Net Control- Pahrump

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, but Pahrump while Pahrump may be hearing the vans directly.
Once all of the follow Vans are well past Pahrump, then Pahrump will close down for the night.

Shift Schedules
Pahrump Net Control Station will have controllers who will share duties during rotating shifts on Saturday and Sunday until Pahrump closes down. Pahrump will be operating from the start of the race until all supported teams are well past Pahrump. Pahrump NC will have to monitor all stage times. Times should be posted on a whiteboard, comparing estimated time with actual times. Pahrump NC will also monitor APRS network to be able to answer Police Department questions about runner location and times.
Pahrump will coordinate supplies for the Follow Van as it comes through town as well as arrange the swap of the Follow Van operator. It is a good idea to be familiar with the traffic diversion that race traffic must take through town.

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.