Emergency Communication?

[thercman]

Emergencies are a primary reason for me to get into HAM and after many days trying to figure out what type of radio I need/want it occurred to me as I was make a spread sheet of radio features that local emergency and government agencies all transmit on 154-159 and 453-460. Since amateur radios transmit on 144-148 and 420-450 how do you contact emergency services? Do they monitor those frequencies? Is there a feature on the radios (emergency channel?) thanks

 

[RatsoW8]

The simple version is: In a true emergency or even a drill, hams would likely sit side by side with local government operators in an EOC and pass traffic face to face. Hams in the field would communicate with the hams in the EOC.

When Skywarn is activated here the local NWS has a ham station set up at their facility and communicates directly with other hams through the locked down repeater.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Ratsow8 is right. Hams do not contact emergency services directly on their frequencies but set up amateur stations at key points like police/EMS offices and hospitals etc.

An exception to this in during an emergency involving military or coast guard. I can only speak from experience I have had here mind you. In the wake of the Swiss Air crash here in 1998 hams were activated to provide emergency communications. Since we may not operate outside the amateur bands but military and coast guard may operate inside our bands during an emergency the Canadian navy ships as well as coast guard ships operated inside our 2m and 40m bands using the name of the vessels as their designators. An exchange would be like " VE1XYZ, CCGS Edward Cornwallis with traffic." Or "HMCS Provider, VE1XYZ".

 

[KW4HKY]

The simple version is: In a true emergency or even a drill, hams would likely sit side by side with local government operators in an EOC and pass traffic face to face. Hams in the field would communicate with the hams in the EOC.

When Skywarn is activated here the local NWS has a ham station set up at their facility and communicates directly with other hams through the locked down repeater.

Correct

 

[thercman]

So what about a personal emergency? Hypothetically speaking, say I am camping and a bear chews off part of my leg. (it could happen lol) I tie a tourniquet to slow/stop the bleeding etc. then crawl to my car and access my rig or use my HT throughout the mobile cross band repeater. So I would just relay that to another person hoping they will call 911 and get the medics to me? That kind of seems like a major flaw in the design application. You would think that at least one frequency be allotted to that type of scenario...

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

So what about a personal emergency? Hypothetically speaking, say I am camping and a bear chews off part of my leg. (it could happen lol) I tie a tourniquet to slow/stop the bleeding etc. then crawl to my car and access my rig or use my HT throughout the mobile cross band repeater. So I would just relay that to another person hoping they will call 911 and get the medics to me? That kind of seems like a major flaw in the design application. You would think that at least one frequency be allotted to that type of scenario...

The law is pretty explicit in this case. An amateur may NOT operate out of band even in an emergency UNLESS all other means of communications have been exhausted. This means if you have a cell phone and have service then use it. if you have a ham radio then you MUST attempt to contact someone inside the band first before even attempting to operate outside the band. it is this way to avoid all the mayhem from someone just jumping onto the local sherriff's frequency first. There have been cases where well meaning but ill thinking amateurs have been reprimanded for operating on emergency frequencies first before going the proper route. An exception is in the state of Alaska where 5.1675 MHz is available to amateurs and any other person for emergency communications.

 

[thercman]

Thanks... Where I camp there is no cell phone reception etc.. So other HAMS first then emergency freq. got it. However, without doing a Mod will a factory radio even be capable of transmitting on other (emergency) frequencies?

 

[Mudfoot]

I think the Governments tongue lashing would be lessened once you show them your chewed off stump.

Either get a Part 90 rig or modifiy whatever you have and relish in your piece of mind by (hopefully) being able to transmit out of band in an "TRUE" emergency to summon help.

Receiving a fine or jail sentence is a small price to pay for saving a human life.