Operations Plan

Table of Contents

Paragraph	Title	Page	Revision Date
1.0	Introduction……………………………………	1-1	5-17-04
2.0	Purpose……………………………………….	2-1	Original Issue
3.0	Authorization………………………………….	3-1	Original Issue
4.0	Membership…………………………………..	4-1	4-21-04
5.0	Organization………………………………....	5-1	3-30-05
6.0	Served Agencies…………………………….	6-1	3-30-05
7.0	Served Area………………………………….	7-1	4-21-04
8.0	ARES/RACES Mobilization Procedure…...	8-1	Original Issue
9.0	Emergency Net Operations…………….…..	9-1	4-21-04
10.0	Severe Weather Net Operations…………..	10-1	5-17-04
11.0	Communication Methods & Frequencies…	11-1	5-17-04
12.0	Drills, Tests and Alerts……………………..	12-1	Original Issue
13.0	General Assumptions & Expectations…….	13-1	Original Issue
14.0	Training………………………………………	14-1	5-17-04
15.0	Emergency Preparation............................	15-1	Original Issue
Appendix A	Membership Roster………………………….	A-1	3-30-05
Appendix B	Telephone Calling Tree…………………….	B-1	4-22-04
Appendix C	Operating Procedures................................	C-1	4-23-04
Appendix D	Packet Operations	D-1	Original 4-24-04

5. ORGANIZATION

5.1 ARES and RACES have different chains of command above the Emergency Coordinator level. At the EC level and below, ARES/RACES functions as one unified group.

*Note: Only the County Judge, the OEM Director, the Deputy OEM Director, and the Fire Service and Safety Coordinator are authorized to activate RACES.

5.2 COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONTACT LIST

Position	Name	Day Phone	Night Phone
County Judge	Dan Hall	425-2755	425-6336
Director, Office of Emergency Management	Tom Fischer	424-6119	425-6336
Deputy Director, Office of Emergency Management	(open)	424-6119	425-6336
Public Information Officer	Jim Sierzchula	481-6252	431-8662
County Communications Officer	Paul Rasmussen	491-5350	491-5350

5.3 ARRL ARKANSAS SECTION EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST

Position	Name	Telephone Numbers
Section Manager	David Norris, K5UZ	870-793-6431 (Home)
Section Emergency Coordinator	J.M. Rowe, N5XFW	501-760-1624 501-282-1580 (cell)
District I Emergency Coordinator	Kenneth Murphy, AB5BE	870-688-4559
Baxter County Emergency Coordinator	Allen Hundley, K5ABH	870-431-4089 (Home) 870-425-4400 (Work)
Baxter County Assistant Emergency Coordinator	Bud Hall, N5LH	870-424-2366 (Home) 870-404-5384 (Cell)

6. SERVED AGENCIES

6.1 Baxter County ARES/RACES provides supplemental emergency communications services under either ARES or RACES to the Office of Emergency Management or to agencies served by the OEM at the direction of the Baxter County Communications Officer.

6.2 Baxter County ARES also provides emergency communication services to the Salvation Army, and other county agencies requesting assistance from ARES. Note: the Salvation Army has taken over many of the responsibilities of the (now closed) American Red Cross chapter.

6.3 ARES provides storm spotter services to the National Weather Service, Little Rock during times of severe weather in Baxter County.

6.4 At the national level, the ARRL has entered into agreements with a number of agencies to provide communication support in time of emergency. Memorandums of Understanding exist between the ARRL and the American Red Cross, the Associated Public Safety Communications Officers (APCO), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Association of Radio and Telecommunications Engineers (NARTE), the National Communications System (NCS), the National Weather Service, REACT International, the Salvation Army, the Society of Broadcast Engineers and recently, the Department of Homeland Defense. Baxter County ARES operations are governed by these Memorandums of Understanding. Details of these agreements can be reviewed on the ARRL website at www.arrl.org/FandES/field/mou/.

