Morgan County’s independent backup emergency communications network has been busy making the most of their radio experience and the gift of two radio towers from the county to build out a secondary layer of connectivity in case of major disaster locally.

The incorporated group—Morgan County Emergency Communications Network, Inc.—will host a Morgan County Preparation Day this Sunday, November 3 to talk about their efforts and what local households can do to be prepared for unforeseen challenges.

Their first event, to be held at the South Morgan Volunteer Fire Department meeting hall starting at 1 p.m., is an informative training that’s open to the public.

Run by the Morgan County Emergency Communications Network, the event promises a free emergency “Go Bag” to registered attendees. That will include a two-way emergency radio which could be used if other forms of normal communication with emergency authorities don’t work.

Network organizer John Petersen said one radio will be given to each of 200 families.

The Morgan County Commission contributed county funds to help pay for the radios.

In addition to these giveaways, the Preparation Day lineup includes talks by Petersen, Morgan County’s Office of Emergency Services Director Jason Hoover, Morgan County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Johnnie Walter, Morgan County EMS head Kevin Duckwall, Morgan County 911 Director Marshall Younker and a fire service presenter. Each will talk about likely emergency scenarios in this area, how those would affect families and what infrastructure is in place and is important for community operations and recovery.

Network presenters will include Lori Marino of American Contingency. She will talk about resources in place for disaster situations and what households should have on hand to meet the disruptions of an extended disaster event. John Walton, Vice President of Morgan County Emergency Communications Network, Inc., is set to train attendees on the use of two-way radios and talk about communications in an emergency situation.

Petersen said his group, which holds a Memorandum of Understanding with the Morgan County Commission, is an “integral part of the county’s emergency response plan.”

Made up largely of skilled amateur radio operators, the Morgan County Emergency Communications Network is “actively building out a county-wide infrastructure” to add additional communication options for county residents, responders and those outside the area.

In March of 2021, the county gave the group an unused tower at The Pines and in June of 2022, the county gave the group an abandoned tower and building on Cacapon Mountain to use as part of a backup radio network. County officials also agreed to share space in a planned backup Office of Emergency Services building with the Morgan County Emergency Communications Network. Construction of that building has been delayed by the high cost of bids.

“MCECN exists for those unfortunate times when nothing else works,” Petersen said.

He pointed to the events in Tennessee and North Carolina following Hurricane Helene, which created unprecedented and catastrophic flooding that isolated many.

“[It] should serve as a warning that we must come together as a community to help each other make emergency response plans—before a disaster strikes. If we wait until one is upon us, it will simply be too late,” Petersen said.

Morgan County Emergency Communications Network, Inc. is installing radio repeaters on local towers to enhance radio connections. Petersen said his network of members can monitor that two-way radio traffic and “act as an intermediary” between the people and law enforcement or 911 if needed.

The Preparation Day is meant to get households thinking about their level of preparedness, said Petersen.

“You need to be aware of the possibilities in order to be prepared,” he said. “You can’t reasonably respond unless you’re informed.”

“When these things happen, if you haven’t thought about it, you’re already out of time and money and options,” Petersen said.

Zero Retries Editor’s Note - In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, there is water, water, everywhere, and not a drop to drink. My thanks to N2IRZ for these very good, basic points about survival in a disaster. Without the basics of life, like safe water, and especially enough safe water, the “nice to haves” like communications won’t make a difference.

Disasters generally affect infrastructure, and it universally takes at least a few days to respond to these effects. Consider [Hurricane] Helene and Western North Carolina: Major flooding significantly damaged power and water infrastructure, and washouts and fallen trees rendered virtually every road impassable, delaying emergency response for a few days. No water, no food, no power and no help on the way. How will you (literally) survive?

In NC, some local supermarkets have generators and so were able to help some residents with food and water, but this disappeared quickly. We all know that we can survive a week or two without food (uncomfortably, perhaps) but more than a day or two without drinking water can be fatal.

The point is that some simple steps can prepare you to survive a disaster. Keep at least 3 days’ worth of water and nonperishable food stashed away. Plan on at least one gallon a day per person for water, and dry or canned food that can be eaten as-is. This is above and beyond what’s in the cupboard right now. Pets have needs too, perhaps less water but more food, as pet supplies may not recover for weeks. And don’t forget some money, in smaller bills and change, since banks and ATMs, as well as credit-card processing, will be unavailable for a week or more.

