Synopsis:
As part of a multi-agency communications exercise June 4~6, all amateurs in NY and NJ are requested to provide county status reports via voice on 60 meters or via Winlink ICS-213 message.
update 5/21: NJ ARES/RACES has created a standard ICS-213 County Status Message Winlink form it has been added to Winlink in the NY & NJ folder of Standard Templates. Winlink messages can be sent any time during the exercise.
update 5/11: The tentative times of 60 meters operation will be 1PM-4PM.
Empire Challenge is a multi-agency communications exercise inclusive of NYG SDF, NYNM, Army and Air Force MARS, DHSES, DHS SHARES and CAP ALL operating under DHS SHARES. SHARES operators will be collecting County Status Messages from each NY/NJ county.
ARES, RACES, and other Amateur Radio Operators are encouraged to submit an ICS-213 County Status Message via voice for their respective county on HF 60 Meter CH 5 (USB 5403.5 MHZ) or by Winlink ICS-213 message.
As far as I know the procedure will be the same as for the dry run that was held on April 5. I do not know the exact hours of operation. I will update this blog post if I receive additional information..
Voice Call: Monitor: HF 60 Meters Channel 5 (USB 5403.5 MHz dial frequency) A designated station will take your ICS-213 CSM voice message traffic. We will ask for each plain language line item entry of the ICS-213.
WINLINK: Send your CSM to before ENDEX.
Please list your amateur call sign, state and county in the subject line of your WINLINK CSM email message.
County Status Message and ICS-213 format guides
Plain text County Status Message ICS-213 template: CSM County Status.txt
pdf County Status Message ICS-213 template: ARS_CSM_Voice_Message_Editable_TEMPLATE_PDF_ICS-213.pdf
Couny Status Message guide: CSM_Template_Guide_REV2_02JAN2025 .pdf
Standard ICS-213 General Message form: PDF_Editable_Blank_ICS-213.pdf
County Status Message example: ARS_CSM_Voice_Message_Editable_EXAMPLE_PDF_ICS-213.pdf