The Maritime Amateur

Well this has been a great time to be an amateur radio operator here in the Maritimes. After a very successful CANWARN Net (Friday) and a provincial amateur radio exercise (Saturday), we had a very busy night with Exercise Handshake.

It was decided after the last Handshake for Net Control to work out of their own homes for this exercise. The idea behind this was just in case some night we would not be able to get to the County Office, how could we still have an exercise.

The TMR portion of the exercise was held in Advocate Harbour with Randy Elliott VE1ADV as Net Control with Advocate Fire Rescue.

Amateur Radio NC's were as follows; Mike Masters VE1XDT (Oxford) for VHF, Glenn Wallis VE1GK (Clairmont) Simplex VHF & UHF, Brad Ross VE1ZX (Leamington) & Tom Nepjuk VE1BSM (Gulf Shore Pugwash) HF Communications, Peter Hebb VE1SM (Amherst) Echolink and Jim Langille VE1JBL (Amherst) Packet. 

TMR:  

Exercise Handshake

This is a monthly exercise for radio operators and emergency responders to familiarize themselves with TMR radio and other modes of communications equipment they have at their disposal. It is designed for groups or departments either responsible for emergency communications or groups such as amateur radio operators designated to assist with communications for EMO and ARES. The exercise is on the last Tuesday of each month beginning at 7pm Atlantic Time.

ATTENTION:

Amateurs Radio Operators are reminded not to use amateur jargon while working the TMR radio, example 73, QTH etc.

Trunked Mobile Radio

The NET CONTROL hosting the exercise will contact Shubie Radio on the Nova Scotia Provincial TMR Network and request a
Mutual Aid Talk Group (M.A.T.G.) for Exercise Handshake.

• If a talk group is available, Shubie Radio will advise you of what M.A.T.G. to use. At that time, NET CONTROL will ask Shubie Radio to contact the main TMR radio users (by name) and have them go to the designated M.A.T.G.
  
• Usual contacts to request are NB PMCC, EMO PEI, Mr. Terry Canning, Mr. Scott Hawkes and Mr. Al Cyples.
  
• TMR users wanting to check in must first contact Shubie and ask for the M.A.T.G. being used for Exercise Handshake. They must then find that talk group on their TMR radio and check in with Net Control.
  
• Net Control will keep a list of all agencies during the exercise and document all traffic for the evening.
  
• Once your group or department has checked in with Net Control, have your other operators check in to get them used to the TMR system.
  
• After all contacts are made between Net Control and groups with TMR radios, the TMR users may leave the exercise by advising Net Control of their intention to do so.
  
• Once Net Contol has acknowledged your intent to leave the Exercise, they will thank you for your participation.
  
• The TMR user will then switch back to their home talk group and identify themselves as being back on that talk group.
  
• Please do not contact Shubie to advise them of your return to home talk group as they are monitoring and already know.
  
• Should a REAL EMERGENCY occur and the Talk Group is required, Shubie will direct us off the M.A.T.G.
  The non TMR portion of the exercise will continue if not interfering with the real incident.
  
• When NET CONTROL terminates the TMR portion of the exercise, they will," CALL ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS", and advise them that the exercise will be terminating and thank the operators for participating. NET CONTROL will then contact Shubie on TMR and advise them that they are finished with the M.A.T.G. and the exercise is terminated. Thank them for their assistance then return to their home talk group.

 AMATEUR RADIO PORTION OF THE EXERCISE

Amateur stations are to provide Net Control with 

1. callsigns of all amateurs taking part in the exercise
2. group or agency taking part
3. repeater callsign being used
4. modes available

DATA COLLECTION FORMS FOR NET CONTROL

Example Form Exercise Handshake.pdf
Form Exercise Handshake.pdf

This is also a great time to check out emergency backup power at your site. Advise Net Control if you are running on backup power.

•  VHF communications will be the main component for amateur radio groups during the exercise. A talk group will be set up on IRLP by Net Control via the Discovery Reflector Node # 9013, http://www.discoveryreflector.ca/ and all amateur groups will monitor that node for the evening. If your group has no link to IRLP, other repeaters are available to contact Net Control via MARCAN linking in NS, PEI and IRG in NB.  There is a link from IRG in New Brunswick to the MARCAN system in Nova Scotia via VE9SKU.
  Different areas may have a Net Control for simplex. Monitor 146.520 and 446.000 and put a call out duing the exercise.
  
  Amteurs are reminded that this is a service net, not a social net. Only amateur radio operators associated with local EMO, ARES, stations on Emergency Power and CANWARN are asked to check in during this exercise. Make all transmissions short and to the point. If time permits there will be a call put out to other stations.

Net Control will first call EMO stations by their name to see if they are taking part in the exercise. When you hear your group, just acknowledge you are on and after all EMO stations are called, we will go to the first station for their report. 

After all EMO stations have reported in, Net Control will put a call out for ARES and CANWARN stations. Remember, keep your report short and to the point.

If you are interested in becoming an ARES member, click on ARES / EMO at the top of the page. Once there, click on the link to bring up the ARES application form, fill it out and send it along to me by email or regular mail.
Interested in CANWARN, click on CANWARN at the top of the page. Scroll down till you see the e-mail address to Bob Robichaud VE1MBR. Send him a message you are interested in becoming a CANWARN station with your full address, phone number and if you have a weather station at your QTH.

• HF communications  will be used during the exercise if conditions are favoriable. The HF Ecomm frequency of
  3.675 MHz. LSB will be used.  Net Control will advise groups of the frequency being used for the evening.
  
• Echolink:  All amateurs using computers with Echolink are requested to make as many contacts as possible during the evening. Stations should have on the screen who they are representing. Example: ( Cumberland County EMO )  This will make it easier for amateurs to find who is taking part in the exercise.
  
• Packet communications All stations with packet are to send messages to Net Control, and each other during the exercises to get used to node linking. 
  
  To talk to Cumberland EMO, connect to node VE1NET-1, type TALK and you will be in conference. 
  Type in callsign and continue with your message. When finished type ( >>> )
  Example: VY2PEI Charlottetown EMO. Good evening. This is VY2GM and we have 8 operatrors >>>
  At this time Cumberland will type back to you. When finished talking to Cumberland type /ex to exit.
  Always start your message with your callsign. 
  You can still leave a message at VE1EMX-1 if you wish. Address all messages to ve1jbl.
  Jean-Guy Landry VE9BUF would also like to have all stations connect to him during the exercise. 
  Connect to Node VE1PRM-9 and then VE9BUF-1 to leave a message.
  
• SAT phones,  will be used during the exercise when openings are available.  To find these openings go to http://www.globalstar.ca/en/optimum_tool/ and follow the directions to get the times available during the evening.
  Cumberland EMO Sat Phone # is 613-980-6038. 
                                         

  EMO Cumberland  (VE1EMX) will usually be Net Control for these exercises, but if any group would like to take on this position, please get in contact with Jim Langille VE1JBL  at 902-667-1485 or e-mail at  ve1jbl@eastlink.ca 
  Telephone number at Cumberland EMO is 902-667-3746 or 902-667-2198. 

  Any group with pictures of their club radio room or EOC center used for Exercise Handshake, please send them along and I will add them to the monthly recap.