Ham radio - For Emergencies- LIFE SAFETY

[FJ40_owner]

As some of you know I have a fondness for the rules of the FCC. I feel it is important to abide by the power limitations set forth by the FCC as well as respect the various band plans. With that said I will broach a subject that may invite critism (SP) of me and what I am suggesting.

For those of you who are able to abide by the FCC rules of power and band plan have you ever considered that virtually all of the newer 2 meter radios will receive and transmit out of the ham band?

They are not FCC compliant but in an emergency if we can save a life it might not matter.

I suggest you expedition types and those that travel on the fringes of cell service and ham radio repeaters familiarise themselves with their local public service agencies, and the radio frequencies they operate on.

For example all of my radios include a freq for Calstar, Calcord, CHP extender, NASAR, EDSO, Clemars, CDF, and Life flight. I am not legally allowed to transmit there. Yet I have transmitted there many many time doing my job in search and rescue. I transmitted there under the auspices of a health and welfare emergency. Someone was in a medical distress and no one batted an eye. (I did not advertise that my radio was not fcc compliant - !!)

I am suggesting for those that are grown up to know that certain radio freq's are there for the public service agencies to be used by them and not be abused. But that in an emergency such as landing a helo transmitting on Calcord 155 MHZ would be OK.

I hope the jammers amoung us don't get the idea this is a good idea!

So go to Mods.dk and look your radio up. Most out of band mods are firmware only. You may blow away your current program but it will open your radio up and allow you to receive and transmit in an emergency to a public safety team.

Learn your local public service agencies freq's. At least be able to listen, and if you need to fly the bird you can reassure the pilot he has a safe LZ.

Flame on...

N6KML

[Capt. Jim]

Most of the public service use a different offset for their duplex channels. Others use a PL that will prevent you from being heard. Others are trunked and will prevent you from being heard.

Simplex may work the best. I have modified all of my 2m radios to go out of band, mainly for use in the Marine Freq Spectrum (156 mHz). Also modded several of my HF rigs to go out of band, for the same reasons you have mentioned above. Allowed my Yaesu ham transeiver to get on High Seas Marine Operator freqs, although rigs with VFO's are not allowed there. (You need fixed-channel selection).

It will work in a pinch as long as the PS system in place will allow you to be heard. 2M offsets can be changed on some radios to other than 600 kHz. PS radios go stolen/missing many times. They do compromise their freq. allocation. If your ham rig is used in an emergency, they may begin to wonder how you did it.

The law does indeed state any freq/any power/any operator in an emergency. I would still do it. Just realize without the correct parameters, you may not be heard.

edit: This coming from a guy who had a pirate radio station as a kid and got caught.

[vtcruiser60]

What about a designated sat phone for 911 emergencies?

[FJ40_owner]

Most of the public service use a different offset for their duplex channels. Others use a PL that will prevent you from being heard. Others are trunked and will prevent you from being heard.

Most of the agencies I mentioned in my post are simplex and do not use PL Encode. They are flat out in the open transmit/receive freqs. Repeaters and trunking are not to be messed with.

I wrote the post because of several recent SAR's that if the lost people just had a simple HH radio with a pocket full of AA batteries could have had them rescued much sooner.

The guys who were lost on Mt Hood at 10,000+ feet. They could have called the next state from 10K feet.
The Tahoe guys yesterday. H20 flew over them several times before they were spotted. "H20 H20, we're at your 10 oclock!!"

The guy in Oregon who died. Again there were helos in the area and while not overhead a helo at altitude is able to hear weak signals from a long way off.

I have talked to H24 on my HH when he was over Sacramento inbound to Loon Lake. On an active SAR!

I have no direct experience with a Sat phone. I know PismoJim had an issue at Rubithon one year.

They may not work under tree canopy and in fogg. Who knows.

I am advocating being prepared and an easy way to do so is as mentioned in my first post.

Happy hamming

BigJim

[Capt. Jim]

Pretty cool stuff. Good job on the SAR's.

I have friends who rent Sat phones when they go to the Bahamas, primarily for keeping in touch with their businesses while they're away. I think they would be good in an emergency, however, you cannot talk a helo into position like you can with a modded HT. Hoiwever, most rescue helos have marine VHF also.

