Embedded Files
Frequencies
Frequencies
General Traffic
General Traffic
Information and Staging (When not in Net Condition) - 147.180 (+) pl 107.2
Information and Staging (When not in Net Condition) - 147.180 (+) pl 107.2
Recovery
Recovery
Recovery Inner Zone and Talk-In 147.180 (+) pl 107.2
Recovery Inner Zone and Talk-In 147.180 (+) pl 107.2
Alternate and/or Outer Zone 146.740 (-) pl 110.9
Alternate and/or Outer Zone 146.740 (-) pl 110.9
APRS Coordination
APRS Coordination
Alternate Outer Recovery Zone 145.350 (-) pl 100.0
Alternate Outer Recovery Zone 145.350 (-) pl 100.0
Field Operations
Field Operations
Operations/Ramp 145.500 No Tone (Simplex)
Operations/Ramp 145.500 No Tone (Simplex)
Alternate Operations 145.800 No Tone (Simplex)
Alternate Operations 145.800 No Tone (Simplex)
Communications
Communications
Communication regarding Volunteers/Operators will be to be done through this website and via email from Groups.io and our volunteer coordinator.
Volunteering
Volunteering
You may register here. Please note, you may visit the Registration Confirmation section of this site to confirm your registration has been collected as well as what shifts you have signed up for. If you feel you have made an error, would like to make a change to your desired position or cannot make a shift, please be sure to contact the Volunteer Liaison to make the appropriate change.
More information about volunteering for Field, Talk-In and Recovery may be found on the Volunteering page.
Minors (Ages 14-18)
Minors (Ages 14-18)
Persons of the age of 14 or older are welcome to shadow an adult radio operator. However, all persons under the age of 18 must have a Volunteer Release Form submitted prior to the start of their shift. Minor Release Form
Non-Licensed Volunteer Policy
Non-Licensed Volunteer Policy
It is our policy to be a participant in the amateur radio support function of the Plano Balloon Festival, require that you are a licensed radio operator. None of the positions that we occupy in the support of this event are conducive to a non-licensed individual. Generally, non-licensed individuals could potentially be more a safety or liability for the hams supporting this event than they are an asset. Our primary reason for being asked by the event organizers is to assist with safety for the Balloonists and their support group and not looking after individuals who could be referred to as extras.
A complex structure of activity leading up to and during a launch event exists and only personnel regarded as assisting in that effort will be allowed to be put in that environment. Recovery teams are deployed specifically for the safety of the activity with Balloonists and their crew. Therefore, we must keep focused on those responsibilities and cannot assume responsibility for anyone not assigned a task.
Exceptions to the policy: husband/wife recovery teams or parent/non-licensed ham teams. This policy will be closely controlled.
Operational Guidelines and Training
Operational Guidelines and Training
Although all attempts are made to inform and provide knowledgeable guidance to amateurs supporting the event, it shall be the responsibility of the participants to seek out and understand the information that is available to them. If they have further inquiries, they should not be hesitant to ask the persons listed in the contacts section of this site as well as "seasoned" participants. The information presented on this website has been derived from many collective hours of the staff and by the liaison-ship between the leadership and the Festival representatives.
Please see the Training Information page.
We also ask that you sign the Waiver of Liability and Minor Release found on the Waiver page.
Safety
Safety
The safety of our operators is of utmost importance.
If the Incident Commander or his Deputy becomes aware of a situation that could potentially threaten the safety of any Amateur related operation, they will exercise their authority to suspend a specific activity at a moments notice and direct Operators to take appropriate actions to insure their safety. The Incident Commander or his Deputy will notify the Festival Liaison that such action has or will be taking place.
Remember that our primary reason for being at this event is to improve the safety for the balloonists. Please be very careful when driving and providing communications support. Additional safety guidelines may be found on the Training Information page.
ICS 202 - Weather, our weather action plan is available in the ICS documents of this site.
Situations
Situations
The word "situation" should be used anytime an event that occurs that is outside the normal activity of the operation. We are monitored by the public, news media and others. Remain calm and think before you act or say.
The NCS shall be notified of any situation. If this warrants a 911, please do so and then notify the NCS as soon as possible. Be sure to document as much as you are able, the event that has occurred. It is advisable that communications be moved to an alternate frequency for non-sensitive events. Any sensitive discussions should be done in person or via cell phone.
We will not discuss with anyone about the situation. If it is warranted, the function leader, IC or Deputy IC will advise other operators as needed.
ICS Documentation
ICS Documentation
The ICS forms provide a straight forward approach to providing pertinent information relevant to the tactical operations of the communications function for the Plano Balloon Festival. Please visit the ICS forms download page.
APRS
APRS
Much progress has been made over the years to install APRS trackers into balloons and to outfit every recovery vehicle that participates. The ability to do this provides a means of tracking the direction and speed of the balloons as well as locate them if a visual is lost by recovery or crew as well as have a "real-time" view of the advancement and placement of our recovery teams. Besides that, it's actually pretty cool. Please visit the APRS page for more information.
HSMM
HSMM
We are planning on deploying a portable satellite communications system that will provide internet connectivity at the launch field. This system will also be provided with a 802.11 access point to support HSMM. We are also planning on deploying at least one camera on the field to monitor movement of balloons and vehicles. See the HSMM page for more details.
Definitions
Definitions
As this website, operations and all documentation will reference.
Field
Field
The Ham operations in the festival and launch area
Recovery
Recovery
Relative to the Ham operations during recovery.
