ECT and WARA Nets

Details

Monday Night Net Info and Script
Wednesday Night Emergency Net Script - (21.52 kB)
ECT (DRAFT 2007) Manual and cover letter (531.55 kB)
ECT Net Control Roster
ECT manual (not published)

WARA's Emergency Communications Team

The Westcoast Amateur Radio Association (WARA) and the Victoria Branch of the Canadian Red Cross signed a Memorandum of Understanding on July 10, 1996. This memorandum outlines an understanding wherein WARA will provide radio communication for the Red Cross Society - BC Coastal Region during an emergency.

WARA has an Emergency Communication Team (ECT) which consists of club volunteers. The role of WARA's Emergency Communication Team is to provide radio communication between the Victoria Red Cross and the following organizations and agencies:

Capital Region Emergency Radio Communications Committee (Greater Victoria and Area EOCs)
Provincial Emergency Program
The Canadian Red Cross
Provincial Emergency Social Services Operations Centre (PESSOC)
EOC's and Field Reception Centres in the Red Cross BC Coastal Region

Click here to see more Links | Emergency Agencies

WARA Emergency Communication Meetings and Nets

The Emergency Communication Team (ECT) operates the Disaster Managment Operations Centre Radio Room at the Canadian Red Cross, BC Coastal Region building at 909 Fairfield Rd.,Victoria BC. The station VE7VCC can operate on 2 m voice, 70 cm voice, HF voice and pactor, 2 m packet (Airmail). The ECT has a number of portable amateur radio stations that can be deployed at Field Reception Centres within the BC Coastal Region. These portable radio kits consists of a 2-metre radio or a dual-band radio, a portable antenna, coax, power supply and battery connectors for hookup to a car battery if needed. Some units have a Kantronics KPC-3 Packet TNC.

Every Wednesday at 7:00 pm, the Emergency Communication Team holds an Emergency Communication Net on the VE7VIC repeater system 146.840 MHz (-600 kHz) followed by a simplex net on 146.580 MHz

The purpose of the net is to:

establish contact with members of WARA's Emergency Communication Team
establish contact with stations outside the Greater Victoria area
provide Amateurs the experience of working in a directed net
take general check-ins

AT THE TIME OF AN EMERGENCY OR DISASTER

The Emergency Communication Team may establish a Net Control Station on the VE7VIC repeater 146.840 (-600) 100 Hz. If the repeater is NOT operational use 146.840 MHz simplex.

Control will be responsible for:

accepting messages for the Red Cross, BC Coastal Region
coordinating the deployment of the WARA Emergency Communication Team
establishing contact with Emergency Social Services and Municipal EOC
establishing contact with stations in outlying areas not affected by the emergency

Any Amateur Radio Operator wishing to volunteer with WARA / ECT at the Red Cross must:

Make sure that you and family are taken care of.
Turn on your 2 m radio to the WARA repeater 146.840 MHz
Announce your presence by transmitting your call-sign.
Remain on the net if it is operational and tell Net Control if you are leaving the net.
Do not travel to Red Cross building unless you have been given instruction to do so.
Pack you grab-and-go bag and get ready to be deployed.
Be prepared to respond to requests from Net Control
All Volunteers must abide by the Canadian Red Cross "Volunteer Responsibilities" & "Code of Conduct"

For more information on becoming involved with the WARA ECT, contact Len Howland, VE7BSA, (250) 656-6555, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .