Net Control - Las Vegas

Job Description

NET CONTROL OPERATOR

Las Vegas will be the primary Net Control Station. Pahrump will be ready as a Secondary N.C.S., in case they need to take the net from Las Vegas for some reason.
It may be necessary for Pahrump to take over the net as Follow Vans are in the areas between Stage 7 and Stage 10, due to the possibility that the vans may be isolated from the Data Network while they are in this area, while Pahrump may hear the vans directly.

Shift Schedules
There will be five Net Control Operators in Las Vegas that will share duties during rotating shifts on Saturday and Sunday. Net Control is in a hotel room connected to the Gil Marconi (Logistics) Room. All foot traffic will go through Logistics in order to keep the noise level down in Net Control.

These are the nets that will be monitored by Net Control during the race:

  1. Voice Net (UHF, repeaters, primary voice net for our group)
  2. Digital Net (VHF, simplex, used by packet/APRS)
  3. Local Net (VHF, simplex, for coordinating van-to-operator locating, and etc.)
  4. Medical Net (only used for medical emergencies and by B2V staff ONLY)


Traffic Priority
All radio traffic specific to our group will come through Net Control. The Net Control Station will consider all Shuttle Van traffic as "routine", and will prioritize it on an "as called" basis. Any Emergency and Urgent traffic will always be handled before routine.
There are three key messages to listen for from Follow Van Operators:
One Mile Out (the new runner needs to make their way to the line)
One Minute Out (the new runner needs to be on the line now)
In The Gate (watch for the current runner, stand by for the handoff!)
Because these messages are very time-sensitive, we are changing the normal net protocol for these three messages. Net Control will confirm that they heard the message by confirming the traffic, including the stage number.
"FBI Follow, One Mile Out"
"We copy FBI Follow, one mile out from stage 5"
Follow Van Operators should not call Net Control and wait to be acknowledged for these three messages. In past years, this extra communications has delayed this time-sensitive traffic, and we are making these messages the highest priority that we can.