"Communications" Team Type Configuration (ARES, RACES, REACT, etc.)

[Radishworks]

In the last week or so we have been discussing with several people asking for a predefined "Communications" MM Team Type (ARES, RACES, REACT, etc.).  We are more than happy to help with this Configuration type (and any others), but rather than try to communicate with everyone individually, it seem better to create a public forum for this project, so here we go!    Hopefully Stan, Dan, Eugene and others will jump in here.

The goal here is to create a predefined MM team type for ARES, RACES, REACT groups, but we needs some feedback from you!

We created a first DRAFT of type of "Communications ARES, RACES, REACT, etc.".  This is the Team Type that you set when you first registered for your MM account.  --or-- Team type can be also be changed in the Configuration Screen > Team Settings Section.   Those of you who have MM accounts can change your team type in the Configuration screen, but beware, changing the team type may change any configuration settings you have already set up.  If you want to play without messing with your team, please log into the Sand Box account, see the MM Help for how to get into the Sand Box. 

Here are a few questions we need feedback on: 

• Team Group Divider - It appears that most Comm teams are broken up by geographic location, District, City, etc.  In the draft type, we've set it to "District" with defaults of "Area 1,Area 2,Area 3,Area 4,Command Staff".  It would be expected that each team would change this to their geographic divider name and values.  Make sense?
  
  
• Leadership Ranking - This is the ranks or hierarchy of your team Members, i.e. who is in charge of who.  These are team ranks or hierarchy when NOT in a mission so we don't want to confuse these names with those tasks that happen inside of a mission itself.  The draft ranks are set to "None,Member,Radio Operator,District Leader,Team Leader".  What would be a better universal Comm team ranking?
  
  
• Member Equipment Checks - What types of equipment do you want to track for each member?  Radio types, generators, 4x4s, etc.  Remember we'd like to create a general Comm team type, you can always customize this to make it more specific to your team.
  
  
• Member Certifications - What certifications make sense for a general Comm team type, HAMM license, radio certifications, CPR/AED, etc.?  Again think generic Comm team type, you can customize the specifics in your team.
  
  
• Other Stuff - There will may be other team settings and mission types as we go through this process, but the ones above are a start.

Feedback please 

[ab3em]

Stan from REACT checking in. I am a MM newbie but will attempt to contribute as best I can. I am hoping some more REACT folks (especially the people who lead me to MM) will also jump in here. I live within the South Central Task Force (SCTF) region of PA and many of our missions are related to task force support. We have created NIMS Resource Typing for a generic Amateur Communications team and a Hospital support communications team (HEARS). REACT teams perform ARES/RACES missions but also some unique to REACT activities related to parking lot control, security/perimeter/safety patrols but we use two-way radio, Part 97, 95 or 90. We are also typing REACT resources. So I think we can make this framework generic enough to offer ACS groups and/or REACT teams a good platform for customizing within the baseline we develop here. Looking forward to peoples' input.  I want to digest Mike's 1st post and think on this a bit. I'll post some ideas in a day or two. 73 Stan AB3EM

[N4AOF]

Member Certifications - What certifications make sense for a general Comm team type, HAMM license, radio certifications, CPR/AED, etc.?  Again think generic Comm team type, you can customize the specifics in your team.

For ham licenses, there needs to be a way to track class of license - while simultaneously recognizing that an Extra class ham also has the qualification of a General class ham; and that both Extra and General class have the qualification of a Technician class license. For some jobs simply a generic ham license may be adequate, while other jobs may require General & Extra class operators.  Outside of ham radio, the only other service I can think of with a specific operator license is GMRS. 

All the Part 90 services are covered by what are inherently Station licenses, not Operator licenses; and Part 95 services (other than GMRS) are "Licensed By Rule" with no operator license being required.

Under certifications, I would think that most organizations will want to track multiple training requirements -- some of which might be considered equivalent to other training.  I know that some ARES units consider the ARRL, KY ARES, and Colorado ARES training courses as all being equivalent as an entry level EComm training standard.

[Radishworks]

Great to get the discussion rolling! 

For ham licenses, there needs to be a way to track class of license - while simultaneously recognizing that an Extra class ham also has the qualification of a General class ham; and that both Extra and General class have the qualification of a Technician class license.

So we need to know how these translate to MM member fields, something like:

License Class: (Dropdown list?? with the options): Basic, Advanced, Super-Duper

Other options as check boxes:

• License Extra
• Licence General
• License Technician Class

[Dan Anderson]

I haven't looked at the new configuration yet, but for the ham license classes, I created my own drop-down box under Certifications in Configuration, and works fine.