Don’t forget everyday items you will need, like a can opener, some butane lighters (to light a fire), and other supplies (like plates, cups, toilet paper, soap), since the contents of your home might be completely unusable. Start today by making a list of what you think you’ll need, then start collecting it. Buy products with distant ‘best-by’ dates, sticking to the cheapest brands because you’ll hopefully never eat it, but if you have to, it’ll still keep you alive: Perrier is no better than Costco water in a disaster.

If you take absolutely essential-to-life medications, have a week’s supply (or more) stored separately, replacing it every few months.

Store it all in a plastic tub, safe from floods and somewhat physically protected from damage. Refresh the contents every year on your birthday, perhaps donating the older packages to a local food pantry.

You can probably think of other useful supplies, like a generator and fuel, a deck of cards to pass the time, or insect repellent, but the point is to start helping yourself help yourself and avoid being a victim.

Wishing the best to everyone.

Fortunately, the worst of hurricanes Helene and Milton are in the past. The effected communities have had time to evaluate the damage and hopefully found reasons to be grateful. For the rest of us, we can assist as needed, pray for their recovery, and do some self reflection on what we can learn from others’ experiences.

Self reflection beyond Helene and Milton.

As much as we’d like to think calamities happen to someone else, there is no part of the country that is not at risk form some type of natural disaster. Off Grid Ham is not a “survivalist website”, so we’ll focus on communications/alternative power topics and leave discussions about other preparations to those who are more qualified to comment.

Take some time and analyze where you live. What types of disasters are likely? How long do you think the event would last? Who would you need to communicate with in this situation, and why? What will happen if you are unable to contact these people?

Points to consider.

When public safety agencies order an evacuation, listen to them! The best way to survive a disaster is to not be there in the first place. I understand why some folks might be reluctant to leave. When it’s all over though, your reasons will not matter if you are dead. Your presence is not going to stop the adverse event or make the situation better. You may in fact make it worse. Hanging around does not not prove anything or make one a hero. Get out when told.

Have a portable radio/go box ready well in advance. Even if you are not in an evacuation zone, chances are pretty good you will still face some adverse conditions. If you have a fixed home station, do not presume it will be operable after the event. Your antenna may be down. The power may be out. You may temporarily have to relocate nearby, such as a neighbor’s house, a garage, or even your car. Having radio gear you can bring along will assure that you can still stay connected.

Communications should not be your top priority. This may sound odd coming from a website dedicated solely to communications, but it’s the truth. Once the immediate danger passes, your top priorities should be assessing damage, assisting those in need, and maintaining your own health and safety. Jumping on the air for anything other than support for the preceding reasons accomplishes nothing and clutters the radio bands. Welfare messages to assure distant friends/family and routine weather/situation reports are not essential and should be delayed until after more urgent needs are addressed.

Have a communications plan. Prepare a list of frequencies important to your locale and have them pre-programmed in your equipment. Give yourself several options since repeaters may be offline. Whenever possible, plan in advance with other hams close enough to contact via simplex so you can provide relays and pass messages. You do not necessarily have to team up with these hams for mutual aid in other aspects (shelter, food, fuel, etc.) but having a functional communications network is essential.

Assume you will not have internet access. Drill this into your head: Any form of ham radio that involves the internet is by definition not “off grid”! If your comms plan relies heavily on the internet, it’s absolutely imperative to have a “plan B” for when it’s down. This includes support resources not directly related to on-air operations. Any important manuals, programming instructions, calculators, how-to information, frequency lists, maps, diagrams, schematics, photos, etc., should be kept in printed form or on locally-accessible digital media (not on the cloud or a server). Preferably, have more than one copy. If you run into a problem, you may not be able to find the solution with a quick google or YouTube search.

Have a reasonable stock of supplies and spare parts. This is kind of a no-brainer. Don’t let your entire communications system be crippled by a blown fuse. Stock a small supply of fuses, connectors, patch cables, small batteries (AA, D, 9v, etc.), electrician’s tape, heat shrink tube, solder, and any other odds and ends you might need to stay on the air. Also, have ready any hand tools you might need to complete the repairs.