7. SERVED AREA

7.1 Baxter County ARES/RACES provides emergency communications for Baxter County, Arkansas and adjacent counties if assistance is requested by their respective Emergency Coordinators.

7.2 Baxter County has a population of about 39,300 people, most of whom live the northern part of the county near the city of Mountain Home. Two thirds of the population lives in unincorporated areas.

7.3 The County comprises an odd shaped area of 554 square miles approximately 22 miles wide (east/west) by 36 miles long (north/south). The area is one of mountains and river valleys; there are few broad expanses of level areas. In the 1940’s and 1950’s dams were built across two of the rivers and each created lakes for flood control, electrical generation and recreation. These lakes and rivers divide the county into five land areas with major bridges or dam crossings required between areas. While the distances are not particularly long, VHF/UHF communication is difficult in some areas of the county due to the mountains and deep valleys.

7.4 Baxter County is isolated. For any significant emergency relief to reach the County by road from any direction involves at least an hour drive on mountainous roads, most of which are still two lanes. The only practical east/west route through the county is US highway 62/412 from Harrison on the west to Ash Flat on the east. The primary north/south route is State Highway 5 from Mountain View through Calico Rock on the south to Gainesville, Missouri on the north. Within the county are many unpaved roads leading to homes in rural areas. The county airport currently does not host a commuter airline. One railroad operates along the White River through the county with limited freight service. The White River is not commercially navigable.

7.5 Baxter County is served by three amateur radio clubs. The Ozark Amateur Radio Club maintains a VHF repeater operating on 146.880 MHZ output, 146.280 MHz input frequencies. The Twin Lakes Amateur Radio Club maintains a VHF repeater operating on 147.075 MHz output, 147.675 input frequencies. These repeaters provide generally excellent coverage throughout Baxter County. A separate club, the Amateur Communication Emergency Service (ACES), maintains a VHF Packet Node connecting Baxter County into the state-wide VHF Packet Network.

7.6 Emergencies within Baxter County are managed by the County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) headquartered in the 911 Center in Mountain Home. The county maintains a first rate public service communications network. Within the 911 Center, the county also maintains a RACES radio room equipped with an SSB HF Transceiver, VHF and UHF FM radios, and Packet communications equipment. Two packaged portable VHF/Packet stations, including antennas, are also available at the 911 Center for deployment as needed throughout the county. During an emergency this facility is manned by RACES personnel. This radio room and its equipment are available to ARES with the understanding that RACES communications and activities take priority. A communications van has been purchased by the County and will be equipped with an amateur station capable of HF/VHF/UHF voice and data operation.

8. ARES/RACES MOBILIZATION PROCEDURE

8.1 In an emergency in which Amateur Radio communications might be needed, the Emergency Coordinator, or an assistant EC, may be notified by any city, county or served agency official.

8.1.1 RACES can only be activated by the Baxter County Communications Officer (CCC), under the direction of the Baxter County Office of Emergency Management (OEM). See paragraph 5 for a list of officers authorized to activate RACES. The County Communications Officer conveys the county’s communication needs to the ARES/RACES Emergency Coordinator (EC). The EC will attempt to fulfill those needs with available amateur radio operators and assets.

8.1.2 ARES is activated by the Emergency Coordinator upon receipt of a request for emergency communications from a served agency.

8.2 Any member of the Baxter County ARES/RACES organization who for any reason suspects a communications emergency exists should monitor the primary Emergency Net repeater frequency (146.880 MHz minus 600 KHz offset). If the net has not been activated, the member should open the emergency net and assume net control until suitably relieved. Procedures for opening the emergency net are included in paragraph 9 of this plan.

8.3 Any member who has knowledge of a communications emergency should notify the EC and assistant EC by telephone if local telephone service is available.

8.4 Once notified of a communications emergency, the EC, or an assistant EC, will contact ARES/RACES members by telephone directly or through a telephone tree (Appendix B).

8.5 At the first hint that there may be a need for ARES/RACES activation, members should monitor the primary repeater frequency and/or remain near at their telephones to await instructions. If the EC is unable to reach a member by telephone, he will attempt to contact them by any means available.

