Rapid Response, by Dr. Stephen Olvey and a Rant on NASCAR Safety

Before I get into this lengthy post, which eventually becomes a rant, I would like to congratulate Scott Pruett, Juan Pablo Montoya, Salvador Duran, and the whole Ganassi Racing organization on their win at the 24 Hours of Daytona today.

I recently finished reading RAPID RESPONSE, MY INSIDE STORY AS A MOTOR RACING LIFE SAVER by Dr. Stephen Olvey. While many NASCAR fans probably don’t recognize Dr. Olvey, fans of open wheel racing almost certainly do. He has had a pivotal role in the development of emergency response in motorsports, to the medical care and recovery of race drivers, and to the general field of driver safety. RAPID RESPONSE has to be one of the most unique motorsports books I’ve read. At first thought, many might think that the topic wouldn’t be all that interesting, but the book is fascinating. Steve Matchett, Larry McReynolds, and Jeff Hammond wrote about the behind the scenes work of the racing teams, now Dr. Olvey has written about the often overlooked safety workers and medical teams.

Olvey follows the development of driver safety and medical response in USAC, then CART, and finally Champ Car from what began as almost non-existent and haphazard to the high standards that are almost taken for granted today. He describes how driver safety devices advanced from the beginning of fire suits to the HANS Devices of today. He charts the development of safety teams from contracted hearses to the safety teams of today with their specialized training and equipment. Perhaps most interesting, though, is the development in how racing injuries are treated. Initially, racing injuries were treated much like injuries from a typical automobile accident. Now racing injuries are recognized as having unique qualities and there are doctors that specialize in treating them. Furthermore, doctors such as Olvey and Trammell, Professor Sid Watkins and his team with the FIA, and others have and still are studying motorsports injuries to improve driver safety.

Along the way, there are glimpses of the development and the turbulent history of open wheel racing in the United States. Olvey witnessed the USAC/CART split, the rise of and the fall of CART, and the CART/IRL split from an inside perspective. Through the stories of treating drivers such as A.J. Foyt, Roberto Guerrero, Rick Mears, Emerson Fittipaldi, Nigel Mansell, and Alex Zanardi, there is insight into motorsports personalities (and in some cases their families).

What becomes obvious in reading RAPID RESPONSE is how NASCAR has lagged behind other sanctioning bodies in driver safety and emergency response at the track. NASCAR still lags behind other sanctioning bodies in these areas despite the high levels of popularity they have soared to. They still rely on local emergency responders to make up the safety teams at races despite the fact that it has been recognized that treatment of racing injuries differs from the treatment of regular automobile crash injuries. They still don’t have a traveling medical team to treat injuries and evaluate drivers after wrecks before clearing them to race when it has been recognized by other sanctioning bodies that such a medical team is more beneficial to driver safety and health. If we look back at NASCAR’s previous history in adopting driver safety programs, don’t look for safety teams and medical teams to become part of NASCAR’s traveling entourage anytime soon.

In my opinion, there can only be two reasons why NASCAR won’t adopt the traveling safety teams: Greed and Cowardice. NASCAR and the France family are unwilling to spend the money to create the teams. Despite the fact that NASCAR is at the height of its popularity and making money hand over fist, making the France family rich in the process, they won’t use some of that money to improve rescue response and care for the drivers that make the money they covet so. If in fact, money is an issue, why don’t they find a sponsor to fund a safety team? Surely an emergency equipment manufacturer or manufacturers could be found to do so, their names could be prominently displayed on the safety trucks and they would get national exposure every week. NASCAR is afraid to accept the liability of taking the responsibility of rescue and treatment of the drivers. Even though today’s world is lawsuit happy, I would hope it would be unlikely that a driver would sue after treatment. So far this hasn’t seemed to be a problem in CART/Champ Car, the IRL, the NHRA, or with the FIA. Unfortunately, NASCAR is more concerned with making and keeping money than they are with the welfare of the drivers that bring in the crowds and therefore the money. If they won’t create these teams simply because it is the good and right thing to do, maybe they should do it to protect their “product.”

