REACT International, Inc.

Field Operations Guide

REACT International, Inc.

REACT Field Operations Guide

1. REACT International, Inc. provides routine, emergency, and disaster communications assistance to other organizations as well as local, state and federal agencies. These services are provided through its local Teams and Councils operating independently and in cooperation.

2. REACT International, Inc. has obtained various FCC licenses for use in conducting and managing the affairs of REACT International Inc. and supporting the services of the Teams and

Councils. Use of any licenses issued to REACT International, Inc. is only as specifically authorized by the corporation. Teams and Councils are encouraged to obtain their own licenses for appropriate services and frequencies.

a. Use of any FCC license issued to the corporation by any Chartered Team or Others is expressly prohibited except as specifically authorized by the Board of Directors, President, or

Executive Vice President.

b. Any and all use of FCC licenses issued to the corporation requires expressed authorization on a case by case basis.

(1) Routine, non-emergency, operation under any of the FCC licenses issued to the corporation will only be as approved by the Board of Directors, in writing, in response to a request submitted by a Team or Council for a specific time and purpose. For example, a Team or Council might request authorization to operate under the REACT International Inc. amateur radio club station license during a hamfest or other special event; or a Team hosting a REACT

International Convention might request to operate under the REACT International business/industrial license immediately prior to and throughout the duration of the convention.

(2) In emergencies or other time-sensitive circumstances where operation under the

FCC licenses issued to the corporation is in the best interests of the corporation, permission may be authorized by the President or Executive Vice President. Such permission may be granted via telephone, email, or other means appropriate to the circumstances and may be withdrawn at any time by action of the Board of Directors, President, or Executive Vice

President of REACT International Inc. Any telephonic request and approval must be documented in writing or email as soon as the situation permits.

c.

REACT Teams and Councils are encouraged to obtain FCC licenses for the same itinerant radio frequencies licensed to REACT International Inc. so that they will be able to communicate with each other and share equipment when responding to disasters, emergencies, and major events. This guide will provide information to assist Teams and

Councils in selecting frequencies to achieve interoperability.

d.

Assistance to Teams and Councils will further be provided by the Communications

Coordinator as designated by the President of REACT International, Inc. The designated

Communications Coordinator will be a member of the Infrastructure, Technology &

Communications Committee or such other committee as the President may direct.

REACT International, Inc.

REACT Field Operations Guide

3. REACT International, Inc. holds two licenses issued by the FCC covering specific radio services and frequencies. These licenses are only valid in the United States and its territories regulated by the FCC.

a. Amateur Radio club station license KB3UEZ. This license may only be used by individuals who hold their own Amateur Radio Operator License. This license is valid only for the amateur radio frequencies allowed by the class of license held by the control operator on duty. The club station license enables authorized individuals to operate using the club callsign in lieu of their personal callsign. This is typically used when several different licensed amateur radio operators will be operating the same station over a period of time such as during a special event.

b. Business/Industrial license WQUS415. This license may be used by any individual specifically authorized by the corporation. The license covers specific itinerant frequencies which may be used nationwide within the United States in accordance with FCC regulations. As stated above, these licenses do not authorize operation by REACT Councils, Teams, or individual members except when specifically directed by the corporation. Teams and Councils are encouraged to apply for their own licenses for some or all of the same itinerant frequencies to achieve interoperability. Note that only FCC approved equipment may be used on any of the frequencies under this license.

(1) HF and VHF-Low Band. The license covers one HF (27.49000 MHz) and two VHF-

Low Band frequencies (35.04000 and 43.04000 MHz). FCC Type Approved equipment for these frequencies is not readily available because most commercial and public safety users have already moved away from these bands. Most approved equipment for these frequencies is old and likely to require significant maintenance to operate properly. Newer equipment approved for these frequencies is generally expensive. Unless there is a specific need for the propagation characteristics of these frequencies, you should probably choose VHF-High Band or UHF.

(2) VHF-High Band (usually simply called “VHF”). The license covers eight specific

VHF High Band frequencies shown in the table below.

151.50500

151.51250 * 151.62500

151.70000 *

151.76000

* Frequencies author

154.52750

158.40000 *† 158.40750 *

(3) UHF Band. The license covers 36 specific UHF band frequencies shown in the table below.

451.80000 *† 461.08750

461.23750

464.48750

466.03750

466.18750

451.81250 *† 461.11250

461.26250

464.50000 *† 466.06250

466.31250

456.80000

456.81250

461.03750

461.13750

461.16250

461.18750

461.28750

461.31250

461.33750

464.51250

464.53750

464.55000 *†

466.08750

466.11250

466.13750

461.06250

461.21250

461.36250

464.56250

466.16250

* Frequencies authorized for FB2 operation may be used as repeater output frequencies. † Frequencies authorized for MO3 (mobile repeater) operation.

469.50000

469.51250

469.55000

469.56250

REACT International, Inc.

REACT Field Operations Guide c.

