Manager


Manager - N2MG
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Survey Question

Question

As a Ham, would you be ready for action with portable communications if there was a natural disaster or emergency in your area?

Results (1176 answers)

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Survey Comments

I am now, thanks to my mom-in-law getting me a nice portable battery pack with a plug in. The mobile radio (that I normally plug into either of my vehicles) works about 6 hours normal use, 12 hours standby with it. Before then, I would have only been prepared in the HT category....

73 KD6NIG
Posted by KD6NIG on 2005-04-30

Ham Radio operation during disaster

Yes, I am ready for an emergency but I am unable to take part in Ham radio operation as I work for a county Sheriff office and must be there. I have helped in the past four hurricanes in FL.
Posted by NT4Z on 2005-04-19

Not just first aid training, no. Most hams have very little actual emergency communications training.

The first half of my comment was about first aid. The second was about communications.
Posted by AE6IP on 2005-01-19

So, out of curiosity, how much training do you put in before you 'Communicate!'?

Posted by AE6IP on 2005-01-17

r.e. Response to AE6IP:

As I indicated, I don't have any first aid training. That is what you implied was deficient in most Hams experience, was it not?

Dennis / KG4RUL
Posted by KG4RUL on 2005-01-17

Response to AE6IP:

When I go to the EOC to man the Amateur Radio Communications room, that is what I do: Communicate!

If I wanted to do the rescue-medic thing, I would take the available CERT training.

What I do is valuable to the overall effort in the time of an emergency so, please, don't knock it.

Dennis / KG4RUL
Posted by KG4RUL on 2005-01-15

Echolink

I've got my wireless laptop always ready with Echolink!
Posted by AD5GX on 2005-01-14

Reasonably So

I'm not as ready as some but I'm ready as can be!

I think if a natural disaster were to strike we as hams would not only be able to help a lot of people, but they would be impressed when it was all over at our capabilities (well, most of us!). I hope it never happens but I believe we would all definitely come together and get the job done :)
Posted by YEPSURE on 2005-01-14

e.m.a activation

totaly self contained fully portable qrv station 11 kw back up power portable repeaters 440 144 and all anntenna compliments for compleat ares sky warn arps operation ready to serve at minutes notice kb8vxh.
Posted by KB8VXH on 2005-01-14

Amazing how "well equiped" some people are with tons of amateur radio gear and no mention of first aid training or kits.

But that's OK, we just send that sort off to do health and welfare traffic at some shelter where they're out of the way and can (probably) stay out of trouble.

Doesn't matter what toys you own. If you're not trained you're not ready. And if you don't practice you're not trained.

And, no, field day doesn't count as training.

Posted by AE6IP on 2005-01-14

All that Gear

Well with all this ham gear ready to roll,I gess i can stay home and listen to the cluster F***k that will go on as always....And say gee i sure glad i am not in that mess....


Posted by N2BR on 2005-01-13

QRV on 1.8 to 450 MHz

I can be QRV on 1.8 to 450 MHz operating digital, phone or cw with about 1.5 hours of setup time in a remote location. It would take about an hour to pack up the truck.

Have wireless will travel...

-Tim
Posted by W4TME on 2005-01-13

Rovers are always ready to roll

It may take me a few hours to round up all my gear, but I can be QRV 1.8 thru 440 MHz with 100 watts out on each band if needed. I have
SSB, CW, FM, PSK, and WSJT modes available. Complete with gain antennas on the bands above 50 MHz.

Portable contesting is a blast, try it sometime.

73
Dan

--
K9ZF /R no budget Rover ***QRP-l #1269
Check out the Rover Resource Page at: http://www.qsl.net/n9rla
List Administrator for: InHam+grid-loc+ham-books
Posted by K9ZF on 2005-01-13

Ready To Go

Yes, i'm ready what ever things go wrong !!



73
Jackie
KG4ORX
Posted by N4MJG on 2005-01-13

Bring it on

Got a generator, TS-2000 with bach up rigs and a group of portable HF to UHF antennas. Old USMC field table and even a direcway satellite internet link.

Also have tent, trailer and a portable gas frig to keep the beer cold.

