AM / FM / NOAA RADIOS

Hand crank radios are considered an emergency kit essential by emergency authorities. The best emergency crank radios provide NOAA weather alerts, sustainable power, and light. In an age that we a virtually helpless without cell phones and the internet, these radios can be a beacon of hope when you need it most.

FRS/GMRS radios:  ​​

By: NEMCo October 17, 2018 Newletter.

FRS and GMRS are two overlapping radio services defined by the FCC.

FRS (Family Radio Service) is free, and no license is required. It offers a shorter range of operation averages of 0.5 to 1 mile due to low power and antenna restrictions.  
GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) covers a much farther range through higher power and the options of external antennas and repeater operation. However, it requires a license. The license is $65 for 10 years with a simple, online application. There is no exam. The license covers your entire “family.”   The word family here is defined broadly.  For example, it extends to step-grandchildren and in-laws.

Both services have access to all 22 channels, but there are differences in permitted transmission power and FM deviation between services.  The channels are illustrated in the table above, where FM refers to a deviation of 5kHz and NFM means a deviation 2.5kHz.  What FM deviation means to you is, GMRS radios are going to sound about twice as loud and clear as FRS radios operating at the same power level on channels 15-22 and, consequently, GMRS radios will have a better signal-to-noise ratio.
There is also a label in the left-most column of the table above that says 15R-22R.  This introduces another difference between the FRS and GMRS services.  GMRS can operate on repeater receive frequencies, but FRS cannot.  
Repeaters use two frequencies, one on which they listen (receive) and one on which they talk (transmit).  FRS can only use the frequency on which the repeaters talk.  GMRS can use both and can talk to the repeater on the channel on which the repeater is listening.  What this means is that a GMRS operator will hear the FRS operator (without benefit of the repeater) and the FRS operator will hear the GMRS operator through the repeater.  Of course, if no repeater is available, the GMRS operator can change channel and now the FRS and GMRS operators can communicate on the channel reserved for repeater transmission.  Some places, you will see references to “all 30 channels” and this refers to all of the channels in Figure 2, including the 15R-22R repeater “listening channels”.
There are other regulation differences between FRS and GMRS.  FRS radios must use only permanently attached antennas, although there are table-top FRS “base station” radios that have whip antennas. This limitation intentionally restricts the range of communications, allowing greatest use of the available channels by the community.  GMRS does not have this restriction and can have detachable antennas that can be placed on a car top or roof.

Buying Guide (Not an official endorsement)!!!!
The choice of a FRS or GMRS radio can be bewildering.  Manufacturers do not help the situation.  Here are a few tips to help you get started.
  • Stick with Motorola or Midland – These are reputable manufacturers with extensive selections, and the CERT programs has pretty much standardized on them. If you have another make of radio, be advised that some manufacturers assign different channel numbers to same radio channel.  For example, Midland channel 1 is ICOM channel 9.
  • Don’t pay much attention to claims about transmission distance (packaging often indicates 30+ mile coverage) – These claims are for perfect conditions, such as over water and from mountain peak to mountain (line-of-sight).  We in the Pacific Northwest are rarely so lucky.  For the highest power GMRS radio, plan on a range of between ½ mile to 2 miles at best in an urban environment.  Remember, transmission power is not as important as using a good location and proper operating technique.
  • Plan on paying as much if not more for necessary accessories as for the radio.  Most radios come with a charging station, a single rechargeable battery, and an earphone.  Here are some other accessories you will want to add.  Count on paying about $15-$20 for each one of these.
    • An acoustic earphone/microphone – The earpieces that come with the radios are typically not very good.  You need a good earphone/microphone to operate hands-free in search and rescue situations.
    • Extra rechargeable battery and possibly an additional charger
    • An adapter for AA batteries if the radio does not accommodate AA batteries
    • A “battery eliminator,” which permits you to run your radio off of a cigarette lighter or automobile battery
    • If you have a GMRS radio, you will need an adapter from your radios antenna outlet to the standard OS-239 UHF connector found on most antennas.
Note that you can purchase all of these through many online stores, which gives you many opportunities to do comparison-shopping.
Much more on FRS/GMRS to come!!!!
Frequency list:
FRS1     462.5625
FRS2    462.5875
FRS3     462.6125
FRS4    462.6375
FRS5    462.6625
FRS6    462.6875
FRS7     462.7125
FRS8    467.5625
FRS9    767.5875
FRS10  467.6125
FRS11  467.6375
FRS12  467.6625
FRS13  467.6875
FRS14  467.7125
GMRS1 462.55
GMRS2 462.575
GMRS3  462.6
GMRS4  462.625
GMRS5  462.65
GMRS6  462.675
GMRS7   462.7
GMRS8  462.725

​If you want more information about NEMCo click here

Amateur / Ham Radio

In times of crisis and natural disasters, amateur radiois often used as a means of emergency communication when wireline, cell phones and other conventional means of communications fail. ... It is dispersed throughout a community without "choke points" such as cellular telephone sites that can be overloaded. This method of communication requires a FCC Amateur Radio Licence. 

Ham signal range varies widely based on the equipment and band you're using. A handheld unit might only get a few miles in some circumstances, while a base station on HF bands can bounce off the atmosphere to talk around the globe. With a 2 metre mobile radio in your car, you can talk directly to other hams 15 or 20 kilometres away. By operating through a repeater station, that same radio can reliably reach hundreds of kilometres. With an HF (high frequency) radio, you can reach the entire world...if the conditions are favorable
Here is a You-Tube that explains the Amateur Radio test - https://youtu.be/bYEzUbb07Mc
American Radio Relay League (ARRL) info: http://www.arrl.org/getting-your-technician-license
 
Classes to get an Amateur Licence: http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-class
Prepare for Exam: http://www.arrl.org/instruction-exam-practice-and-review
There are also ham exam prep apps for both iOS and Android tablets: For iOS: Ham Radio Exam , For Android:Ham Test Prep 
ARRL Study Guide: https://smile.amazon.com/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual-ebook/dp/B07DFSW94G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1547437835&sr=8-2&keywords=arrl+technician+class+license+manual
 
HAM CLUB in our Area LWHC:
http://www.lakewashingtonhamclub.org/
 
Here are links to Emergency Communications Teams in our region: