ARRL NTS/NTSD PROPOSAL, DEC 2003
NTS/NTSD EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK (EMCON)
Table of Contents (double click or Ctrl+click page number to jump to section):
1. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................2
2. ASSUMPTIONS..............................................................................................................6
2.1. AREA/REGION NATIONAL DIGITAL SERVICES, NTSD.....................................6
2.2. SECTION SERVICES..................................................................................................7
3. PROPOSAL.....................................................................................................................8
3.1 THE ARRL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK................................9
Fig. 1: Proposed Joint NTS/ARES/RACES Structure................................................10
3.1.1 SECTION, DISTRICT, LOCAL...............................................................................11
Fig. 2: Proposed Section Digital Structure, Typical..............................................12
Fig. 3: Implementation, Winlink Radio Email, Local Backup................................13
Fig. 4: Sustained Operations Without Internet, Recovery....................................14
3.1.2 AREA/REGION........................................................................................................15
Fig. 5: Current NTSD stations (map)...........................................................................16
Fig. 6: Region - Area NTSD with Region Links (map)................................................17
Fig. 7: Current NTS Manual System (map)................................................................18
3.1.3 ARES SERVICES.....................................................................................................18
3.1.4 FIELD SERVICES....................................................................................................19
3.1.5 ARRL SUPPORT......................................................................................................19
3.1.6 PSCM, TERMS OF REFERENCE, GUIDELINES..................................................20
3.1.7 RACES......................................................................................................................20
3.2 PROPOSED SPECIFICATIONS.................................................................................21
3.2.1 DELIVERY SPECIFICATION................................................................................21
3.2.2 TRAFFIC SPECIFICATIONS..................................................................................22
3.2.3 HARDENED SITES, EMERGENCY POWER, MANNING...................................23
4 RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT..........................................................................24
4.1 STANDING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEES..........................................................24
4.2 FIELD DEPLOYMENT SUPPORT............................................................................25
4.3 PUBLICITY.................................................................................................................25
FIGURES (Attached GIF filenames EMCON4.RTF, or imbedded in EMCON4P.RTF):
Fig. 1: ntsdf1.gif, Proposed Joint NTS/ARES/RACES Structure
Fig. 2: ntsdf2.gif, Proposed Section Digital Structure, Typical
Fig. 3: ntsdf3.gif, Implementation of Winlink Radio Email with Local Backup
Fig. 4: ntsdf4.gif, Sustained Operations without Internet, Recovery Approaches
Fig. 5: ntsdf5.gif, Current NTSD stations (map)
Fig. 6: ntsdf6.gif, Region - Area NTSD with Region Links (map)
Fig. 7: ntsdf7.gif, Current NTS Manual System (map)
ARRL NTS/NTSD PROPOSAL, NOV 2003
NTS/NTSD EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK (EMCON)
Prepared for the NTS Chairs by W3YVQ
Beginning formally with the “Future of the NTS” (FONTS) discussions among staff members in the Eastern Area NTS in 2000 (and many discussions over the years prior to that time), and similar discussions elsewhere in the NTS, the modernization of the NTS and its digital system, NTSD, has been considered from many points of view.
The primary problems reflected in these discussions had to do with 1) the lack of use of the NTS by emergency communications providers (ARES), 2) the lack of NTS support of ARES in many localities, 3) the incorrect perception that the NTS was only devoted to daily birthday greetings and other mass mailings, 4) the incorrect perception that the NTS was outmoded and/or obsolete, and 5) that there was a general lack of guidance within the Field Organization for a comprehensive application of the NTS, NTSD and the latest communications developments with the ultimate objective of modernizing services offered to public safety, emergency management, all the private relief agencies, and the public at large. In short, the objectives of joint ARES/NTS cooperation in support of all levels of emergency communications were not being widely assured by the leadership, particularly at the Section level (with a few notable exceptions).
Listening to the comments made during these discussions the symptoms of the problems were easy to detect. The number of different types of locally generated strategies, different types of digital networks, and varying degrees of involvement of Local and Section NTS in the ARES operations, or vice versa, were notable. What was missing was evidence of a global application of both ARES and NTS to jointly address the common denominator - the need for amateur radio to replace during emergencies the modern communications to which served agencies have become accustomed today. Many new wheels have been invented, often by groups “outside” the system, and the opinions on the subject are widely diverse.
On the other hand, some who are devoted to serving agencies during emergencies claim that putting ARES tactical communications into the field is often just exactly what is needed, perhaps all that is needed, and that it is being done well in many places. Simply getting “contact” between officials and affected areas was considered by agencies to be welcome and much appreciated support. It is understandable that those sharing that view would not feel a compulsion to bother with formal record traffic handling and the NTS or NTSD.
Others argued that poorly organized and incompetent formal record traffic handling was an embarrassment to the amateur service, arguing that a professional digital messaging service was the key to disaster management above and beyond the tactical arm of the operations. Some sharing that view laid blame at the door of the NTS or NTSD while admitting at the same time that ARES had not invited NTS expertise to come to bear on the situation. It was clear from many views that formal traffic handling was an essential art form necessary for emergency communications services, and that some of it will always be done manually by voice or CW operators, while some will need to be done automatically by digital means. Judging from the variety of digital networks built to automate this it was clear that there was both a demand for such services, and also clear that in many cases ARES had “gone around” the NTS or NTSD to “roll their own” network solutions.
Meanwhile, the very people most interested in networking and formal traffic handling, the NTS and NTSD operators, were keenly aware of the fact that their own developments and suggestions regarding networking were ignored or dismissed in many areas by Section management unaware that license renewal message handling in no way reflected NTS/NTSD motives or capabilities. Management at higher levels did not step in to help get the factions together on these issues, and in fact simply reduced support for the NTS/NTSD gradually over recent years. In spite of these facts the NTSD developed and has already widely deployed a national digital network. Devoted NTS operators have maintained the manual net system to be ready should we face a major disaster, and they struggle daily to help ARES learn how to handle formal record traffic. They maintain the manual system to be ready to come up 24/7 in an emergency to use a widely based set of distributed resources to communicate nationally - a service model that is not available to agencies through any other service.
