This page has links to texts of topics suitable for hams to present on the air as-is, to help train each other in various aspects of ham radio usage, best practices, emergency communication, and preparation. Feel free to present any of the topics in any type of net or activity you think applies, regardless what heading they're listed under here.

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Which radio to get [link]
Let's cut to the chase, and then we'll start talking about options and possibililties. You should purchase a Baofeng UV-5R radio, a Signal Stick antenna, and an alkaline sled (battery case), then program it with the frequencies you'll use most.

A handheld transceiver (HT)
When selecting a portable radio that you can quickly take with you when you need it, here are some things to consider:
• It must be able to receive and transmit on 2 meters, which is where most local communication takes place on repeaters and nets. Ideally, it should also be a dual-band radio, supporting 70 cm, the second-most used frequency band.
• It should be one for which you can purchase an alkaline sled for it, since many models do not have that option. That is, an empty battery case that you can fill with your own non-rechargeable batteries.
• It should be one that many of your friends have. It's very convenient to have a radio, for which you can ask for help from a friend, or compare notes, or bring to club meetings and discuss.
• It should be supported by CHIRP, the free, online radio programming software, to get it programmed quickly, should you need to add a new repeater or net frequency. (You'll need the programming cable that goes to your particular radio model too.)
• It should be able to receive FM broadcast radio, to allow you to hear news and information from commercial radio stations during an incident.
• It should be not only a dual-band radio, but also a dual-watch radio, which can allow you to hear incoming communications on two different frequencies at the same time.
• It should be light-weight and small enough to slip onto your pocket or re-sealable sandwich bag.
• It should be inexpensive, to allow you to feel free enough to experiment with it and wear it out, without the worry of replacement or repair cost. Some folks will purchase an HT that's loaded with cool features, as their first radio, only to be too fearful to take it hiking with them or do field experiments with it or involve it in events.
Will your choice of radio still be a good one if all the above criteria aren't met? Probably, but there are some minor inconveniences you might have to live with.

A mobile radio
For those looking to get something a little heftier, whether you install it in your vehicle, set it on your desk, or (yikes!) pack it around on your back, a mobile unit might be what you're looking for. Some of the above suggested criteria still apply, such as dual-band, dual-watch, same model used by friends, CHIRP-supported, and low-cost. Obviously, there are other things to consider when you get a mobile unit, such as:
• It needs a separate 13.8-volt power supply, such as a Powerwerx SS-30DV.
• It needs a good, portable antenna, such as a Tram 1185 mag-mount, or a Pockrus J-pole mast-mount antenna.
• It needs 50-ohm coaxial cable that's long enough to reach from your radio to the antenna, but of a model that minimizes the signal loss, such as RG-8X.
• It should deliver (transmit) 25 watts on FM to make it worth your investment
There are other types of radios, such as portable and base units, but the focus here is on training, and recommendations for reasonable deployment.
Which antenna to get [link]
Similar to those in the real estate business, we radio amateurs have three basic rules: antenna, antenna, location. Being interpreted, your location will play a part in your ability to get your signal out to others, but your antenna is the important focus by far. And notice that radio is not mentioned in that mantra at all.

Obviously, without your radio, you won't be able to transmit any signals, but without a doubt, your antenna is one of the most important components of your amateur station. An appropriate antenna can connect you with the world, or render your station as useless as a vehicle without fuel. But, which antenna is right for your particular application? Let's categorize them by function and see.

When you first purchased your radio, it came with a stubby, little antenna we affectionately call a rubber duck. That tiny creature wasn't really meant for you to use seriously, but for testing your new transceiver, to make sure it works. And now that you're sure, it's time to get a real antenna.

At home
In the comfort of your residence, you're going to need an antenna that will get your signal out of your walls and into the air. For that, you should get a Pockrus J-pole, and either mount it on your roof outside or lean it up against the wall inside near a window. To connect to the antenna, you're going to need some RG-8X coaxial cable (coax) terminated in a PL-259 connector on the antenna end.

If you're using a mobile radio at home, you'll need the coax terminated in a PL-259 connector on the radio end. If you're using an HT (handheld transceiver), you'll need to either terminate the radio end of the coax with an SMA connector, or terminate the radio end with a PL-259 connector, plus a pigtail.

Walking around
When you need to walk around with your radio either attached to your body or in your hand, you should get hold of a whip-type antenna, either a telescopic whip or a Signal Stick. You might also find that your long antenna sometimes gets in the way. To help keep it out of the way, you can purchase a lapel microphone that has an antenna connection, which in most cases will keep your antenna up and away from your body.

Driving around
If you're out driving around, you'll need to use an antenna that's mounted on your vehicle; that is, your antenna is installed on a mount, which is attached to your car body. That could typically mean either a hole-mount, magnetic-mount, or lip-mount. A hole-mount is one that requires you to drill a hole in your car's metal body. A lip-mount attaches to the lip or edge of your flat body piece, such as your trunk or hood. A magnetic-mount or *mag-mount* simply magnetically attaches to your car's metal body. Glass mounts have not shown to be as effective as the other three types.

Is it possible to mix two of the above situations, like using a telescopic antenna while you're driving? Sure it is, but that might take a little experimenting on your part, to see what works for you. Any kind of antenna inside your vehicle will be shielded by some of your car's metal body (for most vehicles), and so people outside your vehicle might not hear you well. Then again, some hams use a mobile antenna, one that's made for a vehicle, but inside the home, to get more of their signal out of the house. They often do this by getting an antenna with a mag-mount, placing the mag-mount on a cookie sheet or the fridge, and adapt the coax with a pigtail for their HT.

As a side note, it's alright to leave your radio powered on while you change your antenna; just don't press your PTT button with your antenna removed.
What frequencies should be programmed in your radio [link]
Most of today's radios are able to hold many frequencies in their memories, but should you fill them, just because they're there? I recommend you only program into your radio what you need, so that you won't get overwhelmed or confused if you find you need to communicate right away. Ok, so which frequencies should you program? That'll depend on where you'll be at the moment you need them.

Where you're likely to be
If you spend most of your awake time at home or at work, it'll be wise to take that proximity into account, especially if you plan to communicate between home and work. But you might also need to go downtown shopping, to the doctor's office, or visit a friend, and if those take you far away from home, those locations might require some additional frequencies to think about.

Know what channel to change to, if necessary
If you have already programmed your radio with a number of useful frequencies, you're probably prepared to talk on whichever one you need at the moment. But if you have them programmed by name, are you familiar with what the names mean, as in which frequencies, or at least which areas they cover? And when it comes time to switching frequencies, are you able to do that on the spot?

Know how to manually change frequencies at a moment's notice
Be familiar enough with your radio that you can manually enter a new frequency at any time. You might be required to manually enter a frequency you've not already programmed in, because you need to get off a repeater or move off a simplex frequency that's already in use. This'll require you to know how to enter the frequency (Frequency Mode), the offset (OFFSET), the shift direction (SFT-D, plus or minus, or off for simplex), and tone (T-CTCS).

Programming your radio on-the-fly while you're traveling is very useful, but often quite cumbersome. So, taking your laptop and an appropriate programming cable along for the ride can prove indispensable. Do you know how to use the cable and the software to do the programming? You can download charts of programming frequencies, listed by radio model and general location from Noji's programming page.
Request a signal report before starting [link]
It doesn't help a whole lot if we attempt to get on the air, and nobody hears us. Even if I have the very best equipment that money can buy, including a great antenna, and even though I'm certain everybody this side of the Wasatch Front can hear me, is it still possible that they can't? If I'm talking on simplex, my antenna could be oriented incorrectly, I have a loose connection, I have a corroded connection, I'm not speaking close enough to the microphone, or my battery is on its last breath. If I'm trying to talk through a repeater, maybe my tone or offset isn't set, maybe I'm too far from the repeater to hold it open for proper communication, maybe I've bumped my button and I'm a little off-frequency, or maybe I just need to get out of the basement.

