Posted by: Eric | 23 November 2011
The ARRL’s NTS Survey
Since the ARRL released their NTS survey in a somewhat closed manner I thought I’d shine a little sunshine on it.
The survey, in my opinion, is lacking based on the multiple-choice responses. Why hem people into vague answers if you really want to know what’s going on? The survey also seems to slant towards an integration of NTS with ARES. Personally I hope this doesn’t happen as the two have similar but different goals. If anything ARES should be a branch of NTS where they can integrate themselves with customers that require communication support and NTS integrates their messages into our already flowing stream of messages we already handle on a daily basis.
But enough commentary, on with the survey. I have not changed any part of the survey (sorry for the html table markup but that’s how it is on the website).
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National Traffic System Status Survey
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1
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What is the total number of active NTS members in your Section:
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2
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Do you have enough trained, active members to support communications during a significant disaster?
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3
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What is the total number of counties in your Section?
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4
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Are all counties in your Section covered by an active NTS net?
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| If not, how many counties are not covered? |
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5
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How often do you communicate with served agency staff to make or discuss operational plans?
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Regularly |
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Occasionally |
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Seldom |
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Never |
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6
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How often do you communicate with Section ARES staff to make or discuss operational plans?
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Regularly |
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Occasionally |
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Seldom |
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Never |
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Training Requirements for Members:
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7
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Does your Section require certain minimum training for active NTS membership?
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8
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Which of the following courses are typically required? (select all that apply)
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ARRL Introduction to Emergency Communication (formerly EC001) |
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IS-100 |
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IS-200 |
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IS-700 |
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IS-800 |
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Not applicable |
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Other, please specify |
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9
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How many disaster exercises are held each year?
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10
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Please answer the following questions about training requirements for Members:
1
Yes |
2
No |
| Do you require a certain level of on-air participation to maintain active membership? |
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| Do all nets in your Section meet regularly? |
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| Is the level and content of traffic adequate to maintain proficiency? |
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ARES, NTS, and MARS Cooperation:
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11
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Does your NTS net structure interface with separate ARES nets at some level?
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12
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Are NTS and ARES nets fully combined at the Section level?
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13
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Do you interface with any MARS nets at any level?
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14
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What percentage of your NTS Members are also active members of the following:
1
Less than 10% |
2
10% – 60% |
3
More than 60% |
| Active ARES Members |
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| Active MARS Members |
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15
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How are most communications handled?
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Voice |
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Digital |
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Other, please specify |
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16
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How are most messages moved within your area?
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Voice |
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NTS Digital |
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CW |
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Other, please specify |
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17
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How are most messages moved outside your area?
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Voice |
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NTS Digital |
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CW |
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Other, please specify |
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18
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Can you reliably deliver messages to any point in your area?
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19
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What percentage of actual disaster messages are handled digitally?
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Less than 10% |
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10% – 60% |
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More than 60% |
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20
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What percentage of the time do you feel current served agency needs are being met by NTS?
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Less than 10% |
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10% – 60% |
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More than 60% |
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21
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How many times during the last 10 years have local NTS nets actively participated in a disaster response?
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22
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During a response, how would you characterize the amount of traffic?
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Light |
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Moderate |
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Heavy |
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None |
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23
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What percentage of traffic is related to the following…
1
Less than 10% |
2
10% – 60% |
3
More than 60% |
| Welfare? |
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| Served agency relief operations? |
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24
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How often are post-event comments solicited from served agencies?
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Regularly |
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Occasionally |
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Seldom |
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Never |
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25
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Please answer the following questions about ICS Implementation:
1
Yes |
2
No |
3
Unknown |
| Is ICS widely implemented in your area? |
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| Are most NTS members trained in and familiar with ICS? |
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| Do NTS nets in your area ever handle the ICS213 form? |
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26
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What changes do you feel are needed for NTS nationally? (select all that apply)
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Redesign of field organization structure |
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Flexible local options in field organization structure |
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Stronger national leadership for both ARES and NTS |
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Replace NTS with something new |
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More national training support |
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Accredited training program |
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Standardized national multi-level NTS training program |
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Unified ARES/NTS basic emcomm training program |
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Standardized minimum training requirements for active members |
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Greater involvement in disaster communications, even before “all else fails” |
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Less involvement in disaster communications until “all else fails” |
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A more formal, less casual, NTS program |
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A simpler net structure |
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Less frequent net schedules during non-emergency operations |
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More flexibility at the local level |
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A clear common set of national administrative rules and guidelines for ARES and NTS leadership |
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Greater cooperation with MARS and local RACES |
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Less emphasis on early involvement during emergencies (wait until all else fails) |
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Modernization of methods and systems |
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Better technical solutions to meet modern served-agency disaster communication needs |
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Vetted national NTS member database for all members |
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Some sort of regular competition to help make day to day practice more interesting – beyond simple traffic counts |
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More emphasis on message accuracy through the primary use of digital modes |
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NTS should get out of the welfare message business |
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NTS should find ways to increase its welfare message business |
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I do not believe any significant changes are required |
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I believe only minor procedural and technical changes are needed |
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27
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Of the following, which do you feel is most necessary? (select just one)
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Discontinue use of NTS as an ARES long-distance carrier |
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Restructure NTS to better support ARES long-distance needs |
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Fully merge or integrate ARES and NTS |
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28
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Please share any additional comments you may have regarding the NTS program at this time…
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Rumor Control Note: This is not an idea or suggestion list. Although we are asking a wide range of questions here, it does not mean that any particular idea is under active consideration. Our goal is to permit a broad range of opinions and ideas to be gathered. The results will be used in discussions by the Emergency Communications Advisory Committee during development of guidance to the ARRL Board of Directors.
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