The opinions offered during these discussions were shared with Field Services at ARRL, and were discussed by many NTS leaders with Section leadership in various parts of the country. The Chairs of the three Area staffs agreed that a proposal should be developed to adjust the mission of the NTS and NTSD, and its ARES interfaces, to move toward the accepted objectives. It was understood that the NTS and NTSD were free to make any needed improvements in the system, but the overall success of the effort would depend on an equally conscientious effort being made at Section level in the ARES programs.
Subsequent investigations by the VRC were conducted by order of the ARRL Board of Directors (2001 Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors, the Volunteer Resources Committee (VRC), assigned the task described in Minute 67). “Section Manager input was solicited using several surveys in 2001 and 2002 and a more comprehensive survey was sent to all the Section Managers in early 2003.”
There were also questionnaires sent to NTS officials in late 2002.
A few extracts from the final VRC report made in July, 2003, follow:
----------------------------------
Extracts regarding the NTS.
“At the national level the effectiveness of NTS is unclear, at best, especially in times of emergency. Examples which highlight this uncertainty occur every year during the summer and early fall months when hurricane emergency nets are often established to deal with all aspects of a hurricane emergency on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is not obvious that NTS is ever involved directly or via a liaison to the hurricane nets. These emergency nets occur with some regularity during the year so it would seem logical that NTS might have found a function in these activities, but NTS seems to be absent. The paradigm of today is providing emergency communications when necessary, but the current NTS mission apparently has not found a purpose in this paradigm.”
(Note: the “absent” assertion is not entirely valid. There was considerable NTS involvement in many instances of disaster response, less in functions operating as autonomous information gathering activities or nets established for special purposes which did not choose to work with the NTS. The generation of ad-hoc activities, notwithstanding the organized systems, is much in vogue these days.)
There were no recommendations in the VRC report regarding improvements to the NTS except for the suggestion that financial support for the NTS at national level be discontinued, participants take the emergency communications courses, and “NTS operators should acquaint themselves with ARES and its leaders.”
Extracts regarding NTSD
There was no discussion from which to extract comments, notwithstanding the untold hours of experimentation, development, costs, and system implementation accomplished by the operators of the NTSD Area, Region, and full or part time contributors. NTSD is up and operating.
Extracts regarding ARES:
“Coordination and the ability to pass emergency traffic within the Section seems to be reasonably well in place in most Sections, though some minimum standards need to be implemented... ” “What is lacking is the ability to pass emergency traffic across the country quickly and efficiently. This was supposed to be an NTS task, but as noted in another section of this evaluation, NTS is no longer well suited for this function.”
“A new network to allow rapid transfer of emergency traffic between Sections needs to be developed. Such a network should be automated as much as practical... ”
(Note: Again there was no mention of the NTSD. The assertion that the “ability to pass emergency traffic within the Section seems to be reasonably well in place in most Sections...” does not qualitatively evaluate the situation at all. NTS operators lament the skills, or lack thereof, demonstrated in many ARES organizations which have not paid attention to training and developing the requisite skill base, nor worked with NTS to help make improvements. But this only deals generally with manual voice traffic handling. What are the “minimum standards” suggested? Are they related to voice traffic handling or to digital means? If an automated national digital system was in place would all manual traffic handling in ARES point-to-point communications cease? Probably not.)
Extracts regarding the SEC:
“One of the published duties of the SEC is to ‘… coordinate with the Section Traffic Manager so that emergency nets and traffic nets in the section present a united public service front...’ As stated elsewhere in this report, the general response from the SMs in the recent VRC survey would indicate that in possibly most Sections this is not happening. It is likely that responsibility for this lack of coordination can be shared by the STM, SEC, and SM.”
(Note: The PSCM does not assign the primary responsibility for emergency communications to the NTS. This is a key issue which will be discussed later in this document.)
Extracts regarding the STM:
“Increase emphasis on SM expectations of STMs. SMs should expect more and better performance from their STMs. STMs should be encouraged to earn Level 1, 2, and 3 emergency communications certification as soon as possible. To better describe the function of this appointment and avoid confusion in the future, it is recommended that this appointment be renamed Section NTS Liaison.”
(Note: If NTS is to be relegated to a service to which ARES provides only liaison, the role of the two organizations may continue to be encouraged to operate under divergent guidelines. Same key issue as mentioned above.)
----------------------------------
Admittedly these are but a few lines selectively extracted from the VRC’s report, but stand to reflect the findings on a few critical points.
1) The current relationship between the ARES and NTS segments of the field organization is not working well everywhere, or is non-existent;
2) The need to move emergency communications traffic about the country rapidly at any time is not being met; and
3) Section Managers surveyed, and the VRC, made no mention of the National Traffic System Digital which is already deployed and accessible to many ARES organizations in the Sections of the US.
Except for the last, the efforts of the NTS and the VRC in studying the situation have come to similar conclusions. The underlying explanation of why these conclusions are drawn is where the meat of the subject exists.
In spite of the development of the NTSD resources, the development of ARES roots to connect it to the agencies requiring service has not been accomplished. Too often ARES interests are limited to local point-to-point communications, and to some Section-wide nets or networks, and are prone to be limited in scope to Section borders. Again, many different wheels have been invented.
