Arizona Wing Civil Air Patrol UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Repeater Plan 2 February 2012 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 1 OF 10
Repeater Plan tomize This Report UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY I. PURPOSE: To set out the goals and methods of the Arizona Wing Repeater Plan.. II. SCOPE: This plan is intended to help Mission Communications Unit Leaders (CULs) plan and execute missions involving use of VHF-FM Repeaters within Arizona Wing. III. DISCUSSION: CAPR 100-1 V.1 specifically authorizes and encourages VHF-FM repeater stations to provide the necessary radio coverage needed by the CAP to execute its missions. These repeaters must conform to a properly designed plan in order to ensure proper performance. Some aspects of this plan include areas covered by the repeaters, overlaps between repeater coverages, and identifying areas not covered so that Mission CULs can plan on alternative methods. IV. IMPLEMENTATION: This Plan has broken the State of Arizona into separate functional areas, with a discussion of the unique requirements and considerations of each area. Within these areas, specific repeater coverages and problem areas have been identified. V. NARROW BAND TRANSITION PLAN: Arizona Wing has transitioned to Narrow Band FM. VI. FEEDBACK: The Arizona Wing Communications Director would welcome any and all feedback regarding any errors, omissions or special notes regarding any of the information in this Plan! VII. ATTACHMENTS: The current Arizona Wing Repeater Map is attached to this plan. Mission planners are cautioned that they should insure that the latest versions of these publications is used. UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 2 OF 10
Critical Geographic Areas For CAP Missions, there are a number of areas that are of critical interest in planning communications. Past history suggests that these areas are often subjected to searches, and their remoteness can make access difficult, both for ground search units and for communications. The entire northern half of Arizona is especially isolated, and ground access into some areas is quite difficult, primarily due to lack of usable roads or trails. A. The Grand Canyon Region is an area encompassing some 50,000 square kilometers between Page, AZ, on the northeast corner, Flagstaff, AZ on the southeast corner, Kingman, AZ on the southwest corner and St. George, UT on the northwest corner. The region is particularly isolated, with some areas so rugged and isolated that they have never been fully explored on the ground! The area north of the Grand Canyon itself is densely forested, with many deep side canyons and ravines, while the area south of the canyon, while relatively flat, is sparsely populated, with few roads. The only areas of relatively dense population within the region are the cities comprising its corners and the Grand Canyon National Park Village, located at the approximate center of the region. Historically, air searches here have primarily been in the area of the Grand Canyon itself, due to sight-seeing activity, and on the high plateau north of the National Park, due to the air routes crossing it. VHF communications in this area is difficult, due both to the generally high terrain (5000-7000 ft. MSL) and the lack of accessible mountain peaks to locate repeaters and other equipment. For a deployed unit (including aircraft) deep in some of the canyons, the only possibility of VHF communication would be with an aircraft or satellite nearly directly overhead. Currently, this area is not well covered well at all, with the only fixed repeater site located on Mount Elden (5 miles North of Flagstaff, AZ). The Mt. Elden repeater covers the Southern and Eastern edges of the area for search aircraft, but does not cover the center of the area, due to blockage from Mt. Humphries. For ground units, Mt. Elden is only accessible from these same edge areas. B. The Northeast Corner of Arizona is also very isolated, but does not have the extreme depths of terrain that distinguish the Grand Canyon region. This area, approximately 200 kilometers square, is composed primarily of broad, high valleys and plateaus, with isolated settlements and large areas of trackless wild land, separated by rugged mountain ranges. There is limited forestation in the area with the exception of Navajo Mt about 35 km. east of Page, AZ, the Chuska Mts. UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 3 OF 10
in the extreme northeast, the Piney Hill area immediately west of Window Rock, AZ, and the Black Mesa area southwest of Kayenta, AZ. The northernmost part of this area has been the most subject to search, due to several air routes here that lead toward Colorado and Northern New Mexico. VHF communication here is somewhat easier, due to the less rugged terrain, but the vast area encompassed, combined with the lack of suitable Mission Base locations means that deployed search units will likely be a long distance from their base. High mountains with access and facilities for installing radio equipment are also few and far between. In the winter months, mud and snow can significantly impede ground access into much of the area. This area is also not well covered by fixed repeater sites. The Mt. Elden repeater covers the southwest portion of this area quite well for both air and ground vehicles, and the Greens Peak repeater provides good coverage for aircraft at search altitudes in the southeast portion. Coverage for ground units east of Winslow, AZ is limited, particularly for those shadowed by terrain to their south. A search utilizing ground assets in this area will require either airborne or additional ground relay assistance. C. The Mogollon Rim Region is somewhat smaller than the first two areas, but presents some special concerns. This region is an area of steeply rising terrain extending about 300 km. from Williams, AZ southeast to Payson, AZ, then east to Alpine, AZ, with