8.6 Upon notification, members should check into the Emergency Net on the primary repeater frequency (or the secondary repeater if primary repeater is inoperative). The first station on the air should assume net control until suitably relieved.

8.7 Assignments will be made on the Emergency Net by the Net Control Station (NCS) at the direction of the EC or Assistant EC. Depending on the circumstance, members may be directed to report to the 911 Center or to other locations to establish communications as needed. Members should remain on the Emergency Net until excused by the net control station.

9. EMERGENCY NET OPERATIONS

9.1 The Baxter County Emergency Net will be called to order by the NCS using the appropriate preamble messages defined below.

9.1.1 Emergency Net Opening Preamble:

QST, QST, QST THIS IS call , NET CONTROL FOR THE BAXTER COUNTY EMERGENCY NET. MY NAME IS ______ AND I AM LOCATED ______________.

this frequency is closed for normal traffic and is reserved for baxter county emergency communications.

THIS IS A DIRECTED NET. PLEASE TRANSMIT ONLY WHEN REQUESTED UNLESS YOU HAVE EMERGENCY TRAFFIC.

ARE THERE ANY STATIONS WITH EMERGENCY TRAFFIC? PLEASE CALL NET CONTROL NOW. (Handle EMERGENCY traffic)

ALL OTHER STATIONS, WITH OR WITHOUT TRAFFIC, PLEASE CHECK IN NOW WITH YOUR CALL SIGN PHONETICALLY, NAME, LOCATION AND TRAFFIC ANY.

9.1.2 Training Net Opening Preamble:

QST, QST, QST THIS IS call , NET CONTROL FOR THE BAXTER COUNTY EMERGENCY NET. MY NAME IS ______ AND I AM LOCATED ______________.

THIS NET MEETS EACH Tuesday AT 7:00 PM ON THIS REPEATER EXCEPT ON THE THIRD Tuesday OF EACH MONTH. ON THE THIRD Tuesday WE MEET AT THE 911 CENTER IN MOUNTAIN HOME AT 7:00 PM.

ALL AMATEURS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS NET. OUR PURPOSE IS TO TRAIN OPERATORS TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS. AS PART OF THIS TRAINING, PARTICIPANTS MAY BE ASKED TO SERVE AS NET CONTROL FROM TIME-TO-TIME.

THIS IS A DIRECTED NET. PLEASE TRANSMIT ONLY WHEN REQUESTED UNLESS YOU HAVE EMERGENCY TRAFFIC.

ARE THERE ANY STATIONS WITH EMERGENCY TRAFFIC? PLEASE CALL NET CONTROL NOW. (Handle EMERGENCY traffic if any)

ALL OTHER STATIONS, WITH OR WITHOUT TRAFFIC, PLEASE CHECK IN NOW WITH YOUR CALL SIGN PHONETICALLY, NAME, LOCATION AND TRAFFIC ANY.

9.2 The Net Control Station has absolute authority over all activities conducted on the emergency net.

9.3 The NCS must maintain records of each session including the call signs of stations involved, time the net was in session, and significant traffic, announcements or other activity. These records are to be forwarded to the EC at the end of each month or on request.

9.4 Members of Baxter County ARES/RACES should check into the net from their mobile or home stations to await further instructions. Members checking into the net should report their location and availability for assignment. If the station is capable of operating under emergency power, that fact should also be reported to the NCS.

9.5 If the emergency is widespread, the NCS will assign a station to act as liaison with the state-wide HF emergency net and the various Arkansas traffic nets.

9.6 Personnel and equipment will be dispatched as directed by the EC, or assistant EC, as needed to support emergency operations.

9.7 All formal message traffic must be recorded in the standard ARRL format and properly signed by the official responsible for the message, including the official’s title.

9.8 Message precedence’s of EMERGENCY, Priority, Welfare, and Routine, as defined on ARRL Form FSD-3, shall be used on all messages. Messages will be handled in order of their precedence, EMERGENCY first, then Priority, etc. See Appendix C – Operating Procedures.

