CAP Communications Orientation Class

1
CAP Communications Orientation Class
Developed by LTC Bruce Bream Ohio Wing/Eagle
Squadron February 2006
Voice of Command
Note This presentation does NOT contain any For
Official Use Only (FOUO) information.
2
Basic Communications Course Overview

• Licensing
• Operators and Radio Stations
• Call Signs
• Radio Communications Systems
• Equipment Familiarization
• Use of Repeaters
• Radiotelephone Operating Procedures
• Timekeeping and Date-Time Groups
• Prowords
• Phonetic Alphabet
• Radio Nets
• Message Forms
• Distress and Emergency Communications
• Radio Communication Practice

3
CAP Radio Operator Licensing
TWO Levels of Operator Licensing

• Communications Orientation
• 2-3 Hour Class on
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Local Operating Procedures
• Entitles CAP member to operate a CAP Radio
• Issued a Radio Operator Authorization (ROA) by
  Ohio Wing

• Advanced Communications User Training
• 4-5 Hour Class
• Pass the Advanced Communications User Test, CAPF
  119
• Entitles CAP member to be assigned a call sign
  for their radio
• Required as part of the Communications Specialty
  Track

The regulation for all CAP Communications is CAPR
100-1
4
CAP Radio Station Licensing
National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA)

• Licenses Federal agencies
• Department of Defense
• Department of Homeland Security
• Civil Air Patrol
• FEMA, NASA, EPA, USPS, Etc.

• CAP is a considered a federal agency for radio
  licensing
• Federal agencies are not allowed to use services
  allocated exclusively to the public sector for
  their business
• Amateur Radio and Citizens Band cannot be used
  for CAP business
• Family Radio Service (FRS)
• On ES missions limited to communication with
  victims to expedite a rescue
• May be used for all non-ES mission activities on
  a non-interference basis

5
Types of Stations Tactical Call Signs
Ohio Wing Call Sign Examples
GROUND MOBILE
AIRMOBILE
CAPFLIGHT 3421
Columbus 104
Columbus 401
First two digits are Wing number
Ground Mobile Reserved Call signs Last digit
assigned to command staff ..1 Commander (C
101) ..2 Deputy (C 302) ..3 Chief of Staff (C
1003) ..4 Communications (C 4) ..5 Chaplain (C
705)

• Airmobile Call Signs
• CAP Corporate Aircraft are always CAPFLIGHT
  except,
• CAPFLIGHT RESCUE used only during actual missions
• Member-owned aircraft
• Use assigned CAPFLIGHT for reimbursable missions
• Otherwise, use tail number

6
CAP Communications Systems

• CAP Frequencies
• HF - Long-range (50-1000 miles)

FAA Aeronautical Frequencies

• Uses FAA frequencies
• Communicate with all radio equipped aircraft

• Satellite Digital Imaging System (SDIS)
• Used for digital imaging
• Data relayed through satellite

Range determined by time of day, frequency, and
sunspot cycle
Capabilities

• VHF - Short-range (5-50 miles)

• ISR (Intra Squad Radios)
• Short range (2-3 miles)
• Similar to FRS radios

Range determined by radio horizon
HF Static
Voice is the primary means of communication
Sounds
HF SSB
7
Voice Operating Modes
Single Frequency - One Station at a Time
SIMPLEX
F1
F1
REPEATER
Two Frequencies - One Station at a Time
F1
F2
Input
Output
R
T
Your radio switches to Frequency 2 when you
press the PTT switch
8
Repeater Operational Advantage
Output
Input
Repeaters increase the range of mobile stations
due to the high profile location typically
covering a 20-50 mile radius
9
Inside the Repeater
Repeater retransmits if it hears one of two
sub-audible tones 1) Universal Access Tone
or 2) Repeater site specific tone
Output Channel Voice
Input Channel Voice
Voice
Receiver
Transmitter
Repeater Sub-audible Tone
Sub-audible Tone
PTT
Tone Decoder
Mike Button
Tone Decoder presses the Push To Talk (PTT)
button to turn on the repeaters transmitter
Tone Decoder listens for either the universal
or site specific tone on the incoming signal
Radio must be set to the correct 1) transmit
channel, and 2) sub-audible tone to use the
desired repeater
10
Ohio Wing Voice RepeatersOperating on CAP VHF-FM

