0. Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9
4/26/2017
Contra Costa County CERT Program
Unit 9 – FRS Radio
Released: 10 January 2016
Rev. 12 August 2011

1. Community Emergency Response Team
Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9
4/26/2017
Community Emergency Response Team
Personal safety is ALWAYS the number one priority
Work as a team
Wear personal protective equipment…gloves, helmet, goggles, N95 mask and boots
The CERT goal is to do the
Greatest Good for the Greatest Number
Hope for the best but plan for the worst
Rev. 12 August 2011

2. Disaster Communications
Communications for CERTS
Face-To-Face: vocal
Within Sight: signs and signals
Beyond Sight: runners and two-way radio

3. Basic CERT Disaster Communications
Team
CERT
Team
CERT
Incident Command
EOC

4. Sample DISASTER Communications Plan
Neighborhood Homes
Neighborhood Homes
Neighborhood FRS channel
FRS Ch. 9
Captains/ CERT Teams
Captains/ CERT Teams
GMRS
repeater
GMRS
repeater
Hams
Citizens
Professionals
EOC
County Dispatch
Law
Fire &
Medical
Enforcement
Rescue
& Relief

5. ABOUT FRS (Family Radio Service) RADIOS (No License Required)
Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9
4/26/2017
ABOUT FRS (Family Radio Service) RADIOS (No License Required)
Very low power, 1/2 watt ERP
Very low cost
No license required
Personal and business use OK
Channels 8-14 are FRS only; 14 total for FRS
Channels are GMRS only (ok to listen)
No external antennas allowed
Typical mile communication range
Rev. 12 August 2011

6. FRS/GMRS Radios
FRS – Family Radio Service A useful service for neighborhoods and short distances
GMRS – General Mobile Radio Service A radio service available on the small handie-talkies; family or operator should be licensed to transmit. Increased capabilities in this service, including repeaters. [Household Licenses at wireless.fcc.gov/uls, $65 for 5 years]
GMRS repeaters are in Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda.

7. SELECTING RADIOS: FRS/GMRS with 22 channels
Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9
4/26/2017
SELECTING RADIOS: FRS/GMRS with 22 channels
Recommended Model
MFG MODEL
Motorola MR355 R APPROX. PRICE $79.00 Pair (Amazon, 12/11/2015)
Motorola FRS/GMRS MR355R
Has capability of contact with GMRS repeaters
Supplied with rechargeable batteries; may also use AA alkaline cells.
Ignore “mileage” claims. Battery life is more important than transmit power.
Rev. 12 August 2011

8. FRS/GMRS Radio Features & Functions
Antenna
Off-On/Volume Control
Channel
Ear Phone Jack
Push To Talk Switch
Subchannel
Ring Tone
Monitor/Scan Key
Function Down Key
Function Up Key
Menu Key
Speaker/Microphone
Motorola Model MR355 R

9. Front Panel Closeup On- off/ volume Antenna Battery status
PTT: Push to talk
Channel
Sub-channel
“All-call” button
Channel scan Up
Down
Menu

10. Batteries
“AA” alkaline cells
Rechargeable
Rear cover

11. Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9
4/26/2017
FRS Channels
 Channel Frequency (MHz) Notes
    FRS/GMRS Shared FRS/GMRS Shared FRS/GMRS Shared FRS/GMRS Shared FRS/GMRS Shared FRS/GMRS Shared FRS/GMRS Shared FRS Only FRS Only FRS Only FRS Only FRS Only FRS Only FRS Only
(All channels are “simplex” . Radios transmit and receive on the same frequency.)
1-7 FRS shared with GMRS, no license if low power
8-14 MAXIMUM ½ Watt Low Power - NO LICENSE REQUIRED
Rev. 12 August 2011

12. GMRS Channels
Channel Frequency (MHz) Notes simplex R input R input R repeater input R input R input R (Moraga) input ; tone = 77Hz 21R (Orinda) input ; tone = 77Hz 22R (Lafayette) input ; tone = 77Hz

13. Selecting a channel - 1 To select a channel: Turn on radio
Note channel number in window
Press “Menu” once – BRIEFLY
Use + and – keys to move up or down from channel shown in window. Stop on selected channel and wait for blinking to stop.

14. Selecting a channel - 2
Look at small number under channel number; it should be “0” (zero)
If it is not, then press “Menu” twice, quickly. The small number will blink.
Use + and – keys to move down to “0”. Wait for the blinking to stop.
Your radio is now ready for communication.

15. FRS/GMRS Range
FRS/GMRS Range limits
GRMS repeater
“line of sight”

16. Using the radio
Select a channel – your team leader will tell which to use
Test the radio before you venture out
Make sure you can communicate with your team
It is not a cell-phone
To talk; hold radio 2”- 3” from mouth, press “PTT” button
To listen; let go of “PTT” button

17. Communicating
Listen!
Think what you are going to say before you press the PTT button.
Speak clearly, calmly, carefully.
Get the message across without a lot of words.

18. Radio Protocols - I Talking Calling another:
Use agreed-upon identifiers
“Team 3 this is Team Leader. Over”
Wait for response, which should be:
“Team leader this is Team 3. Over”
Or just
“Team 3. Over”
Speak in a normal tone of voice, and speak clearly!

19. Radio Protocols - II
You have made contact: exchange questions and answers in brief, clear language understandable to all who may listen
NO “10” codes or “11” codes!
NO CB jargon!
NO slang or ethnic / gender slurs
You are conveying important information to people you may neither know nor have worked with in the past

20. Radio Protocols - III Sample exchange
“Team A this is Team Leader -over”
“Team A – over”
“What is your location? – over”
“Corner of Moraga Way and Moraga Road – over”
“Check Safeway for damage and injuries – over”
“Will check Safeway for damage and injuries.”
“Team A out”

21. Examples of FRS Channel Allocations
Ch. 8, Neighborhood channels
Ch. 9 Emergency messages for relay
Message passing between CERT and EOC/hams
(Is it a life-threatening emergency?)
(Is it a major calamity emergency?)

22. CERT FRS Communications
Non-Disaster FRS Communications
Channel allocations: Channels 8 – 14
Sub-channel (PL Tone, Privacy code) as directed by the team leader
Remember, all team radios need to be set to the same channel and subchannel

23. CERT Radio Communications
GMRS Repeater Communications
Moraga GMRS repeater: Ch. 20R
Orinda GMRS repeater: Ch. 21R
Lafayette GMRS repeater: Ch. 22R
Use these repeaters for out-of-neighborhood communications. Use FRS for in-neighborhood communications.
[When you get your new MR355R, we’ll help with programming.]

24. Unit Summary
Standard forms of communication not available, Radio is always available
FRS requires no license
FRS has short range
GMRS requires license, has longer range potential
Listen first, then speak clearly, calmly, carefully without using a lot of words
Use plain English, no codes
All team members must use the same channel

25. Questions?