Other radio services REACT Teams and Councils may consider:

(1) General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). REACT International, Inc. does not hold a

GMRS license. Organizations, including REACT Teams and Councils are not eligible to obtain a new GMRS license under the current FCC rules. Organizations which held GMRS licenses prior to July 31, 1987 are allowed to continue to renew those “grandfathered” licenses, but may not make any changes or modifications to the license. A few REACT Teams still hold GMRS licenses originally issued prior to July 31, 1987. These Teams need to be very careful to renew these licenses without any modifications because any modification will void the license. Note also, that these “grandfathered” GMRS licenses are valid only for the frequencies and number of units authorized under the original license. REACT Teams that do not hold a Team license may still utilize GMRS frequencies but only if each individual operating on a GMRS frequency is covered by their own GMRS license. A GMRS license currently costs $65 for a five year term, and covers the members of the licensee’s immediate family. Any GMRS licensee may operate a repeater. However the hardware to set up a useful repeater is generally expensive. FCC approved equipment is required for operation on GMRS. Approved equipment that is capable of duplex (repeater) operation is rather expensive. Common commercial radios approved for

Part 90 are NOT legal for GMRS use unless also FCC approved for Part 95 (which most are not).

No modified amateur radio equipment is ever legal for use on GMRS.

(2) Family Radio Service (FRS). FRS is “licensed by rule” which means that individual operator or station licenses are not required so long as only FCC approved equipment is used.

REACT Teams and Councils may utilize FRS for their REACT activities. FRS is only useful for short distances – generally less than a mile (despite claims of much greater range by some manufacturers). Teams & Councils considering using FRS need to be aware that there are very few true FRS radios available today, and most of the true FRS radios are cheap toys meant for young children. Nearly all FRS radios available today, are “dual service” “FRS/GMRS” radios that are type approved by the FCC for both FRS and GMRS operation. The problem with these radios for REACT use is that these radios are only covered by the FRS rules on channels 8-14.

Operation of these radios on channels 1-7 and 15-22 comes under the GMRS rules and requires a GMRS license. These radios are simplex only and therefore are not capable of operating through a repeater.

(3) Citizens Band (CB). CB was the original radio service used by REACT when it was founded in 1962 and for most of the first 20+ years. As with many things, CB became extremely popular but the “CB Boom” was followed by a bust. The sharp drop in the number of motorists using CB radios, combined with the growth of cell phone usage in the 1980’s and 1990’s caused many Teams to cease monitoring CB channel 9 and to generally abandon CB radio as a communications tool. The reality is that, just like all other radio services, CB has its strengths and weaknesses. It is still the longest range radio service available to the general public without an amateur radio license. Equipment is readily available, inexpensive, and easy to operate.

While probably not the most effective radio service for Team internal communications, CB can be a means of communicating with the public in emergencies and is generally the easiest radio service to use when there is a need for rapidly expanded communications coverage using spontaneous volunteers.

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REACT Field Operations Guide

(4) Multi Use Radio Service (MURS). MURS operates on five specific VHF radio frequencies shown in the chart below. MURS is also “licensed by rule” meaning that no individual licenses are required provided only FCC approved equipment is used. REACT Teams and Councils may utilize MURS for their REACT activities. MURS can be very useful for distances up to a few miles depending on terrain. Repeaters are not authorized on MURS, and MURS stations may not be connected to the public telephone network. Transmitter power output is limited to 2 watts. Performance is similar to amateur handheld radios operating simplex. The two 154 MHz frequencies were previously itinerant business industrial frequencies under Part

90 before the creation of MURS. Older Motorola and Radio Shack radios for these two “color dot” frequencies are still available. The three 151 MHz frequencies were first allocated when

MURS was established. The only FCC approved equipment for these three frequencies are specially designed MURS radios. MURS has never become especially popular for general communications so there is not a lot of equipment available for MURS. No modified amateur radio equipment is ever legal for use on MURS

151.820 MHz

1

151.880 MHz

1

151.940 MHz

1

154.570 MHz

“Blue Dot”

2

154.600 MHz

“Green Dot”

2

1 Narrowband FM (11.25 KHz bandwidth, 2.5 KHz deviation) 2 Wideband FM (20 KHz bandwidth, 5 KHz deviation)

(5) Amateur Radio Service (ARS) (“ham radio”). Amateur Radio provides the widest choice of frequencies and modes, covering all bands and all common communications emission types. Equipment prices range from under $50 for a dual-band VHF/UHF handheld to several thousand dollars for a top quality High Frequency transceiver with all the latest features. If something can be done with a radio, someone has probably already done it with amateur radio.

Amateur radio requires an individual operator license for each person who will control an amateur radio transmitter. Licenses are free and are valid for 10 years. The only cost to obtain an amateur radio operator license is a nominal fee to take the test. Tests are conducted by teams of volunteer examiners and the fee is intended to cover their costs. Some volunteer examiners charge less than the full allowed fee, or even conduct the tests for free. Check online for information about the dates, times, locations and fees in your area. There are three classes of Amateur Radio Operator license: Technician, General, and Extra. The Technician class license is the easiest to get. General and Extra class licenses require somewhat more difficult written tests. All the tests consist of multiple-choice questions. All the questions and answers are freely available online. Morse code is no longer required for any class of Amateur Radio license.

REACT Team members are encouraged to obtain at least a Technician class Amateur Radio license. The basic knowledge required to pass the test will help you to operate radios in any radio service.

REACT International, Inc.