Now that I'm finished ranting, I would like to mention that this does hold some interest for radio enthusiasts. While there isn't any frequency information in the book, Olvey does mention how radios are used by the safety teams and some of the brevity codes that the safety teams use.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Problems with the Coast Guard's Deepwater Program

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/26/AR2007012601901.html

According to this article from the Washington Post, the Department of Homeland Security and the US Coast Guard have troubles with the "flagship" cutter of the Deepwater Program, known as the National Security Cutter. Apparently, the new ship suffers from design flaws and also does not perform to standards that the Coast Guard set forth in the initial contract. Furthermore, this articles also states that the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General and members of Congress are accusing the Coast Guard and contractors on the National Security Cutter of interfering with investigations into the problems and cost overruns.

This could be very interesting to follow.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Pooler Fire Department Apparatus Numbers

In an earlier post this month, I wrote about Pooler Fire Department using 16## callsigns for department personnel. In the last week or so, I've also heard them using new apparatus callsigns. Instead of the old 2# callsigns, they are now using 6# callsigns for apparatus, i.e. ENGINE 61, ENGINE 62, etc.

This continues the pattern I mentioned in the earlier post on the Roger Wood fire. Some of the callsigns have been in use for awhile (Garden City) and some are more recent (Port Wentworth and Pooler). Once again, notice how they mimic the callsigns for the respective Police Departments. The callsigns I have for the Westside Fire Departments now are:

Garden City: 12## for personnel, 2# for apparatus
Port Wentworth: 14## for personnel, 4# for apparatus
Pooler: 16## for personnel, 6# for apparatus

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Thanks for Nothing WTGS

This afternoon at 1 PM Eastern Time, the green flag fell on the 24 Hours of Daytona. This year, the first hour and a half of the race was to receive network coverage on Fox. For race fans and sports car racing enthusiasts in general, this was wonderful news. Sports Car racing was getting network attention, and this was the perfect race for it; drivers with Formula 1 backgrounds would be racing, Champ Car and IRL drivers would be participating, and NASCAR drivers would also be in the race. A wealth of talent would be in the spotlight; it was the perfect opportunity to open sports car racing and endurance racing to a broader audience (i.e. the NASCAR fan).

Unfortunately, our local affiliate, WTGS didn't even offer Savannah area viewers the opportunity. Instead of showing the start of one of the most talent packed 24 Hours of Daytona in quite some time, they showed a college Basketball team. This is not the first time this has happened either. WJCL has shown other programming instead of ABC non-NASCAR race broadcasts. WTOC has shown other programming instead of CBS non-NASCAR race broadcasts. It is this kind of narrow mindedness on the part of local television that promotes the idea that the only kind of racing is NASCAR racing.

Perhaps other forms of motorsports, one of these days, will be respected and recognized as much as NASCAR racing is. Until TV stations start trying to show something other than NASCAR, however, that is only a pipe dream.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

More ATLANTIC THUNDER

On Wednesday, ATLANTIC THUNDER activity continued at Townsend Range. JSTARS from Robins AFB, F/A-18s from MCAS Beaufort, and AH-64s (probably from 1-151 AVN, SC ARNG) participated in the activity. JTACS VENOM, SCORPION, and HAVOC were also involved in the Close Air Support and Forward Air Control activity. Below is an updated list of frequencies and activity:

228.400 - Townsend Range Control; Fighters working JTACs
252.900 - Townsend Range Control; encrypted traffic from JSTARS and simulated activity
338.550 - Townsend Range; JSTARS wkg JTACs
388.225 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS wkg Fighters
225.725 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS interplane
341.750 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS simulated activity
376.125 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS interplane, encrypted traffic
355.250 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS simulated activity
381.000 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS simulated activity
372.150 - JSTARS Discrete; encrypted traffic
364.200 - AICC; JSTARS link coordination

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Who is SHOWTIME?

This month, I have been hearing the FANGs, SNAKEs, and RATTLERs of the 125th Fighter Wing working callsign SHOWTIME while doing GCI work with STEALTH (117th Air Control Squadron). SHOWTIME doesn't handle the GCI work, that is done by STEALTH, although the fighters do discuss kills, etc. with SHOWTIME. SHOWTIME doesn't seem to be co-located with STEALTH as I have not been able to hear them when I've been able to hear transmissions from STEALTH.

