NIFOG - The National Interoperability Field Operations Guide

Thanks Fred. As an Instructor for both COMT and Auxiliary Emergency Communications working for Dept. Homeland Security, we distribute these NiFogs at every class. They do have a wealth of information critical to interoperable communications. Ross did an outstanding job putting this together.
Jim Millsap-WB4NWS
ARRL Southeastern Vice Director
DEC Metro Atlanta District ARES

 

Fred, I actually got a copy of this last week. While the frequency reference is only good for scanner programming (to me anyway), I did find one section of the guide that should help EVERYBODY. It is a reference of email gateways for text messaging. These gateways allow you to send an email message to any cellular phone on that carrier's network capable of text messaging. You only need the number of the phone and to know the user's carrier.

 

File is a bit Large,but useable for my position as Chief Comm Off,Fall River,MA Emergency Management. Thanks Fred!

 

My votes for Ross as head of over the horizon radar freqs.

 

I guess that I should at least first download it and open the cover......But.... If effective interoperability means any kind of common denominator, how is it that amateur radio has any role, since few of us are using : 1) 700MHz (unlawful); 2) P25 (surplus VHF/UHF comm gear sparse and expensive--and public safety moving en-masse to 700MHz anyway); 3) public safety narrowbanding and we're not; 4) if we are using NBFM, VHF maritime isn't; 5) DSTAR isn't compatible with P25, MTRTRBO, SecureNet, or EDACS.


So, we use impromptu, portable, local WiFi-linked IP repeater radios across services? If so, who has them? Who coordinates them and makes them immediately available in crises? Licensing/regulatory exemptions?

 

Now that I've downloaded the handbook and read through the frequencies section, its quite a collection. It even includes the entire 40-channel Citizens Band, by frequency. And, the GMRS allocation. However, the only thing listed for Amateur Radio is the ARRL's office phone number, and that for W1AW. It would seem to me that some frequencies, such as simplex FM national calling frequencies for 10M, 6M, 2M and 70cM should have been included in a table with notation about them being wide band (5kHz) deviation. Since a ham authored the handbook, why weren't they included? Obviously, from other examples in the handbook, restrictions on use due to licensure, FCC regulations, etc., could have been footnoted to smooth any ruffled feathers. It was late last night, and I might have fallen asleep and missed them. Many apologies if I did.

The thought did cross my mind: What if ARRL's telephones aren't answered or can't be answered in a real crisis? I could find nothing about contacting local or state ARES people, etc. Maybe I dozed off again. Was that Newington's decision to omit the above?

Also, nothing about SHARES or MARS that I could find. I've heard that MARS frequencies (and modes?) are perceived as sensitive (Official Business). One need only listen to HF, so that's really quite an effective way of keeping anyone from finding them. (If sensitivity of communications is such an issue, it would seem to me that MARS ought to follow the military and use spread spectrum. But, of course, that would mean all would have to use only military radios)

 

Bottom Line for all Non Federal Agencies using these frequencies they must have an FCC license specifically authorizing the frequencies. Federal agencies are not governed through the FCC and must have Authorization through the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA). Amateurs may not use these frequencies unless an an emergency (life and property).

 

All Public Safety licensee are licensed by rule to operate mobile stations on the non-federal national public safety interoperability frequencies. They don't need to license them separately unless it is for a base station or repeater.

 

To properly understand the letter of the law, and the intent, you must plow through the NTIA Redbook.

The NIFOG, is a great 'on the ground' reference....there are legitimate vehicles (reference the Redbook) for non-federal entities to come up on federally coordinated frequency resources to meet a specific mission or requirement (yes, damned be 'type' certification).

The NIFOG does not, and cannot, address the 'digital babylon' (D-Star, P25, EDACS, Moto) issue.
The radio makers DON'T want that adressed. P25 is just ONE way to narrowband; even though most of the federal systems will 'go' P25; the States and others are heavily invested otherwise.

It will be interesting to see in a couple of years what FirstNet will do to the NIFOG, ARES and RACES doctrine and the amateur aspect of ECOMM.

But even as I type this, the special interests (many) have started to degrade, twist and manipulate the intent of what FirstNet is supposed to empower First Responders with as a tool set.