Don't know for sure but I suspect a sat phone would be adversly affect by tree cover or canyons/mountains. Line of sight is needed I suspect.

[cruiser_guy]

What are the FCC regs concerning modding your radio for out of band transmission? I like to stay on the "straight and narrow" but here in Guatemala the off road club uses 155.55 as their frequency and that's a marine frequency.

I have not yet modded my radio but I am curious as to what the consequences would be if I did and got caught (not that I plan to transmit out of band at home since no one would be listening there anyways).

[e9999]

that's all good and well, and I've thought about doing it if legal, but also leaves out a couple of issues. Namely, you have to find the details of the mod for your specific model (less likely with newer ones), you have to be able and or willing to do it without destroying anything valuable in there, and maybe even consider that you will for sure have invalidated your factory warranty.

I've looked at the mod for my 7800. Found one source, although I don't know how reliable the description is. What if they show the wrong capacitor or diode? Unlikely I would be able to put it back on.

All this is workable, but not exactly obvious or trivial either.


Q: is there a designated "emergency" frequency on regular 2m?

[FJ40_owner]

The radio mods at mods.dk list most any radio made in the last twenty years. Most newer radios are modded by firmware. That is you press several buttons at the same time and the radio is ready to go.

If your radio manual says it is "Mars or Caps capable," the Mods.dk website will list your mod. It is the radio manufacturer who has allowed for the legal mod for "Mars Caps ability" Mars is/was used to pass military radio traffic around 150 MHZ, by hams for military families.(As I recall)

Cutting diodes or jumpers is another way some radio mods work. I have a friend who is a junior rocket engineer and amateur brain surgeon with a huge light and mag glass. He does these all the time and I drop a twenty on him to mod my radios that require surgery.

I have eight hand helds, from 1985 vintage to 2007, I own 8 base radios and all have been modded and work fine, out of band. (There is obviously much higher SWR on the HH's at the out of band freq's but I do not care.)

I am unable to address the legality of doing this. Like I said if the owners manual says it will do mars or Caps your radio mod is available from the manufacturer. Cutting diodes was for "qualified technitians" or factory reps to do. In the old days you would get a Mars certificate and send it and your radio into the manufacurer and they would do the mod.

Please remember I have suggested this for emergencies only. Not Jamming on the public service freq's. I talk above 155MHZ all the time. I am sanctioned there by the liscense holder of the freq I use.

If I am lost like the Tahoe guys yesterday and I have the ability to speak directly to H20 as it flies past me after two nights out in the teens I am going to do so. Same thing with CDF and the other agencies I listed in my OP.

Emergency only!

[FJ40_owner]

Originally Posted by Capt. Jim

Pretty cool stuff. Good job on the SAR's.

I have friends who rent Sat phones when they go to the Bahamas, primarily for keeping in touch with their businesses while they're away. I think they would be good in an emergency, however, you cannot talk a helo into position like you can with a modded HT. Hoiwever, most rescue helos have marine VHF also.

Don't know for sure but I suspect a sat phone would be adversly affect by tree cover or canyons/mountains. Line of sight is needed I suspect.

All CHP helos carry the full range of comm gear.

CB
Sat phone
low band vhf
VHF
UHF
GMRS
FRS

They use Lat Long, not UTM

For Rubicon users CHP and Calstar know most areas by landmark name, ie Walker hill, Buck Island etc.

[FJ40_owner]

Q: is there a designated "emergency" frequency on regular 2m?[/quote]

146.520 is the national calling frequency. Mostly monitored by use old guys with large gain antennas.
I scan there sometimes when travelling the freeway. But not considered an emergency freq.

If I were say in Death Valley and only had a 2 meter radio. Prior to the trip I would look up repeater pairs prior to the trip. If you knew the output freq but could not hit the repeater or you did not know the tone I would transmit on the output freq and state that in my message. Also climb up as high as you are able to. Be aware of your radio batteries state of charge.

"This is N6KML on the output with emergency traffic." Someone with a gain antenna may hear you.

73, de N6KML

[alvarorb]

Originally Posted by e9999

Namely, you have to find the details of the mod for your specific model (less likely with newer ones), you have to be able and or willing to do it without destroying anything valuable in there, and maybe even consider that you will for sure have invalidated your factory warranty.

