Amateur Radio Emergency Communications

Unit Coordinator: Fred "Blackie" Moser WA7ZJB

The Amateur Radio Unit is part of Grant County Emergency Management and consists of both FCC licensed Amateur Radio operators and interested volunteers. All unit members are registered with the Department’s Disaster Volunteer Program, and issued a County identification card. Most public safety communications systems are designed to perform in emergencies at any time of day or night. These systems generally fulfill the demands placed on them by normal conditions or small emergencies and operate within their system design. It is when these systems are expected to perform beyond their design that volunteer communications are considered as an alternate means of communicating.

The Amateur Radio Unit is activated by GCEM Staff to provide local and statewide backup and/or alternate communications during times of emergency - when other methods or modes are overloaded or disrupted. Some examples:

• During times of prolonged emergency when existing communications links are overloaded or in danger of failing due to human or equipment fatigue.

• During major disasters when normal communications links are saturated.

• When short-term communication difficulties arise beyond the scope of existing systems, such as, an incident in a communications 'black spot' or a system failure.

• To enable radio communication between different Emergency Services.

This Unit utilizes HF, VHF, UHF, and Digital Modes to provide communications between county and state emergency management offices, as required.

The Grant County EOC´s Amateur Radio call sign is W7TT.

 

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