National Preparedness Month: Use Your Ham Radio for Public Service
Amateur radio has long been a vital partner with served agencies in
providing communications support, passing traffic, and performing other
tasks, both in times of crisis and in times of community service.
Through community events, hams help out before and When All Else
Fails®.
The best way to become a part of serving the greater good in your area
is by joining your local ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®)
group. “Every disaster starts and ends at the local level, and so
should community resilience through radio,” said ARRL Director of
Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV. “Local ARES groups are set
up based on the needs of the local community and local volunteers are
gritical to making sure they are able to serve when needed.”
As September ends, the lessons from National Preparedness Month
shouldn’t stop with the change of the calendar. As ARRL Sections
prepare for the Simulated Emergency Test (SET) in October, being a
trained member of a local ARES group will add to your personal, family,
and community resilience.
National Preparedness Month—also known as September Safety Month or
Disaster Preparedness Month—is an annual campaign held in September.
It is dedicated to empowering individuals, families, businesses, and
communities with the knowledge and resources they need to respond to and
recover from emergencies.
History of National Preparedness Month
The origin of National Preparedness Month can be traced back to the
tragic events and aftermath of September 11, 2001. Following these
events, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognized
the critical need for increased emergency preparedness. FEMA then
collaborated with various partners to launch the National Preparedness
Month campaign in 2004.
National Preparedness Month gained momentum in 2006 when FEMA and the
Ad Council developed the “Ready” campaign. The campaign offered
powerful messaging and widespread reach, playing a significant role
in educating and motivating Americans to prepare for emergencies. It
contributed to the overall goal of National Preparedness Month.
Since its start, National Preparedness Month has evolved into a
collaborative effort among government agencies, nonprofits, schools,
businesses, and communities. The combined efforts guarantee that
everyone is included and part of a more significant effort to promote
preparedness.
During National Preparedness Month, events like emergency preparedness
workshops, community emergency response drills, educational resources,
and preparedness guides are available to help people better prepare.
It’s also a great time for organizations to explore workplace safety
topics such as CPR, first aid, and AED training—critical skills
that empower teams to respond confidently when disaster strikes.
Here’s how you can get prepared during National Preparedness Month and
be ready when disaster strikes.
Learn CPR and First Aid
Knowing CPR and first aid helps you recognize the signs that someone
needs help and the skills to tend to them. CPR and first aid
training skills are important for individual and community emergency
preparedness—these lifesaving skills allow you to make informed
decisions and increase survival rates. During an emergency, CPR and
first aid training help you in various ways.
Act swiftly. In an emergency, every minute counts. Knowing CPR
allows you to act swiftly and provide lifesaving support to a person
during cardiac arrest. For injuries like life-threatening bleeding,
burns or fractures, first aid training encourages you to stabilize the
victim and prevent their condition from getting worse.
Protect the community. During natural disasters or large-scale
emergencies, medical help might not be immediately available. Knowing
and providing CPR and first aid increases the community’s resilience
and readiness to handle the situation.
Prevent complications. Administering first aid helps to prevent
infections, reduce pain, and alleviate the severity of the injury.
Consider a broken bone—knowing how to immobilize the fracture may
help to prevent skeletal, neurological and soft tissue damage. In a
cardiac arrest, administering CPR may reduce the risk of brain damage or
disability and can triple the chance of survival.
Being prepared for an emergency means not just knowing what to do
but how to do it. Learn CPR and first aid this Preparedness Month so
you’re ready for whatever emergency may arise.
National Preparedness Month is not just about individual
preparedness—it’s about empowering a culture of readiness across
communities. Preparing for disasters saves countless lives, speeds up
people’s recovery, and saves money.
Here are a few National Preparedness Month ideas to get involved and
empower a culture of readiness this September safety month.
September is National Preparedness Month, and ARRL is working to arm
members with knowledge and resources to be resilient in the face of
disaster. Amateur radio serves as a powerful tool and national resource
before and When All Else Fails®, but being prepared goes beyond radio.
“Being ready to serve your community through ham radio begins with
being ready yourself,” says ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh
Johnston, KE5MHV. Johnston spent 17 years as a county emergency manager
before coming to lead programs such as the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency
Service® (ARES®). “Having a plan and preparing yourself will improve
your chances of being resilient in the face of disaster.”
ARES works closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
which has shared this checklist of 12 ways to prepare [PDF]:
Radio network group’s Preparation Day draws interest in shadow of recent disasters
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.
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.
National Preparedness Month: Estate Planning for Hams
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.
National Preparedness Month: Back Up Your Computers
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Use Strong Encryption: If you’re storing sensitive data or using cloud storage, make sure your backups are encrypted to prevent unauthorized access.
Check Your Backup Integrity: Regularly review your backup logs and run integrity checks to ensure your data is being backed up correctly.
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.
National Preparedness Month: Ensuring Family Safety
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.
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
“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.
“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
Amid wildfires and spotty cell service, Northern California Residents Turn to Ham Radios
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.
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.”
Ham radio operator Casey Freund adjusts the frequency on his radio in the Hot Springs State Park as he prepares to make contacts in the “Parks On The Air” program.
Jackie Dorothy, Cowboy State Daily
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.”
Astronaut Kjell Lingren communications with the ham radio set on the International Space Station. Owen K. Garriott was a scientist and astronaut on the Skylab 3 mission and made the first ham radio call from space.
Courtesy NASA / Cowboy State Daily
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?”
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.
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.