Be careful to whom you listen.

One great way to prepare for disasters is to learn from those who have been through one. The internet is full of know-it-alls, but very few of them have any direct experience. One very popular US-based blogger has established himself as a “survival expert”. His website grabs millions of hits every month and he earns a lucrative income as a “consultant”. Yet, he’s never personally been tested himself.

That’s not to say these people are universally not worth listening to, or they cannot know anything unless they’ve done it. After all, I haven’t been involved in a disaster either, yet here I am dispensing advice and expecting to be taken seriously. You don’t need to break a bone to know breaking a bone hurts!

What this does mean is that you should be very cognizant of to whom you listen. Some of these content creators actually know what they’re talking about. Others mean well but offer incorrect or impractical information. A small number are straight up frauds. Still others are “professional survivalists”, ie, influencers who may or may not be authoritative. Their primary goal is profit via clicks or sponsor promotion.

Lastly, listen to your gut! Intuition is powerful. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Skills, equipment, and experience mean absolutely zero without common sense and “street smarts”. Success in this area means being able to read a situation and not base decisions on peer pressure or trying to look good to others . Many if not most people who think they possess these “soft skills” actually don’t. This deficiency can be countered by surrounding oneself with wise people. Be honest with yourself, because a bad call can mean a disaster on top of the disaster you’re already facing.

Learning is an ongoing process, and no one can ever know everything. With a little common sense and some competent advice, you can greatly increase your odds of not being a statistic.

All September, the ARRL® Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) has been promoting readiness and resilience for National Preparedness Month. As we come to the end of the month, a hurricane is churning in the Gulf of Mexico, with forecasts of up to 20 feet of storm surge expected to impact large portions of Florida.

This underscores the need to be prepared. Even experienced hams and those who have been through many disasters have to continually work on their resilience plans.

While we have discussed some very basic preparedness tips this month, ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, hopes you will put your skills, equipment, and other resources to use in a group that can make a difference in your community. “If you have the ability, get plugged into a local ARES group. Using your resources to assist local responder agencies, volunteer groups, public service events, and other areas of need are a prime use of amateur radio,” he said.

ARES members will soon great way to practice those skills in controlled situations such as Simulated Emergency Tests or local communications exercises.

On October 5 - 6, Sections will hold a SET, so get involved in your local drill and make a difference in your community through amateur radio.

What happens to all your stuff ❓

Some estimates show that nearly two-thirds of Americans don’t have a plan. For some, it’s procrastination. Others don’t know where to start. “So many times we hear from the family of a Silent Key who are overwhelmed with what to do with a lifetime worth of amateur radio gear,” said ARRL Director of Development Kevin Beal, K8EAL. “Simply thinking through what needs to be done ahead of time can prevent the stress on our loved ones after we are gone.”

ARRL this week held a webinar, hosted by Beal and Dino Papas, KL0S, to discuss the first steps of planning. “It is something that, unfortunately, doesn’t get a lot of attention. The bottom-line up front is, ‘what happens to all our beloved ham gear when that inevitable day comes along that we become a Silent Key?’… Unfortunately, that day may arrive unexpectedly – so we need to prepare ahead of time to make it as simple as possible for our families,” said Papas.

“Your station is an asset, just like anything else you’ve built and put resources into. Deciding now what happens when you become a Silent Key can help solidify your legacy to ham radio,” said Beal. The ARRL Legacy Circle recognizes the generosity of individuals who have planned support for ARRL through wills, trusts, life insurance gifts, and other ways. The ARRL Legacy Circle ensures that ARRL and amateur radio will continue to thrive for generations to come.

As amateur radio operators, we’re always prepared for the unexpected—whether it’s a natural disaster, a power outage, family pets getting eaten, or an emergency communication scenario. This September, as we observe National Preparedness Month, it’s the perfect time to ensure that all aspects of our emergency readiness are covered. One often overlooked but vital aspect of preparedness is securing the data on our computers through regular backups.

Whether you’re logging contacts, managing digital modes, or maintaining software-defined radios, your computer is a critical part of your station. Losing data due to hardware failure, ransomware, or a natural disaster can set you back significantly. Here’s how you can make sure your valuable data is safe and sound.

