IX. ATTACHMENTS

INTRODUCTION. As an amateur radio operator who has volunteered to provide emergency communications, you should be prepared to respond with your own equipment to a variety of situations and locations. In a few cases, communications equipment may be in place. It is more likely that you and your equipment may be the only communications source available. Listed below are suggestions on what you should assemble and have ready to respond.

A. Response Equipment

1. Fuel. Keep enough fuel in your vehicle for you to do your assigned task. In the event of a disaster, you may not be able to obtain fuel. Consider keeping a half tank of fuel in your vehicle, at all times.

2. Personal Equipment. You are responsible for maintaining and securing your own equipment. You may be assigned to a location where security is not adequate, where many people are coming and going. WATCH YOUR EQUIPMENT.

3. Equipment Connectors and Adaptors. You should maintain a supply of connectors and adapters so that you can interface your equipment to a variety of existing antennas and power supplies that may already be in place at your place of assignment:

a. Connectors.

i. 2-Meter Mobile antennas are generally equipped with a PL-259 MALE or Type N MALE connector.

ii. 440 MHz antennas may be equipped with a PL-259 MALE or Type N MALE connector.

iii. Amateur handheld 2-Meter and/or 440 MHz transceivers may output RF power by using a BNC FEMALE connector.

iv. Amateur 440 MHz transceivers may output RF power by using a PL-259 FEMALE or Type N FEMALE connector.

v. Amateur 440 MHz transceivers generally output RF power by using a PL-259 FEMALE connector.

b. Adaptors.

i. PL-259 FEMALE to BNC MALE.

ii. Type N FEMALE to BNC MALE

iii. Barrel PL-259 FEMALE .

iv. Double PL-259 MALE

v. Type N FEMALE to PL-259 MALE

vi. If the antenna connector on your radio is different than a PL-259, you should have an adapter from your connector to a PL-259 and to a BNC MALE in the event you need to connect to a different antenna system.

3. Ready Box. You will need your own special pieces of hardware to make your equipment operate. Many of the items that you will need can be gathered and kept in a “Ready Box”. The remainder can be kept readily available for quick assembly. Your ability to do your job will depend, in part, on the availability of the appropriate equipment. You are responsible for identifying the equipment necessary to fulfill your role at the assigned site. If the necessary equipment is not immediately available, you should contact net control and request the additional resources that are needed. Equipment installed in fixed facilities, where the installation is likely to be semi-permanent during the relief effort, will be supplied from sources who will allow it to remain in place until it is no longer needed.

a. Equipment Preparation. You shouldn’t wait until the last minute to think about what you might need in our “Ready Box”. Keep in mind the following three categories of equipment:

i. What items are absolutely necessary? (Rig, etc.)

ii. Which critical items or parts would put you off the air? (fuses, etc,)

iii. What items will make operations much more convenient/ (headset, etc.)

b. Equipment Lists. On the following pages are lists of suggested items for each operation that you can use as a starting point: