Members of the Communications Team of the Mesilla Valley Radio Club (MVRC) have prepared this manual for use in search and rescue (SAR) communications. It contains the specialized information that amateur radio operators need to support communications for SAR, including what is expected from amateurs, information concerning SAR field certification, a discussion of communication procedures, equipment lists and reference materials.

The Search and Rescue Office of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety (NM DPS) recognizes MVRC as a resource. We provide support to the Mesilla Valley Search and Rescue Canine, Horse and Ground Team, Inc. (MVSAR). Any other SAR resource team or state SAR can also request assistance. These organizations are referred to as our client agencies.

To participate, team members must have a valid amateur license and be paid up members of MVRC (for reasons of MVRC liability insurance and eligibility for any insurance coverage provided by NM DPS).

a) MVRC will provide a hasty team to accompany the MVSAR team when they are en route on a remote mission, maintaining communications with Las Cruces during the trip. The hasty team can notify the SAR team if the mission is canceled.

b) MVRC will provide communications between the SAR Incident Base and civilization ("extended dispatch" in SAR terminology) by whatever means are available: 2m/440 repeaters linked throughout the state (such as MegaLink), HF amateur bands, and even cellular phones.

MVRC will support SAR logistics such as calling out other SAR teams and resources for support.

c) MVRC may provide communications support between Incident Base and SAR teams in the field using SAR procedures on SAR frequencies.

d) SAR members DO NOT respond to searches for escaped inmates, crime perpetrators. These searches are the sole responsibility of the New Mexico State Police.

e) MVRC will provide technical support to MVSAR in the development and addition of communications capability to the SAR team.

f) MVRC will encourage and help MVSAR members to obtain Ham licenses.

We have modified used police radios for SAR use and have provided antennas.

John Beakley has capability for producing digitized topographic maps using mapping programs.

Automatic Position Reporting Systems (APRS) digipeaters cover the I-25 corridor from Santa Fe to Las Cruces. Handy talky radios with APRS capability are too expensive to see much use in SAR.

Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) direction finding systems; MVSAR owns a "Little Lper" for ELT direction finding. MVRC will help in training for its use. Ruben Gonzalez keeps the Little Lper in the MVSAR trailer. Henry Schotzko, AD5FE does direction finding in his job.

The SAR communications team is called out when MVSAR has a mission or a request is received from another SAR team. Our client agencies are notified whenever there is a change in the callout list. The team may be called out by contacting the following people:

Jim Leverett, WA2NIJ

John Beakley, WK5C

The following people have 10-channel police band Regency radios:

John Beakley, WK5C

Lou Cabot, KC5IEC

Ruben Gonzalez, KD5CGC

Brad Sacca, KC5SKE

As a matter of policy we try to send out a two-person team. At least one member of the team should be equipped with a mobile radio and external antenna on his vehicle. HF capability is a plus. The other can manage with an HT. At the same time we request a member who is staying at home to serve as dispatcher.

Find out the place and time for meeting up with the SAR team. Quite often teams will start out from a common meeting place such as the Pilot truck stop on Motel Boulevard, Love's truck stop on I-10, K-Mart at Main and Del Rey. Phone numbers for the pay phones at Pilot and K-Mart are listed so that teams can be notified if there is a mission cancellation.

Fill up your gas tank as you leave town. Fill up again on your return and save the sales slip so that you can get paid for gasoline you used on the mission. Give the sales slip to Patsy Gonzalez.

Hasty team members should be under way in an hour or so after notification, able to camp out overnight, equipped with personal radio equipment, food and water for 24 hours. Store your gear together for a fast get-away.

While en route to a mission, scan or monitor the MVSAR team frequency (151.310 mHz simplex) or State SAR (155.160mHz simplex) to maintain contact with MVSAR team members. Maintain contact with Las Cruces on an appropriate amateur repeater frequency. As you approach Incident Base, check in on the NM State SAR frequency and check the signal strength meter on your cell phone for areas of good coverage.

Upon arrival at the Incident Base, sign in on the sign up sheet provided. Likewise, sign out when leaving. It is necessary to maintain an accurate record of personnel involved in a search, for personnel safety, insurance and legal reasons. Amateurs should obtain a briefing and assignment from the Communications Unit Leader or Logistics Section Chief. On a small mission, report to the Incident Commander.