Why Regular Backups Are Essential

1. Protect Your Logs and Records: As radio enthusiasts, we accumulate a lot of data—contact logs, QSL card scans, configuration files for digital modes, software settings, and more. Losing these records can mean losing years of hard work.
2. Preserve Software and Settings: Many of us use specialized software to run our radios and interfaces. Setting everything up again from scratch after a computer crash can be a time-consuming and frustrating experience.
3. Guard Against Ransomware and Malware: Cyber threats are on the rise, and radio operators are not immune. Backing up your data can ensure you have a clean version to restore, even if you become a victim of ransomware or another attack.
4. Plan for Natural Disasters: If your area is prone to flooding, hurricanes, or other disasters, having off-site or cloud backups can help ensure your data survives even if your equipment does not.

Types of Backups: Which One Is Right for You?

There are several types of backups you can consider, each with its own benefits:

• Local Backups: These involve copying data to an external hard drive or a network-attached storage (NAS) device. They are quick, reliable, and allow for rapid recovery, but they can be vulnerable to theft, damage, or the same disasters affecting your computer.
• Cloud Backups: Services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or dedicated backup services like Backblaze or Carbonite provide remote storage for your data. These backups are accessible from anywhere and are protected against local disasters, but they depend on a reliable internet connection and can come with ongoing subscription costs.
• Hybrid Approach: Combining local and cloud backups offers the best of both worlds. Local backups allow for quick recovery, while cloud backups provide an off-site option that ensures data safety even if your entire station is compromised.

How to Create a Backup Plan

1. Identify Critical Data: Make a list of files and directories that are essential to your operations. This might include your logging software database, configuration files, QSL card images, and any custom scripts you’ve created.
2. Choose a Backup Method: Decide whether a local, cloud, or hybrid approach works best for you. Consider your internet speed, the amount of data you need to back up, and your budget.
3. Set a Schedule: Regularity is key to effective backups. Daily or weekly backups are ideal for most operators. Make sure you automate the process as much as possible to avoid human error or forgetfulness.
4. Test Your Backups: A backup is only useful if it works! Periodically test your backups by restoring a file or directory to ensure everything is functioning as expected.
5. Keep an Off-Site Copy: If you’re relying on local backups, consider keeping a copy off-site, perhaps at a friend’s house or in a safety deposit box, for added protection against physical damage or theft.

Practical Steps for Backing Up Your Data

1. Use Backup Software: Windows and macOS both come with built-in backup tools (like Windows Backup and Time Machine). For Linux, tools like rsync can automate backups.
2. Automate the Process: Set your backup software to run automatically at regular intervals. This ensures you always have a recent backup without needing to remember to do it manually.
3. Use Strong Encryption: If you’re storing sensitive data or using cloud storage, make sure your backups are encrypted to prevent unauthorized access.
4. Check Your Backup Integrity: Regularly review your backup logs and run integrity checks to ensure your data is being backed up correctly.
5. Keep Multiple Versions: If possible, keep multiple versions of your backups to protect against data corruption or accidental deletion. This can be particularly important if you need to restore a specific version of a file or recover from a mistake.

Conclusion

This National Preparedness Month, take the time to review your data backup strategy. Protecting your data is just as important as maintaining your radio equipment—especially in emergencies. By having a solid backup plan in place, you can ensure that no matter what happens, you’ll be back on the airwaves with minimal disruption.

Remember, being prepared means being ready for anything—don’t let a data loss incident catch you off guard!

As ARRL continues the September series on National Preparedness Month, we turn to a critical element for radio amateurs and especially Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) volunteers: their station.

Many hams have a home station from which we operate on a regular basis. Is your station set up to operate or have the ability to operate off the grid or on alternate power sources? There are many ways to set this up to run on battery power and could even be done temporarily if you don’t have a permanent battery backup situation.

ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, says it is easier than ever to have a backup. “With the new batteries out there, and solar technology both improving in quality and decreasing in price, building a resilient station is no longer difficult or expensive,” he said. Johnston encourages ham radio operators to think about powering more than just the radio on an alternate power source. “Do you have lights that could run off the battery source? Do you have an alternate power source for your computer? What about your internet connection? Is there a backup for it?” he asked.