9.9 Any operator that is available for duty, but for any reason is unable to get “on the air” should contact the EC by whatever means available to make themselves available for relief duty or assignment to another location where equipment is available.

9.10 At the conclusion of net business, the NCS should close the net using the appropriate message below:

9.10.1 Emergency Net Closing

I WANT TO THANK ALL STATIONS WHO HAVE ASSISTED DURING THIS EMERGENCY (or similar words). THis IS call CLOSING THE BAXTER COUNTY EMERGENCY NET AT time/date AND RETURNING THE REPEATER TO ITS NORMAL USE.

9.10.2 Training Net Closing

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL STATIONS THAT HAVE CHECKED IN. ALL OPERATORS ARE ASKED TO REMEMBER THAT IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, INCLUDING IMPENDING SERVERE WEATHER, ANY MEMBER OPERATOR IS EXPECTED TO OPEN THIS NET AND ASSUME NET CONTROL UNTIL SUITABLY RELIEVED.

This is call CLOSING THE BAXTER COUNTY EMERGENCY NET AT
time/date AND RETURNING THE REPEATER TO ITS NORMAL USE.

10. SEVERE WEATHER NET OPERATIONS

10.1 Baxter County ARES/RACES participates in the Arkansas SKYWARN weather spotter program to the extent specified in this plan.

10.2 The Baxter County Weather Net will always be opened whenever a Tornado Warning is issued for Baxter County.

10.3 The net may be opened if a Tornado Watch or Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued for Baxter County depending on the severity of the weather conditions as assessed by member stations. For example, the net would not normally be opened for a severe thunderstorm warning unless there were extenuating circumstances. However the net would be opened if a severe thunderstorm warning was issued and the area was under a tornado watch or other conditions were favorable for very severe weather.

10.3 Any member station that becomes aware of impending severe weather is expected to open the Baxter County Weather Net and assume net control until suitably relieved. The opening preamble is:

THIS IS call sign OPENING AND ASSUMING CONTROL OF THE BAXTER COUNTY WEATHER NET, A PART OF THE AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE. WE ARE EXPECTING/EXPERIENCING SEVERE WEATHER IN THE AREA. STATIONS WITH REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL PLEASE CALL NET CONTROL AND STATE YOUR LOCATION RELATIVE TO THE CENTER OF MOUNTAIN HOME ALONG WITH YOUR WEATHER REPORT AND THE LOCAL TIME OF YOUR OBSERVATION.

10.4 As long as we are not experiencing severe weather in the immediate area, the net will be open for informal comments from the weather spotters assembled on the frequency.

10.5 The Net Control Station will call the net into formal session when he/she deems it appropriate. In formal session, transmission will be restricted to reports of “severe weather” observed by your station or to answers to question posed by the net control station. In calling the net into formal session, the NCS will include the following announcement, or one of a similar nature:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEFINES SEVERE WEATHER AS TORNADOS ON THE GROUND, FUNNEL CLOUDS NOT TOUCHING THE GROUND, ROTATING WALL CLOUDS, HAIL ¾ INCH IN DIAMETER OR GREATER, FLOODING AND OTHER DAMAGE CAUSED BY WEATHER CONDITIONS.

REPORTS NOT MEETING THE ABOVE CRITERIA SHOULD BE HELD UNTILL CALLED FOR BY NET CONTROL. THIS IS call sign STANDING BY FOR REPORTS OF OBSERVED SEVERE WEATHER.

Note: Rain rates in excess of 1 inch per hour and winds in excess of 58 MPH are no longer reportable.

10.4 The Net Control Station will assign one member station to be the liaison between the National Weather Service and the Baxter County Weather Net. This station should have the capability of contacting the Weather Service by telephone, internet, or by radio through the Holly Mountain Linked SKYWARN Repeater network if activated. From Mountain Home, the Holly Mountain Linked Repeater network can be accessed through the Mountain View Repeater, or through the Fox repeater (see paragraph 10.6)

10.5 Participating stations should report any of the following weather conditions to the liaison station if directed by the NCS.