Has anyone else heard activity involving SHOWTIME or have any idea on who they might be?

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Chatham-Effingham TRS Encryption

This afternoon, I logged a new talkgroup on the Chatham-Effingham TRS: TG 8944. It was active with several P25 digital encrypted transmissions. As such I was unable to identify it and I didn't hear any traffic on other talkgroups that seemed to reference TG 8944.

Has anyone else logged any traffic on this talkgroup or heard any other encrypted TGs on the Chatham-Effingham system?

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

ATLANTIC THUNDER Activity

Yesterday morning, I posted a "heads up" for ATLANTIC THUNDER activity. Hoping that they will continue the activity the rest of the week, here is a more detailed listing of frequencies and activity from this morning:

228.400 - Townsend Range Control; Fighters working JTACs
252.900 - Townsend Range Control; encrypted traffic from JSTARS
338.550 - Townsend Range; JSTARS wkg JTACs
388.225 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS wkg Fighters
376.125 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS interplane, encrypted traffic
355.250 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS simulated activity
381.000 - JSTARS Discrete; JSTARS simulated activity
372.150 - JSTARS Discrete; encrypted traffic
364.200 - AICC; JSTARS link coordination

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

ATLANTIC THUNDER Exercise

STRIKESTAR (JSTARS) and WINDER 21 (F/A-18C, VFA-86) have been up working in the Townsend Range area this morning. STRIKESTAR has referred to the activity as ATLANTIC THUNDER while coordinating activity with Townsend Range.

228.400 STRIKESTAR, WINDER 21, VENOM
338.550 STRIKESTAR wkg VENOM
388.225 WINDER 21 wkg STRIKESTAR, check in/out and mission report


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Benny Parsons, 1941-2007

I don't remember much of Benny Parsons as a driver; I was just getting old enough to be interested in racing as his career was winding down. Like many, though, I saw a great deal
of him as a broadcaster; one of my favorite NASCAR broadcast teams was Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, and Benny Parsons. Parsons was great at explaining what could be something complex mechanically so that the average viewer could understand it. His personality was perfect for broadcasting; watching Benny Parsons as an analyst was like watching a race with a friend who was a stock car racing expert. When TNT's race coverage rolls around this season, it just won't be the same without hearing his voice. There will certainly be a void in the broadcast booth.

I have no doubt in my mind that Benny Parson's work with ESPN for many years helped grow the sport of stock car racing and of NASCAR in particular. I can only hope that NASCAR can find a way throughout this season to recognize his contributions to the sport not only as a driver but as a broadcaster. Would they be where they are now if it weren't for the enthusiastic and knowledgeable work of "Buffet Benny" (anyone else remember those spots on where to eat at or near the tracks!)?

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

A-10s in Savannah

A-10s from the 131st Fighter Squadron, 104th Fighter Wing Massachusetts Air National Guard visited the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center this week. Unfortunately, due to a lack of time and poor weather, I didn't have time to monitor them much and they departed back home yesterday afternoon after only a few days' activity. They used the callsign HAWK and used 139.900 and 143.825 for air-to-air frequencies.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

ARISS Activity

On Wednesday afternoon, 17 January 2007, I caught some ARISS activity from the International Space Station on the usual downlink frequency 145.800 and using the callsign R0ISS. Astronaut Sunita Williams was in QSO with students conducting a Q&A session about life on the ISS. The signal was excellent and I was able to listen to 10 minutes of the session. The pass continued longer, but I had just arrived at work and had to turn off the radio and go in. T

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Roger Wood Foods Fire

Last night shortly before 2030, Savannah Fire and Garden City Fire were dispatched to Roger Wood Foods on Alfred St. Eventually, this fire involved a good part of Savannah Fire and Emergency Services, the Garden City Fire Department, part of Port Wentworth Fire Department, and part of Pooler Fire Department. Units were on scene until well into this morning. Problems with trapped fire and ammonia complicated operations. Fire suppression and coordination communications were on the Chatham-Effingham TRS:

