. And, it's never been a problem. But if you read this closely, if I transmit for the purpose of doing an equipment review, then, I'm in violation of the rules."

But Moseson says the FCCs interpretation of this rule, goes even further, and could impact the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Program.

"Everyone thinks it's (ARISS) a wonderful program," Moseson says. "It's good for NASA, it's good for ham radio, it's good for kids, it's good for the national interest in promoting young people's interest in science and technology by allowing them to communicate with astronauts on board the space station via amateur radio.

"No one questions the value of this program. But the astronauts are NASA employees and they are clearly communicating on behalf of their employer when they are operating in an ARISS contact."

And, Moseson says, even though they're making those contacts on their free time, if you look at the FCC interpretation, they, too, are in violation.

So, Moseson says, it's time to act and he suspects the American Radio Relay League also will weigh in shortly.

"My understanding was that the ARRL board was going to consider at its meeting a couple of weeks ago, filing its own petition," Moseson says. "My guess is that the FCC will wait until the League files its petition and then group all three of them, or more if there have been others filed as well, into a single petition that is put out for initial public comment."

In the meantime, Moseson says the interpretation stands and waivers will have to be sought.

Moseson says it's clear this issue won't be decided quickly. In most cases, he says, it could take up to a year or more for the FCC to issue its final decision.

9 Appendix F

[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 47, Volume 5]

Sec. 97.111 Authorized transmissions (a) An amateur station may transmit the following types of two-way communications: (1) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with other stations in the amateur service, except those in any country whose administration has given notice that it objects to such communications. The FCC will issue public notices of current arrangements for international communications; (2) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station in another FCC-regulated service while providing emergency communications; (3) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a United States government station, necessary to providing communications in RACES; and (4) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station in a service not regulated by the FCC, but authorized by the FCC to communicate with amateur stations. An amateur station may exchange messages with a participating United States military station during an Armed Forces Day Communications Test. (b) In addition to one-way transmissions specifically authorized elsewhere in this part, an amateur station may transmit the following types of one-way communications: (1) Brief transmissions necessary to make adjustments to the station; (2) Brief transmissions necessary to establishing two-way communications with other stations; (3) Telecommand; (4) Transmissions necessary to providing emergency communications; (5) Transmissions necessary to assisting persons learning, or improving proficiency in, the international Morse code; and (6) Transmissions necessary to disseminate information bulletins. (7) Transmissions of telemetry.

10 Appendix G

[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 47, Volume 5]

Sec. 97.113 Prohibited transmissions (a) No amateur station shall transmit: (1) Communications specifically prohibited elsewhere in this part; (2) Communications for hire or for material compensation, direct or indirect, paid or promised, except as otherwise provided in these rules; (3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer. Amateur operators may, however, notify other amateur operators of the availability for sale or trade of apparatus normally used in an amateur station, provided that such activity is not conducted on a regular basis; (4) Music using a phone emission except as specifically provided elsewhere in this section; communications intended to facilitate a criminal act; messages in codes or ciphers intended to obscure the meaning thereof, except as otherwise provided herein; obscene or indecent words or language; or false or deceptive messages, signals or identification; (5) Communications, on a regular basis, which could reasonably be furnished alternatively through other radio services. (b) An amateur station shall not engage in any form of broadcasting, nor may an amateur station transmit one-way communications except as specifically provided in these rules; nor shall an amateur station engage in any activity related to program production or news gathering for broadcasting purposes, except that communications directly related to the immediate safety of human life or the protection of property may be provided by amateur stations to broadcasters for dissemination to the public where no other means of communication is reasonably available before or at the time of the event. (c) A control operator may accept compensation as an incident of a teaching position during periods of time when an amateur station is used by that teacher as a part of classroom instruction at an educational institution. (d) The control operator of a club station may accept compensation for the periods of time when the station is transmitting telegraphy practice or information bulletins, provided that the station transmits such telegraphy practice and bulletins for at least 40 hours per week; schedules operations on at least six amateur service MF and HF bands using reasonable measures to maximize coverage; where the schedule of normal operating times and frequencies is published at least 30 days in advance of the actual transmissions; and where the control operator does not accept any direct or indirect compensation for any other service as a control operator. (e) No station shall retransmit programs or signals emanating from any type of radio station other than an amateur station, except propagation and weather forecast information intended for use by the general public and originated from United States Government stations and communications, including incidental music, originating on United States Government frequencies between a space shuttle and its associated Earth stations. Prior approval for shuttle retransmissions must be obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Such retransmissions must be for the exclusive use of amateur operators. Propagation, weather forecasts, and shuttle retransmissions may not be conducted on a regular basis, but only occasionally, as an incident of normal amateur radio communications.

