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Prepare to Communicate
By Carolyn and Don Nicolaysen (KR6US)
An earthquake strikes, and
your neighborhood is badly shaken. Your house was rocking and pitching
like the deck of a ship, and your knees are still wobbly. Some of
your neighbors' homes are damaged. Your chimney has a crack in it.
It must have been centered nearby, you think.
Electricity is out. Phones are out.
Water is out. Sirens are approaching. The kids are at school, and
your husband is at work. You reach for your cell phone and dial
his number. The cell network is down, or overloaded. What will you
do?
When natural disaster wipes out the
local infrastructure, emergency response teams may be minutes, hours,
or days away. Having a plan for the possible scenarios will help
your family feel more confident. If children know that whatever
happens while they are in school, you will come to get them, no
matter how long it takes to get there — they will be more
assured in their distress.
When families are separated in an emergency,
communicating can be next to impossible.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,
cell phones did not work. Cellular companies lost their towers and/or
the power to operate them. Temporary facilities were set up along
the expressway, but when their generators ran out of gas, they were
sometimes down again for long periods. Internet service was down.
And when power was restored to some
areas, there was no cable service until the cable TV companies had
power to their broadcast centers. Wired phones worked in many cases,
but FEMA shut down some lines to assure that service was available
for emergency use.
During the August 2003 blackout that
swept the northeastern states, cell service was widely disrupted
due to the loss of backup power when generators ran out of fuel,
or cell phone batteries ran out of charge. Wired phone lines were
overwhelmed by the volume of traffic, and millions of home users
had only cordless telephones that depended on household current.
Many people, who had been prepared
in prior blackouts with “transistor radios” to hear
the news, no longer had a radio. They had all been replaced by CD
players or other updated devices. Most broadcast stations were knocked
off the air momentarily, but returned to the air with backup power.
Internet service was down, except for dial-up, which could still
be accessed by laptops — until the laptop batteries were spent.
So how can we communicate, when all
else fails? One of the common and overlooked technologies for an
emergency is radio, the same technology used by police and fire
departments. But since ordinary citizens cannot legally use fire
and police frequencies, there are basically three or four options:
Family Radio Service, Business Band, Citizens Band, and Ham Radio.
Family Radio Service
If you've bought a pair of walkie-talkies
at your local Big Box store to take on vacation or on a campout,
they are probably made for the Family Radio Service (FRS). They
require no license, run with common batteries, have minimal features,
and low power. Usually, their range is limited to about one mile.
A good FRS radio has 14 channels, and
a squelch control to mute the speaker when there is no signal present.
PRO – Easy to use. A child can do it.
CON – Too simple and common.
During a real emergency, there might be so many signals on those
frequencies, they will be virtually useless.
Business Band Radio
Another radio service, Business Band
Radio, allows users under license of the FCC to operate VHF/UHF
frequencies in addition to the Family Radio Service, with more power
and full featured two-way radios. Range is still limited, but this
would be a more reliable system than FRS under an emergency scenario.
Business Band Radio equipment is generally of higher quality and
more durable.
PRO – Better and more reliable
radios than FRS. More frequencies with better privacy and availability
during an emergency, than FRS and CB. Although a license is required,
there is no exam.
CON – The number of frequencies
are much more limited than ham radio, and range is still very limited
— to two miles or so on an ordinary day. Under ideal conditions,
range could be up to 25 miles, line-of-site.
Citizens Band
Yep, 10-4 good buddy. One of your best
sources for CB gear is your local truck stop. CB had a surge of
popularity in the 80's, and many ordinary folks had to give it a
try. These days, with amazing cell phones, text messaging, email,
and video messaging via Windows Messenger, CB radio seems, well,
passé.
But don't be deceived, CB is alive
and thrivin', and has a lot to offer. CB frequencies are called
the 11-meter band, which mean they are smackdab between VHF frequencies
and shortwave. During a good sunspot cycle, they are known to bounce
off the stratosphere and carry signals across the continent. But
for daily and emergency use, you can only count on 4-5 miles.
CB radio no longer requires an FCC
license, and is by law, limited to low power. There are 40 channels,
so in many less-populated areas on an ordinary day, there is room
for everybody. It is OK to employ a good antenna on your house,
which can greatly improve performance. Truckers know all the ins
and outs of a good mobile antenna — check your truck stop
or local radio store for the possibilities.
PRO – Widely available. Best
for mobile (in vehicle) or base station operation. 40 channels.
CON – Because of the frequencies
used, CB walkie-talkie antennas are too long and impractical. During
an actual emergency, CB channels may be too crowded to use for family
communication. For daily family use, there may not be enough “privacy”
in some areas.
Ham Radio
The Amateur Radio Service, also called
“Ham Radio,” has a long tradition of service and innovation.
Users in the USA must be licensed by the FCC, and virtually every
government worldwide subscribes to the treaties that protect their
frequencies and license their operators.
Ham radio operators are involved in
serving their communities during emergencies, through clubs and
service organizations, such as the Amateur Radio Emergency Service
(ARES). When public safety officials are overwhelmed, ham operators
provide networks connecting emergency response teams all across
the disaster area. ARES and similar ham radio organizations have
formal agreements with Dept. of Homeland Security (Citizen Corp),
FEMA, National Communications System, Salvation Army, National Weather
Service, and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials.
