Saratoga Quarterly City Communications Drill
2021-08-21 10:00 – 11:30 (likely 1 hour)
Net Control will be monitoring the SARA repeaters on 146.655 MHz, minus offset, PL of 114.8 Hz or on our linked 70cm repeater at 443.150 MHz, positive offset, PL 100 Hz.
The objectives of this drill include:
- How to check-in to the net with a Mike-Mike report
- How to report on preliminary damage assessments
- Use of both the repeater and our Tactical simplex frequency
Make sure you have the following programmed into your radio:
- Repeater: 146.655 – PL 114.8
- Repeater: 443.150 + PL 100
- Simplex: 146.505
As close to 10:00 AM as possible, the Net Control operator will open the net and all participants will check-in with a standard-formatted Mike-Mike report.
This will be in the form of:
| Net Control | Participant |
| I’m taking check-ins with a Mike-Mike 7 or 8 only | |
| N6ADE | |
| N6ADE, go ahead | |
| N6ADE, Drill Traffic, Saratoga-Sunnyvale and Prospect, Mike-Mike 7, N6ADE | |
| Copy N6ADE, can you do some damage assessments around your immediate area? | |
| Affirmative, N6ADE |
Here is the standard Modified Mercalli (“MIKE-MIKE”) Scale:
| Mike -Mike | Definition |
| Mike-Mike 1 | Not felt at all |
| Mike-Mike 2 | Felt by persons at rest, especially on upper floors |
| Mike-Mike 3 | Felt indoors, objects swing; like light truck passing |
| Mike-Mike 4 | Windows, dishes rattle; standing cars rock; walls creak |
| Mike-Mike 5 | Felt outdoors; liquids disturbed/spilled; pictures move; doors swing; small items displaced |
| Mike-Mike 6 | Windows, dishes, glassware broken; books off shelf; pictures off walls; furniture, lamps moved/toppled |
| Mike-Mike 7 | Difficult to stand; noticed by drivers of cars; waves on ponds; furniture broken; chimneys, plaster falls |
| Mike-Mike 8 | Steering of cars affected; damage to masonry; towers & elevated tanks fall; branches broken; frame houses move |
If you are willing to visit a few sites around your neighborhood, please consider the following a potential list of infrastructure. We have also provided some potential responses that you can give.
If you are unable to visit the following sites,(or would rather stay home) you could look up the sites on Google maps and report what you see.
Alternatively, you could just make up an incident report.
Please tell net control in this form:
| Net Control | Participant |
| Net Control, N6ADE with traffic | |
| Go ahead, N6ADE | |
| “This is drill traffic” “At Starbucks, no power, I don’t know how we are going to survive this” “End of message” | |
| Thank you for your report, Net Control N6… | |
| N6ADE clear |
At some time, the Net Control operator may ask you to move to a simplex channel to complete the message passing. If you are able:
Tell the net control operator that you will switch to 146.505 Simplex
Check-in to 146.505
Transfer your message
After being told to return to the repeater, please switch back and tell the net control operator: “N6ADE is back with you”
If you are not able to switch to 146.505, tell the net control operator:
Unable to switch, I would like to remain on the repeater.
Then, follow any net control guidance
| Site | Why | Location | Possible report / action |
| Prospect Road sewage pump | This is critical infrastructure from an environmental standpoint | SE corner of Prospect and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd. | If you hit a red light, report: “Looks OK, generating running” Else “No power, no fans, generator not running” |
| Power lines along the railroad tracks | This is a major high voltage line that feeds much of Saratoga and Cupertino | Joe’s Trail parking lot. Under the powerlines just south of the railroad tracks on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd. | If parking lot has > 3 cars, report: “Lines may be down to the east” Else: “Lines look OK” |
| Argonaut Shopping Center | Could be a collection point from the hillsides alone Pierce Rd. | 12876 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd. | Report a made up scenario like: Power, many shoppers, all looks good Or No power, shoppers trying to buy goods, chaos |
| Saratoga High School | Possible Red Cross Shelter | 20300 Herriman Ave | If > 10 people on the track, report: All structures look good, this can be a shelter site Else Some damage, better ask American Red Cross to inspect first |
| Starbucks | 14410 Big Basin Way D | If parking lot full, report: Game over, no coffee, we’re bleeped. Else Coffee available, let’s continue the exercise | |
| Our Lady of Fatima Villa | Large population of residents likely needing more assistance | 20400 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd. | If people seen, report: Structures look good, no issues noted Else Some damage seen, fire department on scene |
| West Valley College | Likely POD (Point of Distribution) site, shelter, large animal collection site. | Corner of Fruitvale and Allendale avenues | Go to new softball field on east side of campus (“E College Circle”) across from pool) If more than 2 pieces of construction equipment (backhoes, man-ups, tractors, etc.) are present: Report “equipment is available for emergency use.” Else Report “No equipment available. Need to look elsewhere.” |
| West Valley College | Corner of Fruitvale and Allendale avenues | Go to tennis courts on south side of campus (“S College Circle”.) If the courts are empty: Report “Space is available for emergency triage location.” Else Report “No space for triage. Need to look elsewhere.” | |
| Redwood Junior High School Soccer Field | Across Allendale from Joan Pasani Community Center | Are kids playing soccer? If fields empty: Report, “Space available for city EOC post” If fields occupied: Report, “Earthquake will need to come on another day.” | |
| Cycle Bar | 5293A Prospect Road San Jose | Exercise scene out behind bldg. If people seen active, report: Exercise underway, no issues Else report: Empty or if people down and hurt, Ambulance called | |
| Prospect Center | CERT staging site, ‘North side’ communications capability | 19800 Prospect Road Saratoga | Green ERT hut out back Is hut Open and manned? If Yes, report: as functional and check in Else Locked up, No ham gear available. Report that we are SOL |
| Peets Coffee | 12148 Saratoga/Sunnyvale Road | Business open? If yes: Report that we are safe and grab a cuppa joe Else We are hosed. Gonna’ be a rough morning. | |
| Argonaut School | 13200 Shadow Mountain Dr Saratoga | Kids playing soccer? If yes: Report fields are full and all is well Else Report fields are empty, Red Cross could use |