a width of approximately 60-km. It is best characterized as the edge of an ancient geological uplift, with a high, arid plateau to the north and east and low desert region to the south and west. The region is almost completely forested, rising from dense chaparral at the lower, southern edge, to heavy pine forests at the top of the rise, to rapidly desiccating high plateau beyond this edge. There are a number of major roads through this region, and several small cities, such as Prescott and Flagstaff, as well as a number of towns and villages. This area is not nearly as isolated as northern Arizona, but is often subject to air search, not only due to the large number of air routes across it, but also due to the violent inclement weather often experienced in this area of intense orographic lifting. The dense forestation adds to the difficulty of air search, as does the often steep and rugged terrain. VHF coverage of this region is generally good, due to a number of high mountain radio relay sites distributed along its length, however, low-level and ground coverage is often compromised by the rugged terrain. Starting at the eastern end, coverage is provided by the Greens Peak repeater, which provides excellent coverage for aircraft at search altitude from well within New Mexico to the approximate center of the region. The primary problem experienced in using this repeater is that only Mission Bases located at Show Low, Springerville, Alpine and other high country airports can access it. For ground units, particularly handhelds, coverage in some areas can be difficult, due to the rugged terrain. Any activity involving ground units should be prepared to provide additional relay points to augment communications. The western end of this area is covered by both the Mt. Elden and Mt. Ord repeaters, and is limited for ground units only in the deeper terrain and canyons. The Mt. Ord repeater has the advantage of providing coverage into the Phoenix metropolitan area, as well as being accessible from the Deer Valley Mission Base. The Mt. Elden repeater, while not accessible from Phoenix, is easily accessed from the Flagstaff area and airport. UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 4 OF 10
D. Southern Arizona is sparsely populated, and quite rugged in many areas, with high mountains making up a significant percentage of the terrain. The terrain is generally more open and not as rugged as the Northern Arizona areas, and is only forested at higher elevations, such as on Mt. Graham near Safford, the Santa Catalina mountains north of Tucson, and the Chiricahua mountains in extreme southeastern Arizona. While a number of high mountain communications sites are located in or near the eastern end of this region, extreme ruggedness contributes to significant communication problems in some areas. The Mule Mt. Repeater, located just west of Bisbee, AZ offers the best coverage of extreme southeastern Arizona, although it is also obscured in parts of the Chiricahua Mountains, particularly for ground units. It provides excellent coverage of the area south of Interstate 10 West to the area of Mule Mt., and, for aircraft at search altitudes, to well West of Nogales, AZ. Mission Bases in Tucson can access the Mule Mt. Repeater, as well as Sierra Vista and Douglas/Bisbee. The Mt. Lemmon repeater offers coverage of the area for search aircraft south of Interstate 10 from Tombstone to approximately the edge of the Tohono O odham Indian Reservation (also the Baboquivari Mountains) west of SR 286. The Mt. Lemmon repeater is very useful as it is easily accessed from Mission Bases in both Tucson and Phoenix. There are some shadow zones behind mountains such as Mt. Hopkins and Mule Mt. that will interrupt coverage for aircraft at search altitudes. E. The U.S./Mexican Border is not normally an area involved in air searches, due to the limited air traffic across it; however, Arizona Wing conducts many mission both along and across the border in support of other Federal agencies on a variety of missions. From Nogales to Yuma the border is an extremely isolated region, with little habitation or access, and large portions are in restricted airspace, due to Air Force bombing and gunnery ranges. Communication with low-flying aircraft in this region is difficult at best, due to both the lack of suitable ground facilities and the large distance to the nearest metropolitan area. From the Southeast corner of Arizona west to the Baboquivari Mountains, coverage by both the Mule Mt and Mt Lemmon repeaters is adequate, with some shadows caused by high mountains. West of the Baboquivari Mountains, the Ajo repeater covers the Goldwater range and provides coverage until reaching a point approximately 50 miles east of San Luis, where coverage from the Yuma (Telegraph Pass) repeater begins. Note that only a Mission Base in the Yuma area will be able to access the Yuma repeater. F. The Colorado River Valley, comprising the entire western border of Arizona, is an area of intense interest to the Arizona Department of Emergency Management, due to the risk of flooding in this region. In addition, increasing air travel to and from the resort communities located along the river have significantly increased the amount of CAP air search activity in this area. The region is approximately 400 km. long, and while most areas of interest do not extend more than 10-15 km. on either side of the river itself, there are several side drainage valleys that may become of interest in a disaster scenario. There are a number of smaller towns located along the river and highways both along the river and crossing it at several points, however, in a flooding disaster, these roads and bridges may not be usable. The region is likely to be significantly isolated under these conditions. UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 5 OF 10
