Mini-Tips – Part 7 August 16, 2006

Bob Kenyon – K8LJ

You brought your radio to the emergency, but will you be able to power it?

Antenna connectors are fairly generic, but what about power connections? ARES groups around the country use Anderson Powerpoles as the standard power connector on their equipment. From ARECC Level I course book

Get some rest

Some operators feel that they have to do it all themselves, either because there is no backup or because they believe that they're more competent than the backup. If you try to operate non-stop, hour after hour, you're going to start making mistakes. It is better to turn over the station to someone else, or even turn it off for a while, than to wear yourself out and let your performance degrade. From ARECC Level I course book

Have something handy for your throat

Everyone who talks on the air has experienced a moment when he or she suddenly could not talk. It may have been due to a dry throat, a cough, congestion, or a number of other things. For extended sessions at the radio, have something to soothe your throat on hand. It could be a drink or something as simple as cough drops. Please note that if you do keep liquids nearby they should be in spill-proof containers. From Gary Hoffman, KB0H

Do not use VOX

VOX stands for voice activated transmitter. VOX devices are handy gadgets, but should not be used in an emergency setting. Ambient noise might activate the transmitter and tie up the frequency. Also, you do not want your casual comments to go out over the air. From ARECC Level I course book

What about your pets?

Have you included your pets in your emergency preparations plan? If not, please check www.fema.gov/kids/pets.htm. The site is designed to appeal to children, but the information is valuable to all pet owners. From Federal Emergency Management Agency

What do you do if the repeater goes down during an emergency?

Turn off the "repeater offset" (+/-) feature on your tranceiver and work directly on the repeater's output frequency. From John Weis, N0UFB