37072 Fire Common
36880 Savannah Fire Dispatch
36912 Savannah Fire Admin
36976 Savannah Fire Fireground 1

3568 Metro Fire Dispatch
5040 Garden City Fire 2
4592 Port Wentwort Fire 1
5424 Pooler Fire 1

I haven't had much time for public safety monitoring lately, so last night was the first time I heard Pooler FD using 16## callsigns (although some still referred to the Pooler Chief as 101). Garden City has long used 12## and Port Wentworth began using 14## after their recent reorganziation. It seems that they have adjusted callsigns to partner with their city PD callsigns (2## for Garden City, 4## for Port Wentworth, and 6## for Pooler). If this is the new pattern for westside fire department callsigns, I wonder if it follows that Bloomingdale Fire is using 18## callsigns?

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

New Orleans Saints In The NFC Championship Game!

I am an almost lifelong New Orleans Saints fan. I lived in New Orleans for 6 years and became a fan of the team while there. I can remember when fans went to games wearing paper grocery bags with eye holes cut out over their heads. I remember the "Aints."

Considering what has happened over the last year and a half, no matter what happens next week the Saints have nothing to be ashamed of. From a .188 win percentage to the NFC Championship game is nothing short of amazing improvement. The team has become an inspiration to their community and many on the team have become closer to the community.
Even if they lose next week, this has still been the best season in the history of the team.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Recent Reading - Ayrton Senna, The Whole Story

I just finished reading Ayrton Senna, The Whole Story by Christopher Hilton last night. I never was a great fan of Ayrton Senna, I was always more of a Nigel Mansell fan. This book gave me a new appreciation of Senna because it told not only of his natural talent, but also of his determination and (you wouldn't guess it from the years at McLaren with Prost) teamork. Before Schumacher worked with Ferrari to develop a wonderful racing machine, Senna did so with McLaren. He had the ability to gel the team around him and create success just as Schumacher did later. Senna had a much misunderstood personality; it was split into one that was displayed at the track and one displayed away from the track. I wonder how much of this is the same with Schumacher?

As I read this, it struck me how similar Senna's death was to Dale Earnhardt's death. Both died in tragic accidents on the track from head injuries. Unfortunately, both tragic accidents became the subject of controversy, with various figures around the sports disparaged in the press. On a more positive note, both deaths forced the respective sanctioning bodies to improve race safety after the deaths of less famous drivers failed to spark safety initiatives.

I also enjoyed reading about how much a decent person Senna was away from the racetrack. He was not only spiritual and religous, he cared about the disadvantaged in his home country of Brazil and worked to help them. He did this not to draw attention to himself, but because it was the right and decent thing to do. How similar this is to great racers such as Earnhardt and Schumacher, who did the same thing, often under the radar.


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

An-124s and MV-22s

Over the last two days, I've been able to snag some interesting aircraft passing through the Savannah area. Yesterday, two Antonov An-124s from Volga-Dnepr Aviation arrived at Hunter AAF; they departed to Victorville, CA this morning, no doubt transporting some sort of heavy equipment to the National Training Center. Two MV-22 Osprey's passed by Savannah on their way to Wright Field at Fort Stewart this morning.

The An-124s used the callsigns VDA 1783 and VDA 1807 when they arrived and departed as VDA 4324 and VDA 4326. Luckily they arrived yesterday using Runway 28 at Hunter, which meant I was able to run outside and get a glimpse of VDA 1807 on approach!

The MV-22s used the callsign THUNDER 12 flight and were using 266.700 for air-to-air. Apparently they were arriving for a static display at Wright and departed a few hours later.


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

University of Florida, National Champions

I will be the first one to admit that I did not believe that the University of Florida should have been in the national championship game. I now freely admit that I was wrong. After seeing the poor performances of both Ohio State and Michigan (who I thought should have been number 2), it is obvious that Florida deserved to be in the game. Both Ohio State and Michigan played flat and emotionless (except for remorse over losing). Flordia, on the other hand, came out inspired and played outstanding football.

Congratulations to Florida! It's great to have an SEC team as champion!