• Repeater Locations
• Cambridge
• Carey
• Cincinnati
• Columbus
• Dayton
• Jackson
• Lafayette
• Lancaster
• Lima
• New Philadelphia
• Thompson
• Wauseon

• If you are not sure which repeater to select
• Use the Universal Access Tone

11
Airmobile use of Repeaters

• Primary mode of operation should be simplex
• Repeaters can be used if simplex not possible
• Selectively use a repeater through use of its
  assigned sub-audible access tone
• Use of universal tone is prohibited since this
  will bring up multiple repeaters
• The key is to limit use to a single repeater

12
FAA Aeronautical SAR Stations

• Air-Ground Communications on FAA aircraft
  frequencies
• Aeronautical Search And Rescue (SAR) ground
  stations operate on two Aircraft Frequencies
• 122.9 MHz - TRAINING Only
• 123.1 MHz - ACTUAL Missions Only
• Ground Station Call Signs assigned by
  geographical location
• THIS IS Lost Nation Base OVER

ELTs - Training Actual
121.775 MHz Training transmitters 121.5
MHz Actual ELTs
13
Basic Radio Station Operation Summary

• Power (On/Off)
• Usually part of Volume control
• Battery powered radios should be turned off when
  not being used to conserve the batteries
• Volume
• Set to easily hear stations but not annoyingly
  loud
• On portable radios the higher the volume, the
  more battery power is used and the sooner the
  battery runs out
• Squelch
• Adjusts the point where audio and noise (hiss)
  are suppressed (quiet)
• Adjust until noise is heard and then back off to
  just past the point where the noise stops
• Some newer radios do not have a squelch knob
• Channel Selector
• Selects both receive and transmit frequencies
• Unless it is a corporate radio, there is no
  assurance that the frequencies are set the same
  on the channel selector. Know the frequencies in
  use and how your radio is set up or programmed
• Consult the person who furnished the radio for
  the specific settings for the radio
• Microphone
• Speak into the microphone using a normal speech
  level
• Dont yell or whisper Shouting does not
  increase intelligibility or range
• Push to Talk (PTT) Switch
• Press the PTT when talking Release PTT to listen

14
Basic Radio Station Components

• Antenna
• Frequency sets relative size
• VHF-FM
• Magnetic Mount
• Fixed vertical
• HF-SSB
• 50 foot Dipole
• Fixed vertical
• Bumper mount vertical

• Power Sources
• 120VAC Power Supply
• 12VDC
• Generator
• Batteries

1
Power Supply
V
S
C
120 VAC Outlet

• Radio Transceiver
• Designed for a single or multiple frequency band
  and modes
• CAP VHF-FM
• CAP HF-SSB
• FAA VHF-AM

• Antenna Coax
• Special cable that connects radio to antenna

• Ground
• Required for Electrical Safety

15
Radios you will see in CAP

• CAP VHF-FM

NAT NPX-138
Tait 2020II
E.F. Johnson 5317 Stealth mobile
E.F. Johnson 5112 portable
Neutec SM-1645

• FAA Aircraft VHF-AM

CAP HF-SSB
Motorola Micom-2
Tait T196
ICOM A-22
16
Tait T2000IICAP VHF-FM
Direct channel number entry possible with keypad
and enter key
Up / Down buttons change the channel

• Note
• These Tait 2020 radios are factory-modified for
  CAP
• A standard Tait 2020 purchased on your own from
  other than CAPMart will not be NTIA compliant

17
E.F. Johnson 5317 Stealth CAP VHF-FM

• Channel / Group Knob
• Toggles its function each time you press it in
• Turn to select channels or groups
• There are 16 memory groups with 10 channels per
  group
• Groups and channels are labeled with text names

