Table of contents

This article was written originally for the Lothians Raynet website. You can read it there in its original form.

Introduction

Raynet specialises in emergency communications, which means that we do not really know when we may need to use our equipment.

If something happens, by definition it will be unexpected and in short notice, by definition an emergency.

Therefore, as members, we need to be ready, and our equipment needs to be ready to serve.

In this document we will go through some basic steps every member of Raynet, but also any other emergency minded amateur, needs to take in order to ensure that they are ready in case of an emergency.

Emergency preparedness

Emergency preparedness is consisted by 2 parts.

  • Process
  • Equipment

When an emergency happens, we need to be ready to spring into action. We need to know what to do and what we need to do in order to achieve it.

This first part is about the processes. What is the process we need to follow in order to assist anyone who needs help, and what is the process we need to follow in order to communicate with other fellow amateurs or with official emergency services.

This will be the topic of a separate document, where we will detail how to establish and maintain communication lines in case of an emergency. In this document, we will focus primarily on the question of equipment and its maintenance.

Types of emergencies

When we are classifying emergencies, we can easily go off the charts and start discussing meteor strikes or massive earthquakes and volcano eruptions.

These are the most impressive types of emergencies, but are also the most rare and difficult to tackle. Before we try to take such massive emergencies, it is always best to start small, focusing on the most common and frequent emergencies that happen in our area. Common examples of these emergencies are storms, floods, heavy snowfalls etc.

Then, if the need arises, we can work our way to strengthening our knowledge, equipment and processes to tackle larger emergencies.

In these more common and more pedestrian emergencies, we often have to answer a common set of questions.

Usually the first thing hit by an emergency is the telephone network, cable and mobile. This is why we are called to help after all as Raynet members. The second thing that gets hit is the power network. The third is the transportation network etc. Therefore, the first group of questions we need to answer are:

  • Are the phones working
  • Is there power
  • Are the roads open
  • What is the layout of the area under emergency

This first group of questions sets the board for what kind of situation we are in. If there are no phones, then we need to use amateur bands to provide communication. Depending on the scale of the emergency we may need 2m stations for local communication but also HF stations if we need to communicate with a regional emergency control centre.

If there is no power, we may need to use generators and/or batteries for our stations.

If the roads are closed, we may need 4x4 vehicles in order to approach the area under emergency.

It is very likely that all operations need to be portable, which means that we may need additional equipment for portable operations such as portable antenna masts, sets of coaxial cables, suitable aerials for the type of operation and emergency. These aerials should be robust enough to withstand the current type of emergency, e.g a storm.

Taking care of our equipment

After we have done our threat assessment, and we have classified what kind of emergencies we need to work with, acquired our equipment and have sufficient knowledge to set it up, and use it to create a communication network we need to make sure all of this equipment is ready to be used on a short notice.

In order for that to happen, we need to have a robust maintenance schedule in place that will make sure our equipment is in great condition and detect any issue it may have early. If an emergency happens there is usually no time to prepare so it pays to be prepared in advance.

This preparation can take the form of having charged radios and batteries, having a bag with emergency equipment ready to go that may include things such as water purification systems, flashlights, thermal blankets, a knife, emergency rations etc. All of these will have to be checked and tested periodically for expiration, re-charging and potentially re-programming if you are planning to connect to a pre-arranged radio network such as Raynet DMR radio network.

You should not only be focused on the digital aspect of your equipment but on the physical as well. It is a good idea as part of your regular inspection and maintenance plan to include inspection of connectors, coaxial cables, towers and antenna mounts, check for wildlife damage, water ingress etc.

It is also a good idea to do SWR scans of your antenna farm as part of your regular inspection, since that may reveal issues that are not visible, such as water ingress in a feed-line or a failing connector high above the ground.

The best way to manage this type of complexity is to have a process in place that will allow you to do regular checks of your emergency equipment for example monthly and at the same time rotate equipment current in use with the emergency equipment in order to ensure all necessary updates are installed and memory is fresh about its use.

It is usually a good idea to standardise equipment versions such as radio models in order to reduce the variation of configuration and the need to use different programming tools but this many not always be possible so you may very well end in a situation that you will need to maintain a fleet of radios, batteries and chargers that will only increase the complexity of the maintenance.

One way to reduce this complexity apart from standardising on radio models/brands is to standardise on connectors.

So for example, use of Anderson powerpole connectors or USB-C for handhelds is strongly encouraged because this means that if you are in the field, and you need a spare battery it is very likely someone else from your emergency responders group will have a compatible power source.

Exercising your equipment and your operational skills

As the saying goes, “Repetition is the mother of learning”, so exercising all of the above is very important for two reasons.

  1. First, it allows you to gain experience that will be valuable in a time of crisis. When you are responding to an emergency, you will not have enough time to familiarise yourself with the communication protocol or program a radio. Similarly, you need to be familiar with your equipment, how to connect your antenna and what is the best configuration in order to achieve the desired result. There is no substitute for experience, and people who are interested in being prepared for emergencies should try and get as much experience as possible.

  2. Second, coordination is key in case of emergency. Communication is a bidirectional exercise. In the case of amateur radio is multi-directional. There is no way a group of people can communicate during an emergency unless there is a pre-arranged and well rehearsed communication plan. Ideally, the group members know each other and are familiar with how each other operates. This is where participation in group events comes in.

Participation in group events

Joining a group such as Raynet and participating in its various events is a good way to apply all of the above points.

Raynet has communication plans in place in case of an emergency.

It also has regular analog and digital nets where people can practice their operational skills and test their equipment, and they also host non-emergency field events where people are required to operate off grid often in challenging conditions where they may need to use their equipment in configurations that are usually not used when someone operates from the safety and convenience of their shack and thus gain valuable knowledge and experience.