Ice storm knocked out power here for 5 days right before Christmas. Not a problem if you plan and have the backup power.

Bring it on.

73
Gary
W8VI
Posted by W8VI on 2005-01-13

Emergency Readiness

Yes indeed!

I have a 5 KW generator to run the house and radios as needed, and my motorhome has a 3 KW unit as back-up or whatever.

I keep a Rubbermaid tote box that has various wire antennas for the HF bands, as well as my ST-3 Transmatch. If the fit hit the shan, I would use the antennas on the motorhome for 50 through 1240 MHz.
Posted by WA6BFH on 2005-01-13

Are You Ready?

How prepared are you? Have discussed your Family Disaster Plan at home? Do you have a first aid kit, flares or reflectors, water and an ABC dry chemical extinguisher in the vehicle you drive daily? If you don’t have these items in your “Go Kit” now, you have your homework assignment.

Emergency planners emphasize that the most important in disaster preparation is to HAVE A PLAN!

Radio amateurs must plan not only from the amateur radio perspective, but also with respect to community and family. You should presume loss of AC power and address potential loss of repeater use after storms. You should also keep essential personal protective equipment, such as an N95 mask, gloves, safety shoes, rain gear, and hard hat.

A Red Cross survey of coastal communities indicated that barely a third of families plan for hurricanes or flooding. Only a fifth has a disaster supplies kit or evacuation plan. The VA Dept. of Emergency Management states that most hurricane- related deaths occur from inland flooding far from coastal areas. HAZMAT releases and transportation accidents can happen anywhere and may require evacuations and opening of shelters.

What if your community was a target of terrorism? Is your home or place of work likely to be in or near an affected target area? All of us who live or work near Washington, DC, the Ney York City area or Oklahoma City know what it's like to be in the "bullseye," but anywhere could be a target.

If you don’t think that your community is at risk for disasters, you are mistaken. Consider these examples: Natural disasters – most parts of the country are at risk for tornadoes, severe thunder storms, winter storms and flooding. Technological disasters - Every community has the potential for HAZMAT releases and transportation accidents. Resource shortages – every summer drought, thunderstorm or winter storm brings the potential for loss of AC power and water and food shortages.

Knowing WHAT to do, WHERE to go, HOW to get there and how to NOTIFY everyone where you are and if you are OK is the framework of your family disaster plan. If family members are at work or school and can’t get home, they need to know a safe place to go and someone to call to let other family members know where they are, if they need help or are safe. If your family ever needs to evacuate, the process is less upsetting when everyone already knows the plan. You must plan for young children, elderly relatives, animals and other special needs. Your local office of emergency management can provide detailed disaster planning information.

Have you practiced EDITH? It stands for Exit Drill in the Home. When your smoke alarm goes off, crawl low to avoid smoke, exit the door, meet outside. Go to a neighbor’s house or use a portable phone to call 911. Designate a pre-arranged shelter with a neighbor within walking distance, where kids know they will be safe, and can wait until you get home. Elderly relatives need someone to check on them daily and whom they can call for help if you aren’t there.

If your neighborhood is told to evacuate so that your nearby neighborhood refuse is not an option, your family will be more at ease if they know somewhere else safe and comfortable to go, instead of a public shelter. When local phone service is out, long distance “may” still work. So designate an out-of-area friend who agrees to accept collect calls from family so that everyone knows who to call to let others know where they are, if they need help or are safe.

Ensure that family members know where and how to shut off the electricity, gas and water at the main sources, should they need to evacuate. Are your main utility shut-offs in the home plainly marked? Is there an adjustable wrench in plain sight near your gas meter? If your family ever needs to evacuate turn off all utilities to reduce risk of fire, water damage and contamination.

“Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit “is a Red Cross pamphlet developed in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It lists essential food, water, shelter, first aid, and safety items which you should have already assembled in a sturdy, water-resistant, easily transported container, which is accessible at home or which can easily be taken with you to a public shelter. Each family member should have their own backpack to carry their own flashlight, extra batteries, eyeglasses, a change of clothing, socks and underwear, rain gear, sturdy shoes, personal medications, sanitary supplies and comfort items.