Johnston says backup generators are great but sometimes are only fed to certain circuits in your home. Amateurs should test their ham station to ensure that it is powered by the generator. If the whole house system does not power the station, a portable generator could be an option. The key is to test the system under blue sky conditions to ensure it works, check for RF noise, and potential power drop.

Having backup antennas is also crucial. “Especially if we are dealing with storms, it may be useful to have alternate antennas on hand, especially for HF and VHF,” said Johnston.

September is National Preparedness Month. In coordination with our partners at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) is producing a series of weekly articles to help radio amateurs and their families stay safe.

For a ham or any other public safety responder, whether paid or volunteer, it is not uncommon to be called out to provide assistance during disasters. We often do not know when we will be called or exactly what the call will involve. We also do not know how long we may be deployed. In the last edition, we focused on our go kit and the tools we should have to deploy as an amateur radio volunteer. But have we made sure our family is prepared for these times, whether we are deployed or will be staying home?

As the theme of this month suggests, ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, says it comes down to being prepared. “Make a plan with your family and ensure basic supplies are available including water, food and first aid capabilities. Do you have a generator or alternate power capabilities and do your family members know how to use it? Have a communications plan, including backup communications, with family members and friends,” he said.

Johnston says to ensure your family knows where to go if they must evacuate for some reason. Always remember your family and your health and safety should always come first.

“Remember that there may be a time that you are the victim. There may be a time that you must turn down a request for assistance because you must take care of your family first. Ask if you can be put in a slot later down the roster to allow time to get your family to safety or have everything settled to ensure your family is cared for before deployment,” said Johnston.

ARRL recognizes the tremendous work ham radio volunteers put into serving their communities. “If your mind is not on the mission, you may be putting yourself and others at risk. Therefore, you should ensure your family’s wellbeing before, during and after a major event,” Johnston continued.

Learn about how to become an ARES Volunteer on the ARRL website at www.arrl.org/ares.

Learn more about how to keep your family safe at www.ready.gov.

September is National Preparedness Month, and ARRL is working to help radio amateurs have a plan for family resilience. Many hams enjoy public service as part of their operating. Being ready to activate for a served agency through the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) involves not only being licensed and trained, but also prepared and equipped.

ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, suggests that hams and their families have a “go-bag”. He says there are a few things to consider: “You need to be able to function while activated, so that means you need a kit for your needs and a kit for your radio needs. If your family is impacted by the situation, they also need to have some gear at the ready.”

On the ARRL website, there’s an Emergency Prep Kit Checklist. It lists the common items such as food and water for several days, a first aid kit, medications, chargers for your devices and other useful items.

Having a kit for your radio is useful as well. “Go kits will vary based on function and need for the field,” said Johnston. “Most kits should include a dual band HT and/or mobile radio with antenna, a power supply and all necessary cables and connectors. Every kit should include note pad or paper of some type as well as pens or pencils. You should have a power source and power cables. If you are working HF then you will need an HF radio and antenna, and if you want digital capabilities, then a computer with software preloaded will be desired.”

Other things you may want will include tape and tools, spare batteries, headphones, flashlights of some sort, cell phone chargers, and a multimeter. Other items that won’t fit in a bag but may be needed include a generator, a working surface like a small folding table, a chair, and some type of shelter.

Need a bag for your go kit? Consider the ARRL Gray Canvas Backpack. $30.00 in the ARRL Store.

September is National Preparedness Month: an observance “to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.” ¹

There are many ways to take action and prepare before a disaster occurs. But FEMA specifically recommends these 12 ways to prepare yourself, your family, and your community to be ready for disasters and emergencies.

Sign up for Alerts and Warnings

“Receiving timely information about weather conditions or other emergency events can make all the difference in knowing when to take action to be safe. Local police and fire departments, emergency managers, the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and private industry are working together to make sure you can receive alerts and warnings quickly through several different technologies no matter where you are–at home, at school, at work, or in the community.” ²

• CassClayAlerts for Cass/Clay County residents
• How to signup for local alerts (Popular Science)

Make a Plan

“Make a plan today. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.” ³

Save for a Rainy Day

“Consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis. Keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place. It is important to have small bills on hand because ATMs and credit cards may not work during a disaster when you need to purchase necessary supplies, fuel or food.” ⁴

Practice Emergency Drills

“Make a written home fire escape plan and practice at different times of the day or night getting out in under 2 minutes. Make sure you have smoke alarms on every level of your home and in each bedroom. Test them twice a year. Learn the best practices for home fire safety and fire safety with children.” ⁵ Visit the ready.gov Practice Your Home Fire Escape Plan page for more information, including a practice plan.

