Member Training/Communications - TCO Academ

Posted on behalf of SO-CM Jon James

Division 7 members are invited to participate in the first Telecommunications Operators (TCO) School taught by members from division 7 and active duty members from Sector Columbia River and Station Portland. These classes will help you though the Personal Qualification Standard (PQS) and eventually an ability to stand before a board of members to qualify as a TCO. I also would like members who hold the AUXCOM to participate in this school. I find there is a lot of useful information in this PQS that is either outdated or not in the AUXCOM material. This will help you further your qualification as a radio operator. The classes will be held on the Training Deck at MSU Portland on the following dates.

• Tuesday, 04 January from 1900 to 2100
• Tuesday, 11 January from 1900 to 2100
• Saturday, 15 JANUARY FROM 0830 TO 1300 (this is division member training because its beneficial to all operations members)
• Tuesday, 18 January from 1900 to 2100
• Qualification Board TBD.

Here is a list of manuals you will need to reference throughout your PQS. I apologize but the class cannot provide you with hard copies of the PQS or manuals. We will however provide you with a copy of all materials on a CD when requested.

(a) Auxiliary Operations Policy Manual, COMDTINST M16798.3 (series)
(b) Boat Crew Seamanship Manual, COMDTINST M16114.5 (series); Chapter 11
(c) Auxiliary Aviation Training Manual, COMDTINST M16798.5 (series); Chapter 6
(d) Telecommunications Manual (TCM) COMDTINST M2000.3 (series)
(e) Radiotelephone Handbook, COMDTINST M2300.7 (series)
(f) U.S. Coast Guard Addendum to the United States National Search and Rescue Supplement, COMDTINST M16130.2 (series)
(g) Communications Watchstander Qualification Guide, COMDTINST M16120.7 (series)
(h) AUXCOM – U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Communications Course
(i) Appendices A-G to the Auxiliary Telecommunications PQS
(j) Chart No.1, NOAA Nautical Chart Symbols and Abbreviations
(k) NOAA or Corps of Engineers charts of the local area.
(l) United States Coast Pilot, Vol. 1-9, as applicable to the local area
(m) Light List, Vol. 1-7, COMDTINST M16502 (series) , as applicable to the local area
(n) NOAA Tide Tables, as applicable to the local area
(o) Telephone Directory, as applicable to the local area


Please do not let this long list discourage you from joining the class. You will only be referencing portions of these manuals.

Here is the breakdown of each class’s subjects.

Day 01 Tuesday 04 January 1900 to 2100 

• Introduction to the TCO Academy. 
• ATQ-01-01-TCO: OPERATE THE UNITS RADIO.
• ATQ-03-03-TCO: IDENTIFY CONTACT NUMBERS FOR AVAILABLE RESOURCES IN THE AOR.

Day 02 Tuesday 11 January 1900 to 2100

• ATQ-01-02-TCO: DEMONSTRATE BASIC RADIO PROCEDURE.
• ATQ-01-03-TCO: BASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SKILLS.
• ATQ-02-02-TCO: STATE VHF-FM MARINE BAND DISTRESS & RADIO FREQUENCIES. 
• ATQ-02-03-TCO: IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN STANDARD RADIO URGENCY CALLS AND SIGNALS.

Day 03 Saturday 15 January 0830 to 1500 

• ATQ-02-01-TCO: CONTROLLING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE MARINER. 
• ATQ-04-01-TCO: RESPOND TO A NON-DISTRESS VESSEL INCIDENT.
• ATQ-04-02-TCO: RESPOND TO A DISTRESS VESSEL INCIDENT.
• ATQ-05-01-TCO: PROVIDE APPROPRIATE NAVIGATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO THE PUBLIC.
• ATQ-05-02-TCO: PASS APPROPRIATE BASIC WEATHER INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.
• ATQ-06-01-TCO: DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF OPS NORMAL AND POSITION REPORTS. 
• ATQ-06-02-TCO: DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF LOST COMMUNICATIONS PROCEDURES. 
• LUNCH ON YOUR OWN 1130 TO 1230
• ATQ-06-04-TS: DEMONSTRATE CORRECT PROCEDURES FOR PARTICIPATEING IN A DIRECTED NET. 
• ATQ-07-01-TS: EXPLAIN THE ROLE OF NET CONTROL STATION IN A DIRECTED NET.
• ATQ-07-02-TS: DEMONSTRATE CORRECT PROCEDURES IN MANAGING A DIRECTED NET.
• PASS DOWN PROCEDURE: Not in TCO but needs to be addressed. 

Day 04 Tuesday 18 January 1900 to 2100

• ATQ-03-01-TCO: IDENTIFY INFORMATION ON A NAUTICAL CHART
• ATQ-03-02-TCO: IDENTIFY AND LOCATE INFORMATION FROM COAST PILOT, LIGHT LIST, AND TIDE TABLES.
• ATQ-06-03-TCO: EXPLAIN THE NEED FOR AND PROCESS OF FILING A FLOAT PLAN.

Please email if you with any questions and if you plan on attending the school. I will post updates on the division blog and ask that FC’s to email this to members who do not use the blog.

Thanks,
SO-CM Jonathan James