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Bobby Hamilton, 1957-2007

Bobby Hamilton may have not been a fan favorite. He may have not been a media-savvy superstar. Bobby Hamilton was, however, a RACER. Hamilton was agressive, persistent, and did not give up. When he went to the race track, he wasn't there for the fame or the paycheck, he was there to race hard. Although I wasn't a great fan of his, I will miss Bobby Hamilton. I'll miss his stubbornness and dogged determination on the track and his straightforwardness in interviews. What you saw is what you got with him, unlike manufactured personas of most of the "racers" of today. Many of these "racers" today are simply drivers, and could benefit from Hamilton's example.

NASCAR has lost yet another link to the past.


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Savannah, GA to Warner Robins, GA Road Trip

Today, I took a road trip from Savannah to Warner Robins to visit the Museum of Aviation and monitor activity at Robins AFB. Along the way, I monitored various military and public safety communications systems, my notes are inlcuded below. After several trips to the Robins AFB area since they put up the trunked system there, I have decided that unless your intent is to monitor the Robins ALC, it is best to lock out their talkgroups. Otherwise, the ALC is all you will hear; they are more active on the system than any other entity at the base.

Radios used during the trip were a Uniden BC780, Uniden BC796, Uniden BC245, Alinco DJ-X10T, and a Yaesu FT-8800.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net


Fort Stewart/Hunter AAF TRS
---------------------------
Control Channels: 406.5000, 407.3500, 408.1500, 407.1625
TG 1616 Army Common
TG 1808 A/DACG
TG 2128 3rd Aviation Brigade
TG 2288 Range Admin
TG 2352 Range Admin
TG 2416 Multi-Purpose Range Complex (MPRC)
TG 2448 Range Control
TG 2480 Forestry
TG 2576 EMS Dispatch
TG 3440 Ft. Stewart Fire
TG 3504 Hunter Fire


363.200 Jax Center Allendale Low
------------------------------------
-GAMBER 6# (F-16CJ, 77 FS); 141.675 V10
-ROYAL 4# (F-16CJ, 77 FS); 137.475 a2a
-CLAW 9# (F-16CJ, 79 FS); 141.775 V10
-HICK 1# (F-16CJ, 55 FS); 141.900 V8
-HEAT 2# (F-16CJ, 55 FS); 143.425 V11
-DIAMOND 4# (F-16CJ, 77 FS); 143.800 V8
-POKER 6# (F-16CJ, 77 FS); 141.675 V11

323.000 Atlanta Center Macon
--------------------------------
-GAMBER 6# (F-16CJ, 77 FS); 141.675 V10
-ROYAL 4# (F-16CJ, 77 FS); 137.475 a2a
-CLAW 9# (F-16CJ, 79 FS); 141.775 V10
-HICK 1# (F-16CJ, 55 FS); 141.900 V8
-HEAT 2# (F-16CJ, 55 FS); 143.425 V11
-DIAMOND 4# (F-16CJ, 77 FS); 143.800 V8
-POKER 6# (F-16CJ, 77 FS); 141.675 V11

343.750 Bulldog MOA
-----------------------
-GAMBLER 6#; 141.675 V11 v. ROYAL 4#; 138.475 a2a, simulated
DARKSTAR control
-CLAW 91/92; 141.775 V10 v. CLAW 93/94; 142.125 V11, simulated
DARKSTAR control
-HICK 1#; 141.900 V8 v. HEAT 2#; 143.425 V11, simulated
DARKSTAR control
-DIAMOND 41/42; 143.800 V8 v. DIAMOND 43/44; 141.750 V9
-POKER 6#; 141.675 V11 v. DIAMOND 4#; 143.800 V8, simulated
DARKSTAR control


Robins AFB
----------
133.225/320.100 Robins AFB Tower
-ROGUE 01 (F-15, ALC)
-RHET 21 (KC-135R, 19 ARG)
-COBB 29 (C-130, 94 AW)
-COBB 88 (C-130, 94 AW)
-PELICAN 04 (P-3C, VP-45)
-NAVY 2E 494 (T-34)

