In
the event of an outage of normal internet and telephone service, radio is the
proven way to communicate. Don't allow yourself to be isolated.
In Knox County we are introducing a system where community
members can interact over short and long distances using simple Personal Radio
Service (PRS) 2-way radios. These radios are most commonly exemplified by
Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) handie
talkies. While the range of these radios is relatively short (don't believe the
advertising), our system is being augmented by incorporating amateur (ham)
radio operators who can communicate using FRS or GMRS radios and then relay
messages locally as well as throughout the county, state and country as needed
using normal ham radio communications techniques.
This program follows the guidelines established by Radio Relay
International (RRI), an organization that is dedicated to global messaging by
amateur radio. The Personal Radio Service components include two national level
efforts. The National SOS Radio Network, which is now under the umbrella of
RRI, supports neighborhood emergency communications using FRS radios.
Neighborhood HamWatch is RRI's officially endorsed community service program
that formalizes links between FRS & GMRS users and the amateur radio
service. Together, these programs provide a unique linkage of radio
communications services.
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How
it Works - A Quick Overview
During
significant storms and other events where conventional communications may be
compromised, Knox County ham radio operators have a system in place to provide
"on the ground" information from around the county to each other, to the county
Emergency Management Agency and to the National Weather Service in Gray.
Reports can include items such as:
- Damage reports
- Power outages
- Accidents
- Persons in need of assistance
- Ice or snow accumulations or dangerous wind conditions
- Other reportable hazards
At these times, area hams meet at the top of each hour on the
county repeater system or by direct "simplex" communication if the repeater has
failed. Anyone who has a scanner can monitor these transmissions.
We are formalizing a new dimension to this program by
implementing a system for non-hams to participate in the process. Along with
the above, a number of involved hams are equipping themselves with Personal
Radio Service communications devices. There are two services that are being
supported using frequencies (channels) that are common to both. The first is
the Family Radio Service or FRS. FRS is an unlicensed radio service but is
limited to relatively short ranges by radio power and built-in antennas. Recent
changes to the FCC regulations on FRS radios has increased the permitted power
level substantially, from 1/2 watt to 2 watts. The section on Radios on this
site has information on current radio models that have the best performance.
The second service is the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS).
GMRS permits higher powers (up to 50 watts) and external antennas. GMRS
requires an FCC license but the license is applicable to all immediate family
members of the license holder. This is defined as the licensee's spouse,
children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents,
brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws. A GMRS license
costs $70 and is valid for 10 years. There is no test, all one needs to do is
apply on line. The GMRS channels are currently included in the current FRS
radios but a much better alternative is to get a GMRS-only radio and a simple
external antenna. This can be had for under $100.
If you and your neighbors have FRS radios, you can communicate
amongst yourselves should telephone and internet service be interrupted. If one
of you has a GMRS radio you can communicate with the FRS units on a shared
frequency and also communicate with a ham who is similarly equipped. The use of
shared channels permits hams to monitor both FRS and GMRS using a single
channel. The ham can then relay messages to local agencies, the Weather
Service, etc. Hams can also send personal messages to your friends or relatives
who might be elsewhere in the state or country. This message relay system is
exactly the same system that has been used to relay thousands of personal
messages from Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the recent
hurricanes.
The chart below depicts how the network is structured. The links
to the left go into further detail about how you can monitor radio activity
and, best of all, become an active participant.
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