Start your unit log. Log all communications and significant events. You may need to find someone to maintain the log, not necessarily an amateur. Turn in the log to the Incident Commander before leaving or mail it the next day.

Usually the work area for the Incident Commander and ICS staff is cordoned off with yellow police line tape. This is so they can concentrate. Respect their wishes.

Park your vehicle close to the command post trailer, Incident Commander or Operations Chief so that you do not wear out your runner. Set up your portable mast and antenna. CAUTION: Do not set up your antenna near or under power lines! (This has happened, and the results were disastrous.)

If you have difficulty hitting a suitable repeater with a vertical antenna, use a beam antenna on your mast. If you have coordinates for various repeaters stored as waypoints in your gps, you can determine the bearing to a repeater and aim your beam accordingly by using your compass. If you have set your gps to show magnetic bearing, use an uncompensated compass. If your gps displays true bearing, use a compensated compass.

Use your gps to find the coordinates of your location in latitude and longitude as well as UTM. You may need to give this information to other teams en route, or to helicopter pilots. Other teams will want the coordinates in UTM. Helicopter pilots will want latitude and longitude in degrees, minutes and seconds.

If you have a second operator, consider deploying him to higher elevation in the field as a relay station (or, during a river search, where the boats come out).

Incident Base and civilization (extended dispatch) communicate using amateur operating procedures on the amateur bands and primarily on VHF (2 meters) and UHF (440 mHz) linked repeater systems. HF communications may be required for deep valley areas where there is no repeater or cell phone coverage.

Incident base communicates with field teams on 155.160 mHz. Either SAR people or amateurs can handle these communications, using SAR procedures. Log all communications and significant events on a unit log. Incident Base keeps track of the location and status of the teams periodically. Ask the Planning or Operations Section Chief for names and team assignments, and whether the teams have been instructed to call in periodically.

Operators ("communications specialists" in SAR terminology) do not make decisions about the relevance of clues, search patterns, and the like, so if a team asks Incident Base for advice, the initial response will often be "Stand by." Obtain the required advice from a responsible SAR person, or better yet, put the SAR person on the radio.

The functions of the MVRC Emergency Team Dispatcher are to:

a) Call out a hasty team initially and notify other team members to be on standby for other shifts.

b) Communicate with teams while en route and at Incident Base. Be in telephone contact with MVSAR Las Cruces Logistics (usually Patsy Gonzalez).

c) Call out team members to provide support for second and succeeding shifts.

d) As necessary, lend out team equipment (SAR radio, portable mast, and antenna and portable shelter) to members lacking such equipment.

e) Communicate with Incident Base concerning logistics, food for team members, requests for assistance from other SAR teams, etc. These requests will usually be turned over to MVSAR Las Cruces Logistics.

The MVSAR Logistics Section Chief either in the field or in Las Cruces will have a copy of the NM Search and Rescue Resource Directory. It contains information needed to contact any recognized SAR resource organization in the state.

Team members are encouraged to maintain a "grab and run" bag. The gear and clothing portion of the list is that required for Search and Rescue field personnel and may be degraded (to some degree) for base camp personnel and to a larger degree for short range and short duration missions. The radio equipment listed, the Emergency Communications Manual, and more than adequate clothing and rain gear should be a part of everyone's Ready Bag.

a) Radio 'type accepted' for use on SAR frequencies. The team has several Regency XL250B transceivers. Team members provide their own power cables either for battery clips or permanent attachment to the car battery. Team members also provide antennas.

b) For power cables, the team has standardized on Anderson Powerpole connectors.

c) Magnetic mount antenna: A two-meter quarter wave magnetic mount antenna can be trimmed about an inch and a half to resonate on SAR frequencies. It will also resonate on the third harmonic frequency.

d) Amateur mobile and handheld transceivers for UHF and VHF with operating manuals.

e) Spare batteries such as a deep discharge gel cell battery. This battery can also serve for emergency power within the home station. A variation is a portable battery for car starting with cables and cigarette lighter socket.

f) Portable mast and base: This can be fabricated very cheaply using a piece of wood, a floor flange, a piece of pipe and several sections of TV mast. A "Portaple" is useful.

g) Extra antennas, coax, barrel connectors: A j-pole antenna for SAR can be made readily using heavy wire, a short length of PVC pipe and electrician's tape. It can be mounted on the mast with hose clamps.