Tornadoes
Funnel Clouds (with direction of travel)
Wall Clouds
Hail ¾ inches or greater (Penny size)
Wind Damage such as trees or power lines down, or damaged structures
Flash Flooding

Reports should contain:

            WhaT      Tornado, funnel cloud, hail, flooding, damage
WHERE Location with respect to a town or major intersection
WHEN      Time of observation
WHO        Give name, call sign and identify yourself as trained spotter
                  (if you are a trained spotter)

10.6 The liaison station should relay the report to the National Weather Service by telephone, internet, or by radio through the Mountain View SKYWARN repeater if activated.

NWS Little Rock Telephone 800-482-8471

NWS Little Rock Web site www.srh.weather.gov/lzk/html/report.htm
(Look for submit storm report)

Mountain View SKYWARN 147.120 MHz plus 600 KHz offset
(If linked to Little Rock by the NWS) PL Tone 114.8 Hz**

Fox SKYWARN 145.11 MHz minus 600 KHz offset
(If linked to Little Rock) PL Tone 151.4 Hz**

** Normally the PL tone is shut off during severe weather operations. Occasionally a repeater may not hear the PL tone disable command when the weather net is activated. Therefore, whenever possible, use the PL tone.

10.7 Upon conclusion of the Weather Net business, the NCS should return the frequency to normal use by making a suitable announcement on the net frequency

11. COMMUNICATION METHODS AND FREQUENCIES

11.1 Communications within the county

Primary Repeater

Primary repeater for ARES/RACES activities is owned by the Ozark Amateur Radio Club and ARES/RACES use has been approved by the club. This repeater (K5OZK/R) transmits on 146.880 and receives on 146.280 MHz (146.880 MHz minus 600 KHz offset).

Primary Repeater Failures

If the Ozark ARC repeater fails, operations should continue on the repeater transmit (output) frequency using the SIMPLEX (no offset) mode. Operators should transmit and receive on 146.880 MHz.

At the discretion of the Net Control Station, net operations may be moved to the Twin Lakes Amateur Radio Club repeater (WB5OZE/R) transmitting on 147.075 and receiving on 147.675 MHz (147.075 plus 600 KHz offset). ARES/RACES operations on this repeater have been approved by the club. Should the NCS decide to shift the net to the Twin Lakes repeater, he should assign someone with dual receive capability to monitor the primary repeater frequency to help those who missed the frequency change announcement.

Should the Twin Lakes repeater also fail, or be unavailable, operations will shift back to 146.880 MHZ using the SIMPLEX (no offset) mode.

Working Frequencies

Net Control may elect to allow traffic to be passed on the net frequency or may move stations to other frequencies to pass traffic. The primary or secondary simplex frequency, or to the secondary repeater, may be used to pass traffic or for other reasons. After business is concluded on simplex, stations should return to the primary ARES/RACES net frequency in use and check back into the net.

Primary simplex: 146.520 MHz

Secondary simplex: 146.490 MHz

Secondary repeater 147.075 with plus 600 KHz offset

11.2 Communications outside of the county

Whenever practical, Packet will be used for primary communications involving written messages. Packet operating procedures are outlined in Appendix D – Packet Operations.

Primary packet frequency 145.01 MHz

Secondary packet frequency 145.09 MHz

High frequency statewide emergency net frequencies can also be used for tactical and written communications as needed.

The statewide emergency net frequencies are:

3987.5 KHz (75 Meters)

7260.0 KHz (Primary 40 Meters)

7285.0 KHz (Secondary 40 Meters)

During an emergency, Baxter County ARES/RACES will maintain a liaison with the Arkansas Razorback Traffic Net for the purpose of passing written traffic.