When you need to get on the air, especially in a hurry, it seems there are a number of obstacles that could hinder your otherwise perfect transmission. For that reason, one of the first things you should do before a net or a drill is to request a signal report. Maybe say,
This is KI7ABC. Could I please get a signal check?
and you'll find one or more listening hams who'll be happy to help you out by telling you how you sound.

You're typically looking for three things as feedback to your transmission: the quality of your sound, your loudness, and whether your audio is accompanied by any static or other noise. A responding operator who can report these three sound properties is probably the most helpful. By the same token, you can offer the most help by reporting these same three qualities to people who are asking for a report. On the other hand, those who say, "You sound fine" mean well, but are just a bit too brief, and don't give you a lot to go on, although it's still kind of them to try and give you some sort of feedback. The brief exception is when a ham operator simply reports,
Perfect!
which means crystal clear audio, loud audio, and no perceptible background noise, in a nutshell.

Once you do this, you're relatively confident that the rest of your transmissions could easily be heard by those who need to hear them. Even after that, you could still deviate from that once great report by moving around, changing your antenna direction, or your battery failing. But, at least you've taken that initial step to ensure a smoothly running net or drill.
Communicating on reverse [link]
In our ever-charitable desire to be helpful to other hams, we sometimes encounter those who have a difficult time getting into or even reaching the repeater. When we hear somebody struggling like this, it might be worth our while to help out by communicating with the person directly rather than through the repeater. But if he's tuned to the repeater, and you don't know his cell number, how can you alert him, so that you can help him?

One way is to switch to what we call reverse mode, which most radios support. The reverse function merely switches the repeater input and output frequencies on your radio. Normally, when communicating through a repeater, you use your radio to talk into the repeater input frequency and listen on the repeater output frequency. On reverse, you talk into the repeater output frequency, so that your friend can hear you, and listen on the repeater input frequency, so that you can hear him.

But communicating on reverse like this only works if the other person can reach you better than he can reach the repeater, because the repeater is out of his range on one side (to the north of him, for example), but you're within his range on the other side (to the south of him, for example). Or this might work when your friend is being obstructed from the repeater because of a mountain or tall building, but you have a clear shot of both him and the repeater.

So, how do you use this reverse function? Many mobile units and some HTs have a button labeled REV. Just press that button once, and your radio switches its repeater input and output frequencies, then press it again to get out of reverse, and back to normal repeater communication. If you're on a Baofeng or Wouxun, simply press the _* (star) button for reverse. If you have a Yaesu FT-60R or VX-7R, simply press C. Then press the same key to exit reverse mode. There's no need for your friend to go into reverse mode.

Once you're in communication with the other ham by reverse, kindly let him know that his signal is not making it into the repeater. Offer helpful, non-critical suggestions on what he could do to improve his transmission, like move to a different location, point his antenna straight up, speak closer or louder into his microphone, increase his radio power output, and so forth. It's possible that his battery is running low or that his antenna has come loose. I always believe my signal sounds wonderful, but one time people were telling me I was sounding terrible, even when I was staring right at the repeater antenna. Turns out I had forgotten to put my antenna back on after cleaning it off. So obviously, installing an antenna might help some of us!

The last thing to keep in mind when communicating in reverse is that you might want to let others know you're in reverse mode, since even though you're not technically using the repeater, you're tying up the repeater, because you're preventing others from using the repeater output. You might get a lot of you're not in the repeater reports from others. Another thing is that switching to reverse is no guarantee that you can reach him better; in fact, it might be worse, but it's something you can try, in your quest to be a helpful ham.
Help others improve their signal [link]
There are times when you're running a net, or you're trying to communicate with somebody by radio, and he's difficult to hear, for whatever reason. On one hand, you don't want to sound too critical of the person; after all, he's a new ham, and at least he's trying to get his signal out there. But, assuming he's open to ideas and help (most new hams are), what kinds of helpful suggestions can you offer? Depends on what the issues are and other factors. Here's a list of things you can pick-and-choose from, that might be helpful.

Things that can make his audio difficult-to-hear:
• His little radio might not be set on high power
• He might have a rubber duck or some other poor antenna
• His batteries might be running low

Things you can help his with now:
• He's in a poor location — ask him to try moving a couple of feet to one side or the other, or go outside or at least get out of the basement
• He might be blocked by his house walls — ask him to move near a window
• He might sound as though his signal is repeatedly strong and then scratchy — ask him to not move around quite so much, if possible
• His antenna orientation might be wrong — ask him to point it upward
• He might sound garbled or distorted — ask him to back his mouth away from his microphone an inch or two
• He might sound too quiet — ask him to get as close to the microphone as possible, then speak louder, clearer, and to not allow his voice volume to trail off at the end of the sentence
• He might be transmitting a loud alternator whine — if the whine is loud enough to compete with his audio, ask him to turn off the engine, if possible
• Does he know where his microphone hole is?
• He might be puffing or blowing into his microphone — ask him to speak at the side of the radio or microphone
• He might sound as though he's got a loose connection — ask him to make sure his antenna is securely connected

Things he can do later:
• Get a better antenna
• Get a better microphone
• Install a tiger tail
• Get a longer-lasting battery

If you believe another ham can hear him better than you can, you might want to ask for a relay of his message. As they say in amateur radio, if you can't hear 'em, you can't work 'em, meaning you need to be heard by others, so that they can communicate with you. By the way, asking people to modify their microphone gain will actually have little effect on making them sound louder or better for several reasons, especially if they're on an HT.
Baofeng radios are legal to use [link]
There's been quite a lot of discussion and concern lately about certain announcements made by the FCC regarding some models of Chinese radios. Bottom line is that they are all legit, and can be used legally by licensed amateurs, as long as you're using them on amateur frequencies.

The controversy arose because many Chinese radios have the ability to transmit on frequencies outside amateur bands. Ok, that's not so bad, because we amateurs know the rules, so that notice doesn't really bother us, because we follow the rules. Then along came some marketers who not only advertised that these radios can transmit on those non-amateur frequencies, but encouraged people to transmit on them without a license. That's what got them into trouble, and prompted the FCC to make the announcements.

Because of the confusing wordage of the announcements, coupled with mis-interpretations by an FCC attorney, many hams felt that they could no longer use their cheap, little handhelds legally. But after a series of clarifications, prompted in part by objections from the ARRL, we have been re-assured that our Baofengs and other Chinese radios are perfectly legal to use. And can you sell them? Yes, you can, personally. That means to one ham from another.

So, I repeat: it's completely legal for you to use any Chinese, Japanese, Indian, or even Martian radios, as long as you use them on ham frequencies.

More details are spelled out in the club newsletter, the November 2018 issue of the UVARC Shack p. 22, about the legality of using Chinese radios.
You might want to purchase a mobile radio some day [link]
You might have discovered that your little handheld radio is a wonder of science, enabling you to communicate with friends, loved ones, and others, for fun or in a moment of need. But if you've used it enough, you've also discovered that the little guy has a few limitations. Some of these limitations can be resolved by a change in your transmitting location or a better antenna. But there are times when it would be nice to have a little more juice behind that signal of yours. If this extra signal boost is on your mind, then purchasing a mobile radio might just be what you're looking for.

A mobile radio is a transceiver that's typically larger in physical size than most HTs (handheld radios), and normally has the ability to transmit on a higher power level than most HTs. Most require an external power supply and an external antenna, and most come with an external hand microphone. And most hams use mobile radios in any of three ways: in a vehicle, at home, or portable.

In a vehicle
Because of its namesake, it's obvious that a mobile radio was designed to be installed and used in your car, truck, or RV, which offers the convenience of having great communication ability from the comfort of your vehicle. If your mobile radio and antenna are installed more or less permanently, all you need to do is pick up your mic and push the PTT; no need to carry the radio, fiddle with cords, or get poked by your antenna. Also, if your service is needed at a location away from your home or work, your mobile can help you communicate and stay updated while you travel.