18
E.F. Johnson 5112 Portable CAP VHF-FM
On-Off-Volume and Squelch
PTT
Channel Selector
Microphone
19
Neutec SM-1645 CAP VHF-FM
Selects one of 16 numbered channels
It is important to note whether the PRI light is
on or off
Check channel card attached to top of radio
Pressing the PRI button gets to a second bank of
16 channels - It is NOT a priority button
The display only shows a number, so you must have
a list or card of how it is programmed
20
NAT NPX-138 Radio Operation CAP VHF-FM

• Features
• FAA accepted for aircraft use
• 100 pre-programmed channels
• Same channels in all aircraft
• Operates from 138-174 MHz
• Guard channel monitor
• Use with CAP as well as Coast Guard, State
  Highway Patrol, and local Police

Controls MN Main Volume On/Off - (Channel
activity light to right of MN knob) GD Guard
Channel Volume (Leave CCW) SCAN/NORM/GDTX Leave
in NORM GD1/GD2 Guard Channel Select GD1Repeater
(Ch 1) GD2Air/Ground (Ch 4) DISP IDChannel
Name, RXReceive frequency, TXTransmit
Frequency CHAN /- Step up/down through
programmed channels BRIGHT /- Change display
brightness EDIT Dont move this switch! SQ Push
to open squelch to check volume and weak
signals Operation Powers up with other radios
as shown above Turn on (if necessary), Set
Channel, Adjust Volume, Check Squelch, Set Audio
Panel
21
Motorola MICOM-2CAP HF SSB Radio

• Channels are switched via the up/down buttons
• Function button toggles between various displays
  including the frequency and the channel number

22
Intra Squad Radio (ISR)

• Similar to FRS radios but on shared-use federal
  government frequencies
• Designed for ground team use and large functions
  like encampments and schools
• Not issued to individuals - issued in deployable
  packages
• Wont talk with CAP VHF-FM radio system
• NHQ furnished radios and cases, but no batteries
• Cost of ni-cad battery and charger almost equal
  to cost of radio itself
• Ni-cads available run 10 hours before needing
  recharge
• Alkaline AA batteries last 30 hours max before
  requiring replacement
• Commanders, and ES Officers should plan for
  readily available batteries
• Incident Commanders and Mission Coordinators
  should anticipate battery expenses for actual and
  practice missions
• ISR battery costs are reimbursable on CAPF108 if
  mission/SAREX is reimbursed (with receipts,
  complete forms, etc.)
• Project Officers for encampments and training
  activities should anticipate and plan for battery
  costs
• Flight-line supervisor should use VHF-FM (Ch4) to
  marshal pilots in aircraft
• ISR frequencies are shared with other DOD agencies

23
Zulu Time is Standard Time

• Known as Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) based
  on an accurate atomic clock
• Similar to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) - based on
  mean earth rotation

Zulu time is the same, no matter what time zone
you are in
Standard Time Zones EST Eastern 5
Z CST Central 6 Z MST Mountain 7
Z PST Pacific 8 Z
1 hour less for Daylight Saving Time EDT 4 Z
WWV Time Broadcast
24
(No Transcript)
25
Date-Time Group
16 0218Z APR 01
Date
Time
Month
Year
Date and Time in ZULU
ZULU - Means that time is UTC (Coordinated
Universal Time)
Dont forget to account for change in day, month
or year
A DTG specifies one minute in a century
Z EST 5 hours Z EDT 4 hours
26
Date-Time Group Practice

• Practice making a DTG for the following
  times/events
• Right Now
• July 7, 1997 307 am
• Apollo 11 Moon Landing, 7/20/1969, 417 EDT
• April 15, 2001 918 pm
• ELT Heard Feb 28, 2005 721 pm
• What local date/time is 010459Z JAN 05?

