[Mobile-Portable] Emergency Frequencies: was Want advice (long)

[Buck]

Hello to all. 
When I first replied about not using public safety frequencies I knew I
would be stirring up a hornets nest.  I had intended a more timely reply and
a better clarification of my statement but I have been unable to take time
to do so.

I know a number of you will disagree with me and how I strongly feel, but in
such instance I shall agree to disagree and not hold ill feelings or make
personal attacks or in any other way degrade you or declare you any less
person or ham than myself and those that agree.  While I say things as I see
them, they are none the less, my opinion.  Please don't try to read into
anything but rather, if there is a question, please ask as I believe this a
most important discussion for all of us here.

First of all, my full request is not to make a blanket statement that hams
are authorized to transmit on any desired frequency in a life or property
critical situation.  Not only is this not true, but it is a dangerous thing
to encourage this.

I have read the comments thus far and I don't disagree that if a person
finds an officer of the law or fire department down that the best and most
appropriate response might be to use his/her radio to call for immediate
assistance.  However, I believe one will have a better chance of winning the
lottery twice in a single year than ever in his life seeing that described
situation.  That being said, this isn't what I am opposed to.

There are a number of hams that are practicing and/or encouraging the
practice of buying rigs for and modifying rigs specifically so they can
operate on the police and fire frequencies so they have "reliable"
communications during a "life threatening" emergency.  

For the sake of discussion, there are two types of emergencies:  Personal
Emergencies and Area Disasters.  Personal emergencies involve the threat of
life of one or more persons in a small group such as a hunter accidentally
shooting himself in the woods alone, or a small plane crash with or without
passengers.  An area disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, the 9/11 attack
or an earthquake will often cause many personal emergencies.  In this
context, disasters relate to area wide emergencies and emergencies relate to
personal emergencies.

Part 97 relates to Amateur Radio Stations and Amateur Radio Operators.
Amateur Radio Operators are restricted to one of three license classes
within the Amateur Frequencies and to certain modes within those
frequencies.  I do not believe that the exceptions for emergencies is a
license to operate on the police frequencies, but the removal of
restrictions within the frequencies allocated to amateur radio.  For
example, in the US Navy, I was restricted from operating on the Amateur
bands using ship's equipment, however, when I heard a May Day call from a
boat on fire, I relayed communications to and from the coast guard to get
help.  (ignore the fact that I was military and could have gotten special
permission regardless of my amateur status).  Normally, part 97 forbids my
use of the ships transmitters for amateur communications.  Likewise,
novices, technicians, generals and advanced class operators would be
authorized to communicate on Extra class frequencies in order to handle
emergencies.   I am sure this part is not arguable.

Going back to the downed police officer, in that situation, it is obvious
that a person happens across an emergency and calls for help on the victim's
emergency radio.  It would be the most difficult task of a court to prove
ill intent on behalf of the Good Samaritan in that case.  

However, assume a ham buys a multi-band VHF/UHF rig that can be modified to
transmit on the county sheriff's frequency in an area he wishes to go
hiking.  In preparation for the hike, the ham modifies his radio to transmit
on the sheriff's frequency, programs in the transmit and receive frequencies
of the sheriff's repeater, programs in the private, sub-audible or digital
squelch tones to the sheriff's frequency and packs a cell phone.  During the
hike, the ham's buddy falls into a ravine and breaks his leg.  Being that
they are in the desert, the ham believes the friend will die if left alone
long enough for him to travel two days round trip for help.  Therefore the
ham tries the cell phone which is out of area, he tries the ham repeaters
that are too far to be reached, and then calls for help on the sheriff's
frequency - allegedly within his rights according to the fact rules.  As a
result, the sheriff's department responds and the sheriff arrests both
parties and confiscates all their ham equipment and demands that the FCC
revoke their licenses.  

According to the ham, they exausted all normal means of communications,
however, I don't believe that's the case.  First of all, the ham made
preparation to use the sheriff's frequency rather than HF or other amateur
frequencies.  I highly suspect that in their case, the ham will ultimately
fail in his attempt to justify using the sheriff's frequency.  I don't
believe that the ham and his buddy are bad people or that they should suffer
sever punishment.  I would hope it is no more than a night at the sheriff's
hotel and a $500 fine.  But I do believe a message needs to be made to STAY
OFF THE SHERIFF'S FREQUENCIES.

