Emergency Radios

[OutlawHoss]

I think I should clarify. My local Police, Fire, Rescue, etc. do not use amateur freqs for routine, daily, non-emergency operations. They get on amateur freqs only during emergency declarations. When an emergency is declared, or during an emergency exercise, many different agencies check into the emergency nets run by the various EOCs. Those nets are on amateur freqs. In a real emergency, those agencies will be sharing emergency information on those nets. So, if we have a SHTF situation, Police, Fire, Rescue will be on amateur freqs. Only during emergencies. But, it was emergency communications that this thread was all about... wasn't it?

That is different and unique for sure. In the 18 years I've lived here I've observed that public safety uses their designated frequencies during emergencies, and any amateur auxiliary like ARES/RACES who are called up to assist, use secondary or tac frequencies designated to the agency they are assisting. SAR and CAP have their own designated frequencies as well. I do know that ARES/RACES, ARRL Traffic Nets, etc. use amateur frequencies between their organizations to augment emcomms and to fulfill their specific missions/tasks, but are engaged comm-wise with public safety via the frequencies activated/designated by the specific public agency. As you are showing, some areas and regions are more inclusive of amateur operators and use those individuals/organizations and the amateur bands far more than others.

The way the budgets are diminishing around here in So. Oregon, I'm surprised that public agencies don't engage more with amateur operators. Under the FCC clauses that allow someone, licensed or not, to use any available means (specifically, any frequencies) to solicit help if there is eminent threat to life or property, some very rural areas are far more accepting, even encouraging of amateur civilians radioing in issues to LEAs/F&R as cell phones are iffy and distances are much greater with very limited patrols and personnel.

Of course in a SHTF scenario, especially the longer it goes or becomes 'permanent' all bets will be off. And, as we've been talking about, staying off the air as a security necessity or having hardened protocols to maintain comms (for intelligence, alerts, coordination, and general information) in the face of forces that mean harm, want to take away freedoms, or otherwise take over, any way to maintain autonomy and functionality of 'resistance' is fair game.

I would add that anyone who wants to be proficient in comms and all the techniques and capabilities they offer, waiting for a SHTF scenario to pick up a radio for the first time is like expecting to pick up a gun and defend yourself or go into battle without ever practicing. That's why at least getting your technicians ticket would be prudent as you can practice and prepare (I'm saying this as general advice I would give to anyone who was wondering if they should get a amateur's license or not, not necessarily folks here).

 

[OutlawHoss]

Now that the thread has mired down in details (due in no small part by me) I wanted to show one of the features of the repeaterbook site I mentioned above, which is creating a download-able proximity based .xml google earth map that can be customized to show repeaters of specific bands, type of power source (like emergency backup) as well as all of the input/output frequencies and PL's. This example shows all repeaters with a 200 mi. radius of a random point in southern Oregon:


One can also select a route and show all repeaters in whatever selected bands in proximity along the route. All this info can be downloaded as CHIRP files, RT Systems programming files, or just excel spreadsheets. Very useful, and from what I can tell the site is maintained and relatively up to date.
The screen shot above is mainly 1.25m, 2m and 70cm repeaters, along with a few 10m, 6m, 23cm, and 33cm. One could travel with only a dual band HT and have continuous connectivity for large portions of the US. It's pretty exhaustive, like me sometimes