I use the Kenwood TS-711a 2m allmode rig with a Cushcraft 147-11(11 elements) at 30' and last June I worked several states from EM78hp. Those 20+ year old Kenwood allmode rigs are sure fine radios even if they are limited by the 25w output.
Still haven't hoisted an antenna for the TS-60 6m at the house but looks like I need to get it up quick while the band is hot!

I have the Kenwood TS-711a at home and love it. It's 2 meter fm/ssb/cw 25w with internal ps. With a Cushcraft 147-11 beam I picked up for free and a homebrew copper pipe j-pole it does everything I could ask for. As a bonus, you can pick up a 2/6 converter later and have all-mode 6 meter to boot.
These radios can be found for $350-400 in good condition. With the Kenwood desk mics going for $60+ I modified an old Turner Super Sidebander($5 at a swapmeet) to mate to the 711a and the audio reports are on par with many of the "studio" mics.

Pat I think your EC has a good point in everyone being trained as a NCS. After all, if no one else is available you may be the difference between life or death someday. That being said, I find few people that are good NCS ops on the VHF nets in a real situation. I am not a "professional" dispatcher, but I do communications for Search and Rescue and I find it easy to handle up to 10 teams in the field,along with logistics,transport and other support comm. It comes naturally for me but I know a lot of folks that just are not comfortable with it. Then again, I'm not as good on the weekly nets as others are. Time and experience come into play there I think. Plus the fact that when the s%#& hits the fan is when my system kicks into autopilot and I get into the groove.
 My recomendation is to train and practice as NCS as best as you can just in case. Hopefully you will never need it in a real incident but at least you could run things until someone came in to relieve you.
Larry

 Stuart as you have figured out by the responses to your post, equipment is mostly a matter of personal choice.
 I have both digital and analog meters,but use mostly digital. One note on digital meters, if you are working outdoors or in cold conditions,they do not seem to work below 25F. At least the ones I have do not. Also, as someone stated earlier,Harbor Freight has some decent units for under $50.
 On soldering equipment,you have to have at least two three. The gun type is a must, as stated before, for coax connectors,power lead connectors and other larger jobs. A 12w or 15w pencil iron is the workhorse for todays small circuitry and surface mounted componets. A 40w pencil iron will handle the "between" jobs. An alternative to the two pencils is (for the budget-minded like me) is the Radio Shack soldering station, with 20w and 40w settings. I prefer a variable heat range unit like the one Weller offers but the "shack" unit is <$25 compared to $100> for the Weller.
 Whatever equipment you decide on, the key to successful work is to learn your equipment, it's capabilities and drawbacks, and practice..practice...practice.

Good Luck!
Larry
kg4zar

I will agree that FRS has its place in EmComm situations,as long as everyone realizes its limits.During several Search&Rescue trainings and actual missions I've seen those in charge try to use FRS as the main communication mode. Bad move. Yes I understand FRS seems like the logical choice because the radios are cheap and no liscense is required, but try keeping in touch with 5-10 teams in the field spread out over 5 sq. miles in hilly terrain. Even PS band radios are of limited use in that situation.
 Our team makes use of FRS for intra-team or around the command center. IC to team comm is with ham ops.
 We have several Fire and EMS members on our team so we have the PS equipment to keep in touch with the dispatch center and local law enforcement.
 The main thing(as stated in a previous post)is to make use of all the available assets, but practice,test,and know your equipment and its limits.  
 I've seen first hand what happens when untested or plain wrong equipment is taken to the field in an emergency, and folks, it sure aint pretty!
 In fact,it can be fatal!

Pat I'll step up and say I'm all for the NIMS and NICS. I know there are those out there that will discount these systems but from practical experience I say they are needed. As a SAR team member, I regularly get to see Hams,Fire and Rescue,Law Enforcement and sometimes National Guard from different juristictions come together for a "lost or missing persons" search. In years past there was much confusion due to each group having their own "command system" and communications terminology. Since the adoption of the NICS and NIMS I see a far smoother meshing of responding agengies and considerably more efficent use of resources and personel.
 Also, please note that all agencies we have worked with have been very impressed with the ham operators that run communications for squad. None of the police or fire agencies have had a problem with hams running communications. There have even been comments to the effect that our operators are equal to their "professional" dispatchers.
In regards to your query on study material,the above mentioned link is the one I'm using, mostly due to getting my EM credits.

