Amateur Radio…
REV 1.13.12
Jack Tiley AD7FO & Robert Wiese
W7UWC
Amateur Radio • Often is called “ham radio” • Has consistently been a dependable and
reliable means of Communication in emergencies
Simply Put – Ham Radio Works! • Most of the time communication systems work
fine in spite their complexity • When they become overloaded or fail Ham radio operators Hams are frequently called to provide communication where it really matters
Conventional Communications Systems May Fail • Telephones, cell phones, Internet, trunk lines,
and satellite phones all go through many vulnerable choke points. • In an emergency they become overloaded with non-Emergency traffic and they lack the ability to prioritize messages • Power failure can also cause telephone system failure at the cell site, switching center or at the user end.
Wireless Communications Systems May be Unavailable • With extreme traffic volumes on normal 2-
way radio systems they may be completely overloaded. • Most agency radio systems have limited resources (number of radio frequencies available for communication).
Ham Radio is Different • Hams have a practically unlimited number of
communication channels available. • We have modes that can provide wireless radio to internet access. • We have low and medium power portable radios for local communication. • We have deployable HF (High Frequency) radios with 100 or more watts of output power.
Ham Radio is different
(continued)
• We can relay information through other hams
in their homes where they may have high gain directional antennas and up to 1,500 watts of transmit power, many with their own emergency power capability.
• We can also use our own VHF/UHF repeaters
to extend our range just as the county and police do with their own repeaters on ridges and mountain tops.
By Selecting the Right Frequencies We can communicate across town, across the state or around the world
What kind of radios do we use?
What Kind of Radios do We Use? (continued)
• HF Radios (SSB Voice) – Operating in the 1.8 to 30 MHz bands – Up to 100 or more watts of RF output – Work well for long distance communication – Require larger antennas
What Kind of Radios do We Use? (continued)
• Hand held FM radios for mobility – Operating in the VHF or UHF bands – 1 to 5 watts of RF output – Work well in in line of site of the other
stations or a repeater.
What Kind of Radios do We Use? (continued)
• Mobile FM radios (in vehicle or set up on a
table) – Operating in the VHF or UHF bands – We can communicate 10-25 miles line of site with no infrastructure, and up to 50+ miles through a repeater, even further with linked repeaters.
Spokane Ham Radio Resources • VHF and UHF radios installed in Spokane
area Hospitals – Deaconess, Sacred Heart, Valley General, Holy Family, VA Hospital and St Luke's – Operated by ARES/RACES
Contact – Bob Wiese
[email protected]
Spokane Ham Radio Resources Red Cross Chapter in Spokane • Radio room at the chapter with HF, VHF and UHF transceivers and installed antennas.
The American Red Cross ECRV (Emergency Communications Response Vehicle)
• The Red Cross ECRV located In Spokane is
one of 12 located around the country • The ECRV is a deployable communications center
Inside the American Red Cross ECRV
Contact –Sharon Andrews
[email protected]
Spokane Ham Radio Resources National Weather Service office • Permanently installed Antennas for VHF and HF communications • Have a YEASU FT 897 HF/VHF/UHF radio. • Conference room has two 4” ports for temporary antenna access Contact - Anthony Cavallucci KF7TNC
[email protected]
Spokane Ham Radio Resources Spokane County Combined Communications Building • VHF/UHF Radio for voice (Kenwood D700) • Second VHF/UHF radio for winlink digital messaging (Kenwood D700) contact person - Robert Wiese W7UWC
[email protected]
Spokane Ham Radio Resources Salvation Army • Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) • National network that Handles Health and Welfare Information & Salvation Army Disaster Response Bulletins • Local HF nets on 3977.7 kHz SSB Sunday 0400 Zulu (8 pm Local) • No Radio installation in Spokene, just volunteers with their own equipment
Spokane Ham Radio Resources The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Emergency Response Communications (ERC) • Has about 400 licensed amateurs operators in northeast Washington and the Idaho panhandle • Conduct weekly VHF practice nets
Spokane Ham Radio Resources • “LDS Church leaders understand that civil
authorities have priority in directing efforts to respond to emergencies. “ • “When civil authorities assign public agencies to respond to emergencies, LDS Church members should act under the direction of such agencies.” LDS ERC Contact is Scott Grimmett
[email protected]
Spokane Ham Radio Resources Spokane international Airport • A few TSA employees attended one of my license classes • They plan to have the capability to set up an emergency station if needed • The station will operate on MARS (Military Affiliate Amateur Radio Station) frequencies in the HF Bands
Spokane Ham Radio Resources Spokane Community College • Ham Radio Club on Campus • HF Station on campus with permanent antenna installation. • Contact person is John Barnett (electronics Instructor) Office Phone -509-533-7141 Cell Phone -509-939-5648
How we use our radios • For personal enjoyment • For keeping in touch with friends and family • For public service events – Races – Parades – Public events • For experimenting
with technology • Competing in contests
What Can Amateur Radio Provide? • Local and long distance Voice
message handling . • Communication between locations that have overloaded or failed communicarion links. • Communication in areas not covered by conventional wireless.
