EYEWARN POSTIONS

  PURPOSE: To provide reliable simplex communications to support ground situation information in time of a disaster/emergency and training.  There are three key positions and one general position that ensure the success of the EYEWARN program, Net Control Station (NCS), EYEWARN Forward Observer (EFO), Relay station and Reporters.   

1.  The NCS is the station that runs the EYEWARN weekly training or actual incident net and creates the situation report (SITREP) that is sent to Coos Emergency  Operations  Center ,(CEOC ) 

2.  The EFO reports on specific and assigned county infrastructure properties  of interest to CEOC  When it is an exercise, the EFO will state so accordingly.  

3.  The Relay station is any ham that can relay information between the reporting ham station and the NCS when they cannot be heard directly by the NCS.  

4.  The Reporter is any amateur that reports on the EYEWARN net “what they see from where they are”. 

Equipment Recommendations  RADIO: For the NCS, EFO and Relay stations, any make or model transceiver that provides at least 25 watts or more in transmitting power on the VHF (144MHz) and UHF (440MHz) amateur bands. For all stations any make or model, handheld, mobile or base station that can operate on the EYEWARN VHF and UHF frequencies.   

ANTENNA: An outside antenna preferably one that provides gain.  This could be a vertical for 360 degree coverage or a beam (single direction) which would need a rotor.  Examples of vertical antennas are:       Comet GP-1  Vertical
The specifications are:
- 2 meters              3 db gain
- 440                      6 db gain
- Length                 4Ft 2 In
- Estimated cost  $75   

Diamond X-50A  Vertical
The specifications are:
- 2 meters              4.5 db gain
- 440                      7.2 db gain - Length           5Ft 6 In
- Estimated cost  $95    

POWER: Adequate power for the radio.  Could be AC power supply or batteries.  We also recommend [but not required] having some form of emergency power backup such as solar or generator. 

EYEWARN Participant Preparedness  We expect all hams participating in the EYEWARN program to be and stay safe and be personally prepared to support the net during adverse conditions.   This means that you have adequate shelter, water and food during the operation. 

NCS Duties and Commitment  Take charge of running the EYEWARN net, read the script, collect and log the data points from the check in stations and be able to fill out a Situation Report [SITREP] and communicate that information to CEOC.  Whether operating the net or not, check in every week when available. 

EFO Duties and Commitment  Reports on the assigned infrastructure properties in a disaster or emergency.   For the training nets, report on the questions for the exercise   Check in two [2] times a month.  Required Check-in on the 3rd week of the month simplex net. 

RELAY Duties and Commitment  Relay communications from any station that is not “heard” by the NCS Operator during a training exercise or disaster/emergency.  Normal protocol is for the NCS Operator to ask for “help”.  Check in two [2] times a month. 

 REPORTER Duties and Commitment EYEWARN Reporters provide “what they see” information on the questions asked by NCS on what they see from their location when their community iis called on the net.   Stations are not to move from their location and potentially become part of the problem.  Check in as available.  

 EYEWARN Frequencies

Simplex:        Mode   Freq   Channel     VHF

Primary      146.58   IWARN 1     VHF

Secondary     146.46   IWARN 2     UHF

Digital       443.1  IWARN 3   

NOTE: Digital formats are in progress and will soon be implemented.