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CFARS

CFARS. CFARS CAPABILITY BRIEFING. Canadian Forces HF Conference 1-5 Oct 2012. What is CFARS?.

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CFARS

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  1. CFARS

  2. CFARS CAPABILITY BRIEFING Canadian Forces HF Conference 1-5 Oct 2012

  3. What is CFARS? • The Canadian Forces Affiliate Radio System (CFARS) is a program sponsored by National Defence Headquarters in which military installation, military unit/club and volunteer licensed Canadian amateur radio stations and operators participate and contribute to the aim of providing auxiliary communications on a local, national and international basis as an adjunct to existing military unit/club amateur radio communications. • Guidance is provided by C06-005-013/AG-001, CFARS Operating Instructions which needs updating

  4. History • WWII – Close association between Amateur Radio Fraternity and the military in Canada “Call to Arms” saw HAM operators filling many positions in all three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) • Air Force Amateur Radio System (AFARS) • 8 Aug 1946-31 August 1952 – 500 licensed HAMs in roles such as provision of comms to Search and Rescue, National Emergencies and operated weekly nets • Mid-1950 On. Phone Patch Traffic (25 + years) • Problem Areas spawned the need for a formal Radio System • Solution - CFARS

  5. REASON FOR BEING • Add flexibility to the present military communication systems • Maintain morale by providing a viable voice/message traffic system • Provide a pool of trained civilian communicators • Provide an emergency communications and public service capability

  6. CFARSRESPONSIBLE AGENCIES • Industry Canada • Final approval authority for designated radio amateurs to operate on CFARS frequencies • NDHQ • DGIMO • BGen R.G. Mazzolin • DFSM – Frequency Management – LCol A. Hauteclocque • DFSM 5-3 – Mr. Jean Claude Gagnon

  7. CFARS Executive • CFARS National Manager - Maj Dan Bergeron (CIW603) • CFARS LO - Ken Halcrow [CIW652] • Training Officer - John Bradley [CIW444] • Network Manager - Bill Hicks [CIW320] • Digital Systems Manager - Les Lindstrom [CIW650] • Reserve Unit LO – Maj Hal Buller (CIW660) • CFARS WEB SITE - http://www.cfars.ca

  8. AFFILIATE MEMBER CALLSIGN DISTRIBUTION • 115 broken as follows: • 12/2 (OGD) BC • 16/2 (OGD) Alberta • 3/1 (OGD) NWT • 4 Nunavut • 6/3 (OGD) Saskatchewan • 8/2 (OGD) Manitoba • 34/3 (OGD) Ontario • 10/2 (OGD) Quebec • 11/2 (OGD) Maritimes

  9. CFARS CALLSIGN ALLOCATIONS • Industry Canada recently authorized up to 999 callsigns • 115 callsigns are currently allocated • 95 Affiliate members (civilian amateur radio operators) • 17 PSC or Provincial Emergency Measures Offices • 3 Radio Club Stations with CFARS member sponsors • 6 Military Reserve Units with CFARS members as sponsor – using own unit callsigns • REGINA, WINNIPEG, OTTAWA, BORDEN, TORONTO, KINGSTON • 1 RCMP (NOC) and 1 Transport Canada Base Station

  10. GOVERNMENT CALLSIGN DISTRIBUTION • Military Club Stations (6) • CFB Victoria • 735 Comm Regt (Winnipeg) • Communications & Electronics (C&E) Museum - Kingston • 21 EW Regt - Kingston • 709 Comm Regt - Toronto • 763 Comm Regt - Ottawa • Federal/Provincial Government(12) • Transport Canada- Ottawa (1) • Public Safety Canada (5) (Victoria, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Ottawa) • RCMP NOC - Ottawa (1) • EMO Fredericton, NB (2)

  11. TYPE OF STATIONS • Military Station - (Regular & Reserve) – Equipment owned and operated by DND • Military Amateur Radio Stations – Located on CF bases (both Reg and Res) – mixture of DND and Public Funding • Affiliate Amateur Radio Stations – Volunteer civilian privately owned stations

  12. CFARS HF FREQUENCIES • Assigned 20 X DND DFSM 5-3 managed HF frequencies • Located above or below Amateur Radio Bands 10/15/20/40/60/80/115 Meters (28/21/18/14/10/7/5.4/3/2.6 MHz)

  13. Les – CIW650 CFARS Digital Coordinator Les Lindstrom – CIW650 13

  14. COMSEC/OPSEC • CFARS Message Traffic is Unencrypted • PACTOR (packetized teletype over radio) digital modes I, II, III, and IV Provide a measure of communications security by using B2F WINLINK 2000 message structure and B2 forwarding protocol

  15. COMMUNICATION MODES • SSB Voice (USB) • PACTOR I, II, III, IV Data Primary – e-mail over HF (error correction) • WINMOR – e-mail over HF (error correction) • Continuous Wave (CW – ie Morse Code) • Radio Teletype (RTTY) and • other modes as required.

