LDS Emergency Communications Specialists’ Course

1. LDS Emergency Communications Specialists’Course

2. Priesthood Leader’s Responsibility “Maintain means of emergency communication that will enable local Church leaders to communicate with members and other leaders during an emergency.” Church Emergency Communication Guidelines (May 2004)

3. Wireless Voice Communications • Cell Phone • Satellite Phone • CB • FRS • Amateur Radio • GMRS

4. Cell Phone • Shared infrastructure with Telephone (landlines) • When telephones are out, cell phones usually are also • Short range (Cell tower must be relatively close) • Battery life limited • Call volume overload very common in emergencies • Cell phone inexpensive $ • “Air Time” usage can get expensive

5. Satellite Phone • Is a telephone that utilizes satellites orbiting the Earth • Assigned a telephone number for incoming calls • Requires a telephone number to dial out • Cannot be used indoors, without outside antenna • Call volume overload possible in a major emergency • Battery life limited • Satellite phones expensive $$$ • “Air Time” usage is very expensive

6. Citizens Band Radios Been around for years Radio Equipment: not expensive $$ 5 watts legal limit Range: 4-5 mile range (normally) 40 Channels Channel 9 – for Emergencies only FCC license not required Most conversations not fit for family consumption! CB

7. FRS • Family Radio Service • Radio Equipment: Inexpensive $ • Millions in use! • Very low power – ½ watt • range (1-2 miles unobstructed) • 14 channels • No FCC license required

8. Amateur Radio (‘Hams’) • FCC License and call sign required to transmit on Amateur Radio Bands • Lots of Amateur Radio Frequencies • Power: 1,500 watts on some bands • Range: worldwide on some bands • Wide range of cost for equipment, handheld radio can be relatively inexpensive $$$

9. Amateur Radio Bands(most used bands) • Very High Frequency (VHF) Band • Local Communication • Handheld radios very popular $$ • 2 meter – most popular Ham band • Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Band • Local Communication • Handheld radios very popular $$ • 440 Mhz – very popular Ham band • High Frequency (HF) Band • Worldwide communication • Base station $$$$ • 10, 15, 20, 40, 80 meters

10. Amateur Radio License • Technician Class • Entry level • Written Exam • UHF & VHF bands – local communications • General Class • Written Exam • HF – worldwide communications • Extra Class • Written Exam • All frequencies in the Amateur Radio Bands ** NO More Morse Code requirements ** Written Examination ($15)

11. Emergency CommunicationsAmateur Radio in Action • Hurricane Katrina - September 2005 • Northeast blackout - August 2003 • Shuttle Columbia recovery effort - February 2003 • World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks-September 2001 • Hurricane Floyd - September 1999 • Oklahoma City Bombing - April 1995 Amateur Radio Operator WTC 2001

12. GMRS • General Mobile Radio Service • Readily available • Radio equipment: Not very expensive $$ • Power: • 5 watts max on a Handheld (Portable) Radio • 50 watts max on a Base (Mobile) Radio • Range: 5-25 miles (Extended by Repeaters) • Channels • 7 shared FRS channels plus… • 8 GMRS Repeater channels • FCC License required: $85 for 5 years • Covers the whole extended family

13. Radio Basics • Repeaters • Duplex vs Simplex • Privacy Tones (PL) • Normal Radio Etiquette • Emergency Communications Etiquette • GMRS Call Sign Required • GMRS Net • GMRS Radio (one example)

14. What is a Repeater? A Repeater rebroadcasts the radio signal, thus increasing the distance you can communicate.

15. Duplex: GMRS Repeaters CHListen FreqTalk Freq 1 462.5500 MHz 467.5500 MHz 2 462.5750 MHz 467.5750 MHz 3 462.6000 MHz 467.6000 MHz 4 462.6250 MHz 467.6250 MHz 5 462.6500 MHz 467.6500 MHz 6 462.6750 MHz 467.6750 MHz 7 462.7000 MHz 467.7000 MHz 8 462.7250 MHz 467.7250 MHz