Some of the recent emergencies served
by hams from ARES and other organizations include the February tornado
outbreak (2008), Oregon storms and floods (2007), Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita (2005), Hurricanes Charlie, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne in
Florida (2004), severe weather in Virginia (2004), tornadoes in
Illinois (2004), earthquake in Central California (2003), Hurricane
Isabel (2003), Midwest tornadoes (2003), and World Trade Center
attack (2001). These are just a few.
ARES also helps provide communications
for parades, marathons, races, bicycle tours and other big events
where skilled and rapid communication can protect and improve safety
for both participants and the public.
Gary Krakow of MSNBC wrote that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,
a call for help from 15 people stranded by floodwaters was relayed
by a combination of cell phone calls and amateur radio. Unable to
get through the 9-1-1 system, one of those stranded got through
to a relative in Baton Rouge. That person called a relative who
called the local American Red Cross. He wrote:
Using that Red Cross chapter’s
amateur radio station, Ben Joplin, WB5VST, was able to relay a
request for help on the SATERN network via Russ Fillinger, W7LXR,
in Oregon, and Rick Cain, W7KB, in Utah back to Louisiana, where
emergency personnel were alerted. They rescued the 15 people and
got them to a shelter.
Each amateur radio operator (“ham”)
must be licensed. For many years, hams were required to pass a practical
test in Morse code, but that requirement is now gone. There are
various levels of licenses, from Novice to Extra Class. Each requires
an exam testing the applicant on his knowledge of FCC regulations,
operator practices, and radio theory.
But ham operators come from all backgrounds,
all walks of life, and all ages. The Novice Class license is quite
simple, and children under 10 years of age frequently pass the exam.
Privileges are limited, however, unless you upgrade to a higher
class license. It can be a great way for your Scout to communicate
an emergency during that 50-miler.
The really good news is that a licensed
ham has access to frequencies all across the radio spectrum, from
shortwave to microwaves. Hams communicate locally with hand held
radios that fit in a shirt pocket, mobile units in their cars, and
from home base stations that can be quite elaborate, contacting
other operators worldwide. Before satellites, internet, cell phones,
fax machines, and email, ham radio was truly amazing. And in the
face of widespread disaster, it still is.
Ham operators have many motives —
to some it is just a fun hobby, to others it is a way of being involved
on the air and in person to serve the community. It is never for
commercial gain.
Many ham radio clubs have “repeaters”
on hilltops around metro areas, which allow an operator with a walkie-talkie
to cover hundreds of square miles with only the radio in his pocket.
In an emergency power outage, many of these repeaters have backup
power to keep them on the air.
Hams throughout the area will often
report into emergency networks (“nets”), under the direction
of a host operator who is trained to gather emergency reports from
all over the coverage area, and report it to local public safety
officials. Most of their training and rehearsing is with emergency
response in mind.
Because hams have many frequencies,
there is room for thousands of users to operate in direct communication
with one another, on many bands at the same time. Family communication
between a husband and wife could be largely unhindered on a previously
agreed frequency, keeping them in touch regardless of what goes
on with cell phones, wired phones, and internet service. Radio communication
is not private, however, and anyone can listen in.
Ham radio equipment is available from
specialty stores, mainly in large cities, or from many internet
vendors. Local operators are glad to help newcomers. Many local
clubs sponsor classes for new ham operators, to prepare for their
license exams. Club meetings offer a forum for emergency preparation,
and FAQ's.
Some LDS stakes have strongly encouraged local members to prepare
and equip themselves with ham radio licenses and equipment.
Church headquarters and BYU are both
equipped for radio communication. In an emergency, operators within
a stake boundary can report the condition of members to church leaders,
so that service may be coordinated. Service to the local community
is also strongly supported.
PROS – The widest array of operating
capabilities and privileges. Voice, data, and video are possible,
with technology ranging from simple to extremely sophisticated (such
as tracking and talking with astronauts on the space shuttle or
space station). Cost to get started can be as little as $100.
CONS – Requires some training
and an FCC license for each operator in your household.
Summary
For local communication under a wide
range of conditions, nothing is more reliable than two-way radio.
Parents can keep in touch with children running local errands, or
while visiting friends around the corner, and there are no phone
fees. On vacation, radios are a way to keep in touch with friends
in other vehicles, or with the kids when you split up at the amusement
park. In an emergency, they are a potential way of summoning help,
or reporting those in distress to authorities.
For limited range and inexperienced
users, try the Family Radio Service employed by the inexpensive
walkie-talkies sold at your local discount store. No license required.
For daily and more reliable local communication,
buy radios with professional features that use the Business Band
Radio frequencies on VHF/UHF bands. These require a license.
To tap into the world of Citizen Band
Radio, consider equipping your car and/or your home with radios
that can range out 5 miles or more, and which have many uses in
emergencies, to alert others to road conditions, summon help to
an accident, or just to chat with fellow travelers. No license required.
Amateur Radio offers the most sophisticated
options, but is restricted to licensed users. There are hundreds
of thousands of hams worldwide, and their capability to provide
valuable communications in an emergency is well known. Local communities
rely on ham operators during an emergency response, to gather and
dispense information outside of official channels. For your family,
ham radio can provide contact with both emergency response teams,
and with others in your local or global network using all kinds
of technology — on VHF, UHF and shortwave.
When other resources fail, there is still nothing like two-way radio.
It can be fun for all ages, too. Emergency responders, relief organizations
and communities all rely on radio communication in times of emergency.
Please consider communication as an important part of your preparation
for power outages, natural disasters, and for whatever comes your
way.
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