REACT Field Operations Guide

4. Equipment recommendations: a. REACT Councils, Teams, and individual members are expected to respect the FCC rules and regulations of each radio service they use. All transmitting equipment used in any radio service other than the Amateur Radio Service must be approved by the FCC. Approved equipment will have a permanently attached label listing the FCC Transmitter ID number and usually listing the radio services or specific FCC regulation sections for which that transmitter is approved. If the label does not list the specific radio services for which it is approved, that information can be found online at the FCC website by looking up the Transmitter ID number which is always found on the label. Equipment without such a label is not authorized for use outside the Amateur Radio Service in the United States.

(1) Amateur Radio equipment other than certain RF amplifiers does not require FCC approval because licensed Amateur Radio operators are legally responsible for the technical operation of their equipment. In all other radio services, the licensee is responsible to ensure that all transmitting equipment is properly approved and unmodified. Radios approved by the

FCC under Part 90 may be programmed for and used on Amateur Radio frequencies; such radios are still approved for Part 90 operation provided no modifications were made to allow the radio to operate on Amateur frequencies. Programming Amateur Radio frequencies into any FCC approved Part 95 radio immediately voids the approval. Such modified equipment is legal for use in the Amateur Radio Service but is no longer legal for use in its original Part 95 service. For example, a CB radio may be modified to operate in the Amateur 10m band but it can no longer be used as a CB radio. Some GMRS radios can be programmed to operate in the

Amateur 70cm band, but then the radio is no longer legal for GMRS use. In the United States it is completely legal to modify amateur radio equipment to operate on non-amateur frequencies

but

it is illegal to use modified amateur radio equipment to transmit on any non-amateur frequency.

(2) The legal requirement to use only FCC-approved equipment applies to all radio services other than the Amateur Radio Service. The fines for using unauthorized equipment can be several thousand dollars for each day of operation and for each unauthorized radio. Just because a radio is capable of being programmed for a particular frequency does not mean that this radio is necessarily approved for such operation. Always check the FCC Transmitter ID label on each radio and verify that the radio is approved for the particular service and frequency where it will be used. The validity of each Transmitter ID can be verified online via the FCC website at http://transition.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid/

(3) To use the FCC ID lookup website at http://transition.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid/ you must know the transmitter ID of the radio you want to check, or at least the Grantee Code which is the first three or five characters of the transmitter ID.

(a) If you are considering a specific radio, the dealer should be able to provide the full transmitter ID number because that number is required to be on a label installed on the radio by the manufacturer. Be very suspicious of any dealer who claims a radio is FCC approved but is unable to provide a valid FCC Transmitter ID number for that radio. For most mobile or base radios the label is on the back or bottom panel of the radio. For most handheld radios the label is either on the back or inside the battery compartment. Always physically check the label on any radio you purchase. It must be the original label installed by the manufacturer.

REACT International, Inc.

REACT Field Operations Guide

(b) If you have not narrowed down your choice to a specific radio and dealer, you may want to look up FCC approvals for several models. You can look up all the approvals for a Grantee Code. The Grantee Code is issued to a radio manufacturer. Some manufacturers have more than one Grantee Code – generally if the company has merged or been bought by another company – but most manufacturers have only one or two Grantee Codes. Thus you can generally check all the approvals for a particular brand name with just one or two searches at the FCC website. Some of the common Grantee Codes are listed below.

Brand

Anytone

BaoFeng / PoFung

Icom

Kenwood

Motorola

Powerwerx

TYT

Vertex

Vertex

Wouxun

Yaesu

Grantee Code

T4K

ZP5

AFJ

ALH

ABZ

2AC

POD

AXI

2AD

WVT

AKH

Company Name

Qixiang Electron Science& Technology Co., Ltd

FUJIAN NAN'AN BAOFENG ELECTRONICS CO.,LTD.

ICOM Incorporated

Kenwood USA Corporation

Motorola Solutions, Inc

Powerwerx, Inc.

TYT ELECTRONICS CO., LTD

Vertex Standard USA, Inc.

Vertex Standard LMR, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan)

Quanzhou Wouxun Electronics Co., Ltd.

Yaesu Musen USA Inc

(c) You can also run an advanced search using the FCC website at https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm?calledFromFrame=N b. To obtain FCC approval, the manufacturer, importer, or distributor must submit test results demonstrating that the radio meets all the technical standards established for the specific radio services and frequencies covered by the application. Once the FCC verifies that those test results demonstrate compliance with the rules, the FCC approves the radio and assigns a Transmitter ID for that model radio. This Transmitter ID applies to all radios using the identical circuitry regardless of the brand name and model name or number on the radio. If the manufacturer makes any changes to the operating circuits of the radio, they must apply for a new approval which will have a new Transmitter ID.

c.

The cost of FCC-approved radios for Business Industrial (Part 90) use ranges from under $50 to several thousand dollars per radio. The more expensive radios generally provide more features and often better quality of design and construction. The more expensive radios

may provide better performance, but in many instances the inexpensive imported radios will provide adequate performance for typical REACT Team and Council needs.

d. Some functions and features are essential for effective use, others may make the equipment easier to use, some functions and features are likely to be completely unnecessary for use by REACT Teams and Councils.