  16. HF TO INTERNET E-MAIL TERMINAL Quick, mobile and cost effective

  17. Data network Winlink 2000 Winlink 2000 (WL2K) is a worldwide system of volunteer resources supporting e-mail by radio, with non-commercial links to internet e-mail. These resources come from Amateur Radio, the US Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS), and other volunteer organizations such as the American Red Cross. The system provides valuable service to emergency communicators, and to licensed radio operators without access to the internet.

  18. CFARS POINT TO POINT HF TO INTERNETE-MAIL MESSAGE SYSTEM FIXED/PORTABLE/MOBILE HF TERMINALS HF SPECTRUM WL2K GATEWAYS International (Radio Message Servers) CFARS Victoria, Comox, Edmonton X 2, Saskatoon, Kingston, Port McNicol, Halifax, Moncton INTERNET CLOUD FIXED HIGH SPEED LINK TO ISP

  19. CFARS/Joint Task Force HQs CFARS SITES Gateway sites

  20. Ken – CIW652 CFARS Liaison Officer Ken Halcrow, CIW652 23

  21. CFARS AFFILIATIONS • DND - DFSM, DGIMO, J6 Ops/Plans • RCMP National Operations Center (NOC) • Transport Canada - Security and Emergency Preparedness– Situation Center • Public Safety Canada - Government Operations Center - MOU signed • USAF /US Army MARS contacts established and exercises conducted for cross-border emergency comms network – Currently active

  22. CROSS BORDER COMMUNICATIONS 2010 • 1. Authority was received from DND which authorized a 1 year operational window for CFARS/MARS cross border communications on all CFARS designated frequencies. This authority included the use of SSB and Digital modes on CFARS frequencies (under review). • 2. Initial trials with Army MARS were very successful and this authority provides an opportunity to expand our joint efforts to provide communications support to both countries in the event of emergencies. • 3. Until recently, all US MARS (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines) were authorized to communicate with members of the CFARS network. There is a requirement for a formal agreement between DND and DOD to be established. The proposal will result in six common frequencies shared between MARS and CFARS.

  23. ACTS AND AGREEMENTS • Federal Emergency Response Plan • Canada/US Agreement on Emergency Planning • International Radio Regulations - World Radio Communication Conference (WRC-03) • Provides that Amateur Radio Stations may be used for transmitting International communications during Emergencies on Behalf of 3rd Parties Even without a specific agreement unless one of the countries objects

  24. PUBLIC SAFETY CANADA MOU • Signed 27 August 2003 – Renewed 2005 • Provide Expert Advice for PSC Radio Program • Provide PSC with CFARS Callsigns • Provide Amateur Radio Operator Training • Participate in Joint CFARS/PSC Exercises • Provide PSC Regional Director Liaison

  25. 1 CMBG/CFARS Propagation Test 2012 John Bradley, CIW444

  26. Les - data comms instruction Maj B handling traffic 1CMBG deployment CIW227 – HF ALE portable system 772 EW HF antenna install

  27. Participants 1 CMBG Edmonton/Yellowknife 700/709 Sigs Rgt – Borden/Toronto 15 X CFARS Stations – Vancouver Island to Iqualuit NU

  28. SCOPE • Test and evaluate HF comms between southern & • Northern Canada during various times of the day. • Test ALE between CF and CFARS equipments • Test conducted just prior to Arctic Ram. • Ex duration – 4-8 Feb for a total of 18 hours.

  29. Lessons Learned • A permanent radio installation (1CMBG) for HF/VHF Trg is needed. • More exposure to HF propagation during 24 hour periods day/night • ALE promising and further testing with CFARS should be persued. • Data traffic needs to be exercised. (not played during this ex) • (1CMBG) more lead time needed to ensure serviceability of equipment. • (CFARS) more Voice Procedures to cement CF/NATO standards

  30. Lessons Learned cont • ALE training/SOP development needed • 8. Additional frequencies to be considered for further operations (8 and 12 MHz) • 9. North-South propagation better than East-West.

  31. Recomendations • Establish fixed HF/VHF facilities. • Expand HF ALE testing/training • Re-institute CFARS/Mil Training net. • Continue regular propagation testing. • CFARS forward request to DFSM for three freqs • in the 8 and 12 Mhz range for future operations.

  32. CFARS – Way Ahead - Discussion

  33. Way Ahead • Address CFARS mission statement in CF doctrine • Expand Reserve Unit involvement in HF • Participate in DND testing and exercises (ie OP NANOOK) • Assist in development of HF training at CFSCE and other locations as required • Establish a PR campaign, recruitment • Build upon CFARS experience with OGDs and all levels of emergency services

  34. CFARS Q&A

  35. Spare slides

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