11 Appendix H

The FCC has issued a clarification to this situation on October 20, which will be found on the following page with emphasis added.

AMATEUR SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS DURING GOVERNMENT DISASTER DRILLS (October 20, 2009)

Transmissions by amateur stations participating in government disaster drills must comply with all applicable amateur service rules. While the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communications service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications, is one of the underlying principles of the amateur service, the amateur service is not an emergency radio service. Rather, it is a voluntary, non-commercial communication service authorized for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by licensed persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest. State and local government public safety agencies occasionally conduct emergency preparedness or disaster drills that include amateur operations. Some entities, such as hospitals, emergency operations centers, and police, fire, and emergency medical service stations, have expressed interest in having their employees who are amateur station operators participate in these drills by transmitting messages on the entity’s behalf. The Commission’s Rules, however, specifically prohibit amateur stations from transmitting communications “in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer.” Given the public interest in facilitating government-sponsored emergency preparedness and disaster drills, we take this opportunity to provide a clear process for requesting a waiver, and the information that we require in order to consider granting such a request. Waiver requests should be submitted to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau by the government entity conducting the drill, and must provide the following information: (1) when and where the drill will take place; (2) identification of the amateur licensees expected to transmit amateur communications on behalf of their employers; (3) identification of the employers on whose behalf they will be transmitting; and (4) a brief description of the drill. We emphasize that the filing of a waiver request does not excuse compliance with the rules while that request is pending. The waiver must be requested prior to the drill, and employees may not transmit amateur communications on their employer’s behalf unless the waiver request has been granted. In an actual emergency, the Commission’s Rules provide that an amateur station may use any means of radio communication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and the immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available. In those circumstances, rule waiver is not necessary.

12 Appendix I

Simplex Signal Strength Chart and Mapping

Corona, East Valley Eastern Elsinore Valley SBC City SBC MWD West Valley Western Yucaipa Valley City of WD MWD MWD WD MWD WD City of Corona East Valley WD Eastern MWD Elsinore Valley MWD SBC City SBC MWD West Valley WD Western MWD Yucaipa Valley WD

Notes:

This chart will be completed when initial simplex tests are conducted. Inserted numbers will reference the Circuit Merit System based on signal readability from “0” (unreadable) to “5” (loud and clear readability).

13 Appendix J

List of Member Agencies:

City of Corona San Bernardino Valley Municipal 755 Corporation Yard Way Water District Corona, Ca 92880 380 East Vanderbilt Way San Bernardino, Ca 92408

East Valley Water District West Valley Water District 3654 E. Highland Ave. 855 W. Baseline Rd Highland, Ca 92346 Rialto, Ca 92376

Eastern Municipal Water District Western Municipal Water District 2270 Trumble Road 450 E. Alessandro Blvd Perris, Ca 92570 Riverside, Ca 92508

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water Yucaipa Valley Water District District 12770 Second Street 31315 Chaney Street Yucaipa, Ca 92399 Lake Elsinore, CA 92531

City of San Bernardino Municipal Water District 300 N D Street San Bernardino, Ca 92418

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