225.925 ROGUE/EAGLE CONTROL (Air Logistics Center)
-ROGUE 01 (F-15, ALC)

311.000 RAYMOND 19 (Robins Command Post)
-RHET 21 (KC-135, 19 ARG)

139.975 NFM ALC?, various civilian-sounding with references
to stands for C-130s, towbars, etc.

Robins TRS Control Channel: 406.7625
TG 2544
TG 2576
TG 2960
TG 3248 ALC, ROGUE CONTROL
TG 3344 ALC?
TG 3376 ALC
TG 3408 ALC?
TG 3472 ALC
TG 3504 ALC
TG 3536 ALC
TG 3568 ALC
TG 3600 ALC
TG 3632 ALC
TG 3696 ALC
TG 3760 ALC
TG 3792 ALC
TG 3856 ALC
TG 3888 ALC
TG 4912 Tower/Ground Control
-PEACH OPS wkg GROUND to cross runway, taxiways
-OPS 2 wkg GROUND to cross runway, taxiways
TG 4944 Crash/Fire
TG 6448 Security Control
TG 6480 Police Control
TG 8048 116th ACW
-DAGGER SUPER, DAGGER #, PRESSBOX; aircraft maintenance
related
TG 8912 116th ACW
TG 11280
TG 13648
-unknown type maintenance related traffic
TG 13680
-BASE LMR calling for radio checks
-unknown type maintenance related traffic
TG 13712
-BASE LMR calling for radio checks
-unknown type maintenance related traffic
TG 16048
TG 16112 19th ARG
-TANKER SUPER, TANKER #, TANKER FLIGHT; traffic on TG
related to in flight report from RHET 21 on 311.000


Shaw AFB
--------
138.950/252.100 SOF
-CLAW 9# (F-16CJ, 79 FS)

311.200 55 FS Ops "SHOOTER OPS"
-HEAT, HICK
141.900 55 FS V8
143.425 55 FS V11

273.700 77 FS Ops "GAMBLER OPS"
-DIAMOND, GAMBLER, POKER, ROYAL (F-16CJ, 77 FS)
138.475 77 FS a2a
143.800 77 FS V8
141.750 77 FS V9
141.675 77 FS V11

320.525 79 FS Ops "SNAKE OPS"
-CLAW (F-16CJ, 79 FS)
141.775 79 FS V10
142.125 79 FS V11


Bulloch County TRS
------------------
Control Channel: 857.7375
TG 1648 Bulloch SO Dispatch
TG 1904 Statesboro PD Dispatch
TG 2064 GSU PD Dispatch
TG 2928 Statesboro City Hall
TG 3024 Bulloch BOE Maintenance
TG 3312 BCCI Solid Waste
TG 3344 Bulloch County Water/Wastewater
TG 4256 School Buses


Houston/Peach County TRS P25 9600 Baud CC
------------------------------------------
TG 1 Houston SO Dispatch
TG 16 Houston FD
TG 17 Houston FD Fireground 1
TG 31 Warner Robins EMS
TG 46 Warner Robins PD
TG 76 Centerville PD
TG 91 Centerville FD
TG 106 Perry PD
TG 147
TG 316


Conventional Public Safety
--------------------------
151.370 Georgia Forestry District 10 Admin
156.120 North Bryan County Fire/EMS Dispatch
154.770 Emanuel County SO
154.665 Treutlen SO
154.070 Laurens FD
155.400 Laurens EMS
155.550 Dublin PD
155.640 Twiggs SO
153.890 Houston FD (multicast with TRS)
154.355 Perry FD

Hurricane Monitoring Update

This article was published in the January 2007 issue of Key Klix. After monitoring a Hurricane Response exercise, there were some obvious updates to the original Hurricane Monitoring article. The exercise also offered some insight on how Chatham County and the various municipalities would respond after a Hurricane. If anyone else caught the exercise and has more information than listed here, please contact me at kf4lmt@comcast.net and I'll inlcude it in the next update of the Hurricane Monitoring article.


