Emergency Communications...

[ki4got]

Just came to this website, since BYC is down, and find a lot of interesting topics. But one topic I haven't seen mentioned, thought I'd toss it out there...

Being prepared for emergencies is great, but what about communications? If a natural disaster happens, how will you contact anyone if an emergency arises, when there's no power or phone? and NO, 'cell phone' isn't an option either, because if the power is out, so are the cell phone towers, which rely on power to operate...

The answer (some may have already guessed from my user name) is HAM RADIO. aka Amateur Radio. Most radios run on 12 volts (many have AC power supplies added for plug-in convenience), and can communicate locally, nationally and internationally (somewhat depending on your license level too).

Many local emergency groups depend on hams to coordinate communications during emergency situations. drills and simulations are key to troubleshooting how it all comes together and finding better ways to do things. Technologies exist for tracking (GPS, APRS), data transfer, email, and even video. all of which can be run with nothing more than a power supply, a radio, antenna, and a laptop computer (and a Ham, of course).

Amateur radio clubs work closely with the Red Cross and local, state, and national agencies to facilitate communications between groups to help with asset allocation, emergency services, and more...

I highly recommend visiting the ARRL at arrl (dot) org/general-information. There you can find information on what you can do with amateur radio, what amateur radio can do for you, local clubs, practice tests, testing times and locations, and more.

sorry, it won't let me post the url's correctly but just replace (dot) with . and remember, the internet is one of the greatest resources you have access to. If you don't know an answer to a question, look it up.

73 and hope to hear you on the air.
Karen - KI4GOT (aka k.i.forgot)
CQ Zone 5
ITU Zone 8
LOC: EM97uh

Member:
Floyd Amateur Radio Society - W4FCV
Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club - W4CA
Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL)

 

[BarredBuff]

Welcome to SufficientSelf! Howdy!

I have thought about this myself. Im not entirely sure how to prep with it though. Im starting to get the supplies and food down so now I move to medicine and protection.

 

[i_am2bz]

Welcome!

I've thought about this for years...an old boyfriend tried to get me interested, but I could never get the hang of Morse Code. But I hear now it's not required...

 

[ki4got]

Welcome to SufficientSelf! Howdy!

I have thought about this myself. Im not entirely sure how to prep with it though. Im starting to get the supplies and food down so now I move to medicine and protection.

well, with the right resources, some commercial radios are now becoming readily available for a variety of frequency ranges at reasonable prices. currently the fcc is no longer issuing frequencies for these radios, and anyone with licensed frequencies has to upgrade their radios by january 2013. after that it will be illegal for those commercial radios to be used on their designated frequencies. BUT! they are easily modified to ham bands, and 100% legal for a ham to use.

hubby has a number of them now, for 70cm, 2M, 6M, and 10M frequencies. I think all told he has less than $300 in them including the laptop to program them with. granted the laptop is OLD and S L O W... (think windows 98 or older). He and a friend are thinking of setting up a repeater with a pair of them.

radio signals travel by line of sight, so having a taller location increases the range the signal can travel. A repeater is usually located on a mountaintop or tall tower, and when it hears a signal, repeats it out on a different frequency (with a standard offset so other radios know what to listen for) at higher power to increase the effective range someone can communicate. so for example, someone living within a mile or 2 of the repeater can hit it with a hand-held radio (aka HT) on 500mA (1/2 a watt) of power, the repeater hears that and kicks it back out with 100w power. Someone 50 miles away going down the interstate hears that signal and using 50w of power on their mobile radio can talk back to the person on the HT. There's more to the technical aspects of it all, but sums it up in a nutshell.

Hubby (aka John aka K4JKA) and I have several setups we can use in emergency situations, including a portable solar charger, generator and deep cycle batteries, laptops, radios, and antennas. In an emergency situation we can be set up within an hour of reaching a location, with digital and voice communications capabilities on a range of frequencies.

Karen - KI4GOT

 

[ki4got]

Welcome!

