Ham Radio Prep Insiders, we’re looking for your feedback!
Last summer we produced our HF Master Class course for those looking to get started making those DX contacts. That course started with your feedback on which radios to feature and the types of things you wanted to learn.
In 2024 we’re focusing on creation of an Emergency and Public Service communications course. Our vision is to provide the fundamentals to those people wanting to work with an ARES, RACES, AuxComm or REACT style group.
That covers a lot of ground, so as we’re just getting started on the syllabus we want to hear your feedback. What do you want from this type of course? What groups are you considering working with in your area? What type of equipment training do you need?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
A course simulating, as best we can, the case where a foreign enemy of the US attacks both the grid and the standard communication system would be very helpful given world events.
OK we’ll look at options there. Though we may build up to that by things like working on a parade.
A SKYWARN course would be EXTREMELY helpful! SKYWARN training may not land in your scope of intended subject material, but your style of teaching would be the perfect way to present some basic training for SKYWARN spotters that spot and report via local SKYWARN ham radio nets. There’s a lot of material out there, but it’s not always presented in an extremely organized fashion, or with any emphasis on the ham radio aspect, so that type of course might fill a current need in the community.
Thanks for the skywarn suggestion. Ultimately Skywarn, ARES, RACES, AuxComm, REACT, Search and Rescue, Hurricane Watch… all have some basic communications things that are important and universal. I think those things we can teach, enough to know the fundamentals, so you only need to learn the specialties of a particular group you want to work with. Still understanding how all that becomes a course, but it’s where our heads are at currently.
Using a parade is great idea but could you add in a power failure? I am being totally serious.
We’re looking at several different scenarios and levels of emergency communications including communications outages like during natural events (fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, etc). Thanks.
I’m a medically retired firefighter paramedic and before that I was an EOD tech, I think a course for this would be amazing based on my previous jobs and how nice it was to have normal people trained up to help.
Well, stay tuned, because this one is coming!
I would love to see HAM comms as relates to CERT operations. I am working toward setting up a local net as well as working with ARES/etc.
Absolutely! I believe you will find the coming course very interesting and useful!
Thanks to @N0XOR and @TRUYLE for the comments. We have most of the lessons written now. I really think it will be great for a brand new ham, just licensed, wanting to get into Ham Radio for the EmComm opportunities. TRUYLE to your point, there are key basics that need to be understood like Nets and FEMA courses that groups like CERT or ARES or AuxComm (etc) will expect you to know. Our course covers those.
That’s me! Haha if you need any beta testers I’m happy to buy the course and beta it!
Excellent. I am working toward my Tech (probably General as well) and planning to incorporate HAM into our local CERT. Please keep us posted - I look forward to it and would love to be a guinea pig.
Thanks! Will let you and @TRUYLE know if we need beta testers.
I plan on changing my current callsign soon. Looking forward to it.
Just completed the EmComm course, I thought it was really well done, and easy to follow. I really liked how the Public Service aspect feeds into the Emergency Comms areas. I learned alot from the course.
I truly appreciate you putting this course together. I am with Richmond County REACT in New York City. I just redid the team website at rcreact.org. Please let me know if there is anyway I can contribute to the project.
I am so new my Callsign is not even 20 hours old! I passed my Technician because of YOU! I am also a former Coast Guard Auxiliary officer and Coast Guard SAR Controller. I was also NYC CERT Brooklyn Borough Coordinator. Now I am with Richmond County REACT. I am certainly open to beta testing for you.