Can you do this with an HT? Yes, you can, if you can work without the extra transmit power. In fact, you can connect your HT to an outside-mounted antenna (mag-mount, lip-mount, or hole-mount) and your signal will be heard much better and farther than it could with any whip or duck antenna. Furthermore, unlike a true mobile radio, which is tethered by connections to the car's antenna and battery, you can easily remove your HT and take it with you when you get out of your vehicle, because it carries its own *power supply* and antenna.

At home
Many hams have a mobile radio at home as their *base* unit; that is, their main home radio, where they transmit for nets, for emergency, and for ragchewing. Keep in mind that a home base like this requires an external power supply, an external antenna, and coaxial cable. I highly recommend your power supply for this home mobile radio be able to supply 30 amps, even though your radio specifications state that it requires much lower. For the antenna, I recommend a Pockrus J-pole. For coax, I recommend RG-8X, terminated on both ends with PL-259 connectors.

Portable
In the context of mobile radio, the term *portable* means the ability to quickly grab a radio that's more powerful than an HT, but yet available enough for you to collect it (along with its battery, antenna, and coaxial cable), and head out the door. Portable can also refer to the ability to carry a radio more powerful than an HT (plus the battery, antenna, and coax) with you on a hike or a bike trip.

Any way you use one, a mobile can provide you with a little more power, to get your signal out farther, or at least stronger. Most HTs can transmit a maximum of 4 to 8 watts, depending on the model. Most mobiles can transmit 5 watts at their lowest setting. There are times when the extra power is helpful to get around those buildings (knife-edging), get down the canyon, and be heard on that distant repeater, and a mobile can often do the trick.

Please understand that this training topic is not meant to tell you that you need to rush out and spend your hard-earned cash on new hardware. It's only meant to offer you an option, in case you're getting tired of bad signal reports and the need to constantly repeat your statements over the air.

Personal training topics

You might want to use an ear piece or head phones [link]
Admit it...your spouse doesn't like it when she has to listen to your friends call out to you on your little HT with that irritating government-sounding audio. So you take it into the next room, where the signal might be sketchy, or outside where it's freezing cold. But to communicate, you need to hear the other person talk to you. And if that other person has a soft voice, is talking too far from his microphone, or has a staticky signal, you find yourself turning up the volume and running your family out of your house.

What you need is something that will let you hear the other person, but that silences your radio so that your family can't hear the people on the other end. There are several things you can purchase, that will fit the bill, like headphones, earphones, a head-piece, and earbuds. Problem is, unlike regular stereo equipment, you can't always go to Walmart and purchase what you need. More often than not, you need to get an ear piece that has a plug, maybe even a double-plug, that fits only your radio model.

Ok, so if others don't want to hear you, simply take it outside, right? Well, if you're able to brave the shivering cold, the better signal will help the other person hear you, but you might have a more difficult time hearing him, because of all the outdoor noise, from cars on the street, from people, and from the breeze. An ear piece can focus all the audio you want to hear from your radio into your head, often in spite of surrounding noise, while still taking advantage of a good location.

But just as importantly, you really should get an ear piece for your radio, to help free up your hands if you're serving during an incident. With an ear piece, you can usually hear the other person on the radio pretty well, without forcing you to get the unit close enough to your ear to hear it, possibly dropping it on the sidewalk. Just attach your radio by a belt clip to your pants, your vest, or backpack, and then you can move the weight of your unit from your hand to your body.

Some ear piece options to consider include those with a speaker and microphone combination, those with a handy PTT switch, maybe near your head, or those that support VOX, or voice-activated transmit. One I like is a speaker-microphone that also has an antenna connection, placing my antenna above my shoulders, and the speaker-microphone on my lapel. Of course, the drawback to speaker-microphones is that people around you can still hear the other person, and you might still be plagued by street noise if you take it outside.

Purchase an ear piece that has a plug or connector made for your particular radio. Clip your radio to your clothing or vest. Route the ear piece wiring under your vest and over to your radio, such that your head is able to move freely, and your hands can move around without getting tangled in the wiring. Test it, then test it again. With this kind of setup, you'll feel a little more free to help injured victims, while being able to communicate.
Ham radio best practices [link]
The wide world of ham radio might still be somewhat new to you, and you want to jump into it with both feet, so you're bound to make a few mistakes here and there, but that's alright. Still, to play nicely with everybody else, here are a few tips, good habits, and even unwritten rules, to help you avoid little pitfalls and maybe some embarrassment:

Radio etiquette

• After pressing your PTT button, wait about ½ second before speaking, especially if you're communicating through a repeater
• When speaking into your microphone, try talking across its face, rather than blowing directly into it (some call that puffing)
• Place your hand microphone about two or three inches from your mouth when transmitting, but stay within an inch of your built-in microphone
• When using a handheld radio with a whip or rubber duck antenna, try and keep the antenna pointed upward when you're transmitting
• When announcing your call sign along with that of another ham, the rule is to put yourself last, as in KR5LYS, this is KI7ABC if your call sign is KI7ABC
• While it's customary to call out CQ on HF bands, it's best practice on the 2-meter and 70-cm bands to announce your call sign instead, especially on a repeater
• If another ham points out a problem with your transmission ("you're sounding a little scratchy"), always assume the problem is with you (location, orientation, power too low, etc.) or your equipment first, and always admit your mistakes
• If you'd like to jump into an ongoing conversation, avoid using the word break; instead, say your call sign between their transmissions
• After your contact releases his PTT button, allow one to two seconds before you press yours, in case another person wants to join the conversation or has an emergency
• Avoid kerchunking, which is repeatedly pressing and releasing your PTT button without announcing your call sign; it's not only illegal, but irritating to others, especially those listening on a repeater
• When speaking through a repeater, try and keep your conversations to under a few minutes

Personal reminders

• While it's not always possible, try and make your conversations positive and upbeat; sounding positive attracts friends, while negative comments tend to turn other hams away from you, even if you mean well
• Don't react like you're offended just because another ham can't remember your name or call sign
• If another ham does offend you, let it go; don't retaliate or try and belittle the other ham for it; be the adult in the encounter, even if you're a kid
• Be considerate of your contact's time, and minimize dead-air time by at least thinking of what you're going to say before you key up; and while it's fun to use your PTT button, don't forget that it's also an RTL (release-to-listen) button
• Avoid making insulting or disparaging remarks about others on the air; what people hear you say about others, they'll also believe you'll say about them
• Within reason, avoid burping, coughing, sniffing, clearing your throat, smacking your lips, and making other bodily or disgusting noises on the air

Equipment habits

• When storing your HT for later use, like in a go-kit or bin, use alkaline instead of rechargeable batteries, and keep the battery case removed from the radio until you need to use it
• Make sure your radio is programmed with an appropriate frequency list before you stash it away, but be sure to accompany it with a card or sheet to remind you of what the frequencies or channel names are for
• Learn how to manually program your radio; you might not know when you need to travel through a location where there is no cell signal available for your phone or tablet

A final word about these best practices: when you hear mistakes made by another ham, it's not your job to jump on the air and correct the person. Just let it go. If you feel that he or she really ought to know, however, try and reach out by cell or email, instead of dressing the person down in front of three hundred others.
Be agreeable [link]
When you're approached by people who say something contrary to what you want to hear, or do something that doesn't precisely meet your approval, it's often easier to point out their seemingly incorrect thinking than to try and see things from their perspective. Instead, agree with others at every opportunity. Avoid telling them they're wrong, if at all possible. For example,

Person asks, Should I go to Center Street to help them?
Rather than say, No, I need you over at 100 N instead.
Instead say, Yes, good idea. I could use your help more on 100 N, if you can go there.
(Say Yes instead of No)

Person asks, Is my radio offset correct?
Rather than say, No, it needs to be on 600 kHz.
Instead say, Try working it on 600 kHz.
(Turn your answer into a positive comment by avoiding a Yes or No answer)

Person asks, Do you need any help?
Rather than say, No, but thanks for asking.
Instead say, Thanks for asking! I believe I've got it under control.
(Be grateful for the help or idea and avoid using the word but to point out additional facts. People are quick to pick up on your but exceptions, as this next extreme and silly example illustrates)

Person asks, Do you like me?
Rather than say, I do, but you have something in your teeth right here.
Instead say, I do like you! By the way, you have something in your teeth right here.
(In this silly example, complete the affirmation without reservation, I do like you! Then, start another, unrelated topic if you need to, You have something in your teeth...)