Therefore, based upon the earlier FONTS discussions and the VRC report, and other views gathered along the way, the problem clearly has many facets. We have awareness, educational, proficiency, organizational and training problems in the Field Organization, at Section level with regard to deployment of modern techniques and guidance, and at higher levels with regard to more global guidance. We are not communicating as well as we could about how best to get the job done. ARES/RACES and NTS/NTSD are not working together everywhere to get the best possible result. Missions are not clear. Modern email and phone service has made the older approaches obsolete for certain applications and dried up the public traffic. We are not everywhere giving our served agencies or the public what they need by way of communications during emergencies.
It can only be concluded that the problem is not one of simply finding a magic technological solution to these problems, although progress in that area is essential. There must also be a management solution. Taken together these facets of the problem suggest it may still be possible to erase the dichotomy and bring Field Services together, and into the modern age.
Since this report and proposal is coming from the national NTS staff it can not directly alter how ARES operates in the field. That does not diminish the need to do so, however. The NTS has Area leadership and an active national staff. There is no national staff and elected leadership for ARES, save for a few supportive officials at F and ES. This NTS/NTSD proposal shall attempt to address all these issues together by integrating ARES and NTS/NTSD into one organization, the parts dependant upon each other to effect the mission, and it shall also propose employment of modern networking.
______________________________________________________
2.1. AREA/REGION NATIONAL DIGITAL SERVICES, NTSD
It is clear that the NTSD can provide a radio message replacement infrastructure across the country. It is quite different than the “old” manual NTS in many respects, and it is already established in many areas at current HF Pactor data rates using Winlink classic software. It also has the potential to employ supervised direct traffic delivery via the internet for any traffic reaching any of its MBO’s. It can, if needed, employ parts of other hardened infrastructure for optional alternate paths or regular augmentation of volume and speed. It currently, however, is geared up generally to handle the mission of daily messages of the ARRL formatted type, and it often uses scheduled manually operated Section and Local net resources for traffic origination and delivery. That is the posture currently set in place for the NTS by the overall organization. It is not required or considered by many to be a part of the ARES emergency communications system. Some areas do not support the NTSD with appropriate liaison, thus weakening its ability to move its traffic.
It is suggested that the NTS/NTSD can function as the backbone for a national emergency communications network, and can be improved with new radio interconnection technologies and hardened networks as we go forward. Spread spectrum, satellite links and high data rate Region/Section interconnections can be used to build considerable depth, speed and capacity. With the addition of some needed Region links, and deployment of links in every Section, the NTSD can provide continuous radio digital messaging service throughout our Areas and Regions (the NTS geographical distinctions do not need to be made except for the convenience of routing headers). One could argue that the management of those parts of NTSD can be handled under the existing NTSD Guidelines (see MPG-6) by the Area staffs, and by the generous devotion of the NTSD station owners. In fact, it already is.
What is needed, however, is a change making the NTSD primary mission one of full time ARES emergency communications at all levels (in addition to daily public traffic service), and to elevate the traffic capability to email class with multiple addressees, copies, and binary attachments. But the problem is complex within the Sections and begs the question of how to motivate leadership there to deploy and manage the roots of such a network system. Note the distinctions between ARES and NTS in the PSCM. Rather than having the two organizations “support” each other in a parallel fashion, perhaps they should be integrated vertically where each does a part of the total task - emergency communications.
It is assumed that the NTSD staff will be willing to make the required investments in expansion and upgrades provided the ARES organization and Section management is willing to invest in establishing the right kind of root system to support it. This is important. All of these stations will be built and operated by individual volunteers. There must be good reason to make such investments and assurance of support if they are made.
During emergencies the Local and Section services need to provide for tactical traffic voice circuits, damage assessment, search and rescue, shelter and NDMS communications, outbound welfare traffic paths and incoming archiving, and administrative formal traffic for all government public safety and emergency management agencies, and private relief organizations of all kinds including ARC, Salvation Army, hospitals, transportation hubs and the like. Let’s assume that includes voice and/or CW manually handled tactical and formal traffic, email and data traffic, digitized voice, slow and/or fast TV, and APRS with GPS tracking service, etc.
The Section needs then may be analyzed in several parts, and provided for as indicated by ARES, NTS and NTSD managed networking:
2.2.1. The Local communications mix outlined above contained within the boundaries of one EC’s jurisdiction. These needs may be met using manually operated nets and digital services as stipulated by the EC. The largest variety of modes, highest data rates and largest volume will be required at this level. Consider these in two groups, the direct tactical communications needs established by ARES operators in the field, and the third party traffic services established to handle needs beyond the point-to-point operations. The later, when handled by fixed resources, may be provided by NTS and NTSD services.
2.2.2. The District communications needs, such as those presented where major metropolitan jurisdictions need direct and immediate access to the surrounding counties, etc. These needs tend to shift more toward high speed digital linking required for sharing of record formal message traffic between local jurisdictions, which may be met by full time NTSD networks supervised by NTSD Net Managers. These needs may also require manually operated intercom nets for agency consultation with branch offices from headquarters locations, etc., which may be managed by NTS Net Managers.
2.2.3. The Section-wide communications needs as coordinated and defined by the SEC. These needs tend to shift more toward high speed digital linking required to cover the larger geographical area of the Section to tie all the District and Local services together, which may be met by full time by NTSD networks supervised by NTSD Net Managers; and may also require manually operated intercom nets for agency consultation with branch offices from headquarters locations, etc., which may also be managed by NTS Net Managers. (These needs, where digital networks are not currently deployed, are often handled by NTS Section nets activated to cover the areas involved... at least one example where NTS and ARES are working together in cooperation.) In emergencies, however, Sections are not stand-alone geographical entities. Disasters do not respect borders.
2.2.4. The out-of-Section communications needs as defined by the SEC. These needs are currently met by selective activation of NTS Region and Area nets (or using those nets during their normally scheduled cycles), but may be provided by the full time NTSD as outlined above. Of major concern here is the need to cross Section borders to integrate the emergency response across borders, but also to permit networking to reach beyond Section management limits to areas where normal communications resources are available. This will be seen to be critical for effective digital networking. Furthermore, Section communications needs are not solely defined by the SEC. All communications from elsewhere need to reach into the Section management area, whether that Section is involved in an emergency or not.
