May 5th, 2007 11.00 – 15.00 UTC
IARU Region 1 invites the HQ-stations of its member societies and stations of special emergency communication groups to participate in the “Second EmCom party on the Air” on Saturday, May 5th, 2007 at 11.00 - 15.00 UTC. The operation will take place on and near the emergency Center-of-Activity (CoA) frequencies on 40, 20 and 15 meters (+/-QRM). The CoA frequencies on 80 and 17 meters will not be used during this event.
The objective of the party is to increase the common interest among member societies in emergency communication,
test how usable the CoA frequencies are across Region 1, and create practices for international emergency communication between Region 1 member societies and special emergency communication groups.
Please keep in mind:
This is not a contest - it is an emergency communications exercise!
The protocol is as follows:
All traffic during the party will take place in SSB only.
IARU Region 1 HQ station will be OF3F in Finland. It will be QRV simultaneously on the three CoA frequencies: 7060, 14 300 and 21 360 kHz +/- QRM.
During first three hours each participating station will try to contact OF3F and also as many other national HQ and special group stations as possible. During the last hour, (14.00 - 15.00 UTC) these stations will contact only OF3F for reporting. The report should be sent only once, on the band on which communication with OH3F is best. All traffic in the party will happen on SSB.
Participating stations are calling: “This is HQ station of (RSGB, REF etc.) calling Region 1 EmCom stations for testing” (Please announce time to time “this is an exercise”).
The messages to be exchanged during the first three hours consist of eight numbers and the abbreviation of the national society/special group - in other words: real RS -report, number of bands simultaneously in use (1, 2 or 3), and number of operators at this station (in 2 digits, i.e. 3 operators is transmitted as “03”), the transmitter power (in 3 digits, i.e. 50 Watt would be 050) and the acronym of the society/group (RSGB, REF…). We will use the word “slash” to separate details in these messages:
Example: 4U1ITU could give to OF3F following information: 58/3/03/500/IARC
RS = 58 (please give accurate reports, not just “59”!)
3 = number of bands simultaneously in use at 4U1ITU
03 = there are 3 operators at 4U1ITU
500 = 4U1ITU runs 500 W
IARC = International Amateur Radio Club of ITU HQS
The message to IARU Region 1 HQ station OF3F during the last hour will be following:
RS / total number of stations of Region 1 societies or groups contacted during the party / numbers of stations contacted on 7, 14 and 21 MHz.
Example: 4U1ITU reports to OF3F: 57/28/00/23/15
RS = 57 (please give accurate reports, not just “59”!)
28 = total of 28 different HQ/special group -stations contacted
03 = 3 different HQ/special group stations contacted made on 7 MHz
23 = 23 different HQ/special group stations contacted on 14 MHz
15 = 15 different HQ/special group stations contacted on 21 MHz
All messages consist of five groups: RS is the group number 1, this group number one is separated by / (`slash') from group number 2 and so on. If you have not received any of the groups properly, you ask: “Please repeat group number #”.
HQ-station OF3F is not giving messages - only receiving and confirming them. To avoid QRMing the HQ-station, please move to frequencies near the CoA for contacts with other stations.
For creating a more realistic situation, please limit your transmitting power during the exercise to 100 watts. A special value is given to stations operating mobile/portable and/or on emergency power.
Greg Mossop G0DUB has kindly agreed to collect all information and to prepare a final report. Please send your comments and logs to Greg at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The final report will be published in August 2007.
We hope that even more stations than in November 2006 will participate in this second EmCom Party on the Air. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any additional information.
A third EmCom Party is planned for 17 November, 2007, with new rules and procedures.
73
Seppo Sisättö OH1VR
Emergency Communication Coordinator,
IARU Region 1
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.