(1) CTCSS (Continuous Tone Codes Squelch System) is often called just “Tone” or

“PL” (PL is a Motorola trademark for Private Line, their trademark name for CTCSS). This feature operates in two different ways that serve different purposes. Most modern radios are capable of both modes of CTCSS operation.

REACT International, Inc.

REACT Field Operations Guide

(a) Tone Encode (often called just “Tone”) causes the transmitter to send a subaudible tone along with the transmitted signal. This mode enables the signal to be heard on other radios which are using Tone Decode. Tone Encode is required to access most repeaters.

(b) Tone Decode (often called “Tone Squelch”) causes a receiver to ignore any signal that does not have the matching tone. This function is often advertised as a way to allow multiple users to share the same frequency and is also advertised as providing privacy – neither of these claims is actually true. Using Tone Decode causes a radio to only hear signals that have the matching tone, but if two users attempt to transmit on the same frequency at the same time, they will interfere with each other. This is the reason why nearly all radios capable of

Tone Decode include a “Monitor” button to allow users to briefly disable the Tone Decode function so they can see if the frequency is in use before transmitting. It is both rude and illegal to interfere with another station by transmitting while they are already using the same frequency. It is important that anyone who will be operating a radio using Tone Decode must be trained to always check that the frequency is clear before beginning a transmission. Tone

Decode may be useful for monitoring a community repeater where there are several different users when you are only interested hearing one specific group of users – but the use of Tone

Decode is NEVER NECESSARY and generally causes more problems than any other feature. If you have the wrong tone programmed, you won’t hear anyone – if someone else has the wrong tone programmed neither of you will hear each other. While the use of tone encode and decode is advertised as providing privacy (especially on cheap FRS/GMRS radios), this is completely untrue because any station that turns off Tone Decode will hear ALL the signals on that channel. These cheap FRS/GMRS radios usually are not capable of operating in Tone

Encode mode, so turning on “Tone” (or “privacy” or whatever name the manufacturer uses) puts these radios into Tone Decode mode. When using radios that do not separate these modes

(such as most FRS/GMRS radios) it is recommended to leave Tone turned off. Oddly enough using no tone at all provides the closest thing to privacy on these radios because you will hear everyone else but no one using any tone will hear you. For Part 90 use, avoid radios that do not separate the two different tone modes.

(c) There are 38 “standard” CTCSS tones. In addition to the standard tones, some manufacturers provide capability for additional tones, often bringing the total available number up to 50 different tones. Only the 38 standard tones are sure to work with all radios.

Ham radios and most commercial radios list tones by the actual audio frequency of the tone, such as “136.5”; older Motorola commercial radios used a number/letter code for each tone

(4Z is the code for the tone 136.5). Most cheap FRS/GMRS radios simply number their tones.

These numbers are not always uniform across all manufacturers but most do use the same numbers for the same tones (Tone 21 is the usual number for 136.5). You will sometimes find a list of the available tones and the number assigned to each tone in the User Manual for a FRS/

GMRS radio or on the manufacturer’s website. The table online at Wikipedia gives the standard tones and their matching Motorola codes and common FRS/GMRS tone numbers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CTCSS

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REACT Field Operations Guide

(2) DCS (Digitally Coded Squelch) is also called DPL (Digital PL, which are Motorola trademark names for the feature). Although the technology is different, DCS functions exactly the same as CTCSS except that the radios use a digital code embedded in the signal instead of a subaudible tone. Some inexpensive commercial radios handle DCS the same way as the cheap

FRS/GMRS radios where encode is only available combined when combined with decode. The same cautions about monitoring the frequency before transmitting apply when using DCS. DCS codes are normally given as a 3 digit number (often preceded by the letter D to make it clear the number is not a CTCSS tone). On most radios, the DCS codes may be programmed as

“Normal” or “Inverted” so if the information for a station lists just a DCS code number and programming the “normal” code does not work, try programming the “inverted” code.

(3) Split Tone and/or Split DCS. Some radios are only capable of using the same tone or same code for both encode or decode because this is almost always how these features are used. Some radios are capable of setting a different tone or code on transmit (encode) from the tone or code used on receive (decode). This feature is never used for simplex communications, but can be useful if you are using one of the very few repeaters that use a different tone on its output from the tone required to access the repeater. This feature is never necessary, and rarely useful, but it doesn’t hurt to have it.

(4) Alpha Numeric Display. This feature is available on most modern mobile radios and many handheld radios, especially those that have a large number of memory channels. An alpha-numeric display allows you to program a name for each memory channel programmed in the radio. This can be very helpful when the operator needs to switch to a channel they don’t use regularly; but to achieve this convenience you need to ensure that everyone uses the same names. Most alphanumeric displays allow 6 to 9 characters for the name, so you will usually need to abbreviate. Some allow only letters and numbers, some allow a few symbols. Some allow upper case only; others allow upper and lower case. If your members use several different radios, you may want to choose names that fit within the limits of the smallest display.

An alpha-numeric display is not absolutely essential, but it is a very desirable feature on any radio, especially those with a large number of memory channels.

