amateur radio equipment banned?

For things that just don't fit anywhere else.
rmrichesjr
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#11

Post by rmrichesjr »

aclawson wrote:Are you (or anybody else) familiar with this "Meetinghouse Standard Plans Committee"? I've never heard of them - how do variance requests get submitted to them and who does it? I think this is important enough to merit an effort, especially since the top leadership are clearly aware of the value of amateur radio (ever see the antennas on top of the COB? The church also sends people with radio gear into disaster zones before the dust settles to install emergency communication equipment).

To answer your second question, your stake president is the only one with a channel to have any chance at a variance. Is he on board with your well-written list of advantages of a PMA? If not, is he willing to listen to you?
kd5nrh
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#12

Post by kd5nrh »

aclawson wrote:5. A PMA means there is a pre-set, designated location for the radio operators that can't be usurped at the last moment by somebody who, for no particular reason, wants their space. This makes planning and implementation easier and is one less decision that needs to be made.

This one might be doable via power rather than antennas; find some safe spot for a power supply and battery bank all fitted out with PowerPole connectors, and you've got something big and nearly impossible to move, and that you need to be within a few feet of with the radios. There are enough other uses for a robust 12VDC source that you could even come up with a good excuse for having it all there that doesn't involve radio.

Another solution is getting together with the local radio clubs (which you should be doing anyway) and working together to get some radio trailers and/or trucks set up. With a crank-up mast, solar panels and battery bank on a trailer, and everything designed for quick connection, our local club can have a fully tricked out command post in the middle of a cow pasture in minutes. A shore power connection on the building and easy access to bathrooms can make the meetinghouse a really popular place to set the trailer up when the nature of an emergency or SET doesn't dictate some other location.
rmrichesjr
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#13

Post by rmrichesjr »

The second idea, of getting together with a local radio club to make advance arrangements for a trailer or truck sounds like an idea with many advantages.

The first idea, a large battery bank, sounds like it could be risky if the FM group has concerns about fire safety or chemical spills.

As a moderator, I believe the suggestion for a battery bank does not cross the line, but I see potential that this discussion could shift toward ways to circumvent Church policies. Let us make sure we keep the discussion out of the area that would violate the Code of Conduct.
kd5nrh
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#14

Post by kd5nrh »

rmrichesjr wrote:The second idea, of getting together with a local radio club to make advance arrangements for a trailer or truck sounds like an idea with many advantages.
One of the big complaints from the local ham club is that they helped out with a "ham-cram" (one day class and tech test) at a nearby ward, and none of the 20 or so new hams from that have ever been heard on the area emcomm nets. Not sure if they're checking in on the stake net, but they would do themselves and the church a big favor with more public service involvement and the practice that comes from that.
The first idea, a large battery bank, sounds like it could be risky if the FM group has concerns about fire safety or chemical spills.
It would absolutely need to be done to code, and to common safety standards that are used mostly for solar/wind power systems, with proper venting and fire protection. I'm not sure what that would cost off the top of my head, but if anybody knows a member who does professional solar or wind power installations, they'd be able to estimate it pretty easily.
russellhltn
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#15

Post by russellhltn »

rmrichesjr wrote:The first idea, a large battery bank, sounds like it could be risky if the FM group has concerns about fire safety or chemical spills.

Or any gasses created during charging.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
poppytim
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Re:

#16

Post by poppytim »

aebrown wrote:
sammythesm wrote:I was forwarded this message from our local FM. It was from "Meetinghouse Facilities Department" dated 12/6/2011

So, yes, it does appear to be new, comprehensive, real policy.

The previous version of Facilities Management Guidelines for Meetinghouses (approved in 2009) had similar wording, but it was not as strong:
Wards and stakes should not purchase or accept donated satellite telephone or amateur radio equipment for use in an emergency or for installation in a meetinghouse. Leaders are encouraged to identify individuals who may already have their own equipment to assist with specific ward and stake communication needs.
That's the entire paragraph in the current edition (and I believe it was the same in the edition before that); apparently there were enough units that tried to get around it that the MFD decided they had to add those two additional sentences (starting with "No permanent installation...") so there would be no wiggle room.
Ever Notice Bishops Storehouses contain Sat Phones and I've seen a few with Radials for Amatuer Use.... When Deployed into Diasasters, Before the dust settles, Radio Communication is up and Ready. Leadership MUST see the advantages to Amatuer Radio IMHO.....
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Mikerowaved
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Re: Re:

#17

Post by Mikerowaved »

poppytim wrote:Ever Notice Bishops Storehouses contain Sat Phones and I've seen a few with Radials for Amatuer Use.... When Deployed into Diasasters, Before the dust settles, Radio Communication is up and Ready. Leadership MUST see the advantages to Amatuer Radio IMHO.....
Trust me, they are well aware of the advantages of amateur radio for emergencies, but please understand that Bishops' Storehouses are not the same as meetinghouses. For one, they are far more secure with at least an order of magnitude less keys floating around than a typical meetinghouse. Yes, in some cases radio and/or satellite gear is allowed to be purchased and installed in storehouses. I've been in a storehouse that had a rotatable HF beam on a tower. For ward buildings and stake centers it's not very hard to bring in amateur radio gear and setup a portable antenna or two as the need arises.
So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
aleigh
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Re: amateur radio equipment banned?

#18

Post by aleigh »

My Stake has a weekly 2m simplex amateur radio net that meets at 5 pm for a few minutes. We have no church-owned radio equipment or permanent antenna installations on the church buildings. We rely on equipment and antennas owned by individuals. In my case, I use a mag mount antenna mounted on a metal plate and placed in the foyer of the building. A drycell battery provides power to my equipment, and I run 10 watts. Because the Stake boundaries in Utah are small, usually about 2 miles between buildings, indoor antennas and a 5 watt HT are sufficient to establish communications between the Stake meeting house and ward buildings. Although my experience with 2m simplex in New England is that reliable communications within a circle of about 10 miles is possible.
quintonrhq
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Re: amateur radio equipment banned?

#19

Post by quintonrhq »

We seriously looked at placing an antenna within a building attic but discovered that the florescent lighting fixtures were horrific emitters of RF noise, HF to VHF. The net moved to homes with a temporary VHF antenna available for external use at the building. 73.
othellocop
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Re: amateur radio equipment banned?

#20

Post by othellocop »

I recall that the Church was called down by the FCC years ago for purchasing equipment for the MARS systems going at the time. They were told that they were, in essence, operating a private network which requires an FCC license so they shut down MARS. The Church and the FCC May feel that putting radios permanently on the property, even owned by another gives the appearance of the Church again running their own private radio communications since they would have a pecuniary interest by the sheer fact that value was used in the building or property to maintain the equipment, as such I imagine they felt under the circumstances to show positive respect beyond any potential embarrassing legal entanglements which would also involve the operators of the equipment. As operators we don’t want to appear that we are operating for the gain of what might be considered by some juries to be a de facto employer who gave you a calling to operate it for their personal gain which could be argued as the lions portion of the work there would be strictly for the church.
As private mobile units we train to operate under sucky conditions for emergencies and can respond to other types of emergencies not involving the church. Guys in urban areas need to have a field day and figure out how they are going to tackle the obstacle of buildings nearby. These buildings mights even offer permanent placement of a antenna on their roof top. My 2 meter can act as a repeater so boom, you just Set up a great position for a repeater on a jpole or buddistick.
Field days are are great opportunity we need to seriously participate in or when the ploblems hit we won’t have an idea how to flex to the ever changing circumstances. As a group. Repeaters go down, who has the equipment to improvise one?
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