Chase
Chase
Relative to the Balloonist and their operations
UP
UP
Balloon is off the ground and free of any ground support.
Down
Down
Balloon landed, envelope is deflated
Situation
Situation
Outside of normal operations, often safety related.
Getting Into the Event
Getting Into the Event
The festival is a pay-for-entry event with over 100,000 people attending and parking is at a premium. Volunteers working the field will park offsite and be shuttled in to the field (see ICS documentation for parking and shuttle information). Volunteers should call talk-in on 147.180+ PL 107.2 and let the Field know that they need shuttle service. the shuttle will provide your volunteer passes to get you into the gate. The shuttle will not run all day, but only around shift times (see ICS page for times), so this will not be available all the time and operators should plan accordingly. It is recommended that you arrive early as to be on time as it occasionally takes the shuttle longer than expected to complete it's route due to traffic or pedestrian issues.
Occasionally there are a limited number of passes available for non-ham friends and relatives who will assist the volunteer. The inquiry about extra passes should be made prior to the scheduled shift desired by contacting the Field Lead.
Can my family/friends ride along?
Can my family/friends ride along?
Due to the logistics and limited space available in our shuttle to get communication volunteers to and from the Field, we need to reserve our shuttle service to our volunteers. In very limited cases, we may allow a family or friend to ride along on the shuttle. Please contact the Field Coordinator for availability.
Shuttle for Communication Volunteers
Shuttle for Communication Volunteers
Where does the volunteer shuttle meet?
Normally the shuttle meets at Garden Ridge in the North side parking area. The ICS documentation will give more specifics. Remember to call for a shuttle on the Talk-In repeater.
What time does the shuttle begin and end?
Friday AM: 05:30 to 11:30 (Not during launch)
Friday PM: 16:00 to 21:00
Saturday AM: 05:00 to 11:30 (Not during launch)
Saturday PM: 16:00 to One hour after the completion of Fireworks
(Not during launch)
(See Daily Schedule)
Sunday AM: 05:00 to 11:30 (Not during launch)
Sunday PM: 16:00 to 20:00
The shuttle takes 20-30 minutes of travel time. Do not miss your shift.
Call for a shuttle on 145.35 (-) 100.0 or 145.50 Simplex from the field (not during ops)
Due to the fluidity of the event, reach out to the Field Manager for confirmation.
Traffic Laws and Municipal Codes
Traffic Laws and Municipal Codes
We do not encourage the use of flashing lights on a recovery vehicle, but if they are used, these guidelines must be followed:
Amber only
Rotating or lightbars only (No strobes)
Vehicle must be parked or traveling under 10mph
The use of lights will not and can not be used for personal gain. All operators must use them at their own discretion and will be held liable for their use.
T-Shirts
T-Shirts
The Plano Balloon Festival provides us with a limited amount of t-shirts to mark our volunteers. However, we typically have more volunteers than shirts. Priority will go to assigned staff members, then to volunteers that have logged the most volunteer hours. Volunteers must show in the log to be eligible. This can be done by checking in and out with the volunteer liaison at your respective assignment.
Field Operations
Field Operations
What times do I need to be on shift for Field?
Morning: 0600 hours
Evening: 1700 hours
Field Operators must be on site at the Field Ops tent one hour prior to the scheduled launch to receive their briefing.
How long is my shift?
Including pre-briefing and post-launch activity, you can assume you will be needed for 4-5 hours per shift.
What equipment do I need?
You should be basic CRF and CRF-S capable. Please visit the CRF documentation of this site for more info.
What are the frequencies?
A list of frequencies is available on the "What I Need to Know" page and in the ICS documentation.
Can I bring a camera?
If you bring a camera, we ask that you do not use it during the flight operations. We ask this so you do not become distracted from your primary responsibilities. We have added a photography position to our staff that will be out and about to capture the event as well as our operators at work and will be shared with our volunteers.
Recovery Operations
Recovery Operations
What time do I need to be at Recovery staging?
Morning: 0600 hours
Evening: 1700 hours
We ask that you be at staging one hour before the start of the scheduled launch. This will allow time to pair up single operators, attend a briefing and get clarity on any tactical questions you may have. We ask that everyone attends the briefing (even seasoned volunteers). This time may also be spent mentoring and sharing ideas related to Ham radio.
Where is Recovery Staging?
Recovery Staging is dependent upon wind direction. Please review the ICS documentation for staging locations that may be used. Listen to the Talk-In frequency and monitor the discussion on this site as well as the Yahoo Group for announcements about the location. Every attempt will be made to make this announcement.
Intuitively, if the wind is from the S, SE or E, the staging site will be at Garden Ridge. If the wind is from the W, NW, or N, the staging will be the SW corner of 14th and Shiloh in the Plano ISD parking lot.
How long is my shift?
Aside from the one hour prior to the scheduled launch, you should expect to be operational for 1.5-2 hours. This may increase to as much as 3 or more hours based on events that occur during the launch such as locating "lost" balloons, assisting crews with "walking out" their balloons or many other things that may happen during that time.
What equipment do I need?
We ask that you are basic CRF, CRF-S, CRF-M, and CRF-DT. Please visit the CRF documentation on this site.
What are the frequencies?
A list of frequencies is available on the "What I Need to Know" page and in the ICS documentation.
What is the Inner/Outer Zone operations thingy?
In an effort to decrease traffic on one operations net and increase the ability to manage the recovery of the balloons, a two-zone recovery structure was created. In short, as an operator travels from the inner zone into the outer zone, they check out of one net into another. More about this can be found in the Training and Operations section of this site.
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