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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