Amateur Radio and Emergency Communications

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vibes35-p40
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Stake Prepardness

#101

Post by vibes35-p40 »

Hi -

Great thread!

Our Stake also has radio users and a test each month. We have also incorporated our 'Block Captains' and handheld radio system to break-up the areas into manageable units.

Here is a link to the website we use that I had put together to facilitate the information process.

http://adellinger01.home.comcast.net/~adellinger01/
[edit: Site removed due to privacy concerns - restored after assurance it didn't come from church records]

having a system of checks in place is key!
russellhltn
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#102

Post by russellhltn »

vibes35 wrote:Here is a link to the website we use that I had put together to facilitate the information process.

http://adellinger01.home.comcast.net/~adellinger01/
Nice site. How many have taken the CERT training?
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n4yrd-p40
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#103

Post by n4yrd-p40 »

dennis7400 wrote:Many of us feel that the Emergency Response Communications (ERC) program in the Church is in need of a central location for disseminating information. This would promote consistency and, hopefully, correct information to all. I propose a website that would be operated by one or more responsible individuals - hopefully someone in Salt Lake who is 'in the know' on the ERC program. I have a website for the 61 stakes that I am responsible for at http://www.ercinfo.webs.com What do you think?
Dennis, KE6MFF dennis7400@sbcglobal.net
It would be most helpful if the Church would assist in organizing Stakes and lower level units. Many storehouses have equipment to communicate with SLC. Many disasters have well proven the usefulness of Amateur Radio. In a disaster the Church wants reports up the line on the welfare needs but provides little help in the way of organizing Stakes and lower.

Our Stake (Raleigh NC) and an adjacent Stake (Apex NC) have put in some effort into getting licensed operators. We are still in the building stages. We hope to reach out to other nearby Stakes to get them moving as well. In a disaster, the impacted Stake has enough to do; the adjacent Stakes can help by providing some communications assist. We have a weekly net run by my counter part (Stake Emergency Communications Specialist) in the Apex Stake.

Once we get our numbers built, I'll reach out to the units to help them organize also. We can provide communications up for our Stake President but if he has no information, there is no need to communicate. We are already working with the block captain (larger scale in less densly populated membership) method. We hope to get Amateurs in each "zone." We hope to get some members of bishoprics licensed and our new Stake President has committed to getting a license as has another member of the Presidency. We already have some members of the High Council licensed and have put a dual band (VHF/UHF) antenna in each building. We have radios and HF also in the Stake Center. Our FM manager said he was given permission by SLC to install the antenna in each building. We did install "in" each building other than the Stake Center which has a metal roof so those are "on" the building. The FRS radios will likely become a part of our relay system for information since we may not get enough licensed Hams. I think then can be a help but can not be the main method of communctations because of their short range of operation.

It has been several years since we've lost communications in this area but it happens either during hurricane season or those odd winters with a bad ice storm. We're about due for another comm down soon here so I'm hoping to get the final touches on our Ward soon. We have lots of support and quite a few Hams and I'm hoping we can set a standard for our Stake and help others do likewise. I've worked in many types of Comms with Amateur Radio (City, County, State, Church) and it is always the link to the needed information that is key to providing assistance or knowing an area is all OK. I don't think we are doing anything unique here in central NC but if anyone wants info, feel free to reach out. I've held this role also in the middle of Provo in the past so I understand the dense church population and the sparse.
coletheelder
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Amateur Radio

#104

Post by coletheelder »

No one has mentioned Provident Living under Emergency Preparedness under Communications.
russellhltn
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#105

Post by russellhltn »

Bob Collester Jr wrote:No one has mentioned Provident Living under Emergency Preparedness under Communications.
http://www.providentliving.org/channel/0,11677,8033-1,00.html

The FAQ section under Emergency Communication seems to be the most helpful.
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Mikerowaved
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#106

Post by Mikerowaved »

For Amateur Radio operators in the state of Utah, be prepared for a statewide SET (Simulated Emergency Test) on the morning of Saturday, Oct 31, 2009. (Yes, it's Halloween. ;)) It will start at 9am local time and run for approx. 90 minutes. We will be focused on activating and communicating statewide without telephone/cell phone support. This will mainly be an ARES exercise, but other Amateur Radio organizations will be invited to play along, including ERC.
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dennisbartholomew
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#107

Post by dennisbartholomew »

As a new entrant into this forum, I'd like to chime in. Yes, the Church has an amateur radio room on the 28th floor of the 26 floor Church Office Building. (The 2 top floors aren't accessable to most people.)

I am responsible for 61 stakes in northern California and western Nevada dealing with amateur radio for the Church. I have had this calling for only about 2 years, and am still learning.

The amateur radio program is called Emergency Response Communications (ERC), and is a bonified program of the Church. All Tier 1 storehouses (they are also called central storehouses) have ham radio equipment and a satellite phone. All Tier 2 storehouses have a satellite phone only. Church policy states that stake and ward buildings are not to have amateur radio equipment as part of in-building equipment, but some do. It's a decision of the stake presidents.

A last comment, and one that would apply directly to the tech aspect of the forum, has to do with a simple program idea that could be developed that would significantly advance the ERC Program. I am calling it MARC, or Member/Amateur Radio Compare program. It would simply compare the FCC's database of all licensed amateur radio operators with the database of all Church members, probably by address. This list could then be distributed to stake presidents, who would give it to the stake ERC specialist, who would then have a list of all members who were licensed ham radio operators. This would be very helpful in allowing the ERC program to go forward.

For any questions my address is dennis7400@sbcglobal.net For a look at my website, go to http://www.ercinfo.webs.com I apologize if I have done anything incorrect, but thought this was the best way to introduce these thoughts.

Thank you.
russellhltn
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#108

Post by russellhltn »

dennis7400 wrote:a simple program idea that could be developed that would significantly advance the ERC Program. I am calling it MARC, or Member/Amateur Radio Compare program. It would simply compare the FCC's database of all licensed amateur radio operators with the database of all Church members, probably by address.
An interesting idea. I'm not sure how easy it would be to connect them. I'd settle for something that could try to match entries by last name and zip code. Doing the comparison at a stake level should be manageable for one person to check the results. But even that would be thrown off by a PO address.
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rwbris18
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ERC

#109

Post by rwbris18 »

I like the Idea of a Global LDS-ERC for the church even if they don't "officially" sanction it. I think we (HAMS) could build it like ARES is organized. We would have have our own net for emergency communications. (Local, Area, Mission, Etc)

We will need a database with members and capabilities so we can set up routing and networking. I suggest we could use the church's organization of area, stakes and wards with communication to the nearest local HAM. We would need to set up call frequencies and times for the different bands and modes.

Do you think we could convince LDS NET be the organization with our help?
MorettiDP
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Location: São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil

#110

Post by MorettiDP »

I believe it's an interesting thing! With small features, CDOL can receive data of radio frequency and other data of an LDS-ERC radio system buit in wards, stakes, missions, areas, etc.
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