After Action Report
11/09/05 District 14

Submitted by:

Description of Activity:

Demonstrate ARES capabilities and support Peterson Air Force Base units in their field exercise, condor Crest 06-01

Duration in hours:

7

Serving Amateur Radio Group(s):

Pikes Peak ARES District 14

Served Agency(ies):

21st Space Wing, Inspector Generals Office Peterson Air Force Base

Describe Served Agency Participation

21st SW IG Office was to evaluate several installation units response to a lost nuclear weapon which had fallen from an aircraft. Communications, safety, security, convoy operations, mutual aid with civilian authorities were to be evaluated.

Number of amateurs participating:

11

Optional - List of amateurs participating

KA0PII
K0HBZ
KB0IAP
N0NKG
KC0HIL
K7CIF
N0MIK
KC0MQK
K0TER
K4ARM
KC0HCS

Man hours for the event (checkins*duration)

98

List the goals of the activity:

• Demonstrate availability and professionalism of civilian assets
• Provide timely communications between field and base operational areas
• Demonstrate ability to provide reliable communications from other than ideal geographic locations
• Demonstrate digital commuinications capabilities and pass acutal weather traffic and other messages as requested, using this mode of operation.
• Maintain an accurate log of all messages handled
• Send electronic mail (e-mail) to selected individuals using amateur radio assets froma a field location
• Provide complete after action comments, as requested, to served agency before close of business November, 10, 2005.

Were those goals met: (Y/N)

Y

Explain:

Former military members were assigned to work at the military installation and were familiar with military customs and procedures. One vehicle not registed with the Department of Defense was allowed acess to Peterson Air Force Base, PAFB, without incident.

Communications were established ahead of an established 8AM goal, including digital comms, simplex VHF and UHF repeater operations from field to PAFB.

Voice traffic was handled from a geographic depression via VHF and relayed to PAFB without delay.

Digital comms were initially difficult to establish as there was no available egress for cables from the PAFB site. A node was established and a X-Band link activated from a parked vehicle which was done in a timely manner and all future digital communications worked flawlessly once alternate routes, if needed, were investigated.

Message logs were handwritten in the field and collected and digital traffic is self logging with all electronic traffic available following the exercise, if needed.

Wes, K0HBZ, was able to successfully pass Airmail traffic to selected individuals from an off-site location where he was set up as ARES Operations.

Failure of all USAF communications from field to base, including cell phones, resulting in ARES assets becoming actively involved in the exercise. This included an amateur radio autopatch from the On Scene Commander, OSC, to the Battle Staff commander at PAFB.

What went well?:

Failure of a magnetic mount antenna was immediately replaced with a spare, failure of a portable printer at PAFB was immediately replaced, previous experience with cross band operation for digital communications played a pivitol role in the succes of this assignment. all this shows that training, back up equipment and knowledge of local communications assets outside the realm of what you have physically with you, will prove to be your 'Ace in the hole' for most situations.

Every aspect of amatuer radio went extremely well.
See comments below:

'You guys impressed the beegeebers out of the MSG and deputy commanders

IG is happy with how we did business.

I need a listing of names for thank you letters and where to send them for the best appreciation impact

Thank your folks - outstanding job"

Areas needing improvement:

As this was an initial cooperative effort, all areas are up for discussion. Location of external antennas, handling of sensitive information, access to military facilities, exposure to ARES assets and capabilities and possibly further investigation of USAF assets which could be deployed to work hand in hand with ARES personell.

Lessons Learned:

Continue training as it pays off. Especially when you have a new served agency to work with.

Additional Training needed:

Trainining on pre-formatted ICS-213's for digital communications will enhance our value, cut down on voice repeats and provide a modicom of security for sensitive information which may need to be handled.

Ideas for future exercises:

None

Comments:

Follow-up with USAF PAFB communications personell as requested by the Inspector Generals Office and possibly schedule a power point presentation for interested parties at PAFB.

Copy of Operations Plan:

Operations Plan in .doc format