ARES public service events are no substitute for a full-scale emergency response exercise. You should depend upon having only an HT for EmCom. A mobile rig with at least 25 watts output is better.
If everyone develops an adequate simplex capability with suitable equipment and practices basic skills, loss of repeater coverage isn’t a big deal. Everyone should know the local ARES or RACES simplex frequencies to use, have these pre-programmed into their rigs and exercise the local operating plan regularly.

It’s naïve to presume that repeaters are always going to be there to make up for a poor station on your part. How would you alert and communicate with your family or ARES group if the phone, Internet and AC power were off for three days, the battery backup on the repeater goes dead after the first 24 hours or the “machine” on which you depend on takes a lightning hit? Use smoke signals?

Teach new amateur operators where the “reverse” button is on their transceivers, what it is for, and how to turn the automatic repeater offset “on” and “off.”
Lead by example. Demonstrate and encourage use of correct radio operating procedures. Practice handling traffic. Encourage questions and discussion of equipment, antennas, homebrew projects, emergency power and emergency planning to maintain interest. Rotate net control duties for nets so that everybody gets a turn and learns how.

Realistic training should presume that repeaters will either be inoperative due to storm damage, or will be operating on battery backup, which must be conserved for as long as possible. If you prepare and train for the worse case scenario, you will be ready. If the repeater still works, but is on battery, don’t run it down needlessly, lest it not be there for someone’s emergency when they need it.

If a net usually meets on a repeater, but the repeater if off air for any reason, some people won’t have gotten the word, so use the repeater’s output frequency on simplex, because that’s where people will be listening. That beats the heck out of guessing where else the net may meet, and should be common sense.

New operators should seek a reliable, rugged, simple to use rig. It should be capable of operation from an external battery, have a low power option, such as 5 watts for maximum battery conservation, and a higher power, such as 25 watts for reliable simplex. It should be frequency agile, field programmable, with ten or more memories, have CTCSS encode and be packet capable.

A dual-band radio is highly recommended in urban areas, because UHF and 220 get in, out of and around reinforced buildings better than VHF, and are less subject to intermoduation distortion. We recommend that every ARES and RACES member develop at least an “appliance user” familiarity with packet. Get some experience checking into nets at home, handling formal traffic on both the NTS and ICS forms and developing skill in portable and mobile operations.

Any portable rig should have THREE power sources: its OEM battery pack, AA battery case in case you cannot recharge your NiCd, NiMh or Lithium Ion battery, and an auxiliary power cord to enable connection to an external battery or power supply. Get a gel cell battery adequate to operate your HT at full power for a 12-hour operational period. About 4ah is the minimum recommended, 7ah is better.

If all you have is an HT and you cannot afford a mobile, consider a “brick amp.” You want an amplifier such as the Mirage B23 or BD35 which provides 10w output with as little as 1 watt of drive and is capable of 25 watts out with 2-3 watts of drive, when both the HT and the amp are just “loafing” along at about 2/3 of maximum rated output. The idea is to let the amp do the work without burning up the finals on your HT by running full power all of the time. Your brick amp should be capable of occasional, intermittent 50w transmissions if really needed, though you generally avoid this because excessive RF power overheats the equipment and depletes your batteries faster.

What “go kit” items are best for you is an individual decision. Search and rescue survival planners recommend three levels which build upon each other. Level I is what is your briefcase and pockets which you have with you all the time. Commuters using public transportation or who walk, rather than drive, may not have room for much more than their personal cell phone or pager, eyeglasses, driver’s license and RACES ID, some cash for phones and vending, and maybe an HT, notebook and pencil.

A zippered, compartmentalized pouch which fits in your briefcase enables additional items such a spare HT battery pack, personal medications, snacks, water bottle, pocket knife, small “backup” flashlight and a lighter or matches. It’s better to have minimum essentials always with you, than to have a larger pack inaccessible during an emergency. You decide what works best for your circumstances.

