Mini-Tips – Part 1 June 21, 2006

Bob Kenyon – K8LJ

Where will your field station sit?

When assembling your field station, do not forget that it has to sit on something. A simple fold-up TV-dinner tray will suffice. Do not assume that there will be convenient tables at the disaster site. From Gary Hoffman, KB0H

Things to leave off the air, Number 1

Consider the following on-air statement. "You wouldn't believe what a shambles it is here. It's really disorganized. The guy in charge doesn't know what he's doing." This should never have been transmitted. First, it needlessly tied up the frequency. Second, it may have been heard by the press, which would undoubtedly use it. And third, it undermined the authority of the person in charge. Keep personal comments and opinions off the air. From Gary Hoffman, KB0H

Things to leave off the air, Number 2

"Okay, I'll do it. But it's not actually my job. The guy who's supposed to do that is always away from the table doing something else." The other operator doesn't want to hear any of that and it ties up the frequency. Make a note of your complaints in your log and bring them up at the debriefing, but keep them off the air. From Gary Hoffman, KB0H

Take your ID with you

If you are responding to a disaster scene, you'll find that the first thing you're going to need is identification. Be sure to take your ARES and other special ID with you. It would also be a good idea to have copies of your amateur radio license and emergency preparedness certificates. From ARECC Level I course book

The value of tactical call signs

Tactical call signs such as "Shelter 5", "Net Control", and "EOC" are descriptive and give immediate information. They can be very useful during planned events and during emergencies. Do not, however, forget to include your FCC call sign at ten minutes intervals and at the end of each contact. From various experienced operators

Moist wipes, the duct tape of personal hygiene

Imagine that you've just finished setting up your antenna in a particularly filthy environment. Or that you've just helped get the generator going. Or that you've just eaten a power bar and your hands are all sticky. Now you have to operate your station. Do you really want to get gunk all over your equipment? Suppose you have to take a message? What will IT look like once you’ve had your dirty hands all over it? Operators who have worked long missions will tell you that having moist wipes in your bag is as important as having duct tape. From various experienced operators

Talk slower

The biggest cause of errors during voice communications is one of the operators talking too fast. The receiving operator either misunderstands or misses parts of the message. From ARECC Level I course book

Slow-charge your batteries

We've heard the term "fast and easy" so often that we've come to believe that's the best way to do things. It's not necessarily true, and it's certainly not true when it comes to charging your batteries. Fast chargers heat up your batteries and considerably shorten their lifespan. Ultimately, it is cheaper and more efficient to have several batteries on hand and rotate them through a slow charger. From Gary Hoffman, KB0H

Problems with generators

You may want to think twice before connecting your communications equipment to a power generator. Some generators may be poorly regulated and provide an erratic supply of electricity, or worse, power spikes. If you have reliable and adequate battery power, you might consider using that instead. From ARECC Level I course book

Listen to the Net Controller's instructions

One of the most common mistakes on regular nets is that operators assume that they know what the Net Controller is going to say. They miss the Net Controller's instructions and wind up giving inappropriate responses. This can be calamitous in an emergency situation. One way to develop the habit of paying attention is to write down the key elements of what the Net Controller is saying. You might be surprised to find that it's not always the same thing. From Gary Hoffman, KB0H