11.3 Other useful frequencies

Harrison Repeater 147.000 (+)

Calico Rock Repeater 147.180 (+)

Yellville Repeater 147.240 (+)

Mountain View Repeater 147.120 (+) 114.8 PL

Gainesville, MO Repeater 147.390 (+)

Fox Repeater 145.110 (-) 151.4 PL

NOAA Weather Radio, Mountain View 162.450 (Receive only)

NOAA Weather Radio, Yellville 162.500 (Receive only)

Baxter County Sheriff 156.210 (Receive only)

Baxter County Road & Bridge 155.145 (Receive only)

13. GENERAL ASSUMPTIONS & EXPECTATIONS

13.1 This Operating Plan was developed based on certain assumptions about the membership in ARES/RACES.

13.2 First, Baxter County ARES/RACES is a volunteer organization of amateur radio operators who desire to contribute time, energy and equipment to provide a public service in time of emergency. ARES/RACES membership is an extension of our hobby interest in amateur radio. While ARES/RACES activities can be very challenging and rewarding, involvement should kept in prospective. During normal activities, or in an emergency, ARES/RACES leadership counts on each and every member but we recognize that family and employment must come first.

13.3 Training, preparedness, and practice are the lifeblood of ARES and RACES. Amateur Radio’s window of opportunity to be of service is too small and infrequent to be wasted. Amateur Radio has an important back-up role but the community cannot depend on us unless we are prepared and trained. For this reason ARES/RACES members are expected to:

Recognize that disaster response, including ARES/RACES activities, can be hazardous and dangerous. Members are expected to take precautions to protect themselves and others working around us.

Maintain a professional and helpful attitude when working with served agencies. No matter which agency we serve, remember that we are like an unpaid employee of that agency. We work for them. Our job as a communicator is to meet the needs of the served agencies.

Acquire the ability to set up equipment needed to support disaster communications. Members should have the ability to establish communications between a disaster site and the surrounding area as well as establish tactical communications within an incident area.

Acquire and maintain communication skills by participating in drills and tests conducted from time to time and by participating in training activities designed to improve operator skills.

Make a reasonable effort to participate in ARES/RACES activities within the limits of their health, availability, employment, and family commitments.

Understand the National Traffic System. Be able to create, send, receive, and service ARRL Radiograms under emergency conditions.

If you are able to travel, have the necessary radio equipment, supplies and safety gear to travel to a deployment site within Baxter County or surrounding counties and operate 72 hours without relief. See paragraph 15.

Acquire basic skills in First Aid, CPR, land navigation and map reading, fire safety, hazardous material handling, and terrorism awareness.

Develop plans to protect your family and property in an emergency. Maintain supplies to sustain your family for at least 72 hours at home or in a community shelter. Assure that your family has the training and means to take care of themselves in your absence should you be needed for a ARES/RACES assignment.

13.4 Members are asked to respect the privacy of others, particularly with respect to addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. The membership roster and telephone calling tree are considered confidential information for ARES/RACES use only.

14. TRAINING

14.1 Training nets will be held every Monday evening at 8:00 PM on the Ozark ARC repeater except the third Monday of each month where a meeting will be held at the Baxter County 911 Center at 7:00 PM.

14.2 The ARRL offers an Emergency Communications Course leading to being certified as an Emergency Communicator. This is an outstanding program for all ARES/RACES members. More information is available on the ARRL website, www.arrl.org, or by calling the ARRL headquarters.

14.3 FEMA offers extensive training opportunities for all aspects of emergency response including personal preparations, family preparations, hazardous material awareness, terrorism awareness, and emergency management. FEMA’s website, www.fema.gov, contains a wealth of information for emergency response personnel.

14.4 The American Red Cross offers training in First Aid, CPR, and other subjects of interest to emergency responders. Contact the Baxter County Chapter for more details.

14.5 The National Weather Service in Little Rock offers Storm Spotter training at various times and in various locations within Arkansas. Additional spotter training material is available on the SKYWARN web site, www.skywarn.org. The “Basic Spotter’s Field Guide” and “Advanced Spotter’s Field Guide are available from the national Weather Service on their web site www.nws.noaa.gov/brochures.

14.6 The ARRL publishes several books and papers which should be included in the libraries of all ARES/RACES members. These publications are available from the ARRL at a nominal fee or can be downloaded from the web sites listed.

