Emergency Communications Equipment

Disasters occur on a regular basis and can happen at any time.  Often disasters mean disruption of communications systems.  The disaster itself can degrade or destroy landline and cellular communications.  In cases like 9-11, cellular and satellite communications can be shutdown for security.  What communications may be left are quickly overloaded, not only for those directly affected by the disaster, but for those trying to assist.  This is where emergency communications systems (EMCOMMS) bridge the gap.

After contributing to my communities by running on two volunteer rescue squads as a Cardiac Emergency Medical Technician/fire fighter, doing Search and Rescue, having been a volunteer NCO in two state guards and a 300 plus hour volunteer instructor for the Red Cross, I'm expanding my service.  

So, now my volunteerism moves to (EMCOMMs) in order to provide contingency radio communications support to local, state, regional and Federal authorities during disasters, natural or man-made - anywhere in the US or the world where communications are significantly ddisrupted  - and in disaster preparedness training exercises to prepare for those eventualities.  By and by, I will take the knowledge and skills I gain back to my state guard unit to help enhance their training and readiness to serve our state and the nation.
These pictures were taken during the three weeks that I spent in Gulfport MS after Hurricane Katrina which knocked out landline and cellular communications.  EMCOMMs gets information in and out, helping authorities assess damage, getting access to help, connecting victims with their families outside of the disaster area.
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Preparing to get "stood-up" and operational - is both time intensive and finanically demanding.  

My goal is to procure state-of-the-art radios (base station and mobile modified to operate on EMCOMM's frequencies), antennas, linear amplifier, a computer-to-radio-attached data modem, test equipment (antenna analyzer, SWR meter, dummy load), a cubic yard of concrete as a base for my antenna tower, ancillary gear such as antenna feedline, buses and straps, wire, lightening arresters, ground rods, connectors, RF chokes, and all the other odds and ends necessary to stand-up an EMCOMM station. 

Once finances permit I need to acquire a dedicated workstation for data communications over high-frequency radio, a backup generator and batteries to allow extended operations during power outages and way down the road, a mobile platorm.   All this to augment and upgrade my very basic rig - and old radio a tower and an antenna.  
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Volunteering with some organizations isn't cheap as illustrated below.

Base and mobile radios

Alternate radio solution

Plus accessories


This is well beyond the tip of the iceburg and would be a good start, but there are still antennas, a dedicated computer, backup batteries, a generator, maybe some day a mobile communications platform and other items to procure on top of the above.


Please help.


Pounding in ground rods for my station.

Putting up the end support poles for my antenna and stringing the wire.