2.2.5. The national communications needs as defined and arranged by the ARRL to serve federal, state and local agencies and private organizations of all kinds. During national emergencies this may be expanded to include the military and commercial organizations essential to the overall mission and/or survival of the country. This, too, is a mission which can be performed by the full time NTSD or NTS as outlined above, and also directly involves the Sections as the feeder roots of the system. Everyone to be served is a resident of a Section somewhere, or is overseas - also in reach of links which may be established by NTSD.
---
Thus, in summary, it has been well argued that the ultimate networking solution for ARES/NTS/NTSD must be designed to cover the entire country and have access all the way down to Local jurisdictions and individual served agencies everywhere.
______________________________________________________
Whereas:
* The public and government and private agencies served by amateur radio require modern radio email infrastructure replacement during emergencies; and
* the use of existing infrastructure where available may be used to enhance origination and delivery activity (bridging to and from the internet, wire lines, satellite, etc.); and
* the maintenance of the existing manual NTS system is essential (a major national distributed resource); and
* NTS/NTSD and ARES/RACES need to work together everywhere to support emergency communications; and
* the development of local, district and Section ARES networks designed only to meet Section needs, disconnected from Region/Area network development, deprives NTS/NTSD of its roots in the Sections; and
* NTS/NTSD fixed site resources alone can not be expected to perform the tasks of agency and public interface at the level of county/city responses on the ground during emergencies (the ARES/RACES teams at local county/city level are best able to establish the fixed site and ad hoc communications interfaces during emergencies.); and
* it is envisioned, with continued development of the NTS/NTSD network, that a served agency would be able to create an email with attachments, pass it electronically to an amateur station through a direct supervised interface, and have that email delivered through the amateur system for manual or automatic internet delivery anywhere in the US; and
* such a system would augment or sustain at least minimal essential communications during local, regional, or national emergencies where the infrastructure is overloaded, damaged, or disabled; and
* in the PSCM the ARES at local, district and Section levels is described as operated with ARES nets to provide the needs outlined above (2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3), while at the same time the NTS nets in the Section are charged with supporting ARES in these operations; and
* the NTS/NTSD is not directly charged with the primary responsibility for emergency communications at any of those levels (This may indeed be where the missions of ARES and NTS have been allowed to diverge in some Sections, and why the NTS/NTSD national networks are considered by many as disconnected from the ARES emergency communications imperative.);
IT IS THEREFORE PROPOSED:
That the NTS/NTSD be further developed and modified, merged with the ARES/RACES amateur support of served agencies and the public, and be maintained as the primary radio emergency communications email infrastructure replacement service to be known as the ARRL Emergency Communications Network (EMCON).
3.1 THE ARRL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
The Emergency Communications Network (EMCON) shall consist of one integrated organization of ARRL Field Services consisting of the NTS/NTSD networking system and its connections to all those served through the ARES/RACES organizations at all local levels. Thus NTS and ARES/RACES become one. The ARES/RACES groups may retain their titles and logos and organizational names. The NTS/NTSD groups may retain their titles and logos and organizational names.
Fig. 1: Proposed Joint NTS/ARES/RACES Structure
The NTSD system is shown to include the Winlink (WL2K) connections to the internet at all levels. This is in addition to the maintenance of the manual NTS and NTSD classic digital messaging networks which would assure “radio-all-the-way” services in the event of major loss of internet services in areas affected by disasters or during national emergencies. The WL2K system provides automatic email service using the internet, arbitrated by a Central Mailbox and backup, PMBOs and local client stations. Messaging utilizes compression to conserve spectrum and enhance privacy, multiple addressees, carbon-copy lists, and binary attachments between all clients, both internet served as well as amateur radio stations checking into the network. For the purposes of this proposal certain of the Winlink client stations, station connections to the internet (TelPac nodes) and WL2K PMBOs shall be considered part of the NTSD.
PRIMARY MISSIONS: The entire EMCON digital network shall be assigned the primary mission of emergency communications at all levels above local point-to-point ARES operations. Both emergency related traffic and daily public messaging shall flow on all parts of the networks as needed to maintain their readiness so long as required delivery times and throughput are maintained. Radio email with attachments, for the time being, shall use the Winlink system as shown to meet the addressing, content and automatic delivery time requirements.
The NTSD classic messaging system, under appropriate emergency notification plans, shall be responsible for backing up the WL2K messaging service, and maintaining the “radio-all-the-way” digital messaging service for text traffic nationally with one hour delivery direct, via internet, or via ARES/RACES outlets. NTSD classic stations shall strive to enhance capabilities to include B2F level radio email traffic (this requires further software development as discussed later). NTSD classic stations shall maintain operations in conjunction with the NTS manual nets to continue the daily public service traffic flow.
The NTS manual system of distributed resources and nets at TCC, Area, Region, Section and Local levels shall continue to handle daily public text traffic, interface with the NTSD classic and WL2K systems to augment and improve that service, fill in the gaps in classic or WL2K coverage for emergency communications, back up all the digital systems in the case of system failures, provide voice and other analog communications paths, and enrich the traffic origination and delivery roots of the system.
NTS manual delivery of public traffic shall be considered the interface between the public and amateur radio essential to maintaining public awareness. The NTS shall be responsible for the delivery of all public and emergency traffic not able to be delivered by automated or manually arbitrated digital means, or by transfer to ARES outlets.