Yes language seldom comes naturally, and often takes some practice. Family members, friends, and hams, tend to be good, well-meaning people who want to feel like their part of the discussion or situation is valuable and worthwhile. Your acknowledgment of that contribution can mean the difference between them feeling very small and worthless, and them feeling motivated to further help and improve, and contribute even more.

When we assume that people are intelligent, and recognize that they're trying to do good things and mean well, it becomes a little easier to see their perspective and acknowledge their contribution to the situation. This applies to emergency communication, radio talk, and everyday conversation. The more non-negative you sound, the more others are attracted to you and want to be around you or listen to you.

Protocol training topics

What to say at the end of your QSO [link]
If there's one thing that new hams find awkward, is what to say at the end of the QSO, or conversation. The answer is, your call sign is all you need.

But most people find that rather impersonal or incomplete, and feel compelled to say things like clear or over or something else that sounds official or police-like. For example, the following is what some hams run into:
Ham 1 : Well, I've got to go now, so I'll see you later.
Ham 2 : Ok, I'll catch you later. KI7ABC.
Ham 1 : 7-3 KI7ABC from KI7DEF. I'll be clear on your final.
Ham 2 : Ok, 7-3 KI7DEX, I mean KI7DES. No, wait KI7DEF from KI7ABC, clear.
Ham 1 : Ok, KI7DEF, over and out.

These two hams are doing their best to follow the rules, but feel awkward simplifying their closing, possibly believing the other ham will feel snubbed by his directness. Furthermore, Ham 2 is struggling to remember Ham 1's call sign. To help this, I recommend two things at the end of your QSO:
• Don't worry about giving the other person's call sign
• Say your own call sign when it's the only thing left to say, except maybe 7-3

These are not rules, but suggestions. Here's an example, using the same two hams above:
Ham 1 : Well, I've got to go now, so I'll see you later. 7-3.
Ham 2 : Ok, I'll catch you later. 7-3.
Ham 1 : KI7DEF.
Ham 2 : KI7ABC.
And they're done. Neither said any call signs until it was time to hang up the mic (pronounced mike) and neither felt that the other ham was being offensive, because both experienced hams understood the guidelines. You never need to remember or say another person's call sign during your QSO. It's often customary to say the other person's call sign when calling for him, but still not necessary. So, you can say either,
Hey, Jim, are you there? This is Tony
or
KJ7DEF, KI7ABC
And if you say only call signs, it's understood whose call sign is which, because of the gentlemen's agreement of putting yourself last, which means the person talking in this case is most likely KI7ABC.


And there's no need to say clear or over or out or any similar military-sounding word

Is it alright to say these extra words? Sure. Nobody's going to chastise you for saying them, but these tips just might make it a bit easier to conclude your radio conversation.

Emergency training topics

How to help when you're on the road [link]
While you're traveling by road, if you're interested in contacting local hams through their repeaters, one thing you can do is download a list of repeaters along your route, and program them into your radio ahead of time. Where can you get that list? From RepeaterBook.com. Just look up the state or the interstate route, and you can see all the repeaters available. Copy the repeater info to CHIRP and program your radio accordingly. Of course, that requires a laptop and an appropriate cable to interface with your radio, to program it.

What you can do alternatively is download the app from RepeaterBook.com and activate it. Then, while you're traveling, the app will display nearby repeaters, based on your GPS location. You can then manually program the repeaters into your radio, or download it to your laptop and program as you go. Of course, that can be a real pain, which is why knowing how to program your radio manually is a good skill to learn.

So, if you travel, you're all set to go, but to do what? To help yourself and others. Here are some possibilities:

You encounter an incident and want to help
If you travel in an area, and learn it's been struck by an incident, such as a tornado, wildfire, chemical spill, or terrorist attack, turn to the National Calling Frequency (146.520 MHz simplex) and listen. If you don't hear anything, either call out on that frequency every 15 minutes,
This is KI7ABC, monitoring
It's possible that somebody will respond, and ask for help, and you'll be there to answer the call. Or start scanning (all frequencies, instead of just memory channels). And yes, scanning is another good skill to learn.

You're the one who needs help
If you travel in an incident area, and find yourself in need of assistance, start calling out on the National Calling Frequency every few minutes,
This is KI7ABC, and I need help
Hams who are familiar with the Wilderness Protocol will be monitoring for those in need of help, and might be able to give you the help you need.

Start a conversation on a local repeater
Finally, you're not aware of any local incident, but you never know. So, strike up a conversation with a complete stranger on a local repeater. Find out when he or she first got licensed. Ask about their family, how many kids and dogs, their favorite foods, their hobbies, the breadwinner's occupation, etc. But be sure to leave a one-second break between each un-key and key-up, to allow those with an actual issue or emergency to break in. The mere constant chatter will help put other listeners more at ease, and assure them that the amateur system is still available, should they need help or have a question. Don't worry that you're tying up the repeater because that's what it's there for.

Incident and CERT training topics

Radio-related training topics

Tactical call signs [link]
One thing hams, as well as police, fire, military, government, and EMS personnel find useful while communicating during an incident is the use of tactical call signs. Tactical call signs represent group names, functions, or geographical locations, such as Medical 3, or Lookout Point, or Grid 27. They're not the same as your FCC-issued call signs, and do not replace them, but can be used as shortcuts during an exercise or emergency.

They help keep things simple
During an actual call-out it can get really tedious, if not confusing and frustrating, for all parties involved, if you had to remember or read back a series of call signs, fumbling with dyslexic numerals and letters as you try and get some important information to a far-away team. Simply say,
Team 2, this is Incident Command
and then have the other party repeat,
Incident Command, go ahead
That's a little easier easier than,
KG7ZSC, I mean KC7ZSZ, this is KB7BVP
only to have the other party say,
Was that KC7ZSZ or KC7ZFZ?
and then you say,
Kilo-charlie-seven-zulu-sierra-zulu, this is kilo-bravo-seven-bravo-victor-papa
By the time you've figured out the call sign, the patient has died.

They keep station locations organized
Another advantage to tactical call signs is that there is no need to keep track of which call sign is where. Imagine Incident Command needing to get an update on a forest fire line advance.
KC7ZSZ, this is KB7BVP
with a reply of,
This is N7YHU, KC7ZSZ had to leave
Incident Command then asks,
Ok, how about KG7UFU?
with a reply of,
No, KG7UFU had to go too
Incident Command then says,
Well, who's still there, who can give me an update?
What a time-wasting mess! Instead, try this:
Hilltop Overlook, this is Incident Command
with a reply of,
Hilltop Overlook, go ahead
and then,
Could you please give me a fire-line status?
In this case, Incident Command doesn't know, but more importantly doesn't care, who's at Hilltop Overlook; he just wants an update from somebody there who's qualified to deliver the update.

They're assigned by NCS
So, whose job is it to assign tactical call signs? It's the responsibility of Incident Command. If IC doesn't care, or has delegated it, it's the responsibility of Net Control, who is typically the Incident Command shadow, but Net Control must then communicate them to IC, so that IC can keep an overall picture of the incident by location or group name. If IC starts calling a group Hospital Deck, that might be a good clue that you should also call it by that name, because that's familiar to him. And if you're the person making up these tactical call signs, please make them as short as you meaningfully can. Instead of giving one team a name of Samuel Thornton Fluke Memorial Site 3 maybe simply Site 3 is good enough.