Hurricane Monitoring Update – Chatham County Response Exercise
-Mac McCormick, KF4LMT

On December 13, 2006, Chatham County conducted a Hurricane Response Exercise. The exercise involved damage assessment, firefighting, and search and rescue elements, including air support for those elements. Unfortunately bad weather prevented most of the flight ops from happening. From a radio monitoring standpoint, however, it did confirm some of the information presented last year in Key Klix.
Public safety agencies, the Coast Guard, and the military were heard active during the exercise. One the Public Safety side, the CEMA Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Pooler Fire, Port Wentworth Fire, Southside Fire, and Tybee Fire were heard. The US Coast Guard and one of their HH-65Cs from Air Station Savannah were apparently going to be used for air operations. Prior to air operations being cancelled, F-131 AVN of the Georgia Army National Guard at Hunter AAF was preparing to participate. References were made to Savannah Fire and to the Georgia Air National Guard, but they were not heard on any of the talkgroups or frequencies monitored (although this does not mean they weren’t involved, they just weren’t heard).

Chatham-Effingham TRS Activity
The CEMA 3 and CEMA 4 talkgroups were the most used during the exercise, with the CEMA 5 and the Fire Common talkgroups seeing use as well. Keep in mind that none of the following comes directly from CEMA documentation, but was inferred from reports from radio hobbyists. CEMA 3 seemed to be the exercise control and coordination channel, no exercise activity occurred on this talkgroup. CEMA 4 seemed to be the primary operating channel for the exercise, with various supervisors, entities, and the EOC coordinating damage assessment and air operations. Additionally, one of Chatham County’s helicopters, EAGLE 1 (MD 369E), managed to fly a damage assessment mission early and passed damage reports on area bridges and major highways over CEMA 4. The Fire Common talkgroup was used for communications between the EOC, firefighting, and search and rescue teams.

Talkgoup ID Designator
6288 CEMA 3
6320 CEMA 4
6352 CEMA 5
37072 Fire Common


Conventional Activity
In addition to the Chatham-Effingham TRS, there were aviation, military, and marine band frequencies in use. Two VHF aviation frequencies (AM mode) were used, one designated for Air-to-Ground use and another designated for Air-to-Air use. Both the low band FM and the VHF AM operations frequencies for F-131 AVN were in use for communications between GUARD 262 (CH-47D) and HURRICANE OPS (F-131 AVN Operations). HURRICANE OPS, by the way, was not a name made up for the exercise. It is the regular static callsign for F-131 AVN. Marine VHF Ch. 21, the regular operating channel for the US Coast Guard in this area, was in use by Air Station Savannah and one of their helicopters that was apparently preparing to take part in the exercise.

123.025 Air-to Ground (AM)
123.100 Air-to-Air (AM)

38.150 HURRICANE OPS (FM)
139.400 HURRICANE OPS (AM)

157.050 Marine VHF Ch. 21 (FM)

From the amateur radio perspective, 123.250, 123.100, 139.400, and 157.050 can be programmed into most of the newer 2-meter and dual band transceivers. I would definitely add 123.025 and 123.100 to a list of “hurricane frequencies” for the area. All aircraft operating in the area after a Hurricane would have the capability to use these two frequencies, so they would certainly see heavy use. It is also possible that 123.025 and 123.100 could be used during any event that uses aircraft from multiple agencies.

Hurricane Monitoring

This article was first posted at the beginning of the 2006 Hurricane Season. It is not meant as general hurricane monitoring article, but to instead offer some hurricane monitoring information specific to the Savannah area. This article will hopefully find it's way into Key Klix at the beginning of each Hurricane Season in updated form. If anyone has any additions or updates for the article, please email them to me at kf4lmt@comcast.net

Hurricane Monitoring
-Mac McCormick, KF4LMT

With Hurricane Season upon us, it is a good time to gather monitoring information on monitoring communications related to the response to a storm. The purpose of this month’s article is to provide some basic hurricane monitoring information for both Savannah area amateur radio and government response to a hurricane. Many thanks to David Delamater, K4DJD, Steve Jonas, K4SDJ, and Doug Rowland, KF4EFP for providing amateur radio frequency information for this article.

Amateur Radio Monitoring

In the event of a hurricane, Amateur Radio would of course play a large part in the response to the storm. Georgia Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) would activate to support state and local emergency management. Other organizations would activate to respond to the hurricane in other capacities.

ARES, when activated will use several 2-meter repeaters for local area, point-to-point traffic. HF frequencies would be used for more long distant communications including communications with statewide ARES and emergency management stations.