Members of ARES, RACES, CERT or Red Cross DATs should prepare to at least Level II. It is recommended that your Level II equipment be stored in a backpack or shoulder bag in your vehicle, so that it is available quickly whether you are at home or away. What kit contents are best for you will depend upon where you live, your assignment and situational circumstances. Those living in urban areas will have different needs than those who are out in the country.

Recommended minimum contents for everyone include your HT (if not carried at Level I) “gain” antenna such as a telescoping half wave or wind-up J-pole, extra battery pack or AA case, flashlight and extra batteries, utility pocket knife, personal first aid kit, forms kit and operating references, earphone or speaker mic, local street map, notebook and pencil, stuff-able rain gear, hat, 1 meal and drinking water.

In rural areas you include 24000 scale (7.5 minute) topo maps of the area around your home and the route to your worksite. Also include an orienteering compass, insect repellant, sunscreen, fire starting materials, and an extra “warm” clothing layer. Selection of contents is up to you, but these recommendations are based upon the collective experience of many.

Those who are qualified to provide mutual aid on an ARESMAT or RACES Disaster Response Team, should prepare to Level III. Added to the previous two layers, its emphasis is on personal protective equipment and “Ten Essentials” recommended by SAR and survival experts for deployment in an unknown environment. All deployed amateurs in disaster areas should carry an ANSI Type II reflective vest, leather work gloves, sturdy work boots with ankle support and a traction sole, rain suit, and either 4AA or 2D flashlight with extra batteries. For CERT and damage assessment missions your gear should also include hardhat, safety glasses, N-95 mask, and medical exam gloves.

“Ten Essentials” recommended by Search and Rescue and survival experts include a first aid kit, map, compass, utility knife, food for two meals, fire starting materials, signaling materials, emergency shelter, extra clothing and water. It is recommended that you inspect and update the contents of all three levels twice yearly in the spring and fall.

Necessary radio equipment to support your assignment should be packed in sturdy “grab and go” containers. Tools and accessories are transported easily in a contractor’s tool bag. Evaluate what is mission-essential, versus what merely adds to the weight you must carry. It does no good to have a great station with batteries for 96 hours if you are can’t operate because you are cold, wet, hungry, sick and tired.

Plan on adequate auxiliary power for a minimum of 24 hours to do do your job. It is better to plan for 2-3 days of activity on a 24-hour basis until relief resources arrive. This is reality.

A typical operating duty cycle for voice nets is about 20 percent or one minute of transmit time to 4 minutes of receive. A busy packet BBS approaches 50%. Battery amp-hour ratings are based on a 20-hour discharge rate. Capacity is reduced non-linearly as operating loads and duty cycle increase.

A “quick & dirty” approximation which will keep you out of trouble “most of the time,” use the Amp-Hour per Watt Rule. Ensure one amp-hour of battery capacity for each watt of transmitter output, for each rig, for each 12-hour operational period. Experience has validated this in practice. It represents the MINIMUM which every operator should always carry, all of the time.

Recommended batteries for stationary operations are the BCI Group 27 or 30 deep cycle, widely used in telecommunications, marine, RV and agricultural applications. These are widely available and common everywhere and weigh 65-75 pounds each. Group 27 or 30 batteries are the largest that a physically fit adult can safely lift alone onto a hand truck and transport from the Battery Mart to your car and over to the EOC. A pair is recommended.

For indoor use get sealed AGM construction, so that you need not be concerned about acid spillage or out-gassing of hydrogen during charging.

Battery conservation isn’t the whole answer, but is simple common sense and good operating practice. Conserve your batteries by using the minimum transmit power for reliable communications, with the most efficient practical antenna and shortest run of low loss feed line.

If you operate from your mobile, running the engine 10 minutes of every hour will avoid draining the battery so much that the vehicle won’t start, but remember that when the AC mains are down and there is no electricity to run the pumps, that it is foolish to waste scarce gasoline to run your auto alternator to keep your battery charged when you may need that gas to evacuate!