(a) What names to use is something that each Team or Council will need to decide for themselves, usually in coordination with the agencies they serve. It only causes confusion if you have “F1” for your primary Team frequency, while you work with an agency that also calls one of their channels “F1”. If you have permission to program your radios for another agency’s frequencies you probably need to try to include the agency in the name you assign that channel. For example, you might have a channel named “RC 1” for a channel that

Red Cross calls their channel 1, and you might have “SAR 1” and “SAR 2” for the two channels used by your local Search & Rescue Team.

(b) It is important to maintain a list of the channel name, frequency, offset, tone, and any other programming information for all team radios. This will be important any time a radio needs to be programmed and will also enable you to translate your names into usable information when working with another agency, another REACT Team, or any local volunteers.

REACT International, Inc.

REACT Field Operations Guide

(5) Frequency coverage. Many years ago radios rarely covered a wide range of frequencies – early commercial radios typically didn’t even cover an entire single band. For example, VHF radios typically came in three or four different models of the same radio to cover the range. As technology improved radios typically covered one complete band. Today radios are available that cover both VHF-High and UHF with coverage of 136-174 MHz and 400-480 or even 400-520 MHz. Used radios with limited frequency coverage are still available at very low prices, but it is important to know which frequency range a particular radio can cover. Teams and Councils should select radios that meet their frequency needs, but keep in mind that more isn’t always better, especially when the extended frequency range is beyond what you need.

Radios with wide frequency range are often more susceptible to interference from signals on other frequencies. This is especially a factor in urban areas where there are many different radios systems in a small area. Also keep in mind that just because a radio is capable of being programmed for a particular frequency does not mean that the radio is approved for use on that frequency. Always check the FCC approvals for any radio you are considering for Team or

Council use.

(a) Most amateur radios come with extended receive frequency range far beyond the amateur bands. This extended receive capability allows these radios to be used to listen to stations in other radio services. Many of these radios can be easily modified to transmit on all or most of the extended frequency range – in the United States it is perfectly legal to modify an amateur radio so that it is capable of transmitting outside the amateur bands, however it is illegal to use such a modified radio to transmit on non-amateur frequencies regulated by the FCC. The only non-amateur frequencies where modified amateur radios are allowed to transmit are MARS (Military Affiliate Radio System) and CAP (Civil Air

Patrol) frequencies which are allocated to and regulated by the Department of Defense. Proper authorization is required to use these frequencies.

(b) Some radios come with extended receive coverage for modes that the radio lacks any capability to transmit. The most common example is “Air Band” VHF coverage around

108-137 MHz. Such radios typically include circuitry to receive the Amplitude Modulation (AM) used by aircraft on these frequencies but generally are not capable of transmitting AM. A few radios include the Air Band within their listed frequency range without having the circuitry needed to properly receive AM signals. It is unlikely that most REACT Teams would have any need to monitor aircraft frequencies, and even less likely that any REACT activity would need transmit capability on these frequencies. If you do have a need to monitor aircraft frequencies, ensure that the radio you plan to use is capable of receiving AM signals properly.

(c) It is possible to modify some FCC approved commercial radios to operate beyond their original frequency range. Any modification to the transmit capability of an FCC approved radio voids the FCC approval of the radio, not just for the extended coverage, but for all frequencies.

(6) Step. The step size determines how the radio determines the exact frequency.

When programming any modern radio, you can only enter frequencies that are an exact multiple of the step size. This helps to ensure than only valid frequencies can be entered.

Within the US, for most radio services other than the Amateur Radio Service, frequencies are allocated by the FCC in specific increments. The step size selected in the radio needs to match the increment appropriate for the radio service. Up until the last few years, the smallest

REACT International, Inc.

REACT Field Operations Guide common step sizes were 5KHz and 12.5KHz. Since the introduction of “Narrowbanding” new frequencies are being allocated that require smaller step sizes. Any new radio today should include step sizes of both 2.5KHz and 6.25KHz – you will need both these new step sizes to ensure that the radio can be programmed for all frequencies being used today.

(7) Power output. This is one of the LEAST important factors in a VHF or UHF radio.

At these frequencies line of sight between the receiver and transmitter is the most significant factor in determining range. Increasing the effective radiated power (ERP) of a radio can usually be accomplished by using a better antenna; this is especially true of handheld radios which normally come with a “rubber duck” antenna that performs rather poorly. For both mobile and handheld radios for any antenna that is tuned for the proper frequency band, a physically longer antenna will generally work better. The ideal length for a VHF or Dual-Band

(VHF+UHF) antenna for a handheld radio is close to 19”. The typical 5-8” rubber duck is convenient but does not work very well. Handheld radios with a 4-5W power output will meet most of your needs for local communications – and 5W is the maximum power output allowed on most of the itinerant frequencies so there is little reason to look for more power. Handheld radios with slightly more power are available, but the small increase in power is rarely useful and tends to cut battery life considerably.