Now, all that being said, every ham is still required to transmit the FCC-issued call sign every ten minutes and at the end of the communication, regardless of tactical call signs. One way to do this during a drill, exercise, or incident, is by adding to the chatter and stating your actual call sign every time you speak, which is not recommended, because you need to say less, not more. The recommended approach is for Net Control to ask everybody to say their call signs every ten minutes, all at the same time. Yes, you'll be doubling with thirty other people, but you've satisfied the rule, to state your call sign; there is no requirement that anybody actually hear your call sign.
Setting up a relay station [link]
During an actual incident, what's often needed is a relay station to transfer messages between two stations who couldn't reach each other by repeater (because it's down or unavailable) or by simplex (too many obstructions). You can accomplish this several ways, but probably the two most common ways is by local control and automatic control.

Local control means you're the relay station, and you need to travel to a location between the two most critical communication stations that are having trouble hearing each other. All three of your stations are using the same simplex frequency. You hear messages from one station, then repeat the same message on the same frequency, so that both stations can hear you. You then hear responses from the other station, and once again repeat the responses on the same frequency, so that both stations can hear you.

Automatic control means you're responsible for setting up a repeater station, possibly a cross-band repeater (XBR), between the two most critical communication stations that are having trouble hearing each other. You set your XBR to a 2-meter simplex and a 70-cm frequency, then ask one of the two distant stations to set their frequency to the 2-meter frequency and the other distant station to the 70-cm frequency.

Things to take into account with either method include location, power needs, and access. The location of your relay station could be in your home, a school, or out in a field if the weather is cooperating, as long as your surroundings don't obstruct your signal, making your relays worthless. If you're away from home, you're going to need to plug into an outlet if the power is on and reachable.

If AC power is not available, you might need a trusty battery, whose size will depend on your radio and usage. If you're going to be out for long, setting up a solar panel might be a good idea, if you have one. Finally, make sure you have immediate access to your station if at all possible, especially if you're running an XBR, in case the battery dies or if the station frequencies needs to readjusted, to avoid interference, for example.
How to relay messages [link]
There are times when you're on a net, and it seems that Net Control just couldn't hear the check-in from a weak or distant station, even if you're holding the net by repeater. (Maybe the unheard station is not in the repeater because his radio isn't programmed properly or isn't programmed with this particular repeater.) In that case, if you're able to hear the distant station, cut into the check-ins between transmissions by saying relay, and Net Control will know that you're hearing somebody he or she isn't, and say, Go ahead, relay. You then say, keelo-bravo station go ahead, if you heard "KB" from the distant station in the midst of giving its call sign, for example.

After that, your responsibility is to relay the check-in, including call sign, name, location, and any message (traffic) that the distant station needs you to pass along to Net Control. As you might guess, this is good practice, because during an incident, you might need to relay for an injured operator who's trapped in a basement, when Net Control is unable to hear him or her.

Be brief
Relaying a message between an unheard station and Net Control is not the time to give long-winded descriptions or explanations, even in the interest of accuracy. Relay the information as completely as you heard it, but allow Net Control to dictate just how much and how accurate your information should be. And being brief does not mean repeating everything in rapid-fire speech. If you normally take three seconds to say something, but compress it into two seconds, you might need to repeat it, requiring six seconds, including the time it requires for Net Control to ask you to repeat it. So, slow down and say it in four seconds the first time.

Ham-to-ham
A relay between radio operators means official A is asking operator A to relay a message to official B. Operator B then communicates the relayed message to official B. This ham-to-ham (more correctly station-to-station) communication involves only licensed amateur radio operators using the radio equipment, with the officials simply giving and receiving orders.

Official-to-ham
A relay between an official and a radio operator means operator A has handed his or her microphone to official A, allowing him to communicate directly to operator B, due to the complexity of the situation or the need at the moment. And even though official A is not a licensed ham radio operator, by third-party rules, operator A can legally allow that, provided operator A is awake and remains in the same room as official A for the duration of the communication.

In either case, you become more or less a piece of furniture that simply passes messages between one party and another. But that's alright, because thet's what you signed up for, by offering your radio station in the service of others.
Radio equipment for shadowing [link]
The equipment you're going to need for shadowing an official during an incident can be summed up for two situations: stationary or on foot. And in each case, you have radio equipment and support equipment to consider. It'll be up to your good judgment which of these items you should actually use, but here are my recommendations.

Stationary
Being stationary gives you two advantages: you have a place where you might actually be able to sit down, and you don't have to lug all your radio equipment around. Also, people find comfort in being able to refer or resort to a particular location for communication needs.
• TYT TH-7800 mobile radio ($190)
• Tram 1185 magnetic-mount antenna ($23, includes coaxial cable)
• Thunderbolt Magnum Solar 64102 ($70) 12 V 35 Ah SLA solar battery
• Powerpole alligator clips ($10)
• Powerpole T adapter ($13)
• Folding table, folding chairs
• Camping lantern

On foot
When you're shadowing an official (or even when you're alone during an incident), it's often necessary to move quickly from one place to another on foot, because of uneven or obstructed terrain, building entry for light search-and-rescue, or a disaster that covers a wide area.
• Baofeng UV-82HP handheld radio ($63)
• Extended-life battery pack ($18)
• Kenwood shoulder-mount speaker-mic-antenna ($16)
• Super-Elastic Signal Stick antenna ($20, select SMA Female)
• Program these frequencies into your radio. If you use CHIRP to program your radio, use this programming file (download it, rename the extension to .img, and read it into CHIRP) and this programming cable ($14).
• A small, portable and collapsible wagon ($70) to lug your stuff around in
Know how to manually operate your radio [link]
One day, before the time of GPS technology, a man was driving all over an upscale section of New York City, until he decided to ask for directions. He flagged down a pedestrian and rolled down his window. "Excuse me, sir, could you please tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?" The pedestrian answered, "Practice, practice, practice."

You've got your ham radio license, you took a CERT course, and now you have a nice little radio that you've grown to like. In fact, to take your readiness a step farther, you had your little unit programmed with 200 channels of something or other. Furthermore, you use your radio by participating in the New Ham Net, the 76ers Net, and even your stake net. Terrific! But if worse comes to worse, have you done what it takes to be radio-ready for an actual incident?

During an emergency, do you know what frequencies to use? Because of the nets you participate in, maybe so. But what if your programmed frequencies are busy, and you need to move to a frequency that's not programmed in your radio. Will you know how to manually set that? At a moment's notice, you might need to find a simplex frequency, or change to one that your net control has dictated. Will you know how to do that manually, in seconds? How about if he or she asks you to change to a repeater that you don't have set in your radio? Will you know how to set the offset and tone?

Assuming you have all of that, depending on the emergency, will your hands be free enough to help people, or will they be occupied by a handheld radio? Wouldn't it be better to put a belt clip on the back of your radio, then attach it to your pants or pants pocket? And then, wouldn't it be convenient to attach a speaker-microphone from your radio to your lapel? Then your hands will be free, except when one hand is pressing the button on your lapel.

And after doing all of that, suddenly your battery dies. Wouldn't it be convenient to have a freshly charged battery, or a sled of alkalines that you can slide onto your radio? And what if people complain that they couldn't hear you very well? Do you have an extra antenna, either a flexible Signal Stick or a telescopic one, or at least a whip, that you can replace your rubber duck with?

Finally, use your net as your personal "emergency" by practicing these things during the net. While your net is going, 1) switch to VFO Mode ("Frequency Mode") and punch in your net frequency manually, 2) clip your radio to your pants pocket and attach your speaker-mic to the radio, 3) turn off your radio and replace the battery, and 4) replace your antenna with a better one. Now, repeat that during the net again next week.