Battery charging is science, not alchemy. To achieve a 90% charge state in an SLA battery, recharge it to 120% of its capacity; for a 100% charge state, charge to 140% of its capacity. The general rule for charging 12v SLA batteries is to charge at a rate of 1/10 the battery’s capacity for 12-14 hours. A battery of 15a/h capacity is charged at a rate of 1.5A. For a 90% charge, go to 12 hours; for a 100% charge, 14 hours. If your charger isn’t a convenient 1/10 of your battery’s capacity? Calculate appropriate charge times for a fully-discharged battery as follows:

90% charge: (a/h rating of batt. x 1.2) / charger output in amps = time (in hours)
100% charge: (a/h rating of battery x 1.4) / charger output in amps = time (in hours)

SLA battery manufacturers warn against attempting to achieve a full charge in less than 10 hours. This is because the battery will gas, swelling the case, possibly blowing the safety vents, causing loss of electrolyte! A charger for 12V gel or AGM batteries should not exceed 14V.

For general use you want a low-amperage, automatic charger. This compares the battery voltage against a pre-determined reset point in the microprocessor which controls the charger. The Schumacher Model SE-1-12S is a 1.5A automatic charger which can safely recharge small gel cells over 2ah if time and temperature are monitored, or can be connected continuously to batteries of U1 size or larger and maintain up to a Group 30. It sells for about $30 and has overload, reverse polarity and temperature protection and is available at www.batterychargers.com Ordinary auto battery are designed to deliver up to 16V to enable mixing of electrolyte of flooded batteries at the end of the charge cycle. They will ruin a sealed gel sell in short order, unless a diode or two are placed in line with the “hot” lead to limit maximum voltage to 14 volts. The Schumacher SE-600 is a 6A dual-mode charger with both “flooded” and Gel-AGM settings.

If the AC power went down right now, how long could you operate your station? Everybody likes to use a generator for Field Day, but they aren’t the best EmCom solution. They are noisy, distracting, generate gobs of carbon monoxide, require a reliable source of clean fuel and poses a host of safety and operational considerations.

If you decide to buy or use a generator, you must educate yourself in its safe and proper use. Generators use internal combustion engines which produce carbon monoxide. To ensure adequate ventilation of exhaust and fuel vapors, never run a generator indoors, in attached garages or near HVAC air intakes. Set up under an open canopy, shed or carport.

Don’t connect or plug a portable generator into a building electrical service. Plug only individual devices into the generator using UL-rated cords of adequate wire gage for loads. Ensure adequate grounding of the generator and equipment. Don’t set up generators or feed lines on wet ground.

Fuel vapors are heavier than air and can travel along the ground where they may be ignited by any arc, spark or open flame. Store fuel outdoors in a ventilated shed and use only approved containers.

Typical gasoline generators produce about 600w at 120 volts AC per engine horsepower. A 100 watt HF transceiver requires about 1200 AC watts at 120 volts. Generator capacity must be sized to not only the running wattages of the equipment, but also the starting loads. For low-loads such as furnace fans and lighting multiply running wattages by 2. For heavy loads such as pumps, winches or compressors multiply the running wattages by 7.

A 5KW generator adequate for maintaining essential appliance in a single-family house or a mobile command post requires 12 to 15 gallons of fuel every 24 hours. Section F-3201.2 of the Virginia Uniform Fire Code prohibits storage of more than 5 gallons of gasoline in residential areas.
Check with your local Fire Marshall to see what the safety requirements are in your area and COMPLY with them, so that you don't void your home owner's insurance policy!

National Electrical Code requires backup generators connected to a building electrical service be equipped with a double-pole, double-throw transfer switch. This disconnects the building service from the AC mains when the generator is connected, preventing injury to utility workers servicing the lines. It also protects building equipment from back feed when the AC mains come back on. In states using the Uniform Electrical Code installation of a transfer switch requires an electrical permit and must be done by a licensed electrician.

Photovoltaics are a viable option. A 30 or 40 watt panel can maintain up to four Group 27 batteries. A minimal solar system of about 1.5 percent of battery capacity is self-regulating and adequate to maintain batteries against self-discharge. Such a system is generally much less expensive than a general of similar capacity, and you don’t have the associated fuel safety, supply and storage problems.

Amateur radio emergency communications, done “right” seem “transparent,” to emergency managers.

