Post on 17-Aug-2020
ScenarioErie County ARES/RACES provides Day‐of‐Event communications for two large bicycle events
ADA T d C RidADA Tour de Cure – 1200+ RidersRide for Roswell ‐ 6200+ Riders
Record keeping and management of events of this Record‐keeping and management of events of this magnitude QUICKLY outgrew our previous pen‐on‐paper techniquesp p qRadio communications channels were overrun with position report requests and replies, sometimes i di bili i i iimpeding our ability to mitigate emergencies
An Event Tracking System by N2WLSAn Event Tracking System by N2WLS
What is the Status Board System?Microsoft Access Database system developed by N2WLSUsed to track all Day‐of‐Event communicationsA t t t l th t idAn event management tool that provides
Real‐time status updates for all tactical units involved in the eventReal‐time logging of all communications for the eventSeparation of Routine Traffic from Management Intensive communicationscommunicationsEnd‐of‐Event report generation
Runs on a simplified Local Area Network (LAN)p ( )
Simplified Network Architecture
Main Menu
Three Basic FunctionsThree Basic FunctionsData Entry (Radio)Event ManagementgOperations Center Overhead Screen Di lDisplay
Data Entry ComputersSetup at each radio console at operations center
All data entry computers show the most recent communications from center
Each console staffed by one radio operator and
communications from each of the tactical units on one main status one radio operator and
one computer operatorEvery radio
boardAll entries are time‐
dcommunication is posted simultaneously to both screen and log
stamped
both screen and log
Data Entry Computer Screen
Data Entry (continued)Pull down driven to make data entry quick.Locked to pull down menu to make dataEntry uniform across all users.
Display Driver (Overhead Screen)
Management Menu
Management Console•As communications come in, radio operators can assign an item as “Needs Management Attention”•These communications are logged and then sent to the Management Console screenConsole screen•Event Manager decides how to handle each of these items, tells the radio operators to contact the appropriate field units, and types pp p , ypinto the log the disposition of each of these Action Items•These dispositions are also time‐stamped into the log
Management CustomizationsOn‐the‐Fly ability to add, edit, or delete Tactical assignments and Tactical assignments and frequency assignments
Management Log‐ViewAllows event manager to scroll back through the updated log to retrieve updated log to retrieve information that is no‐longer on the status gboardShows the overall flow of
f hcommunications for the eventSearchable!Searchable!
End‐of‐Event Reports
Entire Chronological Log
Future improvements pendingNon‐Ham call‐taker screen
Allows for phone‐bank operators to log data into the t t tevent management system
Will automatically route all info to the management screen to take the burden off the radio operators to route pcall info
Bike Repair consoleWill allow all bike repair requests to be routed to one i di id l t i d t kindividual to assign and track
How ECAR Cut Event Radio Traffic in HALF!How ECAR Cut Event Radio Traffic in HALF!
Why did we add APRS?Increasing numbers of bike riders
L di t d b bik Large distance covered by bike courses
Trying to manage these increases with the same Trying to manage these increases with the same number of communicators
Newer technology is available to help us out
What did we gain with APRS?Position Tracking
We always know where the tactical units are
Decreased Quantity of Voice CommunicationsN t f “Wh ?” th iNo more requests for “Where are you?” over the air
Quicker Response to EmergenciesQuicker Response to EmergenciesEasier to assign the closest course vehicle to an incident
AbbreviationsAPRS
Automatic Position Reporting SystemPacket radio system used for tracking objects, including
l hi l b i f h y g j g
people, vehicles, boats, aircraft, weather systems, etc. using an Amateur Radio mode called unconnected (UI) packets Developed by Bob Bruninga WB4APRDeveloped by Bob Bruninga, WB4APR
TNCT i l N d C t ll “RF M d ”Terminal Node Controller – “RF Modem”
GPSGlobal Positioning System
APRS SetupsAPRS SetupsCommand Post Station C tCommand Post Station
Position is FixedTuned to 144.39 MHz
Computer
39Map displayed on computer via UI‐View with UI Point
TNC
with UI‐Point integrationWill translate callsigns
VHF Radiog
of our trackers into tactical callsigns (ex. SWEEP‐105 SAG32b) APRS NetworkSWEEP‐105, SAG32b)
APRS SetupsAPRS SetupsMobile / Tracker GPS R iMobile / Tracker
Routinely transmits position as received
GPS Receiver
from GPSSmartBeaconsSSID 9 used by
TinyTrak3
SSID ‐9 used by conventionUses MIC‐E format to
VHF Radio
increase reliability of transmitted data
APRS Network
APRS SetupsAPRS SetupsDigipeater Computerg p
Was used as a fill‐in digipeater for the northeastern‐most part
p(optional)
northeastern‐most part of Tour de Cure courseResponds to WIDE1‐1
TNC
Will NOT use computer, just a KPC3+ TNC VHF Radio
APRS Network
TrackersTranslate GPS NMEA position data into APRS format and transmits this to VHF radio without a TNC neededRelatively inexpensiveRelatively inexpensiveKit version and pre‐built versions availableProgramming software for Windows available for freeProgramming software for Windows available for freeMade for Hams by Hams
Trackers We UseTinyTrak3 OpenTracker2
Basic Layout of an ECAR Event Operations CenterBasic Layout of an ECAR Event Operations Center
Front‐of‐Room Layout
Live APRS MapLive APRS Map& Status Board Beneath
Computer Logging at Two Radios
Management Laptop
Live Management Console