3.1.1 SECTION, DISTRICT, LOCAL
To effect an efficient Local, District and Section digital network system there will be a need for high speed local area networks (LANs) on VHF/UHF or higher frequencies. These LANs will carry the highest volume of traffic during an emergency, and will also likely be in areas where phone and internet services are most at risk. The LANs will need to move traffic to other areas as well, and may use layers of backbones using frequency changing bridges (switches) to avoid mutual LAN interference. These LANs, switches, and backbones must carry the B2F radio email with attachments, and must allow those clients in an area of lost internet service to reach active Winlink ports in neighboring areas. Thus networking is not limited to Local, District, Section, Region or Area ARES management boundaries, but must facilitate free movement of digital message traffic to where it can be processed. The proposed digital structure also provides several means to assure essential traffic flow regardless of internet or phone loss, or loss of use of the Winlink email system.
Fig. 2: Proposed Section Digital Structure, Typical
The permanent structure digital stations and networks shall be managed and operated under NTSD Guidelines to maintain immediate access by all local ARES organizations to the national NTSD emergency communications network and/or Winlink services at all times. These services shall be mutually interconnected within the Section and across Section, Region, and Area boundaries (using current NTS nomenclature here). Thus the distinction of Section, Region and Area shall no longer be needed, the placement of stations being determined by the geographical areas to be covered. Local Area Networks and backbone services, however, may be structured to optimize service to the clusters of agency users and traffic load balancing demands. Generally LANs will likely serve an EC’s primary coverage area related to the jurisdiction’s family of served agencies - backbones would connect such service areas together. Thus the entire system would become one network, layered only as required to most wisely utilize the spectrum and segment loading, and reach beyond the local radio horizons.
Fig. 3: Implementation, Winlink Radio Email, Local Backup
Local jurisdictions, Districts, Section or other areas of any size may suffer loss of internet and/or telephone services during emergencies. The responsible management shall be prepared to utilize all possible digital resources to restore connections to functioning Winlink ports in such circumstances. These situations may affect Area/Region operations as well.
Fig. 4: Sustained Operations without Internet, Recovery
MANAGEMENT: In the Sections, Section Mangers would hold their SECs and STMs jointly responsible for the layered NTS/NTSD network within their geopolitical jurisdictions, and their SECs for deployment of the interfaces with those served. With Section Manager supervision, the STM and SEC shall be held jointly responsible for creation of the Section’s emergency plans. The SEC, and appointed DECs and ECs, would continue to be responsible for cultivating the relationships and interfaces with all served agencies and with the public, recruitment and training of ARES operators, and local plans for deployment of operators during the emergency response.
The SEC and STM shall be jointly responsible for consulting with the served agencies to determine the networking needs. The STM shall be responsible for implementing the permanent structure network services to meet the networking needs, and for maintaining the NTS and NTSD system in the Section under the NTS Terms of Reference and NTSD Guidelines. The STM shall assign Net Managers for the LANs, nodes, frequency switches, digipeaters, backbones and Winlink resources individually or grouped as needed. The STM shall be responsible for coordinating with the NTS/NTSD Areas staffs to ensure functioning of the network connections to and from the Section, and for maintaining standards and specifications for the operation of the system as set by the NTS/NTSD.
Permanent structure manually operated nets (voice, CW, etc.) and fixed digital stations established to relay message traffic beyond point-to-point ARES services shall be managed by NTS or NTSD Net Managers, respectively, reporting to the STM. Winlink port stations shall be managed by the EMCON managers under STM supervision (the Winlink primary CMBO and PMBOs used for general amateur applications are managed by the national Winlink Management Team). Winlink capable client stations at agency interfaces shall be the responsibility of ARES operators and EC/SEC management, but supported by the STM and respective Net Managers.
Experienced NTS operators shall be used to the greatest extent possible in any net control and formal traffic handling assignments in the Local, District or Section response.
The STM shall deploy or arrange for voice conferencing resources above the level of ad-hoc point-to-point ARES tactical communications which may require Echolink/IRLP, linked repeaters, or other similar systems. The STM shall also deploy fixed resources for utilizing APRS/GPS, slow scan TV, and other analog communications resources jointly agreed upon with the SEC.
The NTS Section, District (if used) and Local manually operated nets and stations shall serve as stipulated above, and also employ Echolink/IRLP or similar modes of operation to provide voice and analog communications for served agencies and the public within the Section management areas. Voice intercom is an essential part of the emergency communications requirement of many served agencies.
The NTSD classic network shall be extended to provide paths from Section level networks to the NTSD to ensure national “radio-all-the-way” service. The Winlink WL2K system shall be utilized for the time being for radio email service nationally.
See the diagrams:
Fig. 5: Current NTSD stations (map)
MANAGEMENT: The layered network above Section management levels shall be managed by the Chairs of the NTS/NTSD through the Area staffs. The Area staffs shall assign Net Managers, as proscribed in the NTS TOR and NTSD Guidelines, to maintain the NTS and NTSD, including the Winlink system connections required. The Area staffs shall coordinate with each Section’s STM and SEC to ensure functioning of all network connections to and from the Section’s jurisdictions, and for maintaining standards and specifications for the operation of the system as set by the NTS/NTSD. See Figure 1.
The Area staffs of the NTS/NTSD shall continue to manage the NTS manual parallel networks at Region and Area levels with the mission described herein.
The Area NTS/NTSD staffs shall provide for enhanced wide area voice linking were needed via Echolink/IRLP type services, linked repeater systems, and phone patches to augment services to agencies and the public.
In the case of internet or telephone loss in disaster areas the responsible management shall be prepared to use all possible digital paths to restore connection to active Winlink ports (as discussed in the previous section). See Figures 3 and 4.
Fig. 6: Region - Area NTSD with Region Links (map)
MONITORING: Field Services, the NTS/NTSD staff, and Section SEC’s and STM’s shall monitor and maintain the readiness of the Emergency Communications Network at all times, take immediate notice of system problems and/or failures, share such information with the stations in the network, and institute timely remedial operations to return the system to full capability. A system readiness report shall be included in monthly reports to the Field Services Manager.
