Why Amateur Radio?

[wb7sgl]

OK, My calling presently is Ward Emergency Preparedness Specialist.

In addition to the normal recommendations for a 72hr kit, adequate water and food storage, CERT, First Aid, CPR training, etc. I am evangelizing Amateur Radio for emergency communications. We are in a difficult area where I serve. There just aren't as many risk factors so many people in the Stake are complacent about preparedness because generally the worst risk to us is blizzards. We generally have plenty of notice and can Shelter In Place (SIP) during the worst of the event.

I lived for a short while in Florida where people were very prepared to survive flooding, power outages, torrential rain and thunder storms, basically anything related to Hurricanes. In California during my teen years, we were prepared for Earthquakes and wildfires.

Now... On to the point of my post.

Why are you pursuing Amateur Radio with respect to being LDS? What have you done thus far in your endeavors and what do you plan to do? What are you telling others to encourage the hobby? How do you 'sell' them on the merits?

Since this is a community based website, your answers will help others and hopefully their answers will help you so answer away!!!

As for myself... Our Ward has to have one of the largest geographical areas in Colorado. It's HUGE and our sister Wards in the Stake are much smaller. So one of my primary concerns is communication. The public telephone service has evolved over the decades. At the landline services heyday, it was powered by huge banks of DC batteries. They wouldn't last forever, but they lasted a very long time if the public service power went out. That's not the case any longer, the PSTN infrastructure has leaned out, gone digital and forsaken a lot of that DC capacity. (any experts can correct me if I'm wrong....) Cellular services have historically been built with limited (if any) auxiliary power supplies. This will change soon for both PSTN and Cellular providers. The FCC is mandating reserve power for these services as a result of events like Hurricane Katrina and the massive flooding that resulted. PSTN and Cellular network infrastructures lost power and failed quickly.

Amateur Radio addresses this easily, we know that very well. Many of us participate in Field Day which is basically a 'drag your stuff into a field with batteries and generators, erect and antenna and try to talk or tap out CW for 24 hours. If you make it, your could do it in an emergency. If not, you learn what you need to fix and you get to try again next year.

Now, within our Ward, we've discussed (and even, regretfully, purchased radios,) using the FRS and GMRS radio services. FRS is free but is UHF and very limited in power which means very limited distances, even with unobstructed line of sight. GMRS gains a lot of power, is still UHF, won't work so well across mountain ridge obstructions and requires a not-so-affordable FCC license. (The FCC told me I'd have to pony up $85 for a 5 year license when I initiated a license application online. A friend told me they wanted $185 for him to renew his.) Neither FRS nor GMRS are going to be a viable solution for us! (Terry, KE7LPG, wrote me to convey that they tried FRS in his area in Arizona and it failed miserably.)

Telephones are just plain unreliable. Even if the power holds out, primary or auxiliary, the circuits overload quickly just when they're needed most. There's no coordination of participants, no standards of communication, etc. So people call and call and call until they get ahold of family and then talk and talk and talk and talk. All the while tying up a precious resource.

Enter Amateur (Ham) Radio.  My initial investment was $24 for a study guide for the Technician (entry level) class. At the end of the class I paid $14 to take the FCC approved exam. I didn't have to spend another penny. I could have picked up any 2 meter or 70 cm radio (with the permission of the control operator of course) and used the radio as long as I was within the privileges granted under the license issued to me.

But I did spend more. I bought a hand held radio, external antenna, an adapter for the coax to connect to the radio, an SWR meter, and more. I could have easily stopped after I bought a $120 radio. I didn't, I bought a Yaesu VX6R for $250 (and I love it!) I have purchased raw materials and made my own noise filter for my truck and antennas for my radio.

I am now basically fully capable of providing in home or mobile emergency communications support. All the equipment is mine. My license is valid for 10 years. My vanity call sign license renewal will be very affordable (like $20) and valid for another ten years each time it's renewed. It just makes so much sense (at least to me...)!