16. Simplex: GMRS & FRS Shared Freq Channels Listen Freq & Talk Freq FRS-1 462.5625 MHz National SOS Channel FRS-2 462.5875 MHz FRS-3 462.6125 MHz FRS-4 462.6375 MHz FRS-5 462.6625 MHz FRS-6 462.6875 MHz FRS-7 462.7125 MHz (GMRS 5 Watts Allowed )

17. Privacy Tones • Privacy Tones (also called: Privacy Codes, PL, CTCSS or Tone Squelch) • Like an Electronic Filter • You do not hear them • But they can still hear you

18. Privacy Tones Repeater (Duplex) Standardized for LV Valley PT: 141.3 Hz on Talk Freq (Required for Repeaters to Hear You!) PT: 141.3 Hz on Listen Freq (Filters out others talking) FRS Shared Channels (Simplex) No Privacy Tones – Recommended

19. GMRS Repeater Channel #6 • National Calling Frequency • REACT (LVMPD Volunteer Org) • Monitoring • Dispatch REACT personnel • Not for normal chit-chat • Move to another GMRS Repeater Frequency

20. GMRS Repeater Channel #3 • Located at LV Bishop’s Storehouse • Can be used for daily radio traffic • During an emergency, for communications between • Local Stakes • Local Bishop’s Storehouse

21. GMRS Repeaters GMRS repeaters are private property • GMRS frequencies are shared frequencies, but repeaters are not  • Use of repeaters is with owners’ permission

22. GMRS Communications Etiquette Listen before you transmit. Make sure you aren’t interrupting a conversation.

23. GMRS Communications Etiquette Do not use the radio to advertise the sale of goods or services.

24. GMRS Communications Etiquette Use lowest power needed to communicate • FRS (1/2 watt) • GMRS simplex • GMRS repeater

25. GMRS Communications Etiquette Do not use obscene, indecent, or profane words, language, or meaning.

26. Emergency Communications Etiquette Good News - You’ll be heard by anyone monitoring the radio frequency! This increases your chances of getting the help you need. Bad News - You’ll be heard by anyone monitoring the radio frequency! No radio communication is truly private, so don’t broadcast sensitive information.

27. Emergency Communications Etiquette Use plain language. Although you may know the meanings of all the “10 codes” and other radio jargon, the folks you’re trying to talk to may not, or they may know a different meaning altogether.

28. Emergency Communications Etiquette If you must interrupt for a bona fide emergency, say “Break for a medical emergency” or other appropriate language. The other parties should yield the frequency to you or attempt to assist you.

29. GMRS Call Sign Requirement GMRS requires FCC Call Sign Every GMRS station must transmit a station identification: (1) Following the transmission of communications or a series of communications; and (2) Every 15 minutes during a long transmission. (FCC code Part 95.119)

30. GMRS Net • Every Monday night • Check-ins start around 7:15 pm • Currently on GMRS Repeater CH #7 (462.7000 MHz with a PT 141.3 Hz) • Great time to test your radio equipment on the GMRS repeaters • Get to know other GMRS operators • Some are with Volunteer Organizations • Some are Amateur Radio operators

31. GMRS Radio Equipment ICOMIC-F21GMRadio • 16 channels • 8 GMRS Repeater Channels • 7 GMRS / FRS shared channels • Channel 16 – Scan all Channels • $130 at Amateur Electronics Supply (647-3114) • Optional: • Extra AA Battery Pack (Strongly Recommended) • Lithium-ion Battery Pack • Headset with Microphone

32. Emergency Communications Amateur Radio Organizations • Amateur Radio Emergency Services (A.R.E.S.) • Skywarn (National Weather Service) • Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (R.A.C.E.S.)

33. Em Communications Training Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course Level 1 Certification • ITU Phonetic Alphabet • Go Kits • ICS Command Organization • Message Handling • Various Digital Methods of Radio Communications

34. Emergency Communications Channels

35. Hurricane Katrina & Rita Response Amateur Radio (UHF/VHF) local communications Amateur Radio (HF) regional communications Communication Centers Lessons Learned Satellite Phones (limitations) Amateur Radio workhorse

36. Remember . . . It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.-- Howard Ruff --

37. More Emergency Communications Resources http://www.aa7i.org LDS Em Communications