Trained operators have technical knowledge to work around problems, operate from the same sheet of music and don’t waste their time or anybody else’s by sloppy work.

Just because we are “amateurs” doesn’t mean that we don’t maintain the highest standards of performance and integrity.

So go out there, do it right, do it safely and set a good example for your fellow operators.

Posted by KE4SKY on 2005-01-12

Emergency Ready

Since my home, shack, and all 6 repeaters run on alternate energy 24/7, I don't worry about grid power outages. I also have a 100KW standby generator that runs on natural gas, and all vehicles will run on either gasoline or propane. Since the shack is underground, it is unlikely that it will suffer damage. Spare antennas are at hand for fast and easy deployment. The emergency vehicle is also housed in an underground garage at my QTH. Can anyone say Fallout Shelter? Although it's highly unlikely that Nowheresville, my location, will ever suffer any major catastrophic occurrence, I am ultimately prepared nonetheless.


Posted by KD7EZE on 2005-01-12

One Hour to Launch

I have a 4'x8' trailer which can be quickly loaded up with any or all of:

Deep Cycle Marine Battery & Charger
Honda Generator, Fuel and Oil
Extension cords and suppressor power strips
10'x10' foot tent w/sides
Several Tarps
Stakes, Bungee Cords
Collapsible Cot & Sleeping Bag
Water (15 Gal on hand)
Food, Propane Stove
Propane Heater (cold weather)
Portable A/C unit (Hot Weather)
Folding Tables & Chairs
G5RV antenna and lots of ropes
Collapsible 45' Vertical w/Radials
Tri-Band Vertical, Mast sections, Tripod
Many rolls of coax and assortment of adapters
Tool Kit for emergency repairs
FT-100D installed in vehicle as mobile
TS2000X
Yaesu VX-5R HT, Icom IC-T2H Sport HT
Station Technical Information Binder (operating manuals and other operating information)
Atomic Clock
Garmin GPS & TinyTrakIII
Manual Antenna Tuner
IBM Laptop
Soundcard I/F
Digital Camera
Personal Items & Clothing

I and be loaded and ready to roll in 1 Hour or less!

Dennis / KG4RUL

Posted by KG4RUL on 2005-01-12

Prepared

Yes.
Steve W4CNG
Posted by W4CNG on 2005-01-12

No Need

The recent string of hurricanes that came through FL proved that we are not needed as written in an article here I believe. In 1969 when I survived Camille there was a great need since this was pre Internet and pre Cell phone. Today, as the fellow in FL noted, the portable cell phone towers show up faster than we do...its good PR after all. Even as recently as the 1980s I participated, or tried to, in some drills and such around DC and Northern VA and became very dis-enchanted very quickly. In each and every case I found myself standing around most of the day waiting for an assignment or a piece of traffic to pass or something....anything. I did participate quite a bit in some public service events, but it was more of the same...stand around and around and around...then the net closes down and noone remembers where they left me and my HT! I think the need was definitely there back in the day, but no more.

Posted by KI4RO on 2005-01-12

Are you ready?


... Bring it on !! I'm ready!!

Charles - KC8VWM


Posted by KC8VWM on 2005-01-12

em comm

i have a vx-7r fully charged with TWO extra battery packs.... and a deep cycle marine battery to power my ic-746 ( i know not the best portable in the world but its the only rig i own) i have tested the deepcycle and it will run the load i put on it for over 200 hrs..... its a Biggie
Posted by KI4CYQ on 2005-01-11

Big Battery bank

I have a little more than 1000 amp hours of battery storage in my shack. Use 900 amp hours for Yaesu FT897, and the rest for VHF/UHF handheld power. I can hit 6 repeaters from my location on 5 watts. Main HF antenna (Gap Titan) is on hinged mast so it folds down to the ground easily with one person, more likely to survive a cyclone/typhoon/hurricane. I have a VHF/UHF portable station with 18 amp hour gel cel. I have a small generator to charge batteries with. I hope I am ready.
Posted by KD4TOQ on 2005-01-11

Hot Emergency Setup

I use a FT-817 and a Buddipole. Covers 40-10 and VHF/ UHF. 100% battery power and all can be set up and on any band (HF or VHF/ UHF) in 10 minutes. Perfect emergency setup!
Posted by W7AIT on 2005-01-11

Hope we don't have to..

