NET VHF Simplex Frequencies

uring a major disaster some of amateur radio operators may be inoperable while others may be overloaded with traffic. For that reason, during monthly simplex exercise and during semiannual Citywide Deployment Exercises, we don’t use repeaters except for a Resource Net.  Instead we organize regional simplex subnets where operators check in with a subnet controller that should be reachable without the use of a repeater. With this in mind, we have identified a set of VHF frequencies that may be available for our use. Those frequencies are shown in the following table. For convenience these frequencies can be found in the main Multnomah County ARES template starting at memory location 392 and in the smaller “HT” template starting in memory location 68.

We will often use the frequencies for the he regional subnets shown in the right-hand column. Nevertheless, we may vary from the frequency assignments shown in the table if there is a shortage of subnet controllers or if some of the frequencies in the table are being used for other purposes or are subject to radio frequency interference. When a frequency change is needed we will attempt to make the new frequency known to the Resource Net Control operator and the Tactical Net operator as well as announce the new frequency on the original frequency whenever possible.

You will also notice that the table includes frequencies described as NETTac 1, 2 and 3.  These frequencies can be used by subnet controllers to communicate with amateur radio operators at the Portland Emergency Coordination Center.