I don't claim to know anything about the sheriff's department where this
occurred.  What I say here is related in general about what I know from my
little experience.  A sheriff's department has a limited number of
frequencies to use.  There are generally very few so, with training, the
users of the frequencies learn how to communicate briefly, efficiently and
in between each other's calls.  Near me is a department with four
frequencies allocated.  It uses one for general dispatch, one for
inter-agency communications, one for local tactical and one for a backup as
needed.  The hams in the desert probably rendered the one frequency they
were on useless for normal communications during their emergency.  What
would have been handled on the telephone or other means of communications
was being handled inefficiently on the sheriff's frequency instead.  It is
safe to assume since there was no news about it, that the above mentioned
emergency did not disrupt anything else major going on with the sheriff.
However, if this had happened after a disaster such as an earthquake or
9/11, it would only take four such emergencies to practically shut down the
sheriff's communications system, or radically reduce its effectiveness.  God
forbid if there were 40 hams in a desert with similar rigs hurt in an
earthquake!

It is most commendable that hams that are modifying their rigs are preparing
for emergency situations.  I believe that emergency preparedness is a most
important part of ham radio.  But I believe that operating directly on
police, fire and ambulance or other frequencies during a personal emergency
or area disaster is a most dangerous practice, not only for the ham
involved, but for others who might not get service because of the
interruption caused by that communication.  

I grew up in a place that was too large to be called a town and too small
for me to be called a "city boy".  I can think of lots of remote places
around here in which one could get lost for a while, but, unless I were
caught in quick-sand, I would likely find a road or some form of
civilization in fairly short order.  While cell phones might not be
reliable, there are many ham repeaters that would probably be within reach
if I carried a high-gain antenna on my handi-talki.  I have experienced a
"desert" (far from civilization) experience, I am sure that those of you
living in and near those areas can think of ways to communicate reliably
using Ham Radio in similar situations.  

I just performed a small test.  At 12:30 am local time from here in Augusta,
GA, I called an emergency drill test on 20 meters on three popular
frequencies.  I received no response, but I did expect one.  Failing that, I
turned the power on my rig to 5 watts.  Using the 20 meter dipole located at
roof level (that's at street level since my house is in a hole) on 75
meters.  I called for response for an emergency test drill.  I received four
legible reports.  Two Georgia stations picked me up, one said I was 59, the
other said I was legible but it would take work getting my message through
the static crashes.  One station replied from North Carolina saying he could
have worked out the message with several tries, and one from Virginia said
he copied me 60% and could have worked out the message fairly easily.

I am working on setting up my Icom 706 to operate pedestrian portable as
well as mobile.  As a mobile, I can carry much more than as pedestrian so
being prepared for an emergency might be as simple as keeping a spool of
wire in my trunk 135 feet long with a connector for the back of my rig.  I
have in the past, rolled out a spool until the SWR dropped on 75 meters and
made successful communications to the state net during the simulated
emergency test sponsored by the ARRL many years ago.  I don't think it will
be as effective for 20 meters, but who knows what might work in an
emergency.  For pedestrian use, I am working on a home-brew buddy-pole type
antenna.  That will cover all but 80 meters, but 40 meters should be
sufficient for emergency communications at night, if not, it will probably
outperform the 20 meter antenna I just tested. 

What other preparations can you add that expect to provide reliable Amateur
communications in case of emergency when we are away from home?

If you believe out-of-band operations are acceptable, what alternatives can
you think of that might be usable outside of public-service emergency
frequencies?

There is an emergency distress frequency.  121.1 MHz, I believe.  What are
the rules concerning it's use and how effective might it be?  There is also
an Alaska Emergency Frequency (5167.5 kHz).  Could that be affective even if
not in Alaska?  What are some other options you can think of?

I have attempted to make a point that is important for all.  I know some of
you disagree, but I don't write this message to degrade you or your
importance to the hobby in any way.  It is great to be prepared for an
emergency or disaster when we are away from home, and those of us who
operate mobile and portable have an edge on that!

Thank you for reading and thank you for contributing to the discussion.

Buck
NA4FM