(8) "Dual" This and "Dual" That. Radios are frequently described using the word

"Dual" to describe certain functions. Dual generally means "two" but two what? The following paragraphs will describe some of the most common "dual" functions:

(a) Dual Band. This generally means that a radio is capable of operating on two distinct ranges of frequencies. As mentioned earlier, until several years ago, radios used to operate on a fairly narrow range of frequencies due to the hardware differences needed for widely different frequencies. With advances in digital technology and solid state devices performing many of the functions within a radio, each recent generation of radios has offered wider frequency coverage. The term "Dual Band" is most often applied to transceivers covering both the VHF-High Band and the UHF band. The earliest "Dual Band" transceivers were very nearly two radios in one box, with the result that many early "Dual Band" transceivers were capable of operating on both bands independently. The greater integration of components in today's "Dual Band" radios reduced the cost of such radios but has also reduced some of the functionality - especially in the least expensive "Dual Band" transceivers. (Note that the term

"Dual Band" is generally not applied to scanning receivers. A scanner covering the same range as a typical "Dual Band" transceiver would be advertised as covering at least 4, probably 5 or 6

"bands" because the scanner industry generally counts each block of frequencies allocated to a different radio service as being a different band. Thus on a scanner the 2 meter amateur band at 144-148MHz is counted separately from the "VHF" band about 150-175MHz despite the fact that the scanner covers these "bands" as one continuous range of frequencies.)

(b) Dual Receive. Early "Dual Band" radios could generally receive both bands at the same time because they had separate circuitry for each band. Today a Dual Band radio does not need to have separate circuits for each band. Without two sets of circuits, a radio can only receive one signal at a time. Since radios with two circuits cost more to build than a radio with only one circuit, generally the least expensive "Dual Band" radios are only capable of receiving one signal at a time. Radios that can receive both bands at the same time are

REACT International, Inc.

REACT Field Operations Guide described as "Dual Receive." The most recent "Dual Receive" transceivers are often capable of having both sets of circuitry operating in the same band, providing a capability described as

"V/U, V/V, U/U" indicating that the radio can operate with one circuit on VHF with the other on

UHF (V/U) or with both circuits on VHF (V/V) or both on UHF (U/U). Such a radio provides a great deal of flexibility in use.

(c) Dual Display. This simply means that the radio can display two different frequencies at the same time - regardless of whether or not the radio can actually operate on both the displayed frequencies. Generally "Dual Receive" radios are also "Dual Display" but having a dual display does not always mean that the radio is capable of dual receive. For example, the BaoFeng UV-5R is a very popular Dual Band handheld transceiver. This radio has a dual display but does not have dual receive. Dual Display might seem unnecessary without

Dual Receive; the usefulness of Dual Display in such radios is that the operator can easily switch between the two displayed frequencies. This is similar to the old Channel 9/19 switch found on some CB radios in that it allows you to change the channel with a single button.

(d) Dual Watch. This generally means that the radio can listen for signals on two frequencies at the same time. It is not quite the same as true "Dual Receive" because many radios that use "Dual Watch" do not actually listen to both frequencies simultaneously, but scan back and forth between the two frequencies until the radio picks up a signal on one of the frequencies. The problem with Dual Watch arises if both frequencies happen to have signals at the same time. Some manufacturers incorrectly use the term "Dual Receive" when the actual function is really Dual Watch. If you need true Dual Receive be sure to investigate how the function actually works on any radio you are considering. Some radios with Dual

Watch will simply stay listening to whichever frequency had a signal first. Other radios let you assign a priority to one channel as described below.

(e) Priority Watch or Priority Scan. This is not a "Dual" function, but it is covered here because it is closely related to Dual Watch. This feature allows you to assign a

'priority' to one frequency, and then while the radio is receiving on another channel it will continue to sample the priority channel at a specific interval. If it finds a signal on the priority channel, the radio will immediately switch to that channel. This still isn't as useful as true Dual

Receive but it does ensure that you won't miss much of any signal on the priority channel. One of the side effects of the Priority feature is that each time the receiver checks the priority channel it isn't listening to the channel you are already on. Depending on the speed of the digital circuitry in the radio this may produce an audible click or dropout each time the radio checks the priority channel. You generally cannot change the speed at which the radio checks the priority channel some radios check the priority channel more quickly and/or more frequently than others. On some radios, checking the "Priority" channel may not work reliably if a Receive CTCSS tone or DCS code is programmed for that channel due to the extra time needed to recognize the tone or code.

(9) Paging and Signaling. Many radios include some system of paging or group signaling. Such systems include “2 tone” and “5 tone” paging and ANI (Automatic Number

Identification) as well as a variety of proprietary systems available only on specific brands of radios. While these functions could be useful in some situations, most are not implemented across enough brands and models to be practical when individual users will be providing their own radios. Adopting any of these signaling systems as a ‘standard’ for your Team or Council

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REACT Field Operations Guide will sharply limit the available choices among radios. If your Team regularly works closely with a specific agency that uses one of these signaling systems, it may be worthwhile to consider having one or more radios with the matching system.

