What is it?
EmComm, short for emergency communications, is a program where Amateur Radio operators can assist through maintaining communications before, during and after emergencies and disasters.
What can we do?
As Amateur Radio operators, we have an incentive to help our community in times of need. GTARC is developing an EmComm program to restore and improve communications within Temecula Valley and its surrounding areas. We aim to structure a system so that in the time of an emergency we are able to move information and provide radio communication support as requested.
Additionally we want to be able to offer our services to community event organizers. GTARC has a long history of supporting community events including “Run Through the Vineyard” and the “Baker to Vegas” events among others.
The first step is to create a training program that will allow any club member to gain the necessary practical and technical skills to serve in an emergency capacity. We are using a “Task Book” approach to streamline our training process.
David Bevers an our EmComm committee has done just that. Below are links that will give you the information to start your training.
March 24, 2020 General Meeting: DAVID N6ZND VIDEO: GTARC EMCOMM OUTLINE
April 28, 2020 David N6ZND: RADO TASK BOOK – HOW TO Presentation
April 28, 2020: RADO TASK BOOK
April 28, 2020: COMT TASK BOOK
April 29, 2020: INCM TASK BOOK
April 29, 2020: COML TASK BOOK
If you are interested in getting your RADO certification you will need to learn run a radio net. The following documents are what you will need to conduct a net.
Both the Monday 9:00 AM 440 net and the Wednesday 9:00 AM 2M nets are designed to give club members a chance to try their hand at being NET CONTROL. These low pressure nets are a perfect opportunity to get your Net Control requirement checked off for your RADO certification. You only need to conduct two nets as Net Control to meet your RADO Net Control requirements. To schedule your times to be NET CONTROL contact Alan Cook KG6TGF via Email for the 440 net or Paul Miller KI6ZZC via Email for the 2M net. After one shot at being Net Control you will be an expert!
The National Incident Management System / Incident Command System (NIMS ICS) forms are a national standard and are useful for keeping track of a wide variety of EmComm situations from organization charts to easy to use communications logs. You can download the entire NIMS ICS forms booklet at the link below. It’s very interesting reading and includes an explaination on using each of the forms.
Additional interesting EmComm Links:
August 25, 2020 George Taylor KJ6GT’s Simplex Drill Presentation
January 28, 2020 General Meeting: Jennifer KN6AAK PPT: PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS (coming soon)
February 25, 2020 General Meeting: Harry KJ6PCW PPT: GTARC RADIO ETIQUETTE
March 26, 2020 Paul KI6ZZ PDF: EMCOMM DRILL PART 1
April 2, 2020 Jennifer KN6AAK PPT: EMCOMM DRILL PART 2