All set. An IC-746, Buddipole 40-2 and 7500 watts of fossil fuel burning power. I hope we have a mild hurricane season this year in Florida. We really got whacked in 2004.

Dan
Posted by N1GXC on 2005-01-11

Portable QRO station

1. Camper setup as a rolling shack.
2. 7,500 watt Generator capable of running the Camper and Truck with transfer switch.
3. Butternut HF6V antenna with mount that connects to the truck sleeve hitch.
4. Ready made dipoles for 15, 20, 40, and 80-meters.
5. IC-756 PRO II
6. SB-1000 amplifier.
7. SA-2060A antenna tuner.
8. Computer, PK-900 TNC, sound card interface, and software.
9. 74 Ford, Super Cab Camper special with dual Battery and 117 Vac secondary alternator.
10. 6-person tent for support team.
11. Box of extra feed line, connectors, wire, rope, insulators, and tools including soldering iron and supplies.
12. MRE's for 2 people for 1 week.
QRO all the way, no wimpy QRP stuff hoping to be heard by someone when solid emergency communication is required!
Posted by N4ZOU on 2005-01-11

More to it than radios

The best planned emergency gear in the world isn't useful if you can't go someplace to set it up.

Remember to keep motor vehicles (which are your "getaway" cars in a disaster) tanked up with fuel at all times, and keep them parked in a place that's unlikely to trap them and render them useless in a real emergency.

If your garage your vehicles and have an electric door opener as most of us do, make sure that the emergency latch to unlock it works so the door can be raised manually, and that all family members are trained how to operate it.

WB2WIK/6
Posted by WB2WIK on 2005-01-11

WARC Nets

The fellow who , I think spoke out of turn, said there should be no nets on WARC ie 10114 County Hunters. Sir, May I advise you? The County Hunters do use 10.114 for making 30 M contacts. However, they and I include myself, are not an affiliated net. The ops there will inform you that there is a mobile running and ask that you wait, but they will not just tell you that the net is in session as they do on 14.056. AND if you wait a moment, we will have run our mobile, and the frequency is free for your use....de NF9A Bill thank You...
Posted by NF9A on 2005-01-11

Ready and set to go

Kits at the basement door, FT-840, Icom dual band 2 meter and 440 cm, HTX 242 2 meter spare and a Icom T7H for a portable. Mobile has a dual battery system, in home battery backup and 5000 watt generator that can be moved to a temporary operating site if needed.

Portable antennas in kits and others ready at home. Cell phone and also FRS radios for the family around the house and neighborhood. Ready as can be ready--oh yes, got the hurricane lamps and candles handy too!
Posted by K1CJS on 2005-01-11

All hams

I think about all hams who are active are emergency ready. I have the IC-765 here, with a nice, strong antenna. That is if there is power. I have a VX-7r which is always fully charged (or just about; I use it for an alarm clock), and my brother has a VX-150 that is always charged. If the power isn't out, and there weren't bad winds or storms, I think all hams that have a rig hooked up are prepared.
Posted by KC0KBH on 2005-01-10

For KC0KBH..... Mate, what is the disaster when there is still power and no wind or storms.... :-) :-) Then your and other people's mobile phones will still be working and you won't need ham gear anyway.

A couple of large deep cycle 12 V batteries, a couple of solar pannels and/or a good sized generator is the minimum to power the mains independent gear. And ... yes, I have these ready, properly charged and well maintained and I hope I will never need them!


Posted by VK2GWK on 2005-01-10

I think so

been doing it for nearly thirty years.
Posted by OBSERVER11 on 2005-01-10

Without a doubt

Batteries are always charged and ready. Ft-817 and Ft-897 are ready at all times. I am never without my FT-817. Vehicles, camper and home are rigged and ready. Several portable HF/VHF/UHF antennas available for both rigs both at home and in vehicles. I hope I never have to, but I'm ready and willing to help where ever I can.
Posted by KF6HQC on 2005-01-10