Hams Stay Prepared • When there isn’t an emergency, hams
use all sorts of radios and antennas on many different frequencies to communicate with other hams – – – – –
Across town Around the state Around the country Around the world Even outer space!
Local Amateur Radio Clubs
• Spokane County ARES/RACES has Approx.
40 active members • Have our own wide coverage repeater (147.300 MHz) supplied and maintained by the county. • Provide communication for community events as well as emergency communication
Eastern Washington ARES/RACES consists of regions 7,8, and 9
Eastern WA ARES/Races Organization SM
AD7FO Jack Tiley
KB7HDX Mark Tharp
WA7LNC Gordon Grove
SEC
DEC
From Surrounding Counties EC
WA7RF Rob FIsher
DEC
From Surrounding Counties
EC
KG8ZK Charles Greeson
W7UWC Robert Wiese Spokane County
Training
AD7FO Jack Tiley
KE7PI Joe Qualtieri WB6JFH David Harper
SM - Section Manager SEC -Section Emergency Coordinator DEC -District Emergency Coordinator EC - Emergency Coordinator AEC -Assistant Emergency Coordinator TC - Technical Coordinator
Local Amateur Radio Clubs • Approx. 100 members • Maintain Repeaters and a repeater
network for digital communications • Club repeaters are available as ARES/RACES back up Contact – Mike Carey or Jack Tiley
[email protected] [email protected]
Local Amateur Radio Clubs • Operates nine repeaters covering North
Western Oregon to Western Montana
• The KBARA repeaters provide a means for emergency communications within the Pacific Northwest • The KBARA system covers an area from southeastern British Columbia to northeastern Oregon, and from western Montana to central Washington.
Local Amateur Radio Clubs • The KBARA system can also be connected to the Evergreen Intertie, an interconnected group of repeaters located in the northwestern United States and western Canada. • Contact – Duff Johnson WA7BFN - President
[email protected]
Local Amateur Radio Clubs • Dedicated to HF communication over long
distances • Many members have permanent antenna instillations and high power stations • Some have emergency power capability. • Many are available during an emergency for relaying messages . http://www.sdxa.org/
Local Amateur Radio Clubs Spokane Amateur Radio Club • Formerly the HP/Agilent Amateur Radio
Club • They operate two Spokane Area Repeaters • 2 Meter Repeater on 145.21 MHz • 70 cm repeater on 443.475 MHz • Contact: Jack Tiley
[email protected]
How we communicate • Voice • Morse Code • Digital Communication with
computers connected to radios • TV- Slow and Fast Scan
Using the Amateur Radio Frequencies • • • •
The FCC regulates Amateur Service A license is necessary Morse code testing no longer required There are three license levels – Technician - entry level - all VHF UHF
privileges, Limited HF privileges – General - privileges on all amateur bands – Extra - Additional operating privileges on HF bands
Simply Stated… Ham radio provides the broadest and most powerful wireless communications capability available to any private citizen anywhere in the world
Need More Information? • ARRL Emergency Radio Resource www.arrl.org/emergency-radio-org • information on local clubs at www.arrl.org/findaclub
• Information on Spokane ARES/RACES http://www.spokares.org • Bob Wiese (W7UWC) Spokane County EC
[email protected]
• Jack Tiley (AD7F0) Technical coordinator
[email protected]
REMEMBER
Any Questions?