Too damn many 'good idea fairies'.

As I have commented in other forums with extreme prejudice, I will state here in hopes to avert my mailbox from running over....I am a active duty spectrum manager in the uniformed services. I do not 'stay in my lane' under the premise of constantly seeking self-improvement (a job 'requirement') and to stay current with technology/ trends for communication solutions. Out.

 

A great resource for the toolbox. I have referred to the book a few times (the wiring section for connectors is great) and it is just an easy to use book for those in the field. The book is revised based on field experience and changes that will help all folks. There is also a group of us who submit items for those changes. Thanks for posting so hams can keep this in their EMCOMM stuff!
Dolph
WA2NTW

 

All this is wasted if fire, police and ems do not trust one another and want to share. Sharing attitued must come from the top (chief) down and practiced every day socially in order for true interoperablity to work. Electronics is the easy part!!

 

Trent: You have the knowledge that so few have to see the interoperability problem with the proper perspective. However, unless the plethora of choices are coordinated to the extent that all have the ability to meet on some common ground, the limeric of "when all else fails" will be heard more frequently than not.

What I tried to get across in my old Petition really wasn't assignment of frequencies so much, but a means to establish the authority/permission/regulations to allow practice drills. We can have books full of numbers, channels, modes and other specifics, but if we don't test out the interoperable capability on a frequent basis, there won't be channels programmed into mobile radios. Or, the time in a crisis to be able to do so.

Sure, I knew when I wrote the Petition that there were high-band VHF public safety interop channels assigned. But, as I found out in the Katrina proceedings before the Commission, those frequencies were assigned for regular use by licensees. So, how could drills be conducted? Maybe that is not a problem now with narrowbanding having taken place.

What I really find despicable is the extent to which commerical interests can prevent regulators from zeroing in on the compatibility problem. APCO had the right idea with P25, but where is/was "the teeth?" In other words, dispense with MOTOTRBO (sp?), EDACS, D-Star, etc., for public safety applications.

Also, where is the publicity being shared about the failures of 700MHz trunked replacement for VHF/UHF conventional systems? Certainly not via the FCC. They're still cramming stuff into the band. Perhaps, though, I'm missing something. Maybe 700MHz, like 800 and 900 conventional analog or digital repeater systems DO work. Time to get back to basics and abandon cell-phone-surplus fair weather concepts for what has been proven over the years to be effective and reliable. Get the lobbyists and those in government on the take out of the way...

 

Thanks Fred Good stuff.

 

I look forward to meeting Ross Merlin each year at the Fairfax mobile command vehicle rally that is held at the police training grounds.Ross comes walking around to talk with everyone he can and asks if there are any comments about the NIFOG that he helps publish. He has done a very good job putting together the information that the booklet contains. A pat on the back to him.

On a slightly different note, I do get to travel around the country with my job. I work for a company that builds and sells radio interoperability gateways. This puts me into many of the 911 dispatch centers used by both the federal agencies and the state and local dispatch centers. The people I get to meet are always asked if they have a NIFOG booklet. When I get the stare you see in the eyes of a deer just before you hit them with your vehicle, I know no one there ever reads any of the trade journals of has a clue what interoperability is.

Generally after several hours hands on with the equipment, you get a smile from those being trained and you can figure that the light just got turned on. Until you show some people that you can't have an EDACS trunking system talking with a Motorola Trunking system or either one talking to a simplex radio, you will never obtain the ability to talk between radios of different origins.

Hurricane Katrina made this all too obvious with the many agencies that came to the Gulf Coast region and couldn't talk with anyone. No one had even a clue what the "National Interoperability Radio Channels" were or how to use them. Then you have a pile of mobile command vehicles that came to the area and patched all those channels together. If you came up on a VHF tac channel, the odds were almost 100 percent that you would also come out on the same tac channel on both UHF and the 800 channel as well. It took several days before all the patches got broken down and some order of command was established.

There has to be one person in charge of communications at an incident. The NIFOG should bring this issue to the head of the line and not after mass confusion and jamming take place.

We can supply the best equipment to use, but we can't fix the politics that make the management stupid.

Jim