Tactical Callsigns - When and How to Use Them

Tactical calls are used to identify a location during an event regardless of who is operating. This is an important concept. The tactical call allows you to contact a location without knowing the FCC call of the operator there. It also virtually eliminates confusion at shift changes and when a person takes a break from operating. Think about that. Do you answer a call from the sound of a persons voice or from the identified location. Obviously from the identified location.

Tactical calls should be used for all Emergency nets once there are more than three participants and most public service nets if there is more than minimal traffic.

Net Control will assign the tactical call as each location is opened. It will normally be some unique identifier that indicates which location or function this is. Some examples are:

NET - for net control
CHECK-POINT-1 - for the first check point in a public service event
CP - for the event command post
FIRE-BASE-1 - for the first fire base established or the fire base in a particular region
EOC - for the Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center (WC4EM) (Primary or alternate, Wilkinson)
SHELTER NAME - Name of your shelter location, i.e. Cranberry (for Cranberry Elementary School)
RED CROSS - Red Cross Headquarters
EMS - for the operator stationed with the EMS vehicle
AID-3 - for the third aid station on a route, etc.

Specifically for SPECIAL EVENTS like the Midnight Run Event we support, the following Tactical Calls can/will be used:

NET CONTROL REST 1 - for Rest Stop 1
REST 2 - for Rest Stop 2
REST 3 - for Rest Stop 3
TURNAROUND - for the Course Turnaround point
BICYCLE 1 - for a communicator using his Bicycle to traverse the course
BICYCLE 2
MOTORCYCLE
EMS
START - Who calls the Start of the Race
FINISH - for the Start communicator who then becomes the Finish Line communicator
MILE 1 - for communicators stationed in intermediate spots between Rest Stops
MILE 2
MILE 3
Maybe SHADOW 1 - for the Course Director Shadow

Proper use of tactical calls can best be explained by example.

INITIATING A CALL

If you were at aid station three during a directed net and wanted to contact Net Control you would say "NET, AID3" or, in crisper nets, simply "AID3". If you had emergency traffic you would say "AID3, emergency traffic" or for priority traffic "AID3, priority traffic".

Notice how you have conveyed all information necessary without using any unnecessary words or taking any unnecessary time.

If you had traffic for another location, such as check point five, you would say "AID3, traffic for CHECK POINT 5". This tells NCS everything needed to handle the traffic. NCS will then call check point 5 with "CHECK POINT 5, call AID3 for traffic", if there is no other traffic holding. (thus, there is no need to ask Net Control for permission to go direct with Check point 5)

FCC requirements say you must identify at the end of a QSO (and every 10 minutes during a QSO). To meet the FCC ID requirement, send your call when you have no more traffic and are going back into monitoring mode ... "Rest 1, WD4AHZ". You have just satisfied FCC ID requirements.