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EM 250-6 Workshop In Emergency Management:Amateur Radio Resources

What You Get: Over 28 pages including the Appendices with 44 pages.

See some Sample Test Questions

UNIT SCOPE

Unit 1 Amateur Radio - What is it? This unit will explain what amateur radio is, describe various amateur radio resources, and summarize the types of emergency communications provided by amateur radio resources.

Unit 2 Amateur Radio Communications: Equipment and Capabilities
This unit will summarize the various types of communications that amateur radio resources can offer, such as packet radio, HF radio, VHF/UHF radio, and amateur teletype over radio (AMTOR).

Unit 3 What is RACES? This unit will identify the benefits of using amateur radio resources and of establishing a RACES organization.

Unit 4 How to Establish a Successful RACES Organization This unit will examine how to establish a RACES organization, develop State and local plans for RACES, and develop and maintain an effective, working relationship with a RACES organization.

Unit 5 Legal and Regulatory Issues This unit will briefly summarize legal and regulatory issues related to the use of amateur radio resources. Also discussed will be Memorandums of Understanding and Mutual Aid Agreements between States and localities that agree to share RACES resources from their respective RACES organizations to assist a different State or locality.

Unit 6 What Now? This unit will recap what the workshop covered and attendees will evaluate their goals regarding using amateur resources and establishing a RACES organization. At the end of this unit, attendees will complete workshop evaluation forms.

Excerpt from APPENDIX 1:

COMMUNICATIONS TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

ANALOG vs. DIGITAL

Voice or sound waves transmitted over telephone lines are converted into electrical Analog waves. As the analog wave is transmitted over the telephone line, the strength of the signal fades. Amplifiers are placed in the line to counter this fading. However, amplifiers also intensify any other noise along the line. When the analog signal reaches the receiver, it is converted back into sound waves, which include the voice message as well as the line noise that was picked up in transmission.

To overcome background noise, analog signals are transmitted as Digital data. Digital signals also lose strength and pick up background noise in transmission. Repeaters along the transmission lines reshape the data bits and filter out the noise to prevent loss of information and to preserve the accuracy and clarity of the original signal. The digital signal is converted back first into an analog signal and then into sound at the receiver - without the background noise the analog signal would carry.

Digital radios work in much the same manner. The radio signals are transmitted as data bits. When these data bits reach the receiver, they are reshaped and converted back into sound. This sound, or voice, is much clearer than an analog radio transmission would be. The only drawback to digital transmission is that it requires a wider bandwidth than an analog signal.

SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS

The types of emergency communications Amateur radio operators can provide are

a. observe and relay traffic violations to law enforcement.
b. transmit sensitive government information.
c. supplement emergency communications if repeaters are down.
d. provide surveillance capabilities to law enforcement.

If budget constraints allow or after a disaster declaration is made, Amateur radio operations may be temporarily place on "paid status". True or False.

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Government publications used in this document have been electronically transcribed by
International Disaster/Fire Training Institute, Inc.
Sources used to develop these courses are public domain documents.