I am planning on attending a CERT class and joining a group that is being organized in my area.  I am going to pursue ARES training, ARRL and FEMA emcomm training and more. I want to be capable when the time comes (if it ever comes) to serve. The time may never come. It may not happen here where I live. But I will be ready.

Amateur Radio within the realm of Personal and Church preparedness is something I am thinking about a lot.

How do I get more people involved?

• Organize Stake Nets (underway)
• Involve the Scout troops in the Stake
• Brag about the latest ATV transmission from an R/C Plane, or model rocket launch, transmitted on a legal Ham frequency and captured on VHF TV Channel 6 via a VCR with a simple antenna.
• Get my kids licensed. If they can do it, surely the ADULTS in the Ward can!
• Attend a local radio club, join and participate.
• Drag people to Field Day! (And let them participate!!)
• Prove it's value during Stake Emergency Communications Exercises

How do you get more people involved?

Don't forget your extra credit questions:
Why are you pursuing Amateur Radio with respect to being LDS?
What have you done thus far in your endeavors and what do you plan to do?
What are you telling others to encourage the hobby?
How do you 'sell' them on the merits?

[VK4DOG]

There is not a lot of emergency prepardness with regards to communications happening in the Stakes of Australia.  I have recently offered my services to my Stake President so we'll see if anything comes of that. My three sons are keen to get their Amateur Radio licence (foundation class) so I have been teaching them.  We hold a 30 minutes class each day.

73's
Marty - VK4DOG

[W7TIO]

Why Amateur Radio?? 

Well first , we are responsable for the condition of the members,  unlike other denominations, and secondly, IF a disaster hits, the public's phone service, including Cell Phones, CAN be turned off and dedicated to local Emergency Managment, Police and Fire people.

Thus we could find ourselves with NOTHING, just when we need to survey the membership!  Then local Leadership needs to report up the line, etc..  IF not, if the news hits the news wires, they know it, and Headquarters wants a report within 2 hours!!

Enough said!!

Dick, W7TIO,
Ward Disaster Radio Communications Coordinator
 

Sounds pretty reasonable to have our own independant communicat

[KI6DKC]

The fact that cell towers can be turned off became apparant to me this weekend.  Went camping with the family and there was a forest fire about 20 miles south of us.  Cell coverage became very spotty.  Often the cell phone would say "emergency calls only" when you tried to make a call.

[K4BSC]

Got into Amateur Radio to...
1) to bond with my son's who have been Ham's for many years.
2) then I found it was a great way to make friends outside the circle of the church and do some community services. I have enjoyed being a radio check point in service projects such as 100 mile bike races. I setup an emergency preparedness network in our subdivision with team captains and FRS radios. This led to being president of the home owners association and president of our county's radio club.
3) Since my wife was preparedness coodinator for the Ward, I was the emergency communications booth at preparedness fairs.

It interesting to note that the area I live in South Carolina, the Methodist Churches are organized for emergency preparedness and involve amateur radio operators in the area.

Our Stake is showing interest in our hurricane and tornado prone area's for an emergency communications network. I am in the beginning stages of consulting with them.

[KIØOT]

Just though I'd put my 2 cents in.  I've been a HAM for around 15 years - I got extra class the hard way and enjoyed it for most of the last 15 years.  I was stake something or other and went to the Bishops store house once a week for two years and spent 6 hours on the air handling traffic with Salt Lake.

Then we tried to expand the program - lots of people thought it was a great idea, as long as someone else was doing it.

This is what I've learned

1 - there are a lot of people interested until
     a - they find out the church is not going to buy them radios
     b - they have to actually study for the test
     c - they need to practice

2 - even when you get people to licensed they loose interest unless they would have done it anyway.  Talking someone into getting their ticket is not a good idea.  Even if they purchase a radio they drop it quickly.

3 - I'm sure there are other things but I've forgotten.

Thanks for letting me vent,

de KOØOT, Brad QTH Aurora, CO, USA

[wb7sgl]

Just though I'd put my 2 cents in.  I've been a HAM for around 15 years - I got extra class the hard way and enjoyed it for most of the last 15 years.  I was stake something or other and went to the Bishops store house once a week for two years and spent 6 hours on the air handling traffic with Salt Lake.

