[KYHAM] ARES & Local Response

[Bill Fuqua]

  	Speaking of battery backup. How long will the battery backup run the 
repeater? Usually only for sort power outages. If it is designed for much 
longer outages then battery maintenance and cost become  problems due to 
the quantity and size of the batteries needed.
           Hams are a ingenious lot. There are ways of getting around 
problems. If you stop thinking of a repeater as a purchased box with 
duplexer and tower mounted antennas, you can easily come up with a 
substitute in an emergency.  For example, if the Lexington 147.165 repeater 
( located in Anderson Hall on UK campus) goes down due to damage to the 
building during a disaster. Two hams with  dual band mobile radios can go 
to the top of two parking structures or other high points separated 
sufficiently  so that one radio's transmissions will not overload the 
other.  One could receive on 147.765 and link to the other on 70cm which 
transmits on  147.165. Thus providing local repeater coverage. Some dual 
band transceivers offer this cross band RX-TX feature.
	And don't forget using HF.  It not only allows you to communicate outside 
of the affected area but with-in as well either by ground wave or by 
relaying messages thru stations receiving the sky wave.  Field day has been 
an excellent means of allowing hams to gain experience in setting up 
temporary HF stations. Digital modes Such as PSK31 are great because the 
allow reliable communications with minimal RF equipment.  And, don't rule 
out CW (the first digital mode) either. These modes reduce errors that can 
occur when using voice modes and a hard copy of the QSO can be retained.

73
Bill wa4lav



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