Getting your license was a great first step, but now it's time to do more than just stash your radio away until there's an emergency. Because when an incident arises, and you aren't used to using your radio effectively, you'll suddenly create your own emergency, rendering your license useless. For real estate agents, the motto is "Location, location, location." For those of us trying to prepare for the unthinkable and yet be helpful, it's "Practice, practice, practice."

Personal training topics

Helping somebody in distress [link]
We've talked previously about how to aid somebody who's calling for help. That is, how to discern their needs, whom you shoud call, and how you can personally assist in the way of equipment or relaying emergency messages. But there's another side to helping a person who is calling for anybody out there to come to their aid, and that's the personal side. In other words, is there something helpful you can actually say to them on the radio?

During an actual crisis, not only will your caller be frantic, but believe it or not, you're going to start freaking out too. The caller will be in great danger, or will be calling for a loved one who's screaming out in pain, and that person will most likely not have his or her mind together during the communication. And in spite of all your training, your bloodstream will be flowing with a half-gallon of adrenaline, causing you to speak very quickly, in a high-pitched voice, and begin to hyperventilate.

So, what can you say to somebody who desperately needs your help, when your own heart is racing? First, let's mention a few things you should NOT say:
• Do not lie to them by telling them that you understand how they feel, or that help is on the way, or that they're going to be alright. Yes, you've called 911, and police dispatch has assured you they'll get there soon, but you really have no idea if or when. And you have no clue as to how they feel or whether they'll be alright.
• Don't tell them to stay calm or to not worry. It's alright to worry. We're human and are born to worry, as a defense mechanism.
• Don't tell them not to cry or that they shouldn't feel bad. They have every right to feel bad, and that bad feeling, especially crying, can actually be their own mind's way of dealing with the situation.
• Do not tell them it's God's will that these things happened the way they did. You have no idea that's true, and it's often insulting to arbitrarily assign some sort of religious meaning to the situation, and can anger them.
• Don't tell them that they're strong and that they'll get through this. You don't know they're strong, and many will seriously question whether they'll actually survive the event.
Ok, so you know of a few things you should not say. So, what could you say to this person who is under such stress? First, take a deep breath before speaking. Second, slow down and lower your pitch. Here are a few things you can say:
• Ask them their name. As much as you can, refer to them by their name. That's their most favorite word and sound in the world. It's calming and reassuring, and tells them that you're listening and are interested.
• Don't overwhelm them with a hundred questions, but ask questions as you would in a regular conversation. Find out what happened, who is injured, and how severe the injuries are. Often, people are looking more for a listening ear than an ambulance.
• Assure them that you're doing whatever you can to help. Tell them you're not a doctor or a policeman, but that you know how to work a radio, and will try and get them the help they need.
• Keep them talking. Again, not to overwhelm them, but ask them about their family, where they live, what their father does for a living. They want to talk about themselves, and it helps distract them from the problem at hand for a little while.

The best way to keep them calm is by you setting the tone and the example, hard as it might be. It's ok to be surprised, but keep your cool, even when the other person says something shocking or unexpected. Don't get angry or upset, don't raise your voice unless you're in a noisy environment, and don't use profanity. Use a calm and deliberate voice, and before long, they'll subconsciously start imitating your tone.

Protocol training topics

Incident Command shadow responsibilities [link]
You've been assigned the responsibility of shadowing Incident Command or you've volunteered for it. That means you're the main communicator for the incident to all of your civillian (not police, EMS, fire, etc.) operators. You have a few things to start moving on quickly, so here's a minimum list of your duties as Incident Command shadow (not necessarily in this order, but the order might help a little):


• You are Net Control, meaning you are in charge of the civillian radio net, under the direction of Incident Command. If there's a net already in progress, (politely) inform the operators that you are taking over as Net Control, by order of Incident Command.
• Decide on a band plan; that is, a) what frequency you plan to use for Incident Command, b) what frequency should be used by other teams (triage, SAR, medical, evac, etc.) if you should need more than one, c) whether to use simplex or repeater(s), and d) which FRS (walkie-talkie) channel(s) to use.
• Assign communicator roles, such as Operations shadow, Medical Team 4 shadow, Stake President shadow, etc.
• Assign tactical call signs to your operators, as in "Incident Command" (that's you), "Operations", "Medical Team 4", "Aspen Stake", etc.
• Start the net by announcing "QST, QST, QST" and then let everybody know that you are shadowing Incident Command, and that this is a directed net, meaning operators can transmit only if permitted by you
• Assign somebody near (in geographical proximity) to you, to monitor the 2-meter National Calling Frequency, which is 146.520 MHz (simplex). If your monitoring person has a dual-band / dual-watch radio, ask him or her to also monitor 446.000 MHz (simplex) simultaneously
• Instruct your operators as follows:
  • slow down and enunciate
  • be brief by thinking about what you're going to say, then say it on the air
  • be accurate; that is, give proper detail, and don't worry so much about privacy when a person's life is at stake
  • use each other's tactical call signs
  • use plain English as much as possible. Except for the "QST" at the start of your net, don't use "Q" codes or CB or police or military language. While it's acceptable to use some clarifying words, such as "negative" and "affirmative", try to refrain from ham radio jargon, such as "roger" or "copy" or "clear" or "over". If you need one station to wait on-frequency while you address a concern or answer the question of another, you can say "stand by".
  • put yourself last when announcing to whom you're speaking and who you are, by saying, "Medical 1, Incident Command"
  • be kind and helpful, not angry and demanding, in spite of the tremendous amount of stress you're under
• Set the net in motion by telling everybody that they are now permitted to transmit any message of urgency or need, as they relate to the incident
• Every ten minutes order all ham operators to ID; tell them to simply announce their FCC-assigned call signs all at once, and not worry about "doubling" with other operators
• Remain on the job until released by Incident Command. If you're too tired to continue, or if you need to relieve yourself, have another operator take your place, then inform the Incident Commander of the change. There's no need to announce the change to the net.
• Repeat the net announcement by saying that you're holding a net to handle an ongoing incident (or drill) every so often. If this is not a true incident or emergency, you must state over the air that this is not an emergency, to prevent unnecessary alarm.

As Incident Command shadow, you've got a big job. But keep in mind that, even though you're "in charge" of your net and your communicators, you still answer to Incident Command, who is in charge of the entire incident. Also, in a large-scale incident, Incident Command might have several communicator shadows, including you as the civillian shadow, a fireman as the fire and SAR (search-and-rescue) shadow, a policeman as the police shadow, etc.
Who's in charge [link]
As an ARES or CERT volunteer, it's possible you might get called out to help with an incident as a communicator, if you and your family are safe. But whether we're seasoned operators or brand new at the game, one point of confusion can arise, especially if there's a lot going on at the scene, and that is who is in charge. Most of us understand the Incident Command structure, in which the first person on the scene assumes the role of the Incident Commander, until replaced by somebody with greater authority or qualifications. But what we're addressing here is who you answer to.

Let's see if we can break that down into just two different viewpoints. First, according to the NIMS Unity of Command philosophy, each participant has one and only one supervisor. So, that addresses who your boss is. But are you in charge of anybody or anything? Turns out that's the other viewpoint.

The official is in charge of you
An official in this context is somebody who makes decisions and gives direction. This could be a policeman, fireman, a church leader, community leader, or other person who is responsible for handling the incident or gathering information. As a radio operator in the capacity we're discussing, you're the official's shadow, essentially following him or her where needed, to be ready to communicate by radio at a moment's notice. You're essentially the slave, simply relaying messages from the person you are shadowing, to another radio operator at an unseen, possibly distant, location.