146.970 Chatham County ARES Ops Primary
146.880 Chatham ARES Ops Secondary
147.105 Georgia ARES Southeast District Ops

3.975 LSB Georgia ARES Primary HF
7.277 LSB Georgia ARES Secondary HF
5.3305 LSB Georgia ARES Section Emergency Net

The American Red Cross will also make use of local repeaters during their hurricane response operations. Secondary Red Cross Repeaters will be assigned usage depending upon the nature and size of the response.

146.850 American Red Cross Primary
146.700 American Red Cross Secondary
147.210 American Red Cross Secondary
147.330 American Red Cross Secondary


Other organizations that might activate to assist in response and relief efforts are the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network and Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief teams.

7.265 LSB SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network)
14.265 USB SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network)

151.625 Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief (VHF Itinerant)
147.550 Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief
147.555 Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief
3.865 LSB Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief
7.238 LSB Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief
7.251 LSB South CARS Net
7.262 LSB Southern Baptist Convention Net

A good way to keep track of and to gather information on a hurricane is the venerable Hurricane Watch Net, which has been around since 1965. This net will activate whenever there is a hurricane within 300 miles of a populated land mass or when activation is requested by the National Hurricane Center. The purpose of the net is to gather information from the storm for the National Hurricane Center and to pass on National Weather Service advisories on the storm. Information on hurricanes can also be heard on the Maritime Mobile Network. They also collect information for the National Weather Service and pass weather service advisories.

14.325 USB Hurricane Watch Net
14.300 USB Maritime Mobile Network


Government Monitoring

Local public safety agencies would be in the front lines of hurricane response. A listing of agency frequencies and Chatham-Effingham Trunked Repeater System (TRS) talkgroups would be too long to list here, but there are emergency management, mutual aid, and common frequencies and talkgroups that would be good to include in scanner programming. These would be used by a wide variety of agencies during any multi-agency response. A full listing of agency talkgroups for the Chatham-Effingham TRS can be found on the Radio Reference website (see list of links below).

Conventional Frequencies:
154.280 Fire Mutual Aid
155.340 HEAR (Hospitals, EMS)
155.475 Law Enforcement National Emergency

Chatham-Effingham TRS Talkgroups
6224 Chatham County Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) 1
6256 Chatham County Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) 2
6288 Chatham County Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) 3
6320 Chatham County Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) 4
6352 Chatham County Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) 5

33456 Police Common
37072 Fire Common
2416 Medical Common
50320 Savannah City Common
50352 Chatham County Countywide Common
1648 Chatham County Common
4240 Chatham County Westside Common
4272 Chatham County Eastside Common

Both Hunter Army Airfield and Savannah International Airport and the military units based there could be involved in relief operations in the event of a hurricane striking the coastal Georgia area. Charleston Air Force Base is involved in relief operations not only nationwide but worldwide. Aircraft inbound to Charleston AFB from the south can easily be heard from the Savannah area. There are many lists on the Internet that list HF frequencies for the “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft. For the most part, these lists are obsolete; the “Hurricane Hunters” now use satellite communications, including military SATCOM, instead of HF for their primary means of communications with ground stations.

133.550 AM Hunter AAF Control Tower
279.575 AM Hunter AAF Control Tower
126.200 AM Hunter AAF Base Ops

119.100 AM Savannah IAP Control Tower
257.800 AM Savannah IAP Control Tower
225.750 AM 165 Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard Command Post
237.000 AM Air National Guard CRTC Command Post

134.100 AM Charleston AFB Command Post
349.400 AM Charleston AFB Command Post


Reference Links
Georgia ARES:
http://www.gaares.org/

SATERN (Salvation Army):
http://www.satern.org/

Hurricane Watch Net:
http://www.hwn.org/

Maritime Mobile Service Network:
http://www.mmsn.org/

Radio Reference:
http://www.radioreference.com/

Amateur Radio Club of Savannah Key Klix Articles

I regularly write scanning/monitoring for Key Klix, the monthly newsletter of the Amateur Radio Club of Savannah. After each month's Key Klix is published, I will post that month's article here. I'll also periodically post some previous articles I've written for Key Klix.

The first two articles are one from 2006 and a follow up article from the January 2007 issue.

Mac McCormick KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net