A Cushcraft Ringo AR-2 will slip over the TV mast and provide 3.75 dB of gain and a low radiation angle. It can be adjusted for either ham or SAR frequencies, but probably will not work well on the third harmonic frequency.

A Cushcraft A1483S is a lightweight (1.5-lb.) three-element 2-meter beam that fits onto a TV mast. It is helpful to program the coordinates of several local repeaters into your gps as waypoints. Get a bearing on the repeater you are trying to hit and direct the beam using your compass.

h) Extension Cord and Power Supply (If portable operation from an office or command post trailer where ac power is available is anticipated).

i) Repair kit - Coax connectors, solder, soldering iron, chunks of hookup wire, hand tools. Carry connectors and two conductor red/black wire in case it is necessary to make a power cord in the field. (This has happened.)

The provision of expanded capability, such as 2 and 70 cm meter beams, portable masts, portable amateur repeaters, RV facilities and mobile/portable HF stations will be of great value to the team in extended and/or long range operations. While only part of these have been requested in the questionnaire, notification of their availability will be most welcome and should be submitted to the Emergency Communications team leader.

State maps will be helpful for remote operations. Copies of "New Mexico Atlas & Gazetteer", "The Roads of New Mexico" and "New Mexico Road & Recreation Atlas" are recommended for inclusion in the ready bag for remote operations. Some times you may have to look through all three atlases to find what you are looking for.

USGS topographic maps will be provided by MVSAR logistics if available.

Amateurs are encouraged to achieve field certification for SAR. This involves four exams, each of which must be passed before proceeding to the next phase: Gear check; field compass exam; written exam on Incident Command System and written exam on search and rescue procedures. Refer to "New Mexico Search and Rescue Law & State SAR Plan", "ICS Orientation - Module 1" and the "Search and Rescue 'Field' Certification System".

In lieu of formal certification, team members are encouraged to study the material in this manual and check out reference materials for individual study.

The following items are required to pass the exam for field certification:

Bring what you would normally wear in the field, including hiking boots or sturdy footwear. Have a pack or container for:

Extra Clothing

Head Cover

Gloves or mittens

Extra Socks

Poncho or rain jacket with hood

Extra layers for cold/wind (middle layer)

Non-cotton inner layer (polypropylene or silk)

(No matter what you wish to wear, your extra clothes must follow the principles of the three-layer system-no cotton next to the skin)

Food for 24 hours

Water (2 quarts)

Knife

Fire starter

Compass with rotating azimuth graduated bezel and meridian lines

Whistle

Signal mirror

Flashlight or head lamp with extra batteries

First aid kit

Space blanket

Pencil or pen and paper

Ten feet of 1" tubular webbing

Work gloves

The above requirements are for certification. For actual missions, they should be interpreted reasonably and, except for safety considerations, can be modified appropriately.

Map and Compass

Team members should understand magnetic declination, magnetic bearing and true bearing in order to communicate accurately with SAR people and point beam antennas.

True bearing is the direction you get using a non-compensated compass as a protractor on a topographic map. Magnetic bearing is the direction you set on an uncompensated compass to guide you in the field. Aviators use magnetic bearing.

We use USGS topographic maps with a scale of 1:24000. Start with a topographic map, a yardstick and a fine pen. Draw horizontal lines connecting the blue UTM tic marks on the left and right borders of the map. Likewise draw vertical lines between the UTM tic marks on the top and bottom borders. You now have map divided into 1-kilometer grids.

The true bearing between where you are and where you want to go is found by using an uncompensated compass as a protractor with the map you have just prepared. Lay the compass on the map with the side of the compass connecting both points. Adjust the rotating bezel so that the meridian lines are parallel to the vertical lines. Now read the true bearing from the bezel.

The compass needle does not point to true north. The angular difference between true north and magnetic north is called magnetic declination. The figure for our area is currently 10.5 degrees east of true north. That's the direction the compass needle points. Do not use the magnetic declination printed on the topographic map. That's what it was when the map was made. Use the magnetic declination shown on a current isogonic chart.

Very simply, magnetic declination plus magnetic bearing is equal to true bearing, or for the algebraically disadvantaged, magnetic bearing equals true bearing minus magnetic declination. Now set the magnetic bearing on your compass. You are ready to go from here to there.