27
PROWORDS
Special words used for Clarity and Brevity in
communications Most commonly used prowords

• THIS IS Preface to your call sign
• ROGER Last transmission received OK
• OVER Im done, go ahead
• OUT Im done, bye
• WAIT I will be back in a few seconds
• SAY AGAIN Say that again
• CORRECTION Oops! I really meant to say
• WILCO ROGER and I will comply
• AFFIRMATIVE Yes

28
Phonetic Alphabet Numbers
A Alpha (Al fah) B Bravo (Brah voh) C Charlie (Cha
r lee) D Delta (Dell tah) E Echo (Eck-oh) F Foxtro
t (Foks trot) G Golf (Golf) H Hotel (Hoh
tell) I India (In dee ah) J Juliet (Ju lee
ett) K Kilo (Kee loh) L Lima (Lee
mah) M Mike (Mike)
N November (No vem ber) O Oscar (Oss
cah) P Papa (Pah pah) Q Quebec (Keh
beck) R Romeo (Row me oh) S Sierra (See air
rah) T Tango (Tang go) U Uniform (U nee
form) V Victor (Vik tah) W Whiskey (Wiss
kee) X X-Ray (Ecks ray) Y Yankee (Yang
kee) Z Zulu (Zoo loo)

• Pronunciation
• of Numbers
• 1 Wun
• 2 Too
• 3 Tree
• 4 Fo-wer
• 5 Fife
• 6 Six
• 7 Seven
• 8 Ate
• Niner
• 0 Zero

29
Contacting Another Station

• To Establish Contact
• Columbus 40 THIS IS CAPFLIGHT 3421 OVER
• Response from the Ground Station
• CAPFLIGHT 3421 THIS IS Columbus 40 OVER
• No need to use call signs until communications
  are complete
• Say OVER before releasing PTT on mike
• On Closing the Contact
• CAPFLIGHT 3421 OUT

• Always end a transmission with OVER or OUT -
  NOT BOTH!
• Do not use Roger Wilco instead of Wilco.
  Roger Wilco means Last transmission received
  OK last transmission received OK and I will
  comply.

30
Radio Net Operation
A Formal Net controls flow of traffic on a single
radio channel

• Net Control Station (NCS)
• Maintains net discipline by controlling who is
  talking
• Must be contacted first for permission to contact
  another station
• Columbus 10 THIS IS Columbus 404 with a
  Priority message for Columbus 710 OVER
• Sample Net Check-in (C10 is the NCS)
• Columbus 10, THIS IS Columbus 404 with no
  traffic, OVER
• Acknowledging readiness to receive traffic
• "THIS IS Columbus 710, GO AHEAD with your
  traffic OVER"
• Acknowledging receipt of a message
• "THIS IS Columbus 710, ROGER your message
  OUT"

31
Radio Nets - Contacting another Station
Columbus 10, THIS IS Columbus 401 with traffic
for Columbus 404 OVER
C 10 NCS
Columbus 401, Contact Columbus 404 with your
traffic, OUT
2nd
1st
Columbus 404, THIS IS Columbus 401, OVER
C 401
C 404
3rd

• All transmissions must receive permission from
  the Net Control Station (NCS)

32
I SPELL / FIGURES / INITIALS

• Use I SPELL for pronounceable words
• Example LODI
• I SPELL LODI LIMA OSCAR DELTA INDIA LODI
• Use FIGURE(S) AND INITIAL(S) for non-words
• Example N516F
• INITIAL NOVEMBER FIGURES FIVE ONE SIX INTIAL
  FOXTROT

CORRECTIONS
Use proword CORRECTION Example Turn right
at next corner CORRECTION Turn left at next
corner
33
SENDING NUMBERS

