1. Presentation by: Alex Martin KD8BCE

2. WHO WE ARE  Gary Hollenbaugh,NJ8BB OHDEN Net Manager  Dave Robinson, WB8PMG, NCS  Seth Hunnycutt, KD8RBP  Eldon Peterson, W5UHQ  AND OTHERS…  Bob Woodworth, WD8PVB, Technical  Jim Yoder, W8ERW OH STC  HTTP://OHDEN.ORG HTTP://OHDEN.ORG

3. Description: The goals of OHDEN net are to hone skills in digital radio emergency communications and gain a sufficient number of qualified amateur radio stations operators to support served agencies in times of communications outages, local or state wide emergencies and disaster situations. The OHIO DIGITAL EMERCENCY NET (OHDEN) is a directed ARRL section level state wide HF net of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) system using sound card digital modes. Its purpose is to serve Ohio EMA and EOC’s by passing formal written emergency traffic between the various EMA/EOC offices in all Ohio ARES districts and counties and traffic to and from the state of Ohio. OHDEN is a parallel system to the ARRL National Traffic System (NTS) who primarily handles health and welfare messages. ODEN handling of emergency traffic will ensure timely delivery of traffic to and from emergency stations, EMA/EOC’S. OHDEN will coordinate with the OHIO HF NET W8SGT TEAM on matters related to emergency communications and traffic handling.

4. Organization: The Ohio SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR (SEC) has instructed this net to be organized and staffed and is known as OHDEN. The SEC is responsible for appointing the Section digital net manager. The net manager is required to be a current ARRL member, ARES registered and appointed as an OFFICIAL EMERGENCY STATION (OES). The net manager shall possess and have knowledge in operating a digital HF station. The net manager will be responsible for:  Day to day operation of the net  Establishment of standard operating procedures and best practices  Maintaining net discipline  Assignment of net control stations and other duties as needed  Submission of monthly net reports to the SEC  Other duties as assigned by the SEC  Establishing net training and technical training  Update OHDEN.ORG website regularly

5. GUIDING PRINCIPLES: The goals of our digital sound card emergency communications nets are to:  Build participation  Practice net discipline  Accurately move information as quickly and efficiently as possible  Coordinate between in state and out of state net liaisons  Meet the needs and wants of our potentially served agencies to the best of our ability  Distribute information relevant to emergency communications to our net participants

6. NET CONTROL STATIONS  Conduct weekly net schedule  Responsible for net operation and net discipline  Records station check ins  Handles any traffic  Send out net report  Act as ANCS as necessary when on net  Registered with ARES and encouraged to be OES

7. ODEN STATION TECHNICAL CONFIGURATION  FLDIGI is the standard software  OLIVIA 8/500 and MT63 1K are OHDEN standard modes  OLIVIA 8/500 for net keyboard to keyboard communications  Traffic may be passed on OLIVIA particularly when conditions are poor  MT63 1K to be used for bulletins and long messages  Waterfall tuning 1k on both modes  Other FLDIGI features to be used as experienced is gained  Other modes may be uses as NCS see fit

8. ODEN STATION TECHNICAL CONFIGURATION  Other modes answered in waterfall.  Stable HF radio  Signalink interface is recommended for common usage, creates common knowledge base  OHDEN technical team available to help with configuration of FLDIGI, sound card interfaces, station setup and antenna systems  Website will include training material, net scripts and other useful links.  Remember, use USB even on low bands, NVIS horizontal antenna is HIGHLY recommended for state wide coverage.  Verticals discouraged.

9. NEEDS OF OHDEN  Each Ohio ARES districts to organize a digital team at the district level and county level. DEC and EC should organize their teams at the district level, each leader should develop their own requirements and processes.  District and county EC is recommended to develop a relationship with their local EMA and other served agencies.  Each district is requested to assign a liaison to OHDEN and W8SGT net.  OHDEN staff is available to assist the DEC’s and EC

10. FUTURE PROJECTS Field day is an exercise to prepare amateur stations to operate in less than ideal conditions. One of the activities for extra points is to transmit a message to the SM or SEC. in the past, the NTS would be used to move this traffic. However, NTS can be overloaded during field day. It is proposed that OHDEN will be activated during field day to handle traffic primarily from EMA/EOC and Class “F” stations.

11. FUTURE PROJECTS CONT.  OHDEN would be active on rotating sked during FD  OHDEN would retransmit the ARRL FD message  We will need additional NCS for this period, possibly stations not actually active in a FD event and operate from home. Otherwise, set up a separate OHDEN station at the NCS FD location.  Going forward the net needs to gain experience with propagation on 40meters during the daylight hours.  Experiment using 60meters as a mixed mode band. This band allows phone and digital modes on same frequency. Simplifies and speeds up coordination of traffic listing and transmission.  Please respond to be a OHDEN traffic station during field day. This is as real as it gets.

12. REMEMBER!!! The original PSK13 wpm P u S h K ey