Test Family Communication Plan

“Communication networks, such as mobile phones and computers, could be unreliable during disasters, and electricity could be disrupted. Planning in advance will help ensure that all the members of your household—including children and people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, as well as outside caregivers—know how to reach each other and where to meet up in an emergency.” ⁶ Use the Ready.gov family emergency communication planning document to complete this step.

Safeguard Documents

“When disaster strikes, your immediate concern will be your safety and the safety of those you care about. Once the immediate danger passes, however, having your financial and medical records and important contact information will be crucial to help you start the recovery process quickly. Taking time now to safeguard these critical documents will give you peace of mind, ensure you have access to essential medical and prescription information, and help you avoid additional stress during the difficult days following a disaster” ⁷ Use the FEMA critical documents checklist to help you through this process.

Plan with Neighbors

“Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together during an emergency. Find out if anyone has specialized equipment like a power generator or expertise such as medical knowledge that might help in a crisis. Decide who will check on elderly or disabled neighbors. Make back-up plans for children in case you can’t get home in an emergency. Sharing plans and communicating in advance is a good strategy.” ⁸

Make Your Home Safer

“Ready.gov has resources to help keep you safe from disasters like hurricanes, floods and other natural and man-made hazards. But are you prepared for everyday injuries that can happen at home? Every year, millions of people seek medical attention after they’re injured at home, so it’s important to know what to do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.” ⁹ Visit the Ready.gov Home Safety page to learn about starting your preparedness at home.

Know Evacuation Routes

“Many states have designated evacuation zones and predetermined evacuation routes. Learn your state and local plans by visiting your state and county emergency management websites”. ¹⁰ Visit the Ready.gov evacuation page for information about what to do before, during, and after an evacuation.

Assemble or Update Supplies

“After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for several days. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency. After assembling your kit remember to maintain it so it’s ready when needed: replace expired items as needed, re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your family’s needs change.” ¹¹ Use the checklist on the Ready.gov Build A Kit page to help you prepare your kit.

Get Involved in Your Community

“Get involved in your community by taking action with FEMA’s citizen responder programming to help your community become prepared.” ¹² Visit the Ready.gov Get Involved page to learn how.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=site%3Aready.gov+get+involved+in+your+community&t=ftsa&ia=web

Document and Insure Property

“Take the time now to think about the priceless personal items you would want to protect from damage or take with you if you had to suddenly evacuate your home. The first step is to take an inventory of your household documents, contacts, and valuables. [Use the FEMA checklist to get started]. Then download the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) at www.ready.gov/financialpreparedness for more complete checklists and guidance on collecting and safeguarding this important information.” ¹³

Resources

• FEMA 12 Ways To Prepare postcard
• Prepare With Pedro Disaster Preparedness Activity Book
• Ready.gov Life Saving Skills Toolkit
• Ready.gov Website

REDDING, Calif. — The Northstate is no stranger to disasters or bad reception, but when a phone call isn’t able to go through, a ham radio may just be able to get you the help you need.

“I’m up east of Redding and when the phone system goes out, we don’t have a connection to 911 but the ham radio still works and I can get a hold of somebody somewhere,” said Bob Frampton Secretary of Western Amateur Radio Repeater and Echolink Association Inc. otherwise known as WARREA.

In the age of phones and Wi-Fi, some can take the ease of connecting to the rest of the world for granted, but head even 20 minutes into the mountains from cities like Redding, Red Bluff, and Chico, and you’ll quickly lose cell phone service.

“Cell phone service up here, especially when you get outside the Redding area, the developed areas, is spotty at best. There’s a lot of times where I can get a hold of somebody on the ham radio, I won’t get a hold of over the cell phone,” said Frampton.

With wildfires oftentimes tearing through the Northstate each summer, there are many people, especially older adults, who may miss the crucial safety information posted online, but ham radios help close a bit of that gap.