Then we tried to expand the program - lots of people thought it was a great idea, as long as someone else was doing it.

This is what I've learned

1 - there are a lot of people interested until
     a - they find out the church is not going to buy them radios
     b - they have to actually study for the test
     c - they need to practice

2 - even when you get people to licensed they loose interest unless they would have done it anyway.  Talking someone into getting their ticket is not a good idea.  Even if they purchase a radio they drop it quickly.

3 - I'm sure there are other things but I've forgotten.

Thanks for letting me vent,

de KOØOT, Brad QTH Aurora, CO, USA

Brad,

Truly words of wisdom. I grew up living with a Ham who did his best to talk me into getting my license. I attended several Novice classes and just didn't put the effort into it, because I wasn't doing it for me. Now I wish I had done it then, but that's water under the bridge, but now I am doing it for myself.

People simply cannot be talked into it, but many people who would do it just don't know where to start. Holding regular nets and classes is a first step for a Stake EmComm Specialist to undertake. Establishing a usable communication plan, engaging the Wards to establish their 'last mile' plans and call people to do the work is important too. Getting people on board and a part of the plan is enough to engage those with the interest.

I know this will grow. It's too good not to!

Rob

[wa4wes]

I have been involved in emergency communications with the church since Hurricane Andrew hit south Florida in 1991 or 92.  I am the DEC for a district in North Florida, and I have sent teams to Pensacola for Ivan in 2004 and Mississippi for Katrina in 2005.  In addition I went to those places myself to provide communications for the church.  It was a great experience. With that said, however,  the best I can say is that the church is indifferent to amateur radio.  Until there is a crisis there is precious little concern about communications. The reason is,  I think, that the church, with its priesthood organization, is very well prepared to provide manpower at almost a moment's notice anywhere. So,  the perception is that that is all that is needed. During the three days or so before landfall, the church will have nightly "bridge" calls in which stake presidents and other authorities will hold a conference call to discuss the response to an impending storm.  Unless an amateur radio operator has been invited to attend, it is likely that communications will be ignored or overlooked. Yet, when LDS hams have gone into the affected areas early on, they have provided crucial communications between church leaders at the ward and stake levels.  It is a remarkable experience.
    With that said,  my experience has been there is no magic bullet to building an amateur radio presence in the stake.  It takes a slow, steady persistence. Over the course of years,  you will build a group of members who enjoy amateur radio for its own sake rather than solely to help the church.  Members who become hams as part of a calling rarely stay beyond the time they spend in the calling.  Moreover, don't expect dozens of LDS hams.  Among the hundreds of stakes in the southeast,  there are  probably less than 200 hams, and of those, only about 20 who show any activity on our weekly HF net.  But that is OK.  When the emergency hits, another 20 or 30 appear and among this augmented group, they carry the day for the week or so that ham radio is needed.  Dave WA4WES

[KJ4HZN]

This is true, wa4wes, I became licensed and did it because a friend of mine who is not a member was big into Ham. I am a "preper" and thought this would be a great way to help survive in the event of an emergency. I studied, passed the test, and quickly became busy with other items. I borrowed a hand held radio for portability, participated in a couple of nets and then poof, I stopped radio all together. I am coming back around because of my personal desire. I have noticed in the South East region the church/my ward doesn't put much importance in communication pertaining to emergencies. I just sent a request to my Bishop asking about his personal interest in establishing this type of network within our ward and stake. I will contribute to the existing plan and try to ignite peoples desires to help with the cause.

I stopped for a short time and now I am back trying to stay involved with Ham radio. I hope to continue my education and experience with Ham radio! Thanks for the inspiration and helping me straighten out my reasons for becoming licensed in the first place.

[K5NX]

Why Amateur Radio?