5. Special FCC rules for emergencies: Two common myths exist that an “emergency” makes you exempt from all FCC regulations and that amateur radio operators are authorized to transmit on any frequency in an emergency. Actually each radio service has its own special regulations covering operation in an emergency. NONE of those emergency regulations provide any permission to use unapproved equipment in any radio service that requires FCC approval of equipment.

a. The Amateur Radio service has the broadest emergency authorization under the FCC rules. Subpart E of Part 97 contains two sections (97.403 & 97.405) covering Amateur Radio in emergencies. These sections permit a station to use “any means of radiocommunication at its disposal” when that station is in an actual emergency or providing aid to a station in an actual emergency. This is not the “Get Out Of Jail Free” card that many people think. These rules apply only when one of the stations is in a situation where assistance is needed for “the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.” These rules apply only in a genuine emergency, and only when normal communications systems are not available. Even when both conditions are met (which is rare) there is still a question about exactly how (or even if) these two sections apply to an

"amateur station" transmitting on the frequencies allocated to another radio service: since an

"amateur station" is defined as operating within the amateur radio service, how can the 97.403

& 97.405 apply outside the amateur radio service. Is a person operating an "amateur station" while transmitting on a Public Safety frequency or are they simply an unlicensed station transmitting without authorization? It has been impossible to get a completely definitive official answer from the FCC, but the consensus appears to be that when both conditions are met, out of band transmission isn’t legally authorized but the individual would almost certainly not be prosecuted for transmitting on an unauthorized frequency if they acted in good faith.

b. While some services have their own specific emergency rules, all non-amateur radio services used for two-way communication are covered by the general rule at Section 2.405

which says in part:

The licensee of any station (except amateur, standard broadcast, FM broadcast, noncommercial educational FM broadcast, or television broadcast) may, during a period of emergency in which normal communication facilities are disrupted as a result of hurricane, flood, earthquake, or similar disaster, utilize such station for emergency communication service in communicating in a manner other than that specified in the instrument of authorization: Provided:

. . .

(d) That in no event shall any station engage in emergency transmission on

frequencies other than, or with power in excess of, that specified in the instrument of

authorization or as otherwise expressly provided by the Commission, or by law.

c.

GMRS stations are covered by section 2.405 and also by 95.143:

§ 95.143 Managing a GMRS system in an emergency.

(a) The stations in a GMRS system must cease transmitting when the station operator of any station on the same channel is communicating an emergency message (concerning the immediate protection of property or the safety of someone's life).

(b) If necessary to communicate an emergency message from a station in a GMRS system, the licensee may permit:

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REACT Field Operations Guide

(1) Anyone to be the station operator (see § 95.179); and

(2) The station operator to communicate the emergency message to any radio station.

d. FRS and MURS stations are covered only by 2.405 because there is no special rule for

FRS or MURS in an emergency.

e. CB stations are covered by 2.405 and also by 95.418 (CB Rule 18):

§ 95.418 (CB Rule 18) How do I use my CB station in an emergency or to assist a traveler?

(a) You must at all times and on all channels, give priority to emergency communications.

(b) When you are directly participating in emergency communications, you do not have to comply with the rule about length of transmissions (CB Rule 16, § 95.416). You must obey all other rules.

(c) You may use your CB station for communications necessary to assist a traveler to reach a destination or to receive necessary services. When you are using your CB station to assist a traveler, you do not have to obey the rule about length of transmissions (CB Rule

16, § 95.416). You must obey all other rules.

(d) You may use your CB station to transmit one-way communications concerning highway conditions to assist travelers.

f.

Business Industrial and Public Safety stations licensed under Part 90 are covered by

2.405 and also by 90.407:

§90.407 Emergency communications.

The licensee of any station authorized under this part may, during a period of emergency in which the normal communication facilities are disrupted as a result of hurricane, flood, earthquake or similar disaster, utilize such station for emergency communications in a manner other than that specified in the station authorization or in the rules and regulations governing the operation of such stations. The Commission may at any time order the discontinuance of such special use of the authorized facilities.

6. Training. Training is what separates serious emergency communications operators from the spontaneous volunteers who show up in an emergency and mostly just get in the way. If you want your Team to be taken seriously by local officials and other organizations, training is the first step. Due to the wide variety of Teams, REACT International, Inc., does not require any specific training for all members. However Teams are strongly encouraged to examine their own local situation to determine what training is appropriate to meet their needs and to establish their own training standards for Team members. It is far more important to have as many members as possible all trained to the same standard rather than having just a few members who have completed every training course known to man.

a. FEMA Independent Study Courses. One of the most valuable training resources available to REACT Teams is the Independent Study program run by FEMA through the

Emergency Management Institute website http://www.training.fema.gov/is/

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers self-paced courses designed for people who have emergency management responsibilities and the general public. All are offered free-of-charge to those who qualify for enrollment.

FEMA’s Independent Study Program offers courses that support the nine mission areas identified by the National Preparedness Goal.

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Incident Management

Operational Planning

Disaster Logistics

Emergency Communications

Service to Disaster Victims

Continuity Programs

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REACT Field Operations Guide

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Public Disaster Communications

Integrated Preparedness

Hazard Mitigation

Enrollment in EMI courses is generally limited to U.S. residents; however, each year a limited number of international participants are accommodated

in EMI courses. To take a course at

EMI, applicants must meet the selection criteria and prerequisites specified for each course.

(1) Generally only US residents are authorized to complete EMI courses, including the online Independent Study Courses, however REACT International has made arrangements for REACT members outside the US to obtain a Student Identification Number to participate in the Independent Study Program. International members may contact the Region 9 director or

REACT Headquarters for more information.