Area staffs and Section staffs shall be jointly responsible for balancing traffic loading to ensure maintenance and readiness of both the NTSD digital networks and the manual NTS resources, and to regularly test for the proper functioning of those and the Winlink system and its ports. Such tests shall check message delivery, path times and accuracy by suitable sampling and statistical analysis.
EXERCISES: The NTS/NTSD staff shall propose and manage regular drills and exercises to: 1) monitor the readiness of the Emergency Communications Network; and 2) monitor the quality and timely delivery of message traffic through the system under stipulated conditions. The annual SET shall also be used to exercise the EMCON at all levels.
Fig. 7: Current NTS Manual System (map)
WINLINK: The NTS/NTSD staff shall maintain a close working relationship with the Winlink development team to monitor and ensure satisfactory system operation, full cooperation among all users, and to consult on future development.
To fully utilize the features of EMCON for all served agencies, ARES must achieve several important objectives in establishing Local, District and Section served agency connections:
1) Establish client stations at served agency offices, and field locations indicated during emergencies, to ensure links to the digital network (with automatic direct connections to official’s email systems where possible); including the emergency management EOCs (top priority), other county and state departments, fire, police and other public safety organizations, health services, natural resources, highways departments, hospitals and hospital suppliers, airports, rail and bus depots, nursing homes, weather services, road traffic monitoring, mutual aid links, field command posts, search and rescue, earthquake responders, shelter locations of all sizes, all VOAD class private relief agencies (suggest consolidation of command here due to the large number of such organizations), etc. (no limits here - ask emergency management to provide a list of all such points of contact they would require during any type of emergency); and
2) recruit and train ARES operators and invest in equipment to establish point-to-point services and connections to the EMCON networks; and
3) develop joint working relationships with FRS, GMRS and CB communicators, etc., giving them access to the served agencies through the amateur network, and work together with them and ARES responders to support the CERT and Citizen’s Corps deployments in the field, and any other organizational groups stipulated in MOU’s established by the ARRL; and
3) provide digital service to all SKYWARN participants where possible; and
4) establish connections and service to NWS (bidirectional emergency management information sharing), CAP, SAR teams, military installations, MARS networks, MARS, FEMA and NDMS teams deployed in the area, and other similar organizations which support the public during the emergency mitigation, response and recovery operations; and
5) establish arrangements with the STM to collect and dispatch outbound welfare traffic, and archive incoming welfare inquiries for servicing by ARES or NTS teams as possible; and
6) define the agency needs for, and establish, voice intercom to be effected using nets, Echolink/IRLP, linked repeaters, etc.
This is the short list. The SEC and STM shall be jointly responsible for evaluating the communications needs of the agencies and public. The STM shall deploy the fixed site EMCON resources to handle the communications, the SEC the teams to link the users to those communications.
The Field Services Manager, through the NTS/NTSD Area staffs, SMs, SECs and STMs shall be responsible for overseeing the deployment and maintenance of the Emergency Communications Network (NTS/NTSD through ARES/RACES) by the responsible managers.
Since Section Managers are elected by the membership, SECs and STMs are appointed locally, and NTS/NTSD staffs are elected, no other reorganization or direct single organizational chain of command is currently proposed herein. Since NTS/NTSD, and SECs and STMs, are to be held jointly responsible for the EMCON, disagreements regarding specifications, deployment, and/or performance evaluation, etc., shall be arbitrated by the Field Services Manager with representatives of the respective staffs responsible for the areas of concern.
Job descriptions for the SEC, STM, Net Managers for NTS and NTSD nets and digital networks at all levels, etc., shall be modified to reflect the Emergency Communications Network responsibilities defined by the NTS/NTSD Chairs.
Field Services, Division staffs and Section Managers shall consult with and support the responsible network staffs to assist in the deployment and maintenance of an effective EMCON meeting the needs of federal, state and private relief served agencies and the public; and to assist in negotiating and coordinating implementation of ARRL MOU’s with any and all such agencies.
The ARRL shall provide for the EMCON mission as an assigned task for Field Services, including any necessary funding to support its operation as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors, and solicitation of and/or providing support of whatever kind required to accomplish that mission.
3.1.6 PSCM, TERMS OF REFERENCE, GUIDELINES
PSCM, TOR, NTSD: The NTS/NTSD Chairs, in cooperation with the Section management, shall recommend to Field Services the provisions in the PSCM, and specifications in the NTS TOR and NTSD Guidelines, necessary to effect the deployment and maintenance of the Emergency Communication Network, including the application of the latest amateur technologies under the guidance of standing committees assigned such responsibilities by the NTS/NTSD.
The contributions of K6YR and W2MTA to the current version of the PSCM have brought us to a level at which the inclusion of this EMCON network is totally consistent with purposes of the Field Organization articulated therein.
The ARES and NTS/NTSD organizations shall retain their respective distinctive titles and logos, carrying forward, in the case of the NTS/NTSD, the traditions begun by W1AW, W1NJM, and their successors.
METHODS AND PRACTICES: The NTS/NTSD committee on methods and practices shall modify the PSCM, App. B, MPG-1 message protocols and MPG-6, NTSD Guidelines, to include provisions for email addresses and handling markers as required to permit routing and handling of traffic by the Emergency Communications Network stations.
It is proposed that basic NTSD and Winlink operating information remain included in the MPG-6 for tutorial purposes, but that the NTSD EMCON Guidelines be moved to a new Appendix C of the PSCM and be expanded to include required operational and protocol requirements for the Emergency Communications Network at the various levels of application (Local, District, Section, Region, Area, gateways, etc.)
