Notes and Comments

MAJOR COMMUNICATIONS
EXERCISE ANNOUNCEMENT
Posted 8 March 2004

REF. 1: USCGAUX Ops Policy Manual, Paragraph 9.A.2.d
REF. 2: USCGAUX Ops Policy Manual, Paragraph 9.A.3.d

In accordance with Reference 1, and having received approval from the District OTO, a major communications exercise has been scheduled for the period from 1200 local time on 1 May 2004 through 1200 local time on 2 May 2004.

The drill will partially meet the requirement for quarterly drills (REF. 2), will support testing of comms tools as a part of Operation Patriot Readiness III, and provide a significant training opportunity for participating members.

The drill will be conducted using the structure of the Incident Command System. The Operations Center for the drill will be a "virtual" ops center, that is various functions such as logistics, operations, communications, etc. will be distributed among various geographic locations. The IC will be located aboard a vessel in the Two Harbors area of Catalina Island. The general scope of the drill objectives and components is as follows:

1. Test, exercise and educate participants in the use of "Digital Selective Calling" (a marine VHF based tool for alerting vessels and automatically collecting position information).

2. Design and test "Local Net" comms for the District as a whole as a follow up to the email from DSO-CM-D11s dated 01 March 04 and broadcast on the VHF net on 02 March 04. The purpose of this part of the COMMEX is to assist the 11th District in establishing an hierarchical network that will tie together all members who either have AUXNET radios (that is VHF Auxiliary radios) or marine radios. Local VHF nets (AUX and Marine) will be established covering small areas; those local nets will appoint a representative who can communicate via the AUX repeaters to a regional net covering the coastal area from the Mexican Border to approximately Ventura and/or Santa Barbara. For regions not included in the above, we will communicate via email over HF radio as we have done in the past. There is a chance that by the time of the drill, selected stations will have direct access to voice comms over HF radio. If so, an HF net will be established to tie together areas such as Las Vegas and the inland lakes and rivers.

3. Run a "foxhunt" (location of one or more vessels and EPIRB's) to allow for testing of and practice of seaborne, airborne, fixed land, and "pedestrian" direction finding. It has been a long time since the AUX ran a DF exercise and it is time to revisit the process, especially with the advent of the Personal EPIRB. This part of the exercise will also test the potential for direction finding on DSC digital signals being used in item 1.

Frequency Plan:

The list below is provided for information only. A detailed frequency plan with designated uses will be provided before the drill.

 

Name	mobile RX	mobile TX	PL Tone
AUXNET REPEATER	148.825	143.800	136.5
AUXNET BRAVO	143.280	same	none
AUXNET CHARLIE	149.825	same	none
Charlie-2 REPEATER	149.825	143.305	136.5
Marine Channel 82	157.125	same	none
Marine Channel 20	157.000	157.000	none
Marine Channel 70 (DSC only)	156.525	same	none

Other Marine VHF Channels as normally used for command and control. Various HF frequencies for designated stations (to be announced) In support of Objective number 1 above, the FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS REQUIRED:

All SO-CM's are directed to gather, via FSO-CM's and/or FSO-OP's, a list of AUX Operational Facilities which are equipped with VHF Digital Selective Calling radios. The list must contain: Name of the vessel, the Facility's District Callsign, the make and model of the DSC radio installed, the MMSI number assigned to the vessel, an indication of whether or not the MMSI has been programmed in the radio, whether or not a GPS has been interfaced to the radio, and whether or not the vessel MIGHT be available to participate in the drill (no commitment is required at this time). SO-CM's are directed to forward the requested information to the DSO-CM no later than 31 March 2004. It is anticipated that several "fixed land" Auxiliary Communications units will be issued orders for the exercise. In addition, at least one marine "Private Coast Station" will participate. Details will follow.

DSO-CM-D11s Sends

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