Eric,

Not true.
My hand held can be modified by software. Our 2m radios are sold all over the world. Different countries have different band plans. Most manufacturers will have a US, Japan and European versions of their radios and another for the rest of the world.

Now days, it makes a lot more sense to make those band restrictions by software. Then all the radios are basically the same, but their firmware is a little different from region to region. This is a lot less expensive than having different parts inside a radio per country.

To modify older radios, most of the time all it takes is soldering or unsoldering a couple of jumpers. The savvy ham can get to it and modify it.

Regards

Alvaro

[e9999]

yes, of course, if it can be done by sotware that's great.
That probably does not even cover all models sold today, though.
Do you know how I can do that with the Yaesu 7800? Only read about removing a diode or something like that.
How about the 8800 you just got?

Originally Posted by alvarorb

Eric,

Not true.
My hand held can be modified by software. Our 2m radios are sold all over the world. Different countries have different band plans. Most manufacturers will have a US, Japan and European versions of their radios and another for the rest of the world.

Now days, it makes a lot more sense to make those band restrictions by software. Then all the radios are basically the same, but their firmware is a little different from region to region. This is a lot less expensive than having different parts inside a radio per country.

To modify older radios, most of the time all it takes is soldering or unsoldering a couple of jumpers. The savvy ham can get to it and modify it.

Regards

Alvaro

[Turkeypen]

Right on BigJim!

This is precisely why I became a ham. Our club uses FRS for club wheeling, but that is no good if we need emergency help (heart attack, serious injury, etc.) So, I became a Ham and am becoming familiar with the local net and repeater operations. This is also good for my cross state bicycling adventures.

In the East where I live, we are pretty much covered with ham repeaters and a good emergency traffick net, which lessens the need to access LEO. I am quite sure that if I hit one of our repeaters with "emergency traffick," the net will contact and relay info to EMS.

[alvarorb]

This page shows mods for many radios.

KB2LJJ Radio Mods Database and Manuals

Alvaro

[e9999]

Originally Posted by alvarorb

This page shows mods for many radios.

KB2LJJ Radio Mods Database and Manuals

Alvaro

yes, I've seen that, but both the 7800 and 8800 show the mod as being the removal of a jumper or diode. So how do I do the software mod?

[FJ40_owner]

I Originally Posted by FJ40_owner
There is a web sight that lists all mods.

Do a goggle search for "amateur mods" I think it is Mods.dk.

I checked today, a software mod is as follows

The FIRMWARE MOD.
Power off
push low power and D/MR at the same time you power up. Radio should be open.

I would check this out, but the mod may only remain active when the radio is on. Check it and then maybe do the hardware mod from the web sight.


JB

MY PM TO YOU IN October 2007
Quote:
Originally Posted by e9999
Hi N6:
do you have details about info on how to mod the Yaesu 7800? I did find one description on the web about removing a diode, but it was a bit sketchy...
thanks
Eric

I sent you the firmware mod in a PM in October. If I recall you called it a "hack."

[e9999]

Originally Posted by FJ40_owner

I Originally Posted by FJ40_owner
There is a web sight that lists all mods.

Do a goggle search for "amateur mods" I think it is Mods.dk.

I checked today, a software mod is as follows

The FIRMWARE MOD.
Power off
push low power and D/MR at the same time you power up. Radio should be open.

I would check this out, but the mod may only remain active when the radio is on. Check it and then maybe do the hardware mod from the web sight.


JB

MY PM TO YOU IN October 2007
Quote:
Originally Posted by e9999
Hi N6:
do you have details about info on how to mod the Yaesu 7800? I did find one description on the web about removing a diode, but it was a bit sketchy...
thanks
Eric

I sent you the firmware mod in a PM in October. If I recall you called it a "hack."

I hope I did not offend you by calling it a "hack".
I still don't see this D/MR button you said I should push on my radio...

I've signed on on mods.dk I'll see what they have.

[alvarorb]

Originally Posted by e9999

yes, I've seen that, but both the 7800 and 8800 show the mod as being the removal of a jumper or diode. So how do I do the software mod?

Eric,

It seems that our mobile rigs would require some soldering. I've not done it in ages, but it does not look too bad.
If I do it, I'll let you know how it goes.