Larry
kg4zar
Trimble Co. Emergency Search
#8710

If you are needing to communicate between two known points then I would advise using small easy to transport and set-up two or three element beams at both locations. Purchase or build a 20'-30' portable mast pole for each. This setup should give you close to 50 miles over good terrain with 50watt mobile rigs. A home made beam like a "tiny two" is easy to build and is reasonably portable if needed,and the pattern spread will allow you to communicate with mobiles fairly well also.
Our Serch and Rescue squad has been experimenting with several scratch built antennas and a "tiny two" on a 10' pole connected to a 5watt HT has worked repeaters 30 miles away and mobiles out to 8 miles.
Good luck,

Larry
kg4zar
TCESU 8710

I know every area is different but here in Kentucky the state Emergency Management office has directed all county EM directors to bring amateur operators into the emergency services plan. As with fire and rescue,EMS,SAR and all other EM response teams we are taking the NICS(incident command system)course. From what I've seen in my time in Search and Rescue, knowledge of the ICS carries a lot more weight than anything else. After all, what good is having radio skills if you don't understand the operations plan of the served agency? And with the new Homeland Security program all Emergency Services agencies nationwide must operate with ICS or not be eligible for Federal funding.
Not that I think the idea of EmComm training is unfounded(I'm totally in favor of it)but the ICS training is first priority to be accepted by the people we need to work with. any communications training will be icing on the cake and really mean more to the ham community than it will to EM folks.

Larry Brown
kg4zar
Trimble Co. Emergency Search
#8710

Andrew your post brings several good points. And one great one,ICS. In my limited experience, knowledge and training in the NIMS and ICS is the first step towards being of service when "stuff" hits the fan. All hams need to learn the Incident Command System in order to really serve "served agencies". I also am a member of a SAR team here in Ky. and we (hams and SAR members)regularly work with local Fire & Rescue and EMS at incident scenes providing secondary communications and traffic control as a way to keep a good repoire with those folks. In addition, we assist the local EM Director whenever possible. The local served agencies now recognize us as "professional communicators" as does the district state police/911 dispatch office.
Yes it all takes time and effort, but in the long run if you really want to be of service you have to prepare in advance.

We are trying to revive the OCARC in Oldham Co. Ky. If you are in Oldham Co. or the surrounding counties and would like to be involved in making this club an active and viable part of the community contact me at larryb13@iglou.com or join our group on the 147.390 machine weekday mornings between 7:30 and 8:00am.
Larry
kg4zar

I guess I'm lucky that the local hams here(all three of us) are not "pocket station" operators. We all have several 2m/440 units, including ht's. We all build antennas and as much other gear as we can. Two of us are in process of getting all mode VHF/UHF radios now. I was an 11m SSB fanatic for years and have a tremendous faith in SSB's range and value. In working with local EM and being a charter member of a SAR team I can't stress enough the value of communications of all types in times of emergency.

Larry

Pat your words ring so true. Comming from a SAR/EM background, I also reccommend every ham take the online courses pertaining to ICS and NIMS if possible. With the nationwide requirement for all emergency agencies to follow the Incident Command System and use "plain language communications" it only makes sense for us as han operators to be on the same page as our "served agencies".
For those not in the EM loop, all agencies must follow National Incident Command System and National Incident Management System protocol and be in compliance by 2006 in order to qualify for Federal funding. This includes all law enforcement,fire,emergengy medical and Emergency Management agencies at local and state levels.

Larry

Bill I have not been in SAR long but I've seen the outfits that try to use FRS/GMRS to no avail. Here in Trimble County Kentucky our SAR unit is  on the local Emergency 911 repeater for dispatch and working with local fire and EMS plus we have a tactical simplex freq. for on scene comm. There are three of us that are hams and we also make use of 2m/440 ham freqs as needed. FRS/GMRS use is limited to IC communications between IC staff. We find that when working with other agencys it may require a combination of Public Service, Ham, cell phone and other available methods of communications to get the job done. Thank goodness media around here has not caught on to ham radio yet. Even with all that, due to the national move to the NICS and NIMS and the need for "plain language" communications, we just have to carry out our jobs and keep our radio traffic to just what is needed to relay the message. Sure people will be listening but we don't need to hide anyway, just be more professional with our traffic. Which, when you think of it, isn't such a bad idea anyway.

Larry
TCESU #8710