Month: June 2017

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Emergency Command Vehicle RACES Radios

Placentia RACES is allowed positions within the Placentia emergency command vehicle.  We currently have two Yaesu FT 8900R radios.  This radio is a quad Band FM transceiver providing 50 Watts of power output on the 29/50/144 MHz Amateur bands and 35 Watts on the 430 MHz band.

Operation manual for Yaesu FT8900R

The main ham radio electronics is mounted in an equipment rack.  The radio control heads are stored away in one of the overhead storage compartments.

You will need to pull both control heads out of storage and connect them to the command vehicle wall interface plates.  Please note the exact interface plate’s label and note its number because you will need to go to the equipment rack and patch the radio electronics properly to the vehicle location for the radio head to work.  The patch  between radio and control head is completed at the equipment rack patch panel located in the middle of the vehicle.

The command vehicle has a number of operation seats and each seat has its own communications wall interface with a position number.  All communications is accomplished using Ethernet wall connectors.  It is necessary that you know which chair location you are using  because you will need to patch the proper chair location number too and from the radio electronics.

If two RACES operators are in the vehicle it is strongly recommended that both radio heads be connected because the second operator can use the backup radio to monitor what is going on.  The reason for this is the police dispatch operators are also in the command vehicle and will be making frequent calls which makes concentration for RACES traffic difficult.

There are two antennas on top of the command vehicle that need to be extended upward before using the radio.  Also, please remember to position the antennas down when finished.

 

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FRS Radios Used By CERT Capabilities And Limitations.

Beyond simple voice communications, ham radio operators and thus RACES members are capable of offering more communications capability than the FRS radios are. FRS radios can only communicate from one operator to a second operator.  Ham radio operators can use repeaters.  FRS radios are limited to 1/2 watt.  Ham radio operators can use way more power.  FRS radios only have 14 channels.  Ham radio offers way more frequencies.  FRS radios do have their value for CERT users.  They are simple to operate, do not require a license and ideal for CERT people who are dealing with complex issues.
However, CERT members might be at a disadvantage in some circumstances with limited range FRS radios.  Lets cover when RACES should step in and supply their added capabilities.
Here are some of the added capabilities of ham radio over FRS radios:
•    More frequencies.
•    More frequency bands.
•    More power to transmit.
•    Use of repeaters. FRS can not use repeaters but ham radio operators can. Repeaters are typically located on hill tops so they can more easily pick up a radio communication and resend that communication out on another frequency. This allows very small hand held radios with limited power to cover impressive distances.
•    Winlink sends email with attachments, position reporting, weather bulletins, emergency relief communications, and message relay.
•    Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) is capable of placing an operator on a computer map so their location is known. This is vital in some situations.
•    Packet is a digital radio mode that sends text and files.
•    High Frequency (HF) These frequencies are typically more capable of long distances which may be necessary if Placentia needs mutual aid from the State of California.

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STAGE TWO Preparedness

STAGE TWO:
This next stage better allows you to maintain communications over a longer period of time and improve your effective communication distance.  All these items increase your ability to get power to your HT radio for an extended  time and some items improve your operation distance.
•    Buy a second HT battery (highly recommended).
•    Buy a battery for your cell phone with a USB charge cable to connect the battery to your cell phone.  This will extend the time your cell phone will be operational.  (recommended)
•    Buy a HT battery drop in charger (mildly recommended).  This allows you a more easy way to charge your battery because you only need to drop in the battery into it.  Some drop in chargers will charge with the whole HT put into the charger while other chargers require that you remove the battery from your HT and slip it into the charger.  What is nice is these chargers typically show you when the battery is fully charged or not.
•    Buy a better HT antenna if e-ham reports that your radio supplies a deficient stock antenna.  (Recommendation depends upon what e-ham says your antenna performance).
•    Buy a cigarette lighter power cable so you can operate from an automobile (mildly recommended).
•    Make or buy an Anderson Power Pole power cable so you can charge the battery and/or operate it from the power source (mildly recommended).
•    Buy a battery shell for your HT radio (mildly recommended).  These are exact size battery cases for your HT but you need to put AA or AAA batteries into them.  The idea is that if an emergency event goes on for a really long time, the city will go out and buy the batteries for these  cases.
•    Buy a mag mount car antenna and an antenna for it (mildly recommended).  Quite a few of the new cars do NOT recommend that you transmit from inside their vehicle.  Your radio could interfere with the internal car computer.  A magnetic mount antenna for the roof of your car will put the radio waves out side your vehicle.  You will need to also buy an antenna for this mag mount.  Make sure the antenna frequencies match the frequencies of your HT.  This antenna should really improve your HT operation range because the antenna typically is so much better than the HT stock rubber duck antenna.  Also, the automobile metal body offers a terrific ground plane that most often improves the radio performance.

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Be Prepared – Stage One

STAGE ONE:
This is the basic or beginner stage.  It gives you a fantastic basic package that makes you an effective communicator for the life of your single HT battery.  The simplex range of most HT radios is typically at least one mile depending upon terrain but can extend beyond that distance some times.  This radio is capable of using repeaters which can vastly extend the geographical coverage area for you.  (Placentia does not have city repeaters.  We have the option to use the county repeaters.)
Equipment:
•    Hand held radio also called the HT (handy talky).  We strongly recommend that you buy a HT that puts out at least 5 watts of transmitting power.  To allow you to function as a Placentia RACES member you will need at least a dual band radio that covers the 2 meter and the 440 MHz bands.  Your first radio should be a dual band radio..
◦    Comes with a single battery.
◦    Charging cable is always included.
◦    Stock antenna comes with the HT.   (some HT radios supply inferior stock antennas)
◦    Instructions.
•    Cost:
•    If you already have a FRS radio, program it so that channel 3 with PL tone 3 is the primary channel.  If you do not have an FRS radio, consider buying one.  Channel 3, PL tone 3 is the exact frequency that Placentia CERT groups are expected to use.  Your job is to monitor this frequency.  If any CERT group needs to contact city hall their FRS radio might not make the distance.  This is why the RACES operator needs to step in and make that distance using their amateur radio.

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Emergency Event Activation

When you discover that an emergency event impacts the city of Placentia or nearby cities, immediately monitor the Placentia simplex frequency.
If an emergency takes place in a localized, part of the city, you might be called to move toward that location such as a train derailment, fire storm, flooding, oil pipe line leak.  In an earthquake where the devastation is everywhere you will probably be asked to stay in place and contact CERT groups that are close to you.  Your duties will probably be to support CERT group communications.  You might be asked to find more than one CERT group and offer your services to multiple groups.  It is also possible that the city EOC is not operational and you just might have to figure out how you can, all by yourself, help the city and nearby city CERT groups.

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About Placentia RACES – Mutual Aid

This RACES group is also capable of offering mutual aid to cities that border the City of Placentia, that being, the City of Brea, the City of Anaheim, the City of Fullerton, California State University, Fullerton and the City of Yorba Linda. We allow ham radio operators that live in those cities to attend our meetings.

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Placentia RACES Supports CERT Groups.

The RACES operators are tasked to offer communications for CERT city groups. CERT groups typically operate in small areas of the city to offer aid to nearby occupants. They use Family Radio Service (FRS) radios which might not make longer communication distances. The RACES operators might be called to be inserted into CERT groups to provide that more reliable path communications.