Regards

Alvaro

[FJ40_owner]

Originally Posted by e9999

I hope I did not offend you by calling it a "hack".
I still don't see this D/MR button you said I should push on my radio...

I've signed on on mods.dk I'll see what they have.

No, no offense taken.

I have not seen the radio in person but isn't the MR button, memory recall?

Good luck.

JB

[Azrocks]

Originally Posted by alvarorb

Eric,

It seems that our mobile rigs would require some soldering. I've not done it in ages, but it does not look too bad.
If I do it, I'll let you know how it goes.

Regards

Alvaro

I haven't done it yet, but I've read that you can accomplish the same thing by crushing the diode with small pliars. No soldering needed. I have the 8900 and am going to do the mod soon. I'll post up pics.

There is no software mod for the 8800, 8900 as far as I know. They all require a hardware mod. The handheld VX-7R does have a software mod for extended RX/TX

[alvarorb]

Please let us know

Alvaro

Originally Posted by Azrocks

I haven't done it yet, but I've read that you can accomplish the same thing by crushing the diode with small pliars. No soldering needed. I have the 8900 and am going to do the mod soon. I'll post up pics.

[Kofoed]

If I remember correctly, in an emergency, the FCC Part 97 (amateur radio portion) allows you to use any amount of power, in any mode, on any freq to make contact.

That said, a "trick" is to mod the 440 band radios to tx out of band into the FRS freqs next door. You may need to narrow the FM deviation to communicate with the FRS radios. For demostration purposes only....

[Azrocks]

OK, I did the mod. I'll make a separate post to show what was involved.


Done!

[stu050]

Here in Australia, we are very lucky as we have the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The RFDS has a selection of HF frequencies that are monitored 24/7 and are called up by emergency selcall. The radios used to access this service are predominantly either Codan or Barrett HF units.

These units are quite sophisticated, when the emergency call button is activated, your details are transmitted to the RFDS. If you have a GPS connected to the HF, your position is also transmitted.
They can be used to make direct dial phone calls(using a telephone interconnect), or receive and send email (txt only)

These radios are not cheap, average price is around $3600 including antenna, but they are mil-spec radios, and lets face it, how much value do you put on your life?

For all the vast emptiness of Australia, utilising the RFDS and HF radio, the traveller is no more than 2 hours away from medical help wherever they are in Australia.

There are also other networks such as VKS737: The Australian HF Radio & Radio-Telephone Network ! This is the Australian National 4wd Radio network.
Also there is Radtel, HF Radio Network

Australia is very well set up when it comes to HF communications, with most of the emergency services available by direct selcall from your HF radio. Some networks have bases all over the country, so HF comms are very reliable.

Amateur or "ham" gear is not widely used by travellers here as it is not able to "wake up" any of the various base stations by using selcall. Ham gear is also not suited to rough travelling over corregated dirt roads or dusty environments.

Both Codan and Barrett have made available a upgrade to their radios to allow use of the amateur bands, which I believe is a much better solution for the hams on the road.

All that being said, in an emergency, any frequency that you can contact someone on is a good one to use. Fix the emergency first, then worry about legalities of frequencies.




.

[Miescha]

Not trying to dig up an old subject, but I tend to agree with the OP - I only have one problem: How the heck do I remember all the freqs in my radio? I monitor the local freqs at home and pretty well know those, but when I travel I like to add in all the freqs for the area I'll be driving through. I monitor them as I go, but in an emergency I don't know that I would remember all of them. My IC-7000 allows me to add an alpha tag to each memory entry, but I would need to access the memory list to see the alpha tag - it doesn't display during scan, unfortunately. Certainly doable, just a drawback on the IC-7000 (maybe other rigs allow display of the alpha tag during scanning).

Originally Posted by Capt. Jim

Most of the public service use a different offset for their duplex channels. Others use a PL that will prevent you from being heard. Others are trunked and will prevent you from being heard.

This may just be an issue with the IC-7000, but I had to set the offset and PL codes for each station just to be able to monitor them (a general scan of the band on FM didn't find them). The IC-7000 does allow full control of the offsets and PL codes for each memory station. I haven't had any reason to try transmitting, but I think they would hear me just fine.

I just wish someone made a weather-proof, compact, all-mode, all-band HT. I like the Yaesu vx-7 and upcomming vx-8, but they are FM only and don't cover the full spectrum.