USAF MARS NATIONAL TRANSCONTINENTAL (TRANSCON) MANNED DIGITAL NET OPERATIONS GUIDE (CHANGE ONE) 20 DECEMBER 2007
DOCUMENTATION (REFERENCES) Trainees and instructors must have the documentation listed below, including all updates. Allied Communications Publication (ACP) ACP121(H), ACP125(F), ACP126(C), ACP 128(A), ACP131(F) DODD 4650.2 Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) AFI 33-106 Managing High Frequency Radios, Personal Wireless Communication Systems, and the Military Affiliate Radio System National Response Plan, ESF #2 USAF/MARS Operating Instructions USAF/MARS National Emergency Communications Plan Joint MARS Standard Operating Procedures for Calling and Operating a Voice Net TRANSCON Keyboard-to-Keyboard Training Manual TRANSCON Digital Net Control Station Training Manual Basic Setup and Users Guide for the MARS Winlink 2000 Radio E-Mail System and Appendices (See Appendix 4 - The MARS Message Precedence System for MARS Members) DOD MIL-STD-6040, United States Message Text Format (USMTF) Prepration Other Applicable DOD and MARS Documents PREREQUISITE TRAINING FOR DIGITAL NET CONTROL STATIONS Completion of the TRANSCON Net Control Training Manual (Self Paced) and On-the-Air Participation as a Net Member and as an Alternate Net Control Station REQUIREMENTS FOR NET CONTROL STATIONS (NCS) AND ALTERNATES (ANCS) Aspirant Net Control Station (NCS) Operators must be willing to serve and commit the time and effort to run a two hour Net Control Session. Aspirant NCS Operators must have a Personal Computer and an E- Mail Account capable of sending and receiving attachments. For training purposes an Aspirant Net Control Station (NCS) Operator should serve as Alternate to an experienced NCS Operator until the experienced NCS Operator feels that the Aspirant NCS Operator is ready to assume the duties of a Primary Net Control Station Operator. Also, the Aspirant NCS Operator should also feel comfortable enough to take on the duties of a Primary Net Control Station Operator. Alternate Net Control Station (ANCS) Operators should be as far away from their Primary Net Control Station (NCS) Operators as necessary to maintain Continuous or Near-Continuous Digital Communications between them. The preferred propagation between the Primary and Alternate Net Control Stations is QRK 4 to QRK 5. DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE NET CONTROL STATION OPERATOR INCLUDE: Open and close nets on the correct frequency, at the scheduled times. Direct network activities in accordance with published MARS operational requirements. Limit transmissions to essential length. Expeditiously clear all traffic in the net. Resolve disputes incident to traffic handling and net procedures. Correct procedural discrepancies. 2
As necessary, identify stations with E-Mail and/or Pactor capability and directing Exercise and Actual Incident EEI and other related reports to these stations for immediate up-line distribution via E-Mail, WL2K Telnet or Pactor. Submit Net Participation Reports to the Net Manager and Deputy Net Manager by E-Mail. Immediately following initial check-ins, the NCS may assign an ANCS, if needed. If an ANCS has not been scheduled prior to the net, the NCS should appoint an Alternate NCS before any net business is conducted. If possible, the ANCS should be at a different geographical location than the NCS. The ANCS should be prepared to assume control of the net as directed by the NCS, or automatically, if the NCS is unable to continue due to technical difficulty or propagation conditions. The ANCS will remain operational until the net is closed or until released by the Primary Net Control Station. TRANSCON NET