1. Saratoga Amateur Radio Association
Two-Way Radio
Basics 102
Presented by the
Saratoga Amateur Radio Association
June 5, 2010
Follow-on to the ‘Two-Way Radio Basics’
class conducted on April 10, 2010
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

2. Agenda Questions and Answers Cheat Sheets The Sunday Night Net
Answers to questions from the April 24 Saratoga/WVC Disaster Excercise
Cheat Sheets
The Sunday Night Net
CERT Communications Plan
The Rest of the Story (Rob Vance)
PL/CTCSS Tones
Response to EOC Outage
Frequencies for Contingency Operations
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

3. Questions & Answers
How do I know if I’m getting into the K6SA repeater?
There are three possibilities.
Press and release the PTT switch:
If the repeater hasn’t been used for a while, it will respond with a verbal message or a CW ID.
Listen for the squelch tail and/or the courtesy tone.
Ask for a communications check:
“This is AE6PM for a communication check … anyone out there?”
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

4. Questions & Answers How do I change the HT transmitter power level?
The power level can usually be selected by using the keypad.
The choices are usually Low/Mid/High.
Lower power equates to longer battery life.
See the ‘Cheat Sheet’ or manual for your radio.
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

5. Questions & Answers How do I tell if I am operating simplex or duplex?
If you are operating simplex, you transmit and receive on the same frequency.
If you are operating duplex, you transmit on one frequency and receive on another.
Watch the frequency display on the HT.
If it changes when you press PTT, you are operating duplex.
If it doesn’t change, you are operating simplex.
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

6. (We are using FM. It’s different than AM or SSB.)
Questions & Answers
What happens when more than one person transmits?
If the signals are of equal strength, you’ll hear a ‘growling’ sound and not be able to understand either one.
If one signal is stronger than the other, you will only hear the stronger signal. You will not hear the weaker signal at all. This is called the ‘capture effect’.
(We are using FM. It’s different than AM or SSB.)
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

7. Questions & Answers What can be done to improve the antenna? Portable:
Longer/resonant whip antenna on the HT.
Add radials to the HT.
Fixed or mobile:
Magnetic mount antenna for the car or countertop.
Hanging antenna made from twinlead.
Ed Fong’s DBJ-1.
SVECS J-Pole.
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

8. Cheat Sheets
A simplified and condensed set of instructions for configuring the HT.
Borrow or make one for your HT.
Many are available for downloading:
Practice with it.
Laminate it.
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

9. Cheat Sheets Use what we covered on April 10 for guidance: Parameter
Duplex
Simplex
Frequency
Always
Offset
Never
PL Tone
Sometimes
Power Level
Optional
Yaesu WIRES
Disable it*
* See
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

10. 146.655 MHz, negative offset, 114.8 Hz PL
The Sunday Night Net
MHz, negative offset, Hz PL
Sunday, 9:00 P.M.
Check into the net whenever possible.
Verifies communication readiness:
HT still functions.
Battery is OK.
Settings for using the repeater are still valid.
You can reach the repeater from your location.
Provides some practice using the radio.
Keep up with local ham radio events.
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

11. CERT Communications Plan
The written ‘Saratoga CERT Communications Plan’ includes the following topics:
CERT Radio Communications Overview
Saratoga CERT Amateur Radio Deployment
Implementation
Radio Communications Equipment Initialization
Orientation and Training
Communications Procedures
Notification and Activation
Practice Drills
Communication Equipment
Interference Mitigation
Expendables and Maintenance
Spontaneous Volunteers
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010

12. The rest of the story …. Rob Vance will address:
The why and how of the PL/CTCSS tone.
How to respond to an EOC outage.
Frequencies for contingency operations.
Two-way basics 102
AE6PM 06/03/2010