Amateur Radio Training:
Please see the "How
do
I get my
license?" web page if you are new to amateur radio and do not know where to
start. Use one of the
following options to find Classes to prepare you for and schedule the FCC test:
- Contact Doug Wilson, KH7DQ. He provides license preparation classes and can assist in
coordinaing your testing.
To inquire about class schedules and register, please send an email to the doucelle @
aol.com.
- Visit the Ham
Education.org Website.
Emergency Communication (EMCOMM) Training:
(Note: Links to EMCOMM forms are at the
bottom of this
webpage.)
Properly trained Emergency Communicators play an important role
in
disaster response
and recovery. Regardless of where you plan to volunteer, any organization will expect
you to
know how to
program, configure, and use your equipment as well as how to conduct yourself during an
emergency situation.
Prior training and participating in regular exercises is essential.
The Incident Command System (ICS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
courses
are recommended for
Amateur Radio operators who wish to volunteer to serve our communities during times of
emergency. They are often
listed as prerequisites for other courses.
* FEMA/EMI courses may require that you register for a FEMA SID before you can take the
final
exam.
NWS Skywarn, Skywarn Ham, and Weather Reporting:
The NWS Skywarn
Storm
Spotter program trains volunteers as "Weather spotters." After training
is complete, you can request a spotter ID number. Observations that fit their reporting
criteria are normally
phoned in to their Honolulu Field Office at 808 973-5286
Watch the NWS
Skywarn Weather
Spotter Training video by Matthew Foster, Meteorologist, National Weather
Service
Honolulu. (2021)
Skywarn Ham within the state of Hawaii is the amateur radio extension, which is stood up
when
severe weather that
impacts regular telephone and internet communications is expected. It is stood up
by
the NWS through their
ham coordinator, Kevin Bogan, AH6QO.
Skywarn spotter reports are fed to the NWS to help them in their preparation of reports
and
media "products" that
the NWS submits directly to the Emergency Management Agencies and to the public.
Other Weather Reporting:
Their may be other Amateur Radio Nets, not associted with the NWS or related to Skywarn
Ham
that request reports
from ham radio operators.
- Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency
Situation
Reports. SitReps may be
requested by ACS when nets are stood up. They typically involve the reporting of
dangerous conditions and
weather related damage, but can also be used as the "eyes and ears" of our Civil
Defense
Agency to assist
them in developing a common operating picture both before and after a severe weather
event.
- Nets on local Repeaters and frequencies. Informal (VHF) Nets
on
local repeaters and
frequencies can provide us all with situational awareness during adverse conditions.
These are encouraged.
- DEM/RACES/ARES (Oahu) May stand up a Weather Watch/Reporting net.
This
is often on the 40
meter band (7.090 MHz)
TIPS:
- It may be necessary to provide the same observations on more than one net, if the
observation fits the
criteria requested.
- As ham radio volunteers, request to be added to the email distribution list of each
group so you will know
when and where to get on the air when nets are stood up. (Local, ARES, ACS, Skywarn
Ham,
etc.)
- Listen on appropriate appropriate frequencies.
- Ask other amateur radio operators if they are aware of any nets being stood up.
- Take the Initiative: Reach out on appropriate Email distribution
lists
and frequencies to
inform others that a net may be needed. (biarc@mailman.qth.net, bigislandares@hawaiiares.groups.io, bigislandradio@groups.io)
DEM/RACES Forms: Hurricane
Report / Severe WX
Report (Adobe PDF)
Links to ICS Forms: (Adobe PDF)
(These are links to documents Published on or downloaded from
the
FEMA Website.)
FEMA ICS Forms
Page
ICS forms most relevant to EMCOMM Operators:
ICS forms are the standardized forms intended for use by non-profits, commercial
entities,
and governmental
organizations nationwide. They are provided here so that EMCOMM volunteers can become
familiar with each in
advance, so that an emergency situation is not your first exposure to using them.
| ICS Form
|
Name/Description/Purpose:
|
Typically Completed
By: |
| ICS-201 |
Incident Briefing: Provides an overview of the situation at hand,
hazards, objectives,
and the ORGANIZATIONAL Chart.
|
Incident Commander & Planning Section |
| ICS-205 |
Comm Plan. Listing of frequencies & modes planned for use in the current
operational period |
Planning Section or Communicaions Unit Lead (ComL) |
| ICS-205a |
Listing of operators (people) and contact information. |
Planning Section/ComL |
| ICS-213 |
General Message Form |
Radio Operators (RADOs) |
| ICS-214 |
Activity Log. Who was assigned? What was done? When? |
Leader of each Communications Unit (ComU) takes or delegates responsibility
|
| 309
|
Communications Log, Log all Radio Traffic (From, To, Time, Msg No, etc.)
|
All Radio Operators (RADOs) |
Links to Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency - ACS Forms: (Adobe PDF)
(These files are PDF versions of the on-line forms available from hawaiicert.org.)
- ACS SitRep / ACS
RFA / ACS
RFI / ACS
PISR
ACS Forms for Winlink.
The Hawaii County
Civil Defence Agency,
Auxilliary Communications Service (HCCDA/ACS) forms linked above are now part of
the
standard Winlink
forms package.
- When launching a new Winlink message, choose the select
template button at the top.
On the templates manager screen, look under Standard Templates, HI State Forms, HCDA
forms
and select the
appropriate form template as needed.
Note: The
receiving
station must have the
current version of the ACS forms installed on their computer for the forms to display
correctly. Please make
sure to launch your Winlink software on a regular basis and update the forms whenever
Winlink indicates that an
update is available.
|