CONTROL SESSIONS, NET TIMES & FREQUENCIES The TRANSCON HF Voice Net (TVN) Core Operating Hours are from 1300Z through 2100Z Monday through Friday. Net Control Station Sessions are Two Hour Sessions, as follows: o 1300-1500Z; 1500-1700Z; 1700-1900Z; 1900-2100Z (Mondays-Fridays) o Extended Hours: After Evening TDN Nets and Before Morning TDN Nets on Weekdays and anytime on Saturdays and Sundays are on an as needed basis during emergency situations (such as the Hurricane Season). The TRANSCON Manned Digital Net (TDN) Operating Hours are Mondays through Sundays, as follows: o Morning Net Sessions: 0800-1000 CT (1300-1500Z DST/1400-1600Z Standard) o Evening Net Sessions: 1800-2000 CT (2300-0100Z DST/0000-0200Z Standard) The TRANSCON Space Support Net (TSN or TSSN) Meets Weekly on Saturdays on Frequency TVH at 11:00 AM Eastern Time, 10:00 AM Central Time, 09:00 AM Mountain Time, 08:00 AM Pacific Time (1500Z during Daylight Saving Time or 1600Z during Standard Time) for the Weekly TSN Administrative Net; however, other TSN Net Sessions are scheduled to cover launch and recovery Operations of the Space Shuttles when needed. TRANSCON Net Sessions start at one minute past the hour and end at 59 minutes past the hour for the specific Net Control Session. For Example, the 1300-1500Z Session begins at 1301Z and ends at 1459Z; the 1900-2100Z Session begins at 1901Z and ends at 2059Z; etc. TRANSCON HF Voice and Multimode Nets are used for traffic, emergencies, and exercises. TRANSCON HF Voice and Multimode Net USB/Dial Frequencies are available on request. Primary Frequencies are as follows: o TDN Morning Net Sessions: TPG, Alternates TVJ or TVF o TDN Evening Net Sessions: TVC, Alternates TPG, TVJ or TVF o TSN Primary Frequency: TVH o TVN Primary Calling Daytime: TVE, Alternate TVF or TVJ o TVN Primary Calling Nighttime: TVC, Alternate TVJ or TVF 3
OFFICIAL UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE ABBREVIATIONS LIST STATE/US POSSESSIONS ABBREVIATIONS LIST AL ALABAMA MP NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS AK ALASKA MT MONTANA AS AMERICAN SAMOA NE NEBRASKA AZ ARIZONA NV NEVADA AR ARKANSAS NH NEW HAMPSHIRE CA CALIFORNIA NJ NEW JERSEY CO COLORADO NM NEW MEXICO CT CONNECTICUT NY NEW YORK DC DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NC NORTH CAROLINA DE DELAWARE ND NORTH DAKOTA FL FLORIDA OH OHIO FM FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA OK OKLAHOMA GA GEORGIA OR OREGON GU GUAM PW PALAU HI HAWAII PA PENNSYLVANIA ID IDAHO PR PUERTO RICO IL ILLINOIS RI RHODE ISLAND IN INDIANA SC SOUTH CAROLINA IA IOWA SD SOUTH DAKOTA KS KANSAS TN TENNESSEE KY KENTUCKY TX TEXAS LA LOUISIANA UT UTAH ME MAINE VT VERMONT MH MARSHALL ISLANDS VI VIRGIN ISLANDS MD MARYLAND VA VIRGINIA MA MASSACHUSETTS WV WEST VIRGINIA MN MINNESOTA WI WISCONSIN MS MISSISSIPPI WY WYOMING MO MISSOURI MILITARY "STATE" ABBREVIATIONS AA AE AP ARMED FORCES CANADA ARMED FORCES AFRICA, ARMED FORCES AMERICAS (EXCEPT CANADA), ARMED FORCES EUROPE, ARMED FORCES MIDDLE EAST ARMED FORCES PACIFIC 4
APPENDICES: I. BACKGROUND AND GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE TRANSCON HF VOICE NET (TVN), THE TRANSCON MANNED DIGITAL NET (TDN), AND THE TRANSCON SPACE SUPPORT NET (TSN) II. U.S. MARS JOINT AF, ARMY, NAVY-MC SOP FOR CALLING AND OPERATING A VOICE NET III. MANNED DIGITAL NET OPERATIONS IV. PROSIGNS, PROWORDS, & PROCEDURE SIGNALS V. AUTHORIZED DIGITAL MODES AND DIGITAL MODE SETTINGS; WEBSITES FOR DIGITAL SOFTWARE VII. MESSAGE PREPARATION Claude S. Baker, AFA4BR/AFN4VN Manager, TRANSCON HF Voice Net George H. Stickler, AFA4CU/AFN4DM National Digital Manager Richard C. Mills, AFA6PF/AFF6E Manager, TRANSCON Space Support Net 5