What this means is that, while many of us might be experienced at leadership and administration, you do not make any incident decisions. You can make decisions regarding how to set up or work your radio equipment, and what to tell your own family, but not regarding the incident. For example, if you see a need (injured person, water, more blankets, etc.), you should bring that to the attention of your official, and that's all. Your official will make the decision of how to handle the given information.

As a shadow, your responsibility is to relay traffic and messages as precisely as you're able. At times, the chaos of the incident might make it difficult to work your radio in this way, requiring you to ask for repeats of the messages that need to be relayed. In a very short period of time, you'll discover by experience what works and what doesn't, including how to orient your microphone and antenna, how to enunciate without sounding angry, and how to work in an adrenaline rush without passing out.

You are in charge of your equipment
Even though your official is directing your actions, the FCC holds you accountable for the proper operation of your amateur radio equipment, from the power cord to the antenna, by virtue of your license. Nobody has the right to operate, modify, or move your ham radio gear without your express permission, because you are the radio station owner. However, you are permitted to delegate the operation, modification, and relocation of your ham radio equipment to another, even an unlicensed, person.

This also means you're responsible for selecting an appropriate frequency for your communication needs. It means you must remove sources of radio interference, should you become aware of such a problem. It also means that it's up to you to find ways to ensure that your station gear remains workable and available at the moments it's needed, whether that means backup power (batteries, generator, solar panels, etc.) or even backup person (you're too tired or stressed.)

You might be in charge of the net
That is, if you are the Incident Command shadow, you are resonsible for establishing a net, including assigning frequencies, tactical call signs, and making the traffic (message-handling) rules. You will become the voice of reason and calm to all your listeners, which will be a fairly easy task, because of all the training and practice you've had on your local nets and drills, in spite of the excitement of the moment.

If you are a radio operator who is not the Incident Command shadow, then you must do as directed by your official and by Net Control. If there's a conflict in orders given by the two, you're going to have use your best judgment, but keep in mind that Incident Command is in charge of the incident. In most cases, the best thing to do is follow the orders given by Incident Command, and then inform your official 1) what was told to you by Incident Command and 2) what you are going to do.
Always serve with a companion [link]
Many years ago I served an LDS mission in Japan. While there, I learned that one of the rules was that my companion and I went everywhere and pretty much did everything together. Except for showering and personal hygeine moments, we were together in the same room 24/7. And that taught me the value of companionship, not just because of an arbitrary rule, but because of a number of good reasons, which now seem common sense.

I recommend that, when we serve in any emergency communication capacity, such as a drill or an event, or an actual incident, that we work as companions, and for many reasons. When you're working with another, reporting becomes a little more accurate, you feel the need to share your time and resources, time seems to pass a little easier, and you might even feel a bit safer.

A couple of years ago I was serving at the Squaw Peak 50 ultra-marathon up Provo Canyon. When I arrived, I noticed a young lady setting up the radio and refreshments at the aid station. I saw a few others there that I knew, but out of nowhere a man walked up and wanted to know what we were doing. He was obviously inebriated, and started to sit close to the young lady, then helping himself to people's water bottles, and speaking loudly. It was apparent that the people at our aid station were a bit nervous about the situation, so I kept placing myself between the wanderer and the young lady. But the thought occurred to me, What if this woman was all by herself? Would she have felt safe? I mean, there's no cell service up there.

My suggestion is that, when you see another radio operator sitting alone, plant yourself right alongside the person, and make yourself a new friend. Let the operator know that you're going to assist and work right alongside him or her. This way, if one of you does get asked about some details or actions, you can now vouch for each other.

And let me conclude by saying this IS my suggestion, and not a rule or a law, or even a demand; I believe it's just common sense. For safety, for protection, for accountability, and for companionship during a possibly intense moment.

Emergency training topics

What kind of grab-N-go bag [link]
When you need to leave your home in a hurry, you'll also need to take with you as much as you can reasonably carry in a grab-N-go backpack, to free up your arms to do other tasks. But the kind of backpack you get might not help you as much as you'd like if you select one that doesn't have the features to accommodate your needs. The two biggest backpack concerns are typically size and utility.

You'll want your backpack to be large enough to hold everything you need in a grab-N-go bag, such as clothing, food, water, first-aid, toiletries, flashlight, batteries, and hundreds of other things that are important to you. But if you get one that's too large, you might be tempted to over-fill it, and the pack can become awkward and difficult to carry. One thing to think about is whether your backpack is large enough to expand outward from your body, rather than just upward (taller.)

The word utility refers to your pack's usefulness. If possible, your backpack should contain multiple full-sized storage spaces and plenty of large and small pockets. It should also have plenty of hooks, straps, or other means of attaching items to the exterior of your pack, such as those on a MOLLE or tactical style backpack.

Other useful features you might want to consider in a grab-N-go backpack are hydration bladder and hose, plastic (rather than metal) zippers, carrying handle, adjustable straps, strap hooks, chest straps, rubber or plastic feet (to set it down without wearing it out), in-pack frame, back padding, bottom hooks or straps (to attach underneath, like a tent or sleeping bag / pad), water resistance, cover or hood, outer webbing or mesh pockets, side pockets (for your water bottle or other), hidden pockets, locking waistband, double-stitching, and zippered expansion.

Finally, you'll need to decide where to store your grab-N-go backpack, which might actually help you decide what kind to get. Place your pack in a coat closet near your front door or other exit, where you believe you'll most likely leave from your home if you need to. This allows you the convenience of checking and re-stocking your bag regularly right in your home. Some place it in their garages for the same reason, because they plan to escape by vehicle. Still others keep their backpacks inside their vehicles at all times. Just some food for thought.
What should go in your grab-N-go bag [link]
Every person should have two things they have stashed near an exit-way in the event of a true disaster during which they might need to evacuate: a 72-hour kit and a grab-n-go bag. Some folks are resourceful enough to figure out how to combine these, but most of us are not. The 72-hour kit should contain everything we need to sustain life away from home for 72 hours, including water, water purifier, food, medicine, toiletries, TP, blankets, first-aid kit, flashlight, headlamp, batteries, candles, lighter, raincoat, and dry change of clothing.

The grab-n-go bag should contain your CERT vest, CERT helmet, radio, antenna, radio, batteries, tools, paper forms, pens, markers, non-latex gloves, work gloves, emergency tent, emergency sleeping bag, and wipes. One thing that can make all of this easier to haul is a collapsible wagon, assuming your disaster terrain is flat enough for one. And if you do have a wagon, I would add a portable toilet.

With all of this, you're minimally prepared to serve your community in a CERT capacity. But let's take a look at the radio you've packed in your grab-n-go bag. First, is your radio already programmed with useful frequencies? These should include the following:
• your area simplex frequency (mine is 147.480 MHz)
• your city simplex frequency (mine is 145.770 MHz)
• several local ragchew repeater frequencies (ours are 146.760- MHz, 146.780- MHz)
• your local ARES repeater frequencies (ours is 147.340+ MHz)
• your ERC repeater frequency (mine is 147.020+ MHz)
• 146.520 MHz, the National 2-meter Simplex frequency
• a local weather frequency (ours is 162.550 MHz)
• KSL-FM 102.7 (the designated state emergency broadcast frequency)
• many like to program local police frequencies, but no real need for that, especially since most radios can't be programmed to them.
Finally, your radio batteries needs to be alkaline, not rechargeable. Store your pre-programmed radio with a disconnected sled of alkaline batteries and a disconnected Signal Stick or telescopic antenna.
How to answer a call for help [link]
As a CERT member, you know that your community service is very needed when there's an incident or emergency. You've been trained on really valuable skills, like Triage, Minor Medical, Light Search and Rescue, and the Incident Command System, all of which can help save lives when your help is needed. One thing we don't always get much training on, however, is how to answer a call for help.

First, when you hear a request for assistance, you might not recognize it as a call for help. That's because you're listening for a smooth, trained voice who's used to talking on ham radio. The person on the other end might sound frantic, high-pitched, and hyperventilated. It'll take everything you've got to remain calm, even if the other person isn't.