Frampton recalled times when his radio may have helped people “Fires come up there and the ham radio operators they’ll get on there and they’ll start passing information back and forth. You know what signs have to evacuate, what zones don’t, which way traffic is going to help get traffic out."

Even if you can’t get in contact with emergency services, ham radio still allows you to connect with someone who can, and they can send help your way.

If you’re interested in ham radio the Humboldt Amateur Radio Club is offering classes for students to become FCC-certified via Zoom starting September 9, 2024.

Casey Freund of Thermopolis, Wyoming, goes by the call sign KC7E, but that’s not his TikTok handle. He’s one of the few who don’t need Wi-Fi or smartphones to keep in touch with civilization. He’s a ham radio operator.

THERMOPOLIS — Surrounded by the green grass tranquility of Hot Springs State Park, a temporary ham radio antenna reached into the sky.

Here, amateur radio operator Casey Freund sat in the shade at a park picnic table along with his ham radio, laptop and portable power supply. He was ready to communicate on a device that had its start more than 100 years ago, and was essential to civilization before Wi-Fi and smartphones.

The National Association for Amateur Radio (ARRL) reports that ham radio began at the turn of the 20th century.

In 1873, James Clerk Maxwell had presented his theory of the electromagnetic field and, nearly 30 years later in 1901, Guglielmo Marconi communicated across the Atlantic with a radio device using high-powered enormous antennas.

With a much smaller antenna, Freund used the same technology that Marconi pioneered. Coaxial cable was strung from the radio across the grass to his homemade antenna that extended about 20 feet into the air. The rabbit antenna, along with his 100-watt radio, can receive and transmit radio signals from coast to coast and beyond.

“There are calculations you can do to find antennas that work on multiple frequencies, but they’re a little harder to build yourself,” Freund said. “This is a super easy antenna that took me about 15 minutes to build last year and I measured off the piece of wire that we’re using today to be harmonic to the radio frequency that we’re going to be on.”

Plugging his radio and laptop into his battery pack, a homemade system housed in a plastic ammo box, Freund was now ready to “key up” which means “to transmit” in ham radio jargon.

Carefully fine tuning his radio, Freund checked various radio frequencies for a clear channel catching bits of conversations. He paused on one conversation which sounded like a long-distance tailgate party as the men discussed eating crackers and drinking wine from the back of their pickup truck.

“There are a lot of random conversations going on in nets,” Freund explained using another ham radio term. For the uninitiated, “net” is an on-air gathering.

“There’s one called the Wyoming Cowboy Net that happens every day,” he said. “It’s all people in Wyoming. They hop on 80-meters at a set time of the day every day, and they talk on there.”

Freund doesn’t have the capability to join the 80-meter Cowboy Net since his antenna is a smaller 20-meter set-up. However, his favorite parts of the hobby are not the conversation. He prefers to ‘CQ’ which means that the radio operator is calling out for anyone to respond for a quick contact. Freund would then log their signal strength, location and call sign into his laptop.

Parks On The Air

Freund adjusted the dial on his radio transceiver, still searching for a clear frequency. He set up his antenna and gear purposely in the Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis so he could participate in his favorite program called “Parks On The Air”.

“You are trying to get as many people as you can in a short period of a time,” Freund said. He continued to move his dial in search of a clear frequency. Static, clicks, beeps and voices reminiscent of Star Wars characters came over the airwaves.

“It’s like a contest, a little game,” he said.

The conversations are quick. Every state or national park has an identifying park number assigned to it and for Hot Springs State Park the number is 3299. This system allowed the operators to exchange their call signs, signal strength, location and radio call sign before moving on to the next person.

“We call it a handshake,” Freund said. “I hear you. You hear me. Here’s your signal report. Here’s my signal report. How well you’re hearing everything. And then the park numbers. It’s a lot of trying to make as many contacts as quick as you can.”

Freund paused on a static filled frequency and called out, “CQ, CQ is this frequency in use?”

He asked the question three times. Confident that he had found a clear frequency, Freund keyed in and almost immediately made contact.

“This is Kilo Charlie 7 Echo at 3299,” Freund rattled off his personal call sign, KC7E, and the park number.

“You are about a 5.9 in Portland,” came the response which was the radio signal strength and location.

“QSL. I copy the Portland,” Freund said, which translates to “I acknowledge your signal report. I heard you say that you are in Portland.”