• Prowords FIGURES, DECIMAL, TIME, INITIALS

Digit-by-Digit Not Seven Fifty
750 FIGURES SEVEN FIVE ZERO
Niner Not Nine
849 FIGURES EIGHT FOUR NINER
Decimal Point
14.5 FIGURES ONE FOUR DECIMAL FIVE
Z Time
1635Z TIME ONE SIX THREE FIVE ZULU
Initial And Figures
E21 INITIAL ECHO FIGURES TWO ONE
One Figure and Initial
3-A FIGURE THREE DASH INITIAL ALPHA
34
CAP RADIO MESSAGE FORMAT (CAPF 105)

• Message Heading
• Precedence (Urgency)
• Date-Time Group (DTG)
• From (Originator)
• To (Addressee)
• Info (Other Addressees)

• Message Text
• When read, separate from heading and end by the
  proword BREAK

• Receipt Block
• FROM or TO Call Sign
• DTG received or sent
• Initials of radio operator

35
Message Precedence

• Other Precedence you may hear but not used by
  CAP. Both are handled before Priority or Routine
  Traffic.
• FLASH
• Highest Priority
• Handled as fast as possible, ahead of All other
  messages
• IMMEDIATE (O)
• Messages related to situations gravely affecting
  the security of the Nation
• Requires immediate delivery not to exceed 60
  minutes

• PRIORITY (P)
• Used For Messages Where Routine Isnt Fast
  Enough
• Processed Ahead Of Routine Messages, not to
  exceed 6 hours
• ROUTINE (R)
• Most Used Delivered In Order Received, no later
  than beginning of next duty day

36
Distress and Emergency Signals

MAYDAY Distress PAN Urgency SECURITE Safety
Supercedes all Priority or Routine Traffic
Operator Responsibility 1 LISTEN 2 Be Prepared
to Assist Do NOT Transmit unless your services
are needed or contact is requested
37
PROHIBITED Operating Practices

• Violation of Radio Silence
• Personal Conversation
• Use of given names or nicknames in place of call
  sign
• Excessive tuning and testing
• Profane, indecent, or obscene language
• Interruption of scheduled net activities in
  progress
• Transmitting in a Net without permission of NCS
• Leaving a directed net without the permission of
  the NCS, except in emergency situations or
  equipment failure
• Other discouraged practices
• Use of 10 codes or Amateur Radio Q Signals
• Transmitting radio frequency info over the air
  (FOUO)
• Use of Amateur Radio or Citizens Band frequencies
  for CAP business

38
Good Radio Operator Habits

• Always listen before transmitting
• Listen for your callsign Other stations may
  have traffic for you
• Speak clearly and slowly
• Annunciate your words
• Speak clearly and in a normal voice when
  transmitting
• Remain calm no matter what happens -- Dont
  Panic
• THINK -- Use Your Head
• Read the message as written
• If you dont understand it, ask the Originator
• ONLY the Originator can change the message
• Keep your traffic short and succinct

39
Radio Signal Reports

• Signal Strength
• LOUD Your signal is very strong
• GOOD Your signal strength is good
• WEAK Your signal strength is weak
• VERY WEAK Your signal strength is very weak
• FADING At times your signal strength fades to
  such an extent that continuous reception cannot
  be relied on
• Readability
• CLEAR The quality of your transmission is
  excellent
• READABLE The quality of your transmission is
  satisfactory
• UNREADABLE The quality of your transmission is
  so bad that I cannot understand you
• DISTORTED Having trouble understanding you
  because your signal is distorted
• WITH INTERFERENCE Having trouble understanding
  you due to interference
• INTERMITTENT Having trouble understanding you
  because your signal is intermittent
• Example Loud and Clear, Over

Reports such as Four By Four Five By
Five 20 Over S9 will NOT be used
40
Radio Operation Practice Messages

• Mission sortie assignment
• Mission status report
• Radio signal report
• Ground Team position report
• Takeoff / Landing time and airport report
• Reporting a clue or find
• Passing information or directions
• Request relay to regain communications

"I am often asked how radio works. Well, you see,
wire telegraphy is like a very long cat. You yank
his tail in New York and he meows in Los Angeles.
Do you understand this? Now, radio is exactly the
same, except that there is no cat. Attributed to
Albert Einstein