*** See Link to PDF File at Bottom of Page for Additional Instructions ***
EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE
In the previous email, the exercise began with a 4.1 magnitude earthquake near Memphis, TN. In the early hours of Wednesday, July 9th, the exercise will enter the major phase with a reported 7.8 magnitude quake causing significant damage in the West Tennessee area and impact up to 1000 miles away from the epicenter.
Our task as Amateur Radio operators including ARES and AUXCOMM plus SHARES operators is to file Situation Reports (SitRep) via Winlink during the day on Wednesday with information based on our distance from the epicenter. Georgia falls in the band of 301-500 miles from the Memphis epicenter. The attached instructions provides detailed information on developing and filing your Winlink SitRep on Wednesday.
Things to remember:
- Reports are to be sent only on Wednesday between the hours of 7:30 AM EDT (1130 UTC) and 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC)
- In Winlink, open “New Message”, “Select Template”, double click “Standard Templates”, “Mapping GIS Forms” and choose “Field Situation Report.txt”.
- Fill out the SitRep from as below and address to NCS800; NCS398 to send
Message to send: Winlink standard template, Field Situation Report
Specific Instructions for Winlink participation
Below are the instructions for participants:
– DATE and TIME of Exercise participation: Wednesday, July 9 from 6:30 AM CDT or 7:30 AM EDT (1130 UTC) and ends at 6:00 PM CDT or 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC).
– Please, feel free to use telnet from any area. If possible, use radio within the first two most severe impact areas, but if you only have telnet, use it. Telnet should be used where possible to alleviate the limited amount of provided band space available for those who have no telnet available. PLEASE, DO NOT INCLUDE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REQUEST, EITHER MANUALLY OR AUTOMATICALLY. Considering the volume of participation and the limitations on available operating bandspace, it will take up too much space/time for a one-way transmitted report.
How to fill out the Field Situation Report:
1. Open Winlink Express (ensure you have a most recent version, ie.. 1.7.24.0 or higher, Template Version 1.1.13.0 or higher).
2. Open “New Message” form. (First ICON in main menu).
3. On New Message Form, click on the “Select Template” menu item.
4. Double click on “Standard Templates“
5. Choose “Mapping GIS forms.”
6. Choose “Field Situation Report.txt”
7. Your browser should open with the HTML Form showing.
8. Fill out the form per info below:
a. PRECEDENCE (R) Routine
b. Date, Time, Task as 1.0.
c. To: NCS800; NCS398 (separate addresses with semi-colon).
d. On Form:
#1: NO.
#2. your City, County, State (2 letter designator), or Territory.
#3 Put in Coordinates using degree decimal format, DD.DDDD . Example: LAT: 36.0703 LON: –86.8241, which is the correct format. (Note: LON is a “-“ or negative number.)* To convert from degrees, minutes, seconds to decimal degrees use ChatGPT, or the web tool at https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/dms-decimal. Remember that Western hemisphere longitude is a negative number!
(If you cannot provide coordinates per above, then put in your Grid Square, and they will be approximated from your Winlink Express settings.
#4 Put in your Grid Square. To convert your street address to a grid square, use the web tool https://www.levinecentral.com/ham/grid_square.php.
9. At this point, you should review the data in the PDF attachment to this email, which contains probable damage in mileage bands from zero to 800 miles.
10. From the data provided, determine your approximate distance (“as the crow flies”) from Memphis, TN, the location of the earthquake epicenter. Once you have approximated that distance, review the mileage band that applies to you and your location, note the probable effects on physical structures and communications availability, and fill out the SITREP report, accordingly.
REMEMBER TO PUT “EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE” in the COMMENTS section at bottom of the Form.
NOTE: If you live 300 miles or less from Memphis, and are powered by a nuclear power plant, which will be mandatorily shut down for inspection for damage, the inspection process takes at least 1-5 days to complete and restore providing power. This, of course, assumes that no damage occurred. NRC regulations (e.g., 10 CFR Part 100 and RG 1.165) require that plants be designed for Safe Shutdown Earthquake Ground Motion (SSEGM). For a 7.8 magnitude Earthquake, a distance of 300 miles or less from the epicenter would most likely shut down for inspection from 1-5 days. Use your own judgement based on this data.
11. Once the form is completed, submit it (bottom of report area), and close the browser if it does not happen automatically. Your message will appear.
12. BE CERTAIN to ensure your messages are being sent to NCS800 and NCS398, then find menu item on message form, “POST to OUTBOX,” and send the message via TELNET or radio.*
Reminder: If you are not in an affected area, you may decide to use Telnet Winlink. In a “real life situation,” you would always want to use Telnet if it is available in order to leave the precious RF spectrum for those in affected areas who have no other choice. However, for this exercise, it is your choice since this exercise is also for practicing your ability to use Winlink in an emergency condition.