SUMTER COUNTY
Amateur Radio Emergency Services Association (ARES)

 COMMUNICATIONS FORMS

  • Surrounding Counties



  • There are two groupings for forms and reference documents used for emergency communications.  The older system focuses on the Radiogram which is a formal written message transmitted by radio.   The newer system is the ICS forms which were implemented by FEMA in 2005 and required use by all government agencies (Local, State, Federal) that could receive federal disaster funding.

    Radiogram The Radiogram uses a standardized message format, form, and transmission procedures.  The procedures provide a means of transmitting the content of the message without including the names of the various headers and message sections, so as to minimize the time needed to transmit.  The forms are also maintained which provides a message transmission and delivery audit trail and internally to the organization sending it.  In some cases, the records are legally defined as public records.  For example, maritime May/SOS message transmitted by radio are defined by international agreements as public records.  

    MARSgrams  The Military Affiliate Radio System uses radiograms or MARSgrams to transmit health and welfare messages between military members and their families plus for emergency communications. 

    National Traffic System (NTS)  An ARRL Radiogram is also an evolved message format, form, and transmission procedures.  These formal, written message are routed by a network of amateur radio operators through shortwave (HF) traffic nets, called the National Traffic System.  Each Radiogram is relayed through one or more other amateur radio operators to a radio operator who volunteers to deliver the Radiogram content to its destination.   As FEMA's ICS Document took to forefront and Federal HIPAA and Florida FIPAI/Bettinger laws and regulations came into play, the role of the Radiogram has greatly declined.  For more information, go to National Traffic System.

    Voice of America (VOA) Radiogram is a program started in 2012, which broadcasts digital text and images via shortwave.  This digital stream can be decoded using a basic AM shortwave receiver plus a linked computer with free software of the Fldigi family for several operating systems (Windows, Apple, Linux, and FreeBSD).   The mode used most often for VOA Radiograms is MFSK32; however other modes are occasionally used.

    VOA Broadcast Schedule

    Day and Time (UTC)

    Shortwave Frequency (kHz)

    Saturday 0930-1000

    7545

    Saturday 1600-1630

    17870

    Sunday 0230-0300

    5745

    Sunday 1930-2000

    15670

    ICS Forms  The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of emergency response for field organizations and EOC's.  It provides a common hierarchy (termology, organization, forms, job titles, etc.) within which responders from multiple agencies can be effective.  For more information, go to ICS Forms.

    HICS Forms As above these are the Hospital equivalent of the Incident Command System and provides a standardized approach between hospitals, Department of Health, and Emergency Operations Centers (EOC's).  For more information, go to HICS forms.

     

     

     Last Update:  06/28/2018    © Copyright Sumter County ARES. All Rights Reserved.