Communications difficulties in this region include a relative lack of suitable high-level communication sites, and its distance from Phoenix and Tucson, especially the State Emergency Operations Center located in Phoenix. Starting at the southern end at Yuma, AZ, the Yuma repeater provides coverage to approximately Cibola, AZ. From this point to Parker, AZ, coverage is limited to occasional spots which allow access to repeaters located well east of the river, such as Towers Mt. and White Tanks. Fortunately, relatively low terrain elevations allows reasonable coverage from these central repeaters for aircraft at altitudes above 5000 ft. Ground coverage in this area is extremely limited. Beginning at Parker, AZ, coverage is provided by first the Crossman Peak ( Havasu ) repeater, then the Hualapai Mt. ( Kingman ) repeater. Both of these repeaters can be accessed from the Lake Havasu airport Mission Base and also other facilities in the area. The Hualapai Mt. repeater covers to approximately the northern end of Lake Mojave. From this point to Boulder Dam, Arizona does not have any repeater coverage, however, Nevada Wing CAP operates a repeater on Mt. Potosi, in the vicinity of Las Vegas, that may provide coverage. G. The Central Valleys of Arizona encompass the cities of Phoenix and Tucson, as well as extensive urban development and agriculture. These valleys are seldom the subject of search missions, however, they are often used for search training, cadet activities and Wing activities which require use of the VHF-FM repeater system. The Phoenix area is characterized as having overlapping coverage from a number of repeater sites, including White Tanks, Towers Mt., Squaw Peak, Mt. Ord and Mt. Lemmon. While this coverage may seem excessive, in actuality each repeater serves to extend the coverage of Phoenix-area mission bases outward in various directions, and the overlapping coverage is a result of this necessity. Communications planners for this area must therefore determine which of the available repeaters provides the most suitable coverage for their mission, and ensure that their deployed units are properly briefed so that they use the correct repeater. It is for this reason that Arizona Wing requires that the repeater being used be verbally identified during the initial call, so that that called party can respond on the correct repeater. Numerous cases of conversations taking place through multiple repeaters have occurred, and this can be very confusing to operators who hear only one part of the conversation! For missions where multiple repeaters are needed, this becomes particularly important. UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 6 OF 10
Planning Considerations There are a number of factors that go into planning for repeater use for a mission or activity. For repeaters, these are the Primary considerations: 1. Coverage. Clearly, the repeater must provide coverage of the search or deployment area to be useful. If multiple repeaters are required to cover the area, then these separate areas must be clearly identified and briefed to deployed units so that they utilize the proper repeater for their location. 2. Status. The status of the planned repeater must be ascertained, usually from Wing Communications. If a repeater is out of service, or performing poorly, than changes must be made. 3. Base Coverage. To be useful, a repeater must not only cover the search or activity area, but also the pertinent mission base. If not, then the comm planner may need to deploy either an advanced base or possibly a relay point (air or ground) to maintain contact with their units. 4. Overlaps and Other activities. For searches, planners may assume that their use has priority over other activities, but for non-search planning, it may be necessary to determine if other activities need to use the same resources. If so, then appropriate sharing arrangements must be worked out. This can also include activities in other Wings, particularly if aircraft are involved. Guidance is available and should be requested from Wing Communications. If there are areas that require coverage, but no existing repeater provides the required coverage, then suitable substitutes should be employed. These could be: 1. Tactical Repeaters. Arizona Wing has four tactical repeaters available, which can be deployed to suitable points for temporary use during missions or activities. These repeaters may be deployed as either airborne or ground units. Airborne repeaters are located with glass cockpit Cessna 182s located in Goodyear, Payson, and Tucson. All glass cockpit Cessna 182 aircraft are set up with power and antenna connections for the tactical repeaters. One spare tactical repeater is located in Phoenix. All of the tactical repeaters may also be deployed as ground units. In order for these to be effective, a suitable operating location must be identified, and access to this point secured. Note that these repeaters require power, either 12V DC, or 115V AC, and will also require external antennas installed for them. They must also be sheltered from inclement weather. 2. Ground Relay Point. If it is possible to deploy a ground relay station, normally a team of operators in a vehicle, to a suitable location this can provide a useful solution. Considerations of site access, resupply of operator personnel, and potential for hazardous weather exist. UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 7 OF 10
3. Manual Airborne Relay. This has the advantage of being very quick to deploy, has excellent coverage of a large area, and no additional equipment requirements. It has the disadvantages of requiring an aircraft and crew, limited deployment time, and potential for weather related problems. It is essential that the radio operator in the aircraft be properly trained and experienced, as performing this duty is NOT easy! UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 8 OF 10
Attachment 1 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 9 OF 10
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 10 OF 10