If you were to get a license today, there's three classes: Technician Class, General Class, and Amateur Extra Class. However, there are hams out there who were licensed years ago that may still have licensing classes that no longer exist: Novice, and Advanced. Novices are very rare, but there are a few Advanced out there. It wouldn't hurt to add these two as well if you create a dropdown.

[Radishworks]

...ham license classes...

We've added the following certification:
License Class:  With dropdown values: Novice,Technician,General,Amateur Extra,Advanced

[kc8zpi]

Anyway to setup the org chart like you do for assigning teams?  A drag and drop into areas with a define leader.  Maybe sub pages that will all tie together.

We spent most the day working on the org chart yesterday and still can not get it setup right.  We think our fields are correct but we have Crew Leaders under other Crew Leaders and we have a Probie above the crew leader.  Also our Directors are not showing as part of the system but off to the side.

[Radishworks]

Anyway to setup the org chart like you do for assigning teams?

Currently no, but this could be a feature in the future. 

RE: Org Charts see your other post: http://www.radishworks.com/forum/index.php?topic=583.msg2470#msg2470

[Houston ARES]

I first want to say "Thank You" to all involved here from the admin team for MM to the contributors in other organizations and personnel that are giving their input. I am so glad to see this happening. It will make it so much easier to get an ARES/RACES/React Group going as far as the necessary documentation, etc. than ever before.
(I am answering below without first checking back into the program to see if it works for me but simply, I am answering your inquiry as to what we need.)

My feelings on these items are:

#1: I am setting this up for use by (3)Emergency Coordinators for multiple counties in my main (Central) District. As long as the organizational chart will reflect each E/C as an equally ranking member, coming under one District Emergency Coordinator (for the district) with Assistant Emergency Coordinators staying connected to their respective Emergency Coordinators once assigned to an AEC during emergencies it should work fine. I am sure you have probably already addressed this. Should I be letting each county E/C do their own set-up so that they can be merged if needed or do it the way I currently am? The other coordinators have ask me to do this since they don't have time available as they still hold full time jobs and I am retired now. I could set it up separately for them I guess....

#2. Our membership ranking is set up as follows (emergency or not): DEC, E/C, AEC, Net Control Operator, Team Leader and Member. There may be other rankings developed at some later date but for now, this is how it goes district wide.

#3 Radio Types might include the following: HF,(base or mobile), VHF-UHF (base or mobile), Handie Talkie (H/T), Emergency Power (generator, Deep-cycle batteries, Vehicle Power, Solar), GPS, Laptop for Digital Transmission?(WinLink, FLDIGI, CW, Other) Portable Antenna?(wire, vertical, tri-pod, etc.) Other Equipment?

#4. Operator License Class (Novice,Technician, General, Amateur Extra, Advanced) Expiration Date of License? CPR/AED Certified(Expiration Date) Other Certifications (First Responder/first aide certified, EMT,Paramedic,M.D., Other Certifications: SkyWarn Certified, CDL Drivers License-Class?, Scuba Diver, M.A.R.S.Operator, Civil Air Patrol Member, Other)

The items above in parentheses are items to be placed in drop down menus or check boxes as you see fit. They are also just some suggestions that I can think of as I type this. I am sure other will have other or even better suggestions but this is just a few things I thought of this a.m. You guys are doing a great service to this mostly volunteer community as a whole. We couldn't do this without you. I have been looking for something just like this for a very long time.

[Houston ARES]

Please check my account and see why it is that once I have configured all of the E/C's and AEC's correctly, I cannot add regular members without them going to the wrong county or simply taking the same rank as one of the AEC's. I know it has something to do with the ranking system but I don't know what. Everything else is fine. Trust me...all I have left to do is add the regular members so I shouldn't be asking any more questions.......I hope!

[Radishworks]

My feelings on these items are: #1, #2, #3, #4

Great feedback!  Most all of these have been incorporated in the new "Communications ARES, RACES, REACT, etc." team type. 

You guys are doing a great service to this mostly volunteer community as a whole. We couldn't do this without you.

Thanks for the recognition, it is appreciated  .
 

I cannot add regular members without them going to the wrong county or simply taking the same rank as one of the AEC's....

I'm sorry we don't understand the question.  "The Leadership Ranking:" and "Team Group Divider:" should default to the first one in the list when you create a new member. 

[ab3em]

Great input from everyone and great work by the development team. Houston ARES my hat is off to you for your work in laying out the command/control structure for ECs etc. In an ARES incident, REACT teams would generally be playing in your sandbox under EC control.

I am using MM to setup an actual mission my team has on Christmas Eve. I had nothing invested so I switched to the new Comm team layout and have proceeded to create resources and lay out the mission tab by tab, section by section. I have not run into anything that prevented me from doing what I needed. I will continue my mission planning and setup. I can't get over the awesome mapping capability. I love the polygon drawing feature.

Thanks again, 73