Adopt a Role in the SET based upon your experience, equipment, and capabilities:
Spoke Station:
This is a single person, who wishes to send information. It is perfect for the inexperienced operator, but anyone can take on this role. It is a good idea to print and fill out the SitRep form in advance, to aid you in transmitting your message to a hub or relay station.
Relay Station:
A relay stations helps everyone that can reach them to move information from one station to another. We can use a relay when we are unable to reach the intended recipient directly. With practice, a single operator can manage a relay station. However it can be helpful to have two licensed operators together. This is useful when a station becomes busy, or if the station is receiving on one band and relaying the message on another. Example: Receive messages on VHF, and relay via High Frequency.
Hub Station:
The hub station starts the Communication exercise by opening their local net, requests check-ins, and then takes messages from the stations in their area. (SitReps) This could include messages from spoke and relay stations. These message are transmitted to an ACS operator via whatever mode gets the job done. However it would be most common that the modes would be HF on voice, or Winlink Radio Email.
Observer:
This could include a couple of different roles.
Listen on frequencies to become familiar with protocols and procedures. You might try filling out forms such as the ICS-309, or SitRep to improve your skill at listening closely and become more familiar with the forms.
An observer might also be someone who participates at a hub station or EOC and takes notes about how things went in order to facilitate discussion on how to improve during the Hot Wash and After Action Review process later.
All Participants:
Print out Blank SitRep Forms Prior to the Comex. (You can also fill them out electronically on the Adobe .pdf form.)
Complete an ICS-309 communications log for your message traffic, responses, or relay traffic.
(Although a 309 log may not be necessary for a spoke station that only sends a couple of SitRep forms, the experience gained by filling it out helps you to better understand how the message exchange process works.)