For example: Let us say you want to travel toward true north, which is either 0 degrees or 360 degrees. If you point the compass body toward true north, you will see the compass needle pointing to 10.5 degrees east of true north. Rotate the bezel so that the arrow is pointing 10.5 degrees east of north. Note that the bezel is set to 360 minus 10.5 or 349.5 degrees. This is your magnetic bearing. As you travel, turn the compass so that the needle is within the arrow.

The UTM Grid System

An amateur operator should become familiar with topographic maps, latitude and longitude coordinates (GEO) and Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates in order to communicate accurately. SAR people use UTM coordinates with topographic maps for land navigation because the units are in meters and being given as decimal numbers, map interpolation is easy.

The following is taken from the Search and Rescue "Field" Certification System manual. For a more complete explanation, refer to that manual.

The UTM grid is a series of numbered straight lines forming squares. The basic unit is the meter and on 24K maps the grid interval is 1000 meters. UTM is easier to interpolate than GEO when working with maps, in the office and especially in the field.

Format/sequence. There are 6 parts to a UTM coordinate, however on missions the zone and band can usually be disregarded. The UTM coordinates at the entrance to the Emergency Management Center in which the NM Rescue Office is located are, to the nearest meter in NAD27, 13S 401619E 3936749N.

13 The zone number in New Mexico is in zone 13 except for a 60-mile wide north/south strip of land in zone 12 adjoining the Arizona border.

S The alpha latitudinal band designator. Most of New Mexico is in band "S".

401619 The east coordinate in meters increases going east and is based upon a 500,000 meter value for the north/south center line of each zone. Some GPS receivers display an unnecessary zero in front of the easting.

E The word "East" when verbal or its abbreviation when written. Its function is to separate the two numbers.

3936749 The north coordinate increases going north and is the distance in meters north of the equator.

N The word "North" when verbal or its abbreviation when written. This word signals the end of the UTM coordinate.

Never compress the digits into a single number as is done in MGRS. As long as no leading digits are dropped, your coordinates will be understood. Always "read right up", give the east coordinate followed by the north coordinate."

Formats For Coordinates

Pilots use latitude and longitude coordinates expressed as degrees, minutes and seconds. The New Mexico Aeronautical Chart shows coordinates in units of degrees and minutes. You can obtain a copy of the current chart at any airport. The Civil Air Patrol version of this chart is divided into numbered quadrants.

Delorme's New Mexico Atlas and gazetteer gives coordinates in both decimal degrees and degrees, minutes and seconds. Topographic maps show coordinates in UTM and degrees, minutes and seconds. U.S. Forest Service maps give only degrees, minutes and seconds.

Make certain you and the person you are communicating use the same format. Using the wrong format can result in considerable error.

Knowledge of GPS receivers is valuable. If you own one, learn how to set it for either type of coordinates. You might be asked to tell a helicopter pilot where to land.

Unlike some states where search and rescue is the responsibility of the county sheriff, in New Mexico the Department of Public Safety is responsible for all search and rescue operations. See "New Mexico Search and Rescue Law and State SAR Plan". Las Cruces is located in NMSP District 4. (505 624 5111)

Ground and water incidents are managed from the Local State Police District Office. Water incidents are handled similarly to ground incidents. All water activities are under the control of the State Police Dive Team Commander.

A SAR Area Commander reporting to State Police Headquarters manages air incidents.

A type of incident not covered in the SAR Plan is one involving hazardous material. In this case a state police emergency response officer, (ERO) becomes the incident commander.

A search is started when a missing person is reported to the state police.

The NMSP Mission Initiator (MI) certifies the need for a mission and assigns a mission number. The MI assigns a field coordinator to become the initial Incident Commander for the mission. The Incident Commander's function is to manage the search In accordance with the Incident Command System. ICS is mandated for use in SAR by executive order of the governor

All SAR missions are managed by the Incident Command System (ICS). The responsible person in the field is the Incident Commander. The various section chiefs for Operations, Planning, Logistics and Finance report to the Incident Commander. The Communications Unit Leader reports to the Section Chief for Logistics. Refer to "Incident Command System National Training Curriculum, Module 1, ICS Orientation"

Communications specialists work under the Logistics Section Chief during a large fully staffed mission. They are responsible for setting up a communications network which may involve many radio frequencies and cellular and satellite telephones. The full job description as defined by ICS follows:

The Communications Unit is responsible for developing plans for the use of incident communications equipment and facilities; installing and testing of communications equipment; supervision of the Incident Communications Center; and the distribution and maintenance of communications equipment.

