7.3 WICEN Operations, Simulated Emergency Nets & Disaster Response Protocols
Key Takeaways
WICEN consists of state and territory volunteer emergency communications organisations that operate under local arrangements.
On a directed net, use the net control station’s instructions to check in, signal message priority and confirm delivery.
In qualifying emergency services operations or training on amateur frequencies, section 14 requires the call sign at the start and end and at least every 30 minutes during a transmission or series lasting more than 30 minutes.
Sections 13(3)(c) and (d) concern signals sent between amateur stations for an emergency services operation or related training.
Use the incident communications plan to determine where to send sensitive information and how to log it.
What WICEN does
The Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network (WICEN) comprises state and territory volunteer organisations. Its members train to help other agencies with emergency and safety communications. For example, an agency may need a backup radio link between a road checkpoint and an incident communications centre because the normal network does not reach the site. Local arrangements determine how a group is activated and where operators are deployed. WICEN can work on amateur frequencies or on separately authorised non-amateur services. Establish which service is being used before applying an amateur licence condition.
For an exercise, agree on the frequencies, station roles and message handling process before going on air. Check that the equipment, power supply and antennas can support the deployment. A field station should tell net control when it changes operator, loses contact or has to close. These procedures help the incident team know which locations can still pass messages.
Directed nets and message handling
A net control station (NCS) manages a directed net so that multiple stations can share a channel. In an ordinary directed-net exchange, listen for a gap, identify, state the traffic you have and wait for net control to invite the message. Genuine distress takes priority. A simulated emergency uses the exercise protocol and should be clearly distinguished from real distress.
Message formats and precedence labels depend on the organisation and incident plan. WICEN NSW's training materials, for example, illustrate formal messages marked Routine or Urgent, with the time, originator, addressee and message content recorded. The operator passes the originator's information accurately. The receiving station can request a read-back or repeat a critical figure to detect an error. The log records enough detail for the relief operator to know what was sent and whether it was acknowledged.
Worked example: a flood road checkpoint
Suppose an exercise links a checkpoint to a logistics base by an amateur directed net. The operator at the checkpoint receives an urgent request for a truck to use the western access road. The incident plan requires the receiver to read back routing information. Give the required call sign at the beginning and end of each transmission, including brief exchanges with net control.
- Listen for a gap, use the required call sign and state that there is urgent traffic.
- When invited, give the addressee, time, message reference and the instruction as written by the originator. Include the checkpoint's tactical name when it helps net control locate the request.
- Ask the receiving station to read back western access road. If it reads back eastern access road, correct the direction immediately.
- Close with the required call sign and log the message and acknowledgement according to the exercise plan.
The read-back serves an operational purpose. The call sign serves a regulatory purpose. Both can be conveyed in the same exchange.
Identification and tactical labels
A label such as Checkpoint Bravo denotes a role or location and can stay the same when volunteers change shifts. During an emergency services operation or a related training exercise under the class licence, section 14 requires the person operating the station to transmit their call sign at the beginning and end of each transmission. During a transmission or series lasting more than 30 minutes, identify at least once every 30 minutes. A tactical label alone does not provide that identification.
For a short emergency services exercise transmission that starts at 10:00 and ends at 10:02, identify at the beginning and end. There is no extra periodic identification due during those two minutes. If the transmission or series goes beyond 30 minutes, include periodic identification as well. The separate routine rule is in section 12. An operator at an ordinary club training net should establish whether the net is a training exercise for emergency services before applying section 14.
Encryption and sensitive traffic
Section 13 generally prohibits encoding for the purpose of obscuring a signal's meaning. Sections 13(3)(c) and (d) create exceptions for signals sent from one amateur station to another for an emergency services operation or a training exercise related to emergency services. Confirm the purpose and both stations before applying the exception. The provision addresses encoding. Other applicable class licence conditions and incident instructions continue to apply.
A receiving station, scanner or software-defined radio can monitor clear amateur transmissions. Use the incident communications plan for personal or medical details. If it requires sensitive records to go to the agency by a secure link, contact net control or the responsible official to arrange that link. An operator can usually pass a logistics update, such as the number of blankets needed, without including a patient's name or medical record. Keep the official message record according to the agency's procedures.
On a directed exercise net, the plan requires stations to wait for net control recognition before sending urgent logistics traffic. What should a field station do with a road closure report?
Send the full report over the current exchange without waiting for a pause.
Move the radio to an adjacent channel and assume net control will follow.
Transmit a carrier to tell the other stations to clear the frequency.
Wait for a gap, identify, state the traffic priority and await net control recognition.
In a qualifying emergency services exercise a field operator uses the tactical name Checkpoint Bravo. How should the operator identify on the amateur channel?
Use only Checkpoint Bravo after the initial net check-in.
Use the required call sign at the beginning and end, with identification at least every 30 minutes during a transmission or series lasting more than 30 minutes.
Use the call sign of the agency coordinating the exercise in place of the operator’s call sign.
Transmit a call sign every five minutes even while the station is only receiving.
The incident plan directs patient names and medical details to the agency’s secure link. What should an amateur volunteer do when the field report contains those details?
Read the full report over the open repeater for the quickest distribution.
Send it to all stations under the tactical name without giving an operator call sign.
Arrange transfer over the secure link specified in the incident plan.
Use a homemade cipher on the open net without checking whether the receiving station can decode it.
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.
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