ARO Standard Operating Procedures

What to do in advance of an exercise or deployment

• Print these Standard Operating Procedure or otherwise have them available even when Internet is unavailable.
• Print a copy of the NET Form 6 or load it with Adobe Acrobat Reader so you can fill it in using your computer.
• Print or otherwise have available a copy of a Stations Participating Stations Log.
• Select at least two regional subnets according to your location. See Map of Simplex Regions.
• Consider updating your radio’s memory channels using one of the 2023 Multnomah County ARES templates if you haven’t already done so.

What to do during an exercise or deployment

• Check into the Resource Net unless you have received instructions that a Resource Net will not be used. Use your FCC call sign during this check in.
• Tune your radio to the frequency for your region. Use this VHF Frequency Table using either a pre-programmed memory channel or by using VFO mode.
• Set your transceiver’s transmit power to a power level that should allow you to be heard by your subnet controller.
• Make sure your radio is not using a transmit offset as we will not be using repeaters for the subnets. See Operating Simplex. If you have trouble checking in, see What to do if you have trouble checking in.
• If you do not hear anything on the VHF frequency associated with your region after about 10 minutes, consider moving to the VHF frequency for a different region.
• If you hear the formal opening of the subnet log it. In any case log the name of the subnet on your NET Form 6.
• The subnet controller will check in operators. See Check-in and Check-out Procedures. Use your tactical call sign during this check in. See Tactical Call Signs.
• Log your check in on your Form 6.
• Using your separate Stations Participating Stations Log, log other stations’ readability. Using that form allows you to keep track of  who you can hear and how well you can hear them.  Such information can be very valuable during a deployment because you may need to communicate with other teams in your region or provide relays for some of the other AROs in your region.
• If your team gives you messages on NET Form 8 or a reply on a Form 8,
  • Make sure they are properly filled out and include a Message Precedence at the beginning of the Subject field.
  • Insert the letters "OS" and your tactical call sign at the end of the "From" field of outgoing Net Form 8s. ("OS" stands for Originating Stations.)
  • Keep track of your messages by precedence and time by sorting them in order of precedence and their origination times.
  • Each time you read a message to your subnet controller, mark it with the time and move it to a sent basket or equivalent.
    • If you receive a reply to any of these messages later you will need to transcribe the reply in the bottom section of the Form 8 and deliver the reply to the orginal sender.
• Follow the instructions of your subnet controller.
  • Transcribe and deliver tactical messages* or messages on NET Form 8 to your Incident Team Leader or their delegate.
  • When your subnet controller asks for message counts provide those counts by precedence. See Reporting Message Counts.
  • When your subnet controller asks for messages of a particular precedence provide them. See Voicing a NET Form 8 or its Reply.
• During exercises and deployments you may be faced with more messages and other business than you have time.
  • Use message precedence and your judgement to decide the order in which you complete tasks.
  • If your subnet controller hails you while you are talking with another team member use your best judgement to decide where your attention should be focused.
  • If you can't respond to a hail or request from your subnet controller right away, try to say something like "Net control, please stand by, <your tactical call sign>".
  • As soon as possible, wait for your subnet frequency to become quiet and then say "<Region name> <your tactical call sign> Over" and wait to be acknowledged.
• During the exercise your team may ask you to communicate with another team or another team may contact you. See Communicating with Other Teams.
• When the subnet controller asks for check outs follow their instructions and then log that check out.

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* A tactical message is one that is not a form.

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