“I appreciate it, 73,” the Portland operator said, signing off with the “73” which is ham radio speak for “Cheers and Best Wishes.”

“73,” Freund said, moving to the next operator and handshake.

The contacts were rapid and within eleven minutes, Freund had made 16 contacts in 10 different states such as Texas, Oregon, Arizona and Missouri and two Canadian Provinces.

“I’ll log my contacts on the computer and when I talk to people, you’ll hear us saying a weird set of numbers and letters which is our call sign,” Freund said. “For example, ‘Whiskey Seven Romeo Tango Alpha’ was his call sign for W7RTA.”

Postcards From Space

It’s not just live contacts that Freund makes through his radio. He has also captured ‘postcards from space’ and other images that have been transmitted over the radio waves. One such photo came over his radio after he had ended his park session.

As a series of beeps and static filled the air, Freund opened an app on his phone and an image slowly emerged, line by line. Once he got the image downloaded, he looked up the call sign and was able to ascertain that the image came from an amateur ham radio operator out of Pennsylvania.

“They’re just sending out a radio wave,” Freund explained. “It sounds a lot like dial up internet. A lot of the things you’ll hear is actually data that is being transmitted.”

You don’t need a 100-watt radio transceiver to receive these messages from space. A cheaper handheld radio will capture the radio signals and a simple app on your smart phone will decipher the image.

“With a handheld and cellphone for a decoder, I can download postcards from the space station flying overhead,” Freund said. “They do that probably three times a year.”

Something For Everyone

Ham radio operators are a diverse group with so many interests that Freund says there is a niche for just about everyone.

“It’s a lot of fun. I do the hobby side of it but there’s also the prepping and emergency communication. There’s the technical sides,” Freund said. “I know people that they’ll build their own radios.”

Freund is so enthusiastic about the hobby that he got the third tier of amateur radio license called the “Extra.” By doing this very involved and complex training, he can help other people prepare for their exams to get an amateur radio license.

A radio operator doesn’t need a license to listen to ham radios, but the FCC requires anyone speaking on air or transmitting data, to have their own license.

This license requirement has been around for 112 years when Congress enacted the Radio Act of 1912 to curb radio interference.

The government mandated that amateurs must be licensed and restricted to the single wavelength of 200 meters. These tests, Freund said, can be very intimidating for some people.

“The FCC wants you to know more than you need to know,” Freund said. “It chases away some folks but we can help you if you are serious about getting into the hobby.”

For those who would like to take their test, Freund is available at his website, KC7E.org, to arrange on-line or in person testing. He is also the president of two growing amateur radio clubs, one in the Big Horn Basin and the smaller Thermopolis group.

“I tell everybody, get that general license at a minimum, because “General” gets you on the skip or long-distance radio waves,” Freund said. “Listening is okay but talking is where all the fun is.”

He reached over to his transmitter once more, and just for fun, and with a little fine tuning, he was able to hear a Morse code signal being transmitted across the airwave. As the code beeped out the familiar sounds, he said, “Who needs the internet when you have your own transceiver?”

Jackie Dorothy can be reached at jackie@cowboystatedaily.com.

Volunteers are needed to staff an Amateur Radio information table and, if possible the RRRA Communication Trailer, at the 2017 LDS Preparedness Fair.

Please contact if you wish to assist with this event.

About the LDS Preparedness Fair

Learn how to prepare yourself and your family to survive natural and man-made disasters, or personal crises such as loss of employment, at the LDS Preparedness Fair.

• The fair will be held at 2501 17th Ave. SW, Fargo, ND from 10am to 2pm
• Featuring over 25 booths and six in-depth classes, plus tasting table, videos and lots more
• Admission is free
• Hosted by the Provident Home Companion

North Dakota Severe Weather Awareness Week 2017 is April 24th–28th.

Each day during Severe Weather Awareness Week a statement providing more information about severe weather safety will be issued by the NWS Offices in Bismarck and Grand Forks.

Tornado watch/warning drills and siren activation drills will be held on Wednesday, April 26th.

Please visit the NWS Forecast Office Grand Forks, North Dakota Severe Weather Awareness Week 2017 page for more information including links to Severe Weather Awareness Week statements.