ARRL Public Service Manual www.arrl.org/FandFS/field/pscm

ARES Field Resource Manual www.arrl.org/FandFS/field/aresman.pdf

ARRL Net Directory www.arrl.org/FandFS/field/nets

NTS Methods & Practices Guide www.arrl.org/FandFS/field/nts-mpg

15. EMERGENCY PREPARATION

15.1 ARES/RACES members are expected to be prepared to deploy to a site within Baxter County, or surrounding counties, and operate up to 72 hours without relief. To prepare for such deployments, members are encouraged to develop a “Jump Kit” containing all items you might need during an emergency. A fundamental requirement for any deployment is that ARES/RACES must stand alone and not depend on any services from our served agencies.

It is best to divide your Jump Kit into two or more parts. Those supplies and equipment you might need for a deployment up to 24 hours, and those supplies needed for a full 72 hour deployment.

15.2 The content of a Jump Kit is an individual decision based on your personal needs and experience. The following list is intended to provide guidelines on what equipment should be considered in your kit.

Jump Kit Containers

Something to put it in – one or more backpacks, duffle bags, suitcases, plastic storage tubs, etc.

Package individual items in zip lock bags or plastic kitchen containers.

Handheld Radio and Accessories

Handheld VHF or dual-band radio

Spare rechargeable batteries for handhelds

Alkaline battery pack for handhelds

Alkaline batteries (as many as you can reasonably carry)

Speaker mic and earphone for handhelds

Battery charger, both AC and DC for handhelds

Gain antennas and adapters (roll up J-pole, mobile magnetic mount, etc.

Coaxial lines from handheld to gain antennas

Copy of radio’s manual

Mobile and Portable Radios and Accessories

Mobile VHF or dual-band radio

HF Radio

Multi-band HF antenna, tuner, heavy parachute cord

Coaxial feed lines, jumpers

Ground rod, pipe clamp, wire

AC power supplies for VHF/UHF mobile and HF radios, accessories

Large battery source for VHF/UHF mobile and HF radios, with charger (consider using your vehicle for this purpose)

All related power, data, audio and RF cables and adapters

Small repair kit: hand tools, multi-meter, connectors, adapters, fuses, key parts, soldering iron

Materials for improvisation: wire, connectors, small parts, insulators, duct tape, etc.

Copies of all manuals for equipment

Headphones, for noisy areas and privacy (a must)

Lights for night operation

Specialized gear for packet, or other modes

Multi-band scanner, weather radio

Personal cell phone, pager, spare batteries and charger

Personal Gear

Clothing for the season, weather, and length of deployment

Spare eye glasses, sunglasses

Toilet kit: soap, razor, deodorant, comb, tooth brush, toilet paper

Waterless soap, paper towels etc.

Flashlight with spare batteries

Foul weather or protective gear, warm coat, hats, etc. as needed

Sleeping bag, pad, pillow, ear plugs

High energy snacks

Easily prepared food that will store for a long time, 3 day supply

Can opener

Water Containers, filled before departure, 1 gal per day minimum

First aid kit

Personal medications, prescriptions for up to one week

Money, including a large quantity of quarters for vending machines, tolls, etc.

Telephone calling card

Information

ID cards and other authorization, copy of your amateur radio license

Frequency lists and net schedules

Maps, both street and topographic

Key phone numbers, email and internet addresses

Contact information for other members of ARES/RACES

Copy of Operations Plan, emergency plans, standard operating procedures, etc.

Resource list: Who to call for what kinds of problems

Operating Supplies

Message forms

Log sheets

Standard forms used by the served agency

Letter or legal notepads

Sticky notes

Paper clips, rubber bands, etc

Blank envelopes

Pens, pencils, erasers, etc

15.3 After you have decided on the content of your jump kit, make up a checklist and verify the contents of your kit periodically.

15.4 You may not want to pre-pack some items for reasons of expense or shelf life. Keep a checklist of these items in your jump kit so that you will remember to add them at the last minute.