   One of my callings, Is the Emergency Communications Specialist for Kingwood 1st Ward. Because I’m located in Hurricane alley off the Houston Gulf Coast, I was actively involved in helping with clean up for Katrina, Rita and Ike (trust me, I have the chainsaw thing down) I kept noticing the tents with radios and realized their true value with the need for good communications to aide organized work groups.  Also during Ike since we had Homes of members that had major damage or destroyed because we had the Eye pass directly over head, with no power or land lines for two weeks, we had no real communications to help them. Every since then I’ve made it a mission of mine, to get as many members as I can to get there ticket. We did have a class last November 08 and licensed 28 new Hams, but I’ve ran into a problem of no participation. One obvious factor that has hit me like a ton of bricks is the fact that our life style as LDS members is so ridiculously demanding, but I’m not going to let that discourage me. I’m going to actively pursue establishing in my area, its own Emergency communications Net with or without the help of the Church.
    I think if you can get some of the members to do some of these types of activities it my drum up some interest or support once they get there ticket.
1)   Join your local radio or repeater club
2)   Become a member of ARES
3)   Become Volunteer Examiner
4)   Volunteer to help your Regional Emergency Communications specialist and learn to operate the equipment at the Storehouse. 
5)   Establish radio classes for Licensing

Hopefully by pursuing one of these areas, it will help a member that has a Ham radio License, It will make them feel they have a “Hobby with a Purpose”

I do think it will take active and consistent encouragement to get a group together, it might take 3 or 4 years to see any real results but in the long run only those who Love it will stay with it. So what I’m going to do is shoot for the whole Stake and hopefully I’ll get maybe 50 people out of 13 hundred people.   O WELL, I’m going to do the best that I can, and pray for the best. At least I tried.

                  de AF8D, David QTH Kingwood, TX, USA
                         http://www.qrz.com/db/AF8D

[KI6DKC]

AF8D David, I think you are right about how demanding things are for members of the church with family, callings, work, home teaching, etc.  My brother wanted to take the class to get his tech ticket that the stake was puting on but he lamented how much time and travel it would take to do it.  As a result he decided he was not going to do it.  My solution, I had an a copy of Gordon West's technician book that I loaned him.  Now he can do it on his own.  He freely admits that he is only doing it in case of emergency and nothing else works.  I think something else that might scare off the new guys in our wards who get their ticket is the price of the radios.  Generally, mormons are cheap.  It's part of our pioneer heritage to be cheap.  There are exceptions but we have licensed hams in our stake with no radios.  Looking at the many options and prices of equipment can be daunting.  Much of the used market isn't much better.  Many, like me, are also hesitant to build the kits that are available for relatively less money simply because we lack the skills and experience to put them together. Then throw in coax, antennas, emergency power supplies, antenna tuners, SWR meters, etc and it gets tough to make the sale to momma that this is all necessary, especially when in the wife's mind the cell phone never goes off.  She just sees all this stuff as another toy.

I think we may be approaching this the wrong way.  Maybe we should be training the sisters in the ward and getting them licensed first.  Sisters generally want their families safe and prepared for emergencies.  Often, I think they are the driving force behind our food storage, emergency prep, 72 hour kits, etc.  By training them about emergency communications and getting them licensed, then their view of the equipment changes and I'd bet that we would get more participation.  Lets face it, the sisters tend to do most of the shopping and find most of the bargains.  They also tend to be the ones that remind us of things we need to do when we forget.  Imagine if the wives of the ward were reminding their husbands that it was time for the stake net.  I'd bet that participation would go up ten fold.  Imagine coming home from work and your wife handing you a surplus radio or some RG8x she picked up at a yard sale that day.

What I propose is doing the following:

Meet with the Stake and Ward Relief Society Presidency.  Explain what happened during Hurricane Katrina and other natural dissasters while pointing out how the scriptures tell us these events will be happening with increasing frequency as we approach the 2nd Coming.  Explain the church's program for Emergency Communication along with the stake and ward plan.  If there is no ward plan at this time be sure to point this out.  Ask if they would be interested in training and licensing the sisters to be able to communicate during an emergency at an Enrichment night, super saturday etc.  Then put on the program for the sisters emphasising what happens to communication in an emergency, how they can avoid the problems of Katrina and other dissasters, get them licensed and train them on the types of equipment.