It is difficult, and in some cases totally impractical, to meet the letter of the RACES rules when establishing a network such as EMCON. To have all stations enrolled in RACES in their respective jurisdictions is possible, but to have emergency management tasked with approving the flow or content of all traffic from other jurisdictions is impractical. Exercising becomes totally impractical as well. All Winlink users, NTSD classic stations, NTS manual resources, layered network switches and BBS stations, TelPac nodes, PMBOs, Airmail clients, and all agency interfaces are directly impacted negatively by RACES rules.
The war powers have been rescinded which provided for sustained operation of RACES in civil emergencies when the rest of the Amateur Service is asked to shut down for national security reasons. All emergency communications provided by ARES/NTS/NTSD can be provided to emergency management everywhere in the US without evoking RACES. During emergencies the Amateur Service is authorized to handle emergency traffic and communications. It is totally practical to have all amateurs performing these services “enrolled” in the respective jurisdictions (non-RACES, ARES/NTS/NTSD/Winlink rosters provided instead) should the FCC require a basis for controlling limited amateur operations. Furthermore, without RACES, the FCC still retains the authority to control operation in the Amateur Service however indicated in any situation. The Federal Response plan encourages the use of all amateur and MARS stations to the fullest extent possible, without further distinction.
The problems and issues associated with accommodating a separately defined and limiting service within the Amateur Service under this arcane program, which has long outlived its usefulness, are too lengthy to detail here. They can be made available.
Thus, the time has come to recommend, and it is herewith proposed, that all RACES operation in the US be terminated. Additionally, the ARRL is requested to consider a petition to remove the RACES provisions contained within the FCC Rules and Regulations, Part 97, Para. 407, and elsewhere, thus dispensing with the “service”.
All amateurs in ARES and NTS/NTSD operating EMCON are encouraged to institute rigorously applied accommodation of the needs and priorities of emergency management officials in planning and executing the EMCON program.
The use of Winlink (WL2K) services via the internet, arbitrated through the CMBO, PMBOs, and local client stations, provides for automatic delivery of B2F compliant email messages anywhere in the system within minutes. The specification shall be set for the time being to a maximum path time, origination to delivery, of one hour, This will allow additional time for channel adjustments required in a disaster area to route the WL2K traffic out of the affected area to the nearest functioning WL2K ports. This should usually be no more than selecting an alternative email user account set up in advance to path traffic to alternative Winlink ports.
Supervised (amateur manned station) radio traffic delivery from the NTSD may be accomplished by voice contact, supervised direct digital interfaces, etc., by either NTSD or ARES operators. Internet delivery wherever the internet is functioning between a manned NTSD station and the addressee will enable a large number of amateurs throughout the system to be supervised delivery stations. Telephone contact with served agency addressees may be used to initiate an agency email watch to conduct ongoing exchanges. Operators can make calls to emergency 24 hour services of agencies to establish contact.
It is proposed, for the time being, that delivery of message traffic through the NTSD classic stations shall be accomplished within one hour, measured from the time of insertion into the NTSD network until delivery is accomplished by an operator downloading from the NTSD hub site nearest the addressee location. The NTS/NTSD staff is encouraged to develop and maintain an emergency alerting plan for both NTS and NTSD.
The NTS/NTSD staff is encouraged to study and develop improved automated origination and delivery methods to apply to the classic NTSD network for “radio-all-the-way” operation for all types of served agencies and the public users. From local to national levels this will require the development of software for routing and store-and-forward for B2F compliant radio email with multiple addressing, copies, and binary attachments..
The Field Organization is encouraged to coordinate the use of the EMCON in such a manner that critical message traffic paths are provided with appropriate manned supervision to assure origination, delivery, and accommodation of all failures which may be imposed upon the WL2K, classic NTSD and manual NTS systems during emergencies.
The protocols of the Methods and Practices Guidelines (MPG, PSCM App. B), as modified for EMCON, shall apply for traffic formatting and handling.
MANUALLY OPERATED NTS SYSTEM, DAILY PUBLIC TRAFFIC:
ARRL formatted text radiograms of 25 words or less, delivered within 48 hours or less (prior to servicing) as possible with available manually operated station outlets or email. (Generally the current expectation.) MPG-1 protocol.
MANUALLY OPERATED NTS SYSTEM, DURING EMERGENCY ACTIVATION:
With Area, Region, Section and/or Local resources called to continuous active duty where necessary; modified ARRL format text message traffic, 100 words or less (500 character text)*, no attachments, delivered within 1 hour using manually operated station outlets at addressee locations, or confirmed internet or computer interfaces with addressee resources from anywhere the internet or telephone system is available. MPG-1 protocol except for increased text length. Manual NTS or ARES/RACES operators may be used at both ends of the path.
NTSD CLASSIC DAILY PUBLIC TRAFFIC
ARRL formatted radiograms of 25 words or less, delivered within 48 hours or less as possible with available manually operated station outlets or email. (Generally the current expectation.) MPG-1 protocol.
NTSD CLASSIC EMERGENCY RELATED AGENCY OR PUBLIC TRAFFIC
ARRL formatted radiograms of 100 words or less, delivered within 1 hour or less as possible with available manually operated station outlets or confirmed email. (Requires NTSD classic station emergency alerting plans.) MPG-1 protocol except for increased text length. Manual NTS or ARES/RACES operators may be used at both ends of the path.
* Limits for text length and overall message size to be determined by the NTS/NTSD from time to time based upon system status.
