CUL (T)

[Short Field]

aircraft contracted to the USFS have an onboard system for tracking which would give location and flightpath for each sortie. 

I was told that AZWG either has or has tested (formally or informally?) a relatively cheap GPS based system that provides real-time tracking of the aircraft or vehicle to a ground unit.  The person involved in testing it was duely impressed.  Just imagine how that could transform Mission Base!

[ammotrucker]

aircraft contracted to the USFS have an onboard system for tracking which would give location and flightpath for each sortie. 

I was told that AZWG either has or has tested (formally or informally?) a relatively cheap GPS based system that provides real-time tracking of the aircraft or vehicle to a ground unit.  The person involved in testing it was duely impressed.  Just imagine how that could transform Mission Base!

This would be nothing more then Qualcomm tracking which the DoD currently does.  I don't know who would pay that type of bill.  It runs about $4000.00 per unit installed.

[Eclipse]

We're forgetting about the ground teams.

APRS, Qualcomm, whatever, does not accommodate a GT.

Shortfield PM'ed me with the basic 1-2-3 of the encoding, its not overly complicated but makes some assumptions that most teams could not handle easily.

If its working for them, great, but I don't see it becoming a standard anytime soon.

[arajca]

The latest version of CAPR 100-3 PROHIBITS the use of locally developed codes.

[Eclipse]

The latest version of CAPR 100-3 PROHIBITS the use of locally developed codes.

This particular one is apparently part of a nationally recognized system.

[arajca]

Interesting. Being on wing comm staff, I haven't heard anything about it.

[Ricochet13]

aircraft contracted to the USFS have an on-board system for tracking which would give location and flightpath for each sortie. 

I was told that AZWG either has or has tested (formally or informally?) a relatively cheap GPS based system that provides real-time tracking of the aircraft or vehicle to a ground unit.  The person involved in testing it was duly impressed.  Just imagine how that could transform Mission Base!

My squadron and a neighboring squadron will be running a training mission end of this month.  Specifically it will be to work on UDF qualifications, but we will deploy APRS units with each of three teams.  The APRS data will be monitored by the IC and the Exercise Controller as Mission Base.  This has already been demonstrated to the wing commander and he has requested (and received) cost estimates future implementation.

[ZigZag911]

We can maintain security without resorting to codes, simply by taking care in what we say on the radio...and, as someone pointed out in a previous post, taking advantage of the fact that we at mission base know where we sent people/teams/aircraft!

Check ins could go something like this:

"CAPFLIGHT 1234 in northeast quadrant of assigned grid"

"CAPFLIGHT 5678 en route to search area, approximately 30 miles west of area"

"Ground Team Alpha in assigned search area."

"Ground Team Bravo, en route to mission base, 15 mile north on Route 1".

Sufficient information for AOBD/GBD/IC to have a clear idea of where their resources are, but sparse enough to make newshounds, "volunteer searchers", and others who may be listening scratch their heads and waste time trying to puzzle things out.

[Short Field]

To activate the decode module in the IMU:
  1.  Click on the Logistics Tab to bring up the Logistics Page
  2.  Click on "File"
  3.  Select "Parameters"
  4.  Click on the Grid Assist Tab
  5.  Click the box to enable position decoding option. 

This opens up an additional box on the Comm Log page.

If you need more info, you will have to PM me.  I am still looking for a source to explain this system that I can reference you to.

[Short Field]

We can maintain security without resorting to codes, simply by taking care in what we say on the radio...and, as someone pointed out in a previous post, taking advantage of the fact that we at mission base know where we sent people/teams/aircraft!

Fully concur with you on this.  Mission Base knows where they sent you so you don't have to be broadcasting your Grid assignment in the clear.  Anyone can easily download CAP grids off the internet.   

I am a firm believer that you will perform exactly like you train.  So if you don't practice OPSEC in your training, you will not practice it on actual missions. 

[Short Field]

II will track down the sources on what I was briefed to use. 

The encoding and decoding procedure is unique to the IMU.  It does not require the IMU to use it.

[Eclipse]

As a GBD, I need to know where my people are, and what they are doing, and if they are coordinating with an aircraft, I shoudl know where those planes are and what they are doing as well.

If non-search aircraft are causing issue with the search, the IC can request a TFR for the area.

If non-search personnel are causing issues on the ground, the IC can request that local law enforcement
restrict access.

Once of the reasons that CAP doesn't use, and most FD/PD's are moving away from 10-codes and similar, is that the EASY flow of information is likely more important than the secure access of it.

If we're talking about HLS situations, then common sense and precautions should be taken - digital radio, cel phones, encryption, whatever, but in SAR and DR situations, this is an unnecessary extra step.

For IC's who want to use it, in areas where their people have been trained, fine - their call along with the state's ES people and Wing CC (to set the standard to start with), but to insinuate "this is coming" is a stretch.

Same goes for the IMU...

[Ricochet13]

As a GBD, I need to know where my people are, and what they are doing, and if they are coordinating with an aircraft, I shoudl know where those planes are and what they are doing as well.

If non-search aircraft are causing issue with the search, the IC can request a TFR for the area.

If non-search personnel are causing issues on the ground, the IC can request that local law enforcement
restrict access.

Once of the reasons that CAP doesn't use, and most FD/PD's are moving away from 10-codes and similar, is that the EASY flow of information is likely more important than the secure access of it.

If we're talking about HLS situations, then common sense and precautions should be taken - digital radio, cel phones, encryption, whatever, but in SAR and DR situations, this is an unnecessary extra step.

For IC's who want to use it, in areas where their people have been trained, fine - their call along with the state's ES people and Wing CC (to set the standard to start with), but to insinuate "this is coming" is a stretch.

Same goes for the IMU...

Ditto!!

[Capt M. Sherrod]

Thank you all for your inputs.  It turned out to be a very interesting SAR/EX as the base had a planned power outage for that part of the base and hadn't told us.  We ran the mission and learned some very interesting items about our comm capabilities.  It also gave us some real world experience for the event that something like this happens in the future.

[Eclipse]

CAP-USAF has pulled that on us in the past and other than the initial chaos, it shouldn't really
mean much to the opertation.

Every CAP radio, cel phones, and laptop computers are capable of running off of battery.

I carry a 750 watt inverter in my truck which I can run all my gear off of, including a printer and two notebooks.
I also have a generator on standby, and many of my people carry them to missions (in most cases, if CAP-USAF is playing "lights out", telling them you have ready backup power is enough for them to turn it back on).

Usually CAP-USAF is just trying to see how much forethought your people have done, as well as how they respond to problems.

[Capt M. Sherrod]

True, however, CAP-USAF was specifically asked if he had something to do with it and the response was, "I wish I had that much power."  This was something the base did without notifying CAP.

[arajca]

I remember that trick being pulled on us in the com van a few years ago. No one in the van noticed until someone poked their head in and asked if the power cord should be plugged into the van. The ups installed in the van worked flawlessly.