I bet that overnight the emergency communications focus of the stake would change dramatically.

[N6JJM]

I think we may be approaching this the wrong way.  Maybe we should be training the sisters in the ward and getting them licensed first.  Sisters generally want their families safe and prepared for emergencies.  Often, I think they are the driving force behind our food storage, emergency prep, 72 hour kits, etc.  By training them about emergency communications and getting them licensed, then their view of the equipment changes and I'd bet that we would get more participation.

Very true.
   This being Southern California we are always concerned with "shake & bake"- earthquakes and wildfires. Also, because we are in the High Desert, many of the husbands in the Stakes here work "down the hill". Many times the Cajon Pass (I-15) has been closed by snow, fog, collisions, fire, and if the big one ever hits the pass will be gone for quite a while.
   Because of this my wife loves Ham Radio. Using a local repeater that's up at 7,000', she can reach me just about anywhere I may be in SoCal. This has been a great selling point on getting members to get their Tech license. Plus my wife helps me teach the Tech class for the Stake, so she tells the sisters about how stressed she was when studying the chapter on ohm's law.

[KJ4QBP]

This was a great post!  I'm brand new to ham radio and you shared some of my own thoughts on the subject as to the whys of ham radio and how to generate more interest.  I just got on-air with my own equipment as of last night for the very first time, and just passed the General Test today.  I've always had an interest in ham radio; however, if it was not for our stake emergency communications specialist, I may never have gotten around to ham radio.  Her goal is to get 100 licensed in our stake (I think we're up to 35) and I felt the call to get involved, so to speak.  She's been a terrific elmer for us.  We've needed the hand-holding!  I might also add that we are in hurricane country... I lived through Fran and we weren't exactly prepared when she hit.  Another incentive is that I homeschool, so I think ham radio can open some doors for my children.  I plan to take emergency prep/weather classes in 2010 so that I can be of better service to my stake.

[KX7DX]

I found all the information left by other very informative.  I too am our ward emergency communication specialist.  I have never been a supportive member of the idea of using amateur radio for church emergency communications.  Amateur radio is my hobby and when I see our church leaning toward using it as a communications link I grumble. 

I have tried to other types of communications in our ward and was has been somewhat successful.  I have a very simple Ward emergency communications Plan  -- CB Radio Channel 2 -- Call sign last four number of your telephone.  As most you suspect I was about the only one who though about emergency communications -- To get CB's in the hands of other members, I took it upon myself to purchase CB radios off ebay and never pay more than $20 (including shipping) I then tested the radio made sure they were working and sold them to members for $20 with a return of another radio it they had problems with it.  I now have about 40 radios in the hands of the members.  Six times a year I hold a radio test with the radios to see if they are still working and the members know what to do with them.  Because we live in an earthquake area (Seattle, WA) I don't have assigned operators.  The plan is more like a bouncing ball.  Get on the radio and see what other members you can contact -- then find who they can talk to. It is more like a peer to peer relay system. -- Our best test we asked to have everyone trying their radios to report how many members they knew were OK  -- this resulted in 43 members being counted -- that is 10% of  our ward -- not great numbers but a good start.. 

Most members want the "Portable emegency" radios  -- Plug into a car cig lighter and pop the magnetic antenna on top  the car.  This is far from the best radio setup but they do work for a 1 to 2 mile range, and it lets them travel in their car and still contact other ward members if everyone was evacuating.  For those who want a big signal I help them put up base type antennas, or mount 5/8 cb antennas to their car. By default when they are on more members are contacted and better relay between more stations.

Just another way to get the end results --- If all else fails -- we can try radio..

Dan
KX7DX

[KI6DKC]

That's a good idea with the cheap cb radios and using the last four digits of the phone for a call sign.  Geographically though our ward and stake are so spread out I don't think it would work for us without some high power illegal cb amps.

I think the real key to whatever your ward or stake decides on is to practice using it.  If there is no periodic practice then when the actual event happens, equipment won't work, batteries will be dead, or ward members won't know what to do.