(2) There are nearly two hundred online independent study courses available through the FEMA EMI website. A few of these courses are intended specifically for FEMA employees, and some are intended for professional Emergency Management personnel, but most are suitable for the general public. REACT members should review the list of available courses to see which courses are most appropriate to their Team and their local area.

(3) ICS Courses. There are four Independent Study Courses that are specifically considered ICS (Incident Command System) training. Completing these four courses is generally viewed as essential to be “NIMS compliant” under the National Incident Management System.

At the very minimum, each REACT Team in the US should have at least one member who has completed all four of the basic ICS courses and everyone should complete at least ICS-100 and

ICS-700. The four basic ICS courses are:

IS-100.b Introduction to Incident Command System, ICS-100 - (10/31/2013)

IS-200.b ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents - (10/31/2013)

IS-700.a National Incident Management System (NIMS) An Introduction - (10/31/2013)

IS-800.b National Response Framework, An Introduction - (10/31/2013)

Note that earlier versions of these four courses are outdated and not considered valid.

There are two addition ICS Courses, ICS-300 and ICS-400, but these courses are presented only as live classroom sessions taught by a qualified instructor. These courses are typically offered by state or large city Emergency Management Agencies for senior Emergency Management personnel. The course length is three days for ICS-300 and 2 days for ICS-400. The two courses are often conducted together as a one week program.

ICS-300: Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents

ICS-400 Advanced Incident Command System for Command and General Staff—Complex Incidents

It would be rare that any REACT member would have the opportunity to attend ICS-300 or -400 unless he or she was an Emergency Management professional.

(4) Other FEMA Independent Study Courses. Courses are available covering a wide variety of topics. Some courses are related to specific hazards such as earthquakes, floods, or hurricanes. Other courses are related to specific emergency functions, such as communications.

Some of the material will address issues above the level of local volunteers, but such material helps provide an understanding of the “big picture” as it relates to local operations. Some FEMA

Independent Study Courses likely to be useful to most REACT Teams include:

IS-802 Emergency Support Functions (ESF) #2 - Communications - (10/31/2013)

IS-5.a An Introduction to Hazardous Materials - (10/31/2013)

IS-15.b Special Events Contingency Planning for Public Safety Agencies - (10/31/2013)

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REACT Field Operations Guide

IS-22 Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness - (10/31/2013)

IS-55.a Household Hazardous Materials – A Guide for Citizens - (10/31/2013)

IS-244.b Developing and Managing Volunteers - (3/29/2013)

IS-288.a The Role of Voluntary Organizations in Emergency Management - (2/12/2015)

IS-394.a Protecting Your Home or Small Business From Disaster - (10/31/2013)

IS-559 Local Damage Assessment - (10/31/2013)

(5) Documenting course completion. There are only two valid ways to document having completed any of the FEMA Independent Study Courses.

(a) When a student successfully completes any of the online courses, he will receive an email link to print a certificate. Students can save a copy of the pdf file to their computer. Saving the pdf file to their computer makes it easier to print a copy whenever needed.

(b) FEMA keeps a permanent record of all courses each student completed.

This record includes both current and previous courses. Anyone who has completed one or more FEMA Independent Study Courses can submit a Transcript Request form to FEMA. FEMA will then send a printed list of all completed courses by postal mail. One copy of the transcript will automatically be sent to the student. Up to two additional printed copies will be sent to whatever address the student provides on the request form. REACT members are encouraged to have one transcript sent to REACT International, the other copy might be sent to their Team or a local agency.

(c) Only courses documented by either FEMA certificate or FEMA transcript will be recorded in a member’s training record at REACT International.

(d) Teams are encouraged to maintain their own record of the training completed by all Team members.

(b) Emergency Communications Training. Training for emergency communications operators is available through several different programs. REACT International offers its own

EmComm Training and Certification Program; the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) has a similar program for amateur radio operators; Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) organizations in several states and counties have developed their own Emergency

Communications training programs.

(1) REACT Emergency Communications Training & Certification Program. This is a primarily a self-study program intended for individual use. The training materials may be used in group study sessions organized by Teams or Councils. The training materials may be downloaded from the REACT International website at http://training.reactintl.org/Emcom/ and the Open Book version of the test can be taken online at http://training.reactintl.org/exam

All REACT members are encouraged to complete the REACT EmComm training program.

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REACT Field Operations Guide

(2) ARRL Emergency Communications Courses. The American Radio Relay League originally developed a three-level course to train Amateur Radio Operators in the principles of

Emergency Communications. The two upper levels of the course were subsequently consolidated into a single advanced level course. That advanced level course was later eliminated, with much of its content becoming part of their Public Service and Emergency

Communications Management for Radio Amateurs Course (EC-016). The basic level

Introduction to Emergency Communication Course (EC-001) is available through an online learning system. The cost of this course is $50 for ARRL members and $85 for non-members.

Despite the cost, this is an excellent course and is recommended for REACT members who are licensed Amateur Radio Operators. Information about the ARRL course is available on their website http://www.arrl.org

(3) State and local ARES Training Courses. The Amateur Radio Emergency Service

(ARES) is a program organized by the ARRL, but ARES groups in various locations have developed their own Emergency Communications training programs as alternatives or supplements to the ARRL courses. Teams and Councils are encouraged to check with the ARES personnel in their area to see what training programs are available.