Second, the other person might not have ever heard of a call sign, let alone have a license. It'll be up to you to ask the other person a lot of questions, to help keep him focused, to keep him talking to you as long as you could, until help arrives, if it does. Ask what his or her name is, call him by his name every chance you get. People feel more calm and at home when you repeat their names often.

Third, find out about his environment, whether he's in a safe place. How about others nearby, or is he alone? Are they alright? How old is he or she? If it's a child, where are the parents? Are there power lines down near him? Does he smell gas? Is there broken glass on the floor near him? Is there water on the floor or spraying in the air? Are the lights on?

Finding out as much information as you can will help in three ways: it'll provide the caretakers (like police or fire or parents) enough info to assess, it'll help calm the other person, and surprisingly, it'll help calm you as well. There's often a lot of talk about protecting privacy, but I'll tell you right now that when a child's life is in danger, her privacy is probably not the first priority.

Other training topics

Radio-related training topics

Setting up a net at your work place [link]
With all the nets that people have, it might be nice to set up a net at work. This way, our work place could become better prepared for an incident, it might make a good daytime distraction, and it could be a vehicle to invite others to get licensed. But, like with any other amateur endeavor, there are rules.

You can indeed hold a weekly net at work, and even invite licensed co-workers to check in, and even non-licensed folks to look on. But during a drill or an incident, you won't be able to use ham radio to communicate, because you're getting paid to do so. Not even if you're a policeman, a fireman, a medic, or even the governor. After hours, there's not a problem, because you're not getting paid to do ham.

The one exception is if you're teaching ham radio as a paid professional educator. The rules permit teachers to teach ham radio and get on the air with their students, and still get paid to do all of this. This falls under incident to classroom instruction and can apply to other professions if they are also teaching ham radio in a classroom setting during working hours.

So, setting up a regular net at work is good practice, as long as you and your co-participants understand that the object is not so you can do ham radio during working hours, unless life or property is at risk.

Personal training topics

Practice being the communicator [link]
During a time of emergency or moment of great alarm, you're breathing hard and fast, you're in a hurry, and so is everybody else. At a time like that, you don't want to offend anybody, but you might speak quickly, directly, and expect a quick response. And when you don't get what you want right away, you might get frustrated, irritated, or even angry.

Most hams are very understanding and patient, but if you don't feel you're at that point yet, this is the time, when your adrenaline is low, to train yourself to be kind, thoughtful, and grateful. That's why we have nets like the New Ham Net and your own stake or area net, to practice taking control and experiencing what it's like to be nervous and hesitating under stress. Then, with a little practice, maybe after a few times at being Net Control, you slow down, ask carefully planned questions, and present a voice of understanding and welcome.

So, here are a few tips that might help:
• Volunteer to help be a communicator at outdoor events, like the Squaw Peak 50, the Kat'cina Mosa 100, the Freedom Festival, the Art City Festival, or Orem Summerfest
• Take it up a notch, and volunteer to run a net as Net Control
• When you're on the radio, slow down your speech and enunciate your words; it might take you only five seconds to say something slowly, or twenty seconds for you to a) say something quickly, b) have Net Control ask you to repeat that, then c) another five seconds for you to repeat it slowly like you should have to begin with
• Try to remember the others are just as nervous as you, and are doing their very best
• Be kind to them, and never criticize any of them
• Offer advice only if it's asked for, or if you believe it's truly helpful at the moment
• If you feel like you're starting to get upset or angry, take a deep breath and then speak thoughtfully and in a friendly manner
• People under stress often say seemingly non-sensical things on the air; try your best to understand what they're really trying to say, and ask them to repeat if necessary; maybe it's your brain, not their mouth, that's making nonsense

It's easy to take the short path to criticism, and berate, belittle, or sound condescending. Always do your best to be kind and understanding, readily admit your mistakes, and know that the others are freely giving their time as volunteers, and that they might have other or better things to do, than endure your attitude. Remember that an apology is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Protocol training topics

Announce that you're portable when traveling [link]
Eventually, you're going to find yourself traveling. And when you do, I hope you find the occasion to bring along a little ham. As in, radio. Whether that's a handy-talkie or a mobile unit, it's a good idea to take something with you. Turns out that, most of the time, people who bring their radios with them on vacation never use them. But you never know when one might come in handy.

In another training topic, we discussed how to locate and connect to various repeaters as you're traveling from one place to another. And we want to connect with repeaters because that's where the majority of active hams hang out. But now, let's mention something that might get the attention of people who are monitoring these repeaters. And you want to get their attention because, for every ham who's actively monitoring or using the repeater, there are dozens of others listening in.

These good folks just leave their radios on and tuned to the local repeater, while they eat, work, exercise, clean, or even watch TV. A few even keep their radios on when they sleep, which I don't recommend, because of how it might disrupt your deep sleep cycle. At that moment, when many might be listening, but nobody's talking on the repeater, say your call sign, followed by portable 7 and see what happens, as in
This is KI7ABC, portable 7
Experienced hams might be tempted to pick up their microphones and respond, asking whether you're traveling, and where you're from. Most new hams have never heard of this, and might ask you what the heck you're talking about. (Because when you travel near home, like within your own county, you typically say, This is KI7ABC, mobile)

The term portable simply means that you're traveling away from home, that you're transmitting with a portable radio. The 7 means you're from the 7 Calling Area, which is none other than the contiguous states of Utah, Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. The 7 Calling Area means that, when you first get licensed, and you register a mailing address with the FCC from within one of these eight states, you'll automatically be assigned a call sign with the numeral 7 in it, like KI7ABC.

So, announcing portable 7 on the air is kind of fun. If you're traveling outside the 7 Calling Area, people can recognize that you're from out of town. Yet if you're traveling within the 7 Calling Area, it might seem pointless, but you'll find that it's still a fun QSO-starter. Besides, if you ever get in trouble where there's no cell, grabbing the attention of a few friends might come in real handy.

Emergency training topics

What frequency to listen to, when you're the victim [link]
You want to be as helpful as you can be when the need arises, to render some assistance to others. But what if you were the person who needs the help? No doubt you've learned about and prepared many things to be self-sufficient during a critical moment, including with communication. So, what frequencies should you tune to during an incident, especially if cell towers become damaged or otherwise unavailable? Here are some suggested ones, roughly in order:


• Your Area frequency if you're near your home neighborhood. Your Area is the geographical location defined by local religious leaders. And you know your Area frequency because it's the one that's held weekly by the predominant faith, and you don't have to be a member of the faith to participate. You should be able to locate yours on noji.com/nets.
• Your City frequency if you're within your home city, and is one of those used by your city during a city-wide drill
• Your ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) repeater frequency. For Utah County, that's 147.340+ MHz (100.0 Hz tone).
• The National Simplex Frequency, which is 146.520 MHz, and part of the Wilderness Protocol (for the 70 cm band, it's 446.000 MHz)
• The designatd statewide FM broadcast emergency channel, which for Utah is KSL, 102.7 MHz and 1160 kHz
• Any or all of several police, sheriff, fire, and EMS (emergency medical services) frequencies, which include, but are not limited to, the following:
  
  
  • 154.860 MHz : North Utah County Sheriff
  • 156.135 MHz : South Utah County Sheriff
  • 153.950 MHz : Utah Public Safety
  • 155.235 MHz : Utah County Search and Rescue
  • 861.0375 MHz : Utah County Sheriff and Salt Lake County Sheriff

Finally, and possibly counter-intuitive, be sure to program your radios with a few ragchew repeater frequencies. That is, frequencies of the nearest repeaters that are the most often used. For Utah County those would likely be 146.760- MHz, 146.780- MHz (100.0 Hz tone), and 146.620- MHz. If you're in need of help, and call out on one of these repeaters, chances are fairly good that somebody will be monitoring and will answer your call for help.