I've thought about this for years...an old boyfriend tried to get me interested, but I could never get the hang of Morse Code. But I hear now it's not required...

nope. no code required anymore. but it's still out there, and quite handy at times when voice transmissions are lost in the static. that tone makes it's way thru when nothing else can. I did pass my code test, but i'd be hard pressed to copy a whole sentence. That's what the computer and digital interface are for. my computer translates coming and going, and i still make contacts on cw. (aka morse code)

John prefers voice, i prefer digital formats. There's enough variety out there for everyone to find their niche.

 

[dacjohns]

We have at least one other operator on the forum, K0xxx.

Welcome.

 

[cabinchick]

KJ6ORY . Now there are three of us. Only problem is, I didn't get my antenna up on my roof before the snow hit, and it's buried under about 3 1/2 feet of snow that fell off my roof and onto my deck Oops.

 

[i_am2bz]

radio signals travel by line of sight, so having a taller location increases the range the signal can travel. A repeater is usually located on a mountaintop or tall tower, and when it hears a signal, repeats it out on a different frequency (with a standard offset so other radios know what to listen for) at higher power to increase the effective range someone can communicate. so for example, someone living within a mile or 2 of the repeater can hit it with a hand-held radio (aka HT) on 500mA (1/2 a watt) of power, the repeater hears that and kicks it back out with 100w power. Someone 50 miles away going down the interstate hears that signal and using 50w of power on their mobile radio can talk back to the person on the HT. There's more to the technical aspects of it all, but sums it up in a nutshell.

Uhhhh...I think I'd have to take a class. Or "HAM for Dummies". :/

 

[cabinchick]

radio signals travel by line of sight, so having a taller location increases the range the signal can travel. A repeater is usually located on a mountaintop or tall tower, and when it hears a signal, repeats it out on a different frequency (with a standard offset so other radios know what to listen for) at higher power to increase the effective range someone can communicate. so for example, someone living within a mile or 2 of the repeater can hit it with a hand-held radio (aka HT) on 500mA (1/2 a watt) of power, the repeater hears that and kicks it back out with 100w power. Someone 50 miles away going down the interstate hears that signal and using 50w of power on their mobile radio can talk back to the person on the HT. There's more to the technical aspects of it all, but sums it up in a nutshell.

Uhhhh...I think I'd have to take a class. Or "HAM for Dummies". :/

Oh please don't get discouraged - there are plenty of resources to help you get your license . I knew nothing about ham radio communications when I started. There are books you can check out from the library. AARL's Technical License Book provides tons of information and lots of practice tests - my husband used this book and did great on the test. Or, there are online classes - for a minimal fee, you can study at your own pace on the computer, take practice tests, just like the book. I used this method and passed with flying colors. Additionally, every single HAM operator I have met is more than willing to help you in any way. It's a terrific group of folks involved in this.

My husband uses the radio much more than I do, to talk to local HAM operaters. I just use it occasionally to keep my skills up, so that if an emergency did occur, I would still know what to do. There are local HAM radio clubs that get together for social interaction and events, or to talk technical stuff. We used to belong to one, but since we've moved we're just using them on your own. I can tell you,once you get the hang of it, the radios are easy to use, there are some really fun events, lots of people you can talk to all over the world! Pretty cool, huh?

 

[Icu4dzs]

Getting a license is really much easier now than ever before. There is a book called "Now you're TAlking" published by ARRL and that has all the information you need to get a Technician License. It has ALL the questions that could possibly be on the test so if you studied just those you'd still pass. It isn't hard to do. The questions are all multiple choice and the wording for them comes straight out of the text in the book.
Additionally, you don't have to take a Morse Code test any more to get a license. That was a MAJOR deterrent for some folks and they finally elminated that from certain classes of license. That really improves your enjoyment of the radio hobby!
Personally, I like morse code and have a system to teach it which is really easy...much easier than the Boy Scouts taught me when I was young...back in the stone ages.
HOpe this helps.
Welcome to the world of Amateur Radio (HAM)
73
Trim sends
KI4IGQ

//BT//