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
Totalham_5@msn.com
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
Sharoninspokane@comcast.net
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
Anthony.Cavallucci@noaa.gov
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
totalham_5@msn.com
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
scott@thegrimmetts.com
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
ekimyerac@fastmail.fm
Jwtiley1@comcast.net
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
thejohnsons8486@msn.com
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 AD7FO@arrl.net
How we communicate
• Voice
• Morse Code
• Digital Communication with
computers connected to radios
• TV- Slow and Fast Scan
Using the Amateur Radio
Frequencies
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•
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
totalham_5@msn.com
• Jack Tiley (AD7F0) Technical coordinator
ad7fo@arrl.org
REMEMBER
Any Questions?