Responsibilities:

Advise on communications capabilities/limitations.

Prepare and implement the Incident Radio Communications Plan (ICS Form 205).

Establish and supervise the Incident Communications Center and Message Center.

Establish telephone, computer links, and public address systems.

Establish communications equipment distribution and maintenance locations.

Install and test all communications equipment.

Oversee distribution, maintenance and recovery of communications equipment, e.g., portable radios and FAX machines.

Develop and activate an equipment accountability system. Provide technical advice on:

Adequacy of communications system

Geographical limitations

Equipment capabilities

Amount and types of equipment available

We owe our client organizations a staff of trained communicators. One of the major problems in emergency communications work is gaining the acceptance of amateurs as professional communicators by the client. Everyone must master the basics of communication in the emergency environment and perform within the established guidelines.

Rules of the road

Be Professional - In many cases we will be sharing linked repeaters with other amateurs not involved in the mission.

Be Courteous - Wait for clear frequency to transmit; yield to priority traffic.

Be Concise - Short transmissions are easier to understand during poor conditions. They also save battery power.

Be Clear - Avoid the use of ambiguous or unfamiliar words. Speak slowly and clearly. This is particularly important when frantic activity overtakes your careful planning. In moments of crisis the information to be reported may be especially important.

The operating procedures that we use during SAR missions are very simple. When calling another person, there are two ways to send call signs. You can say the other person's call sign first, then yours ("Incident Base this is team six.") or vice versa (SAR 1202 to 416."). Amateur radio operators, aircraft pilots, Civil Air Patrol and military organizations use the first method. Teams that are associated with law enforcement agencies often use the latter convention. In multi-agency operations both methods will often be heard. Either convention is OK as long as the words "this is" or "to" are included with the call signs. No confusion can result if this is done. See "Search and Rescue Field Certification System, NM DPS SAR, 1997 Standards"

The first thing to remember is that the only purpose of communications during a SAR mission is to pass information. We never use our radios to impress someone with our superior knowledge or to amuse him or her with cute remarks. Such behavior seriously detracts from serving the need of the victim. It also creates a poor image of us to anyone who is listening - and someone is always listening.

If you are sending a message, it is always your responsibility to make sure that the listener knows what you mean. Solicit feedback to make sure he understands. Don't end a conversation until you are certain that your information is correctly received.

If someone sends you a message with an unfamiliar ten-code or term, don't pretend you understand it. Just ask for an explanation. You will never be criticized for trying to get the correct information across.

Never use ten-codes, Q signals or team jargon if you are working a mission with another team. Every one does not know these codes and they are frequently misused or misinterpreted. Just say what you mean in plain English.

Using team (or amateur) jargon is OK if you are sure that it is understood. If your radio message is to be relayed through other team members, make sure you define any unusual terms or words.

The only exception to the "Plain English" rule is the use of a death code. Sometimes called the "condition code". The Incident commander should assign a death code at the beginning of a mission. Its purpose is to discreetly convey information to a base camp. We never want the family of a fatality to first hear about it on our radios. If a death code has not been established, we will frequently use the Echo Code in its place.

Some SAR teams use the expression "SECURE THE NET" or "REQUEST A CLEAR CHANNEL" as a code phrase meaning that families should be moved away from the radio so sensitive information can be discussed. Since amateurs frequently use the former phrase to shut down the net, particular care should be taken concerning the meaning of the phrase. Amateurs should use another method of notification when shutting down a communications operation.

Echo Alpha - Subject is uninjured.

Echo Bravo - Subject has minor injuries

Echo Charlie - Subject has serious injuries.

Echo Delta - Subject is dead.

In the case of multiple subjects you might report their condition as "We have two Echo Bravo and one Echo Delta."

Note that the use of a death code is not intended for use on the amateur frequencies. Do not discuss the condition of a search subject on the amateur frequencies without express permission by the Incident Commander.

The majority of this section has been excerpted from "A Communications Guide for the New SAR person - 1977 Standards (1/97)" by Bob Cowan. It is included herein to provide some knowledge of the rules on the SAR frequencies and as a suggested guideline for use on the amateur frequencies.