Editor’s Comments

Tropospheric ducting is an interesting, fascinating and, sometimes, exciting atmospheric phenomenon that more usually occurs during calm weather in coastal or maritime areas more often in the spring and summer months, but not always, and occurs in the troposphere.  In last month’s newsletter I noted we had some “ducting” occur during March.  Ducting, as it is most commonly called, can occur at the weirdest times.  I remember one instance while I was still working as a police officer that another officer on the western shore of Maryland and I were carrying on a rolling conversation during our shifts. We were hearing each other’s repeaters.  I could hear his, he heard ours, and all with HT’s at one watt!  It was fun!

We have also had some “irritating” ducting during some of our rare deployments for our served agencies.  Imagine sitting there with some constant S5 to S7 signals coming into the receiver causing a lot of noise and confusion.  One deployment I remember hearing signals on simplex from Connecticut and North Carolina.  It can get very confusing when listening for just the “net control” for the net you are participating in.  The answer, of course, is putting PL tones on the receiver, keeping you, and the people around you, happier.  

The question was brought up recently that if receivers in a certain area have PL tones on the receiver, how do out of area people contact them?  Anyone coming into an area should have been “invited” to respond, we should not and do not “self-deploy”.  We wait until assigned.  And if this is a situation that has required amateurs to deploy, then the situation will be operating under ICS protocols, which means a briefing will have been held, either jointly with other volunteers or individually.  With that briefing will come information as to the purpose of the operation, a respective timeline in the ICS 201 (which is subject to change), supervisor information with contact information (ICS 203), health and safety information (ICS 206), and communications information, which include transmit and receive frequencies, with PL information (the ICS 205 form).  And yes, that’s a lot of information being given, but without it people are flying blind, so to speak.  Anyone who has been a fireman, military personnel, or police officer that has taken part in an operation, has experienced a briefing and was given the pertinent information for that specific operation.  Nothing really new. 

You may be asking, how do we learn what information will be given and learn about these forms?  The basic Incident Command System (ICS) courses that are available on line.  In fact there are rumors that the “basic four” ICS courses will be required before volunteers can participate.  This will also put everyone on the same page when it comes to the terms used, procedures, where to get what is needed from whom, and how to help keep volunteers (and others) safe.  When the response personnel are going in three different directions at once, nothing gets accomplished, and it could be hazardous.  Not knowing pertinent information and directions can be wasteful in both energy and resources.  Using ICS helps to keep this at a minimum.   

Field Day is the end of next month.  There will be more information about the planning at the meeting, and as the time grows near, and schedules for participants begin getting better determined, and thus availability becomes known, there will be sign up sheets for operations.  There will be another “antenna party” to make sure all anticipated antennas are in working order, and that will be announced as it is scheduled.  The exact location at the Dover Downs parking lot is still being determined, as we will be where the farmer and grass maintenance people are not. That information is coming soon.  Hopefully we will have great weather and a really fun Field Day.  

Meanwhile, have a good, safe, and meaningful Memorial Day!