WINLINK WL2K EMERGENCY COMMUNICTIONS
BODY PLAIN TEXT: standard email plain text traffic, delivered within 1 hour using automatic delivery to internet email addresses or to stations checked into the WL2K system. Where served agency or station direct delivery is not possible, manually operated station outlets at addressee locations may be used for delivery, or internet or computer interfaces with addressee resources may be used from anywhere the internet or telephone system is available. MIME compliant email multiple addresses, copy lists, blind carbon copies, subject lines, source ID, and attachment boundary formats shall be used (standard email client software). Standard email plain text character and punctuation content is permitted (7 bit greater than ASCII 31, but including ASCII 9). “Rich-text” enhancements and duplicate HTML content shall be suppressed when possible to conserve spectrum usage. HTML and other non-plain-text documents shall be attached as indicated below. Except for these caveats, standard email client software generates satisfactory email for these purposes. Total size of the body text and all attachments shall not exceed 40kbytes.**
ATTACHMENTS: All non-plain-text documents shall be attached as “Rich Text Format” (“RTF”), HTM or “PDF” files (which tend to be large), graphics in interlaced GIF-87A or GIF-89A or JPG formats, audio as WAV or MP3 files, or multiple attachment combinations thereof. Attachments shall be enclosed in the message using MIME compliant boundary content text lines, and “UUencoded” to 7 bit characters, as customary in MIME compliant internet email enclosures. RTF document files may be dramatically reduced in size by limiting the font choices activated for the word processor used in their creation (standard Times-New-Roman or Arial fonts are widely used on most target email clients). Imbedded fonts should be avoided for the same reason. Graphics files may be significantly reduced in size by prior conversion to 256 color, 16 color, or black and white. Except for these caveats, standard email client software generates satisfactory email for these purposes. Total size of the body text and all enclosures shall not exceed 40kbytes.**
** Limits for text length and overall message size with attachments to be determined by the NTSD staff from time to time based upon system status. Exceptions permitting larger exchanges may be arbitrated at lower levels of the system where VHF/UHF data capacity permits.
3.2.3 HARDENED SITES, EMERGENCY POWER, MANNING
To the maximum extent possible the digital stations of the EMCON network should be sited at “hardened”and emergency powered locations, manned during emergencies.
These sites should be protected against terrorism and/or civil unrest, wind, earthquake and flood damage, EMP and lightning, and power loss. Where possible the stations operating in the network should be frequency agile to ward off threats from interference, intentional or otherwise. (In many areas, short of a major activation, the interference from little used public safety and other radio systems is seldom experienced, or is totally unknown.) To the maximum extent possible these stations should be either manned or directly or remotely supervised during operation to handle unforeseen problems, arbitrate deliveries and originations, consult with the ARES leadership on situation requirements, and adapt to failures.
The very nature of the Amateur Service role in emergency communications creates our specification for being on the air and functioning when the other services are in trouble.
The following matters shall be considered ongoing responsibilities of the NTS/NTSD and Section staffs in developing and maintaining the Emergency Communications Network.
4.1 STANDING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEES
The NTS/NTSD staff and Field Services shall undertake a continuing program to develop improvements and introduction of the latest technologies for the Emergency Communications Network. The staff shall establish appropriate standing committees to advise on the latest technologies available to the amateur service, and to consult with the Section and Division staffs and Field Services to monitor and address the needs of served agencies, national policies and the public to ensure the capabilities of the Emergency Communications Network remain relevant and useful.
The committees are encouraged to jointly research and apply any and all radio and interfacing technologies which may be used to replace lost infrastructure services normally used to sustain the missions of served agencies or organizations of all kinds. Spread spectrum, software controlled radios, automatic link establishment, satellite relays, hardened public safety or federal network sharing, and expansion to deepen the redundancy, increase the capacity, and reduce the vulnerability to propagation interruptions, all should be investigated. The newest forms of “wireless” technologies being offered to commercial and consumer markets, spread spectrum, optical LANs, etc., and other applications to utilize the higher frequencies allocated to the Amateur Service to obtain the necessary bandwidth/capacity, should be thoroughly investigated and reported.
The committees are encouraged to examine new software for BBS routing and store-and-forward capabilities for handling B2F traffic at all levels (mentioned earlier); and integrated software needed for direct agency interface methods using the Ethernet, other computer networks, and for tip-and-ring SMTP/POP3 server emulation.
The committees are encouraged to examine planning required to integrate government and public safety agency services, private VOAD class agency services, Citizen’s Corps and other federal support organizations, hospitals and transportation services, police and fire dispatching and interconnections with NWS, SKYWARN, CAP, MARS, etc.
Research on finding funding sources, grants to use proprietary hardware and software, and support for locating hardened sites shall be conducted.
These committees shall make formal recommendations to the NTS/NTSD Chairs at least annually. The NTS/NTSD shall make the appropriate recommendations to Field Services according to the NTS Terms of Reference.
Nothing in this proposal shall be construed to limit the innovation which the Field Organization may wish to apply to achieve the primary objectives.
Field Services and the NTS/NTSD staffs shall develop a program to educate amateur operators at all levels regarding the operation of the EMCON, and to assist stations in implementing functioning parts of the system at all levels. Equipment lists, wiring details and other support, and software installation and setup assistance will be required at all levels. An effective program of this sort will also help ensure a certain level of standardization and assured interoperability. Volume purchasing benefits and common siting pursuits may also thereby be enhanced.
The successful integration of the ARES and NTS/NTSD systems must be presented to the membership at large, and through clubs and other educational activities to the entire amateur radio community. An effective and well publicized emergency communications program, in and of itself, will draw public service minded amateurs from the ranks everywhere. Their participation should be facilitated and welcomed. There is a job for everyone! Newcomers should be exposed to the purpose and methodology of these public service activities. NTS/NTSD leadership should join with ARES and other Section leaders in conducting presentations to amateurs everywhere, the schools, and to the media. Times have changed. The public now understands the uses of email and essential communications, and will appreciate the EMCON capabilities. We need to integrate and advertise our activities if we are to remain a relevant service worthy of our privileges and spectrum.
Field and Educational Services shall develop an outreach program to educate the amateur public service community and public as outlined above, and to help integrate all the special interest groups in the service.
---