1 - A Net Control Station has
absolute control of the frequency until the net is closed. All
communications must pass through NCS. You must ask the NCS for
permission before making a direct contact. All communication
should be important and relevant to the net, no personal transmissions,
except during Open or Informal Directed
nets with that as a purpose.
2 - NCS will give check-in instructions. During
a Formal Directed emergency Net,
these could be phonetic Call-sign, Name, Mobile and/or
Base and location, special Training/Qualifications,
Availability for how long, Band/Equipment
(including Power Source) availability, Condition
of your radio and Power source, approximate Range
of your system and Other information as directed.
Have information
available before check-in.
3 - If requested by NCS
to check-in to a sub-net, instructions will include
all frequency information as well as information needed to complete
check-in. Listen carefully, Sub-net NCS has absolute
control (as above) until the sub-net is closed.
4 - Tactical call-signs
may be issued by NCS to facilitate operation during Formal
Directed emergency or Informal Directed
public service/emergency practice nets. Use them.
FCC call-sign ID is required every 10 minutes.
Do not interrupt emergency traffic to FCC ID. NCS may
call for FCC ID from all stations, or station should ID
with both tactical call-sign and FCC ID
on next net contact. to meet FCC requirements.
5 - Unless in immediate
danger, or at the direction of the on-scene authorities or of
the NCS, never leave your post, your transmitter/receiver,
or the person to whom you have been assigned. Do not
switch back and forth between net and sub-nets. If assigned to
a sub-net, contact the main NCS only through the sub-net NCS.
Pay attention to your power source
and be prepared with backup.
6 - If authorities ask you to leave your post or
the person to whom you have been assigned, comply immediately
and without comment. Notify NCS of your change
in status as soon as possible.
7 - If on-scene authority requests that radio be
shut off, or that no transmissions be made, comply immediately
and without question. DO NOT notify NCS
from that location. There may be a danger that could be triggered
by RF or electronic spark. If possible, ascertain whether you
can leave the location of the danger in order to notify NCS of
the circumstances.
8 - During Formal Directed emergency
or Informal Directed public service/emergency practice
nets, keep all your transmissions short and to the point. Always
be ready to record messages transmitted to you or to be transmitted
to NCS.
Rule: Think it, Write it down, Say it, Get
off the key.
9 - Listen, listen, listen - Pay attention
to everything that is going on. Effective performance and personal
safety require all operators to be aware of all events in order
to be able to change responsibilities during net operations.
Stay Focused!
10 - Emergency & Priority - During
Formal Directed emergency or Informal Directed
public service/emergency practice nets, everything STOPS with the transmission of Emergency
or Priority. The highest, Emergency,
is reserved for only danger-of-death or serious-injury
if-message-is-not-heard-immediately messages. The second,
Priority, means the traffic concerns an immediate
safety issue regarding Human life or injury, or
impending property damage. NCS will stop everything and
answer these calls immediately. Rely on NCS to dispatch assistance.
11 - Never transmit the name or an
injured, trapped or deceased subject. Request only that the NCS
send the appropriate authorities and help to your location on
a priority basis as outlined above. Never transmit
the name of a minor lost or separated from responsible adults.
Be prepared to respond to NCS with description and or identifying
information established ahead of time. Should this not suffice,
have authorities authorize transmission of the name.
12 - Never make any comment to a member
of the media regarding information about injuries, deaths, addresses
of the most severe damage, license numbers of vehicles, rail
car, bus, or other types of public transportation, and possible
reported causes which might lead them to a "trail-of-responsibility/blame."
I
can't answer that question
is always a good response. Refer them to the Public Information
Officer or to the authorities. If you don't recognize
people, beyond a shadow of a doubt, to be part of the authorized
on-site operations team, DO NOT discuss the situation with them.
You may discuss the role of the
communications volunteers and amateur radio in the overall, but
not the specific, situation. But be careful. You DO NOT
want to see your name in print about the situation at hand other
than you as a amateur radio operator assisting the authorities.
13 - Allow authorities to communicate directly as
third-party traffic. Hand the microphone to the person who wishes
to pass a message and tell them they can't use foul language
or conduct commercial business. Relays often become incorrectly
"translated" by the relay operator, especially if there
is a high percentage of special agency terminology, technical
terms, etc.
14 - Turn down your emotional sensitivity. Be objective.
DO NOT criticize. Be patient with NCSs. DO
NOT be an "ambulance chaser.' Check-in to the net
and follow orders. Amateur Radio Service volunteers must respect
and cooperate with the served agencies or authorities. Often
that means being a "servant" in order to provide "service"
in Public Service Activities.
15 - We as Amateur Radio Operators are communicators.
The authorities are in charge. Our only job is to communicate
(when asked to do so) what the authorities want communicated.
Identify yourself and tell them you are available for communications
service when needed.
