One of the reasons that amateur radio exists at all is to provide emergency communications. Part §97.1, the very first section of the rules and regulations that govern amateur radio states that one of the basics of amateur radio is, “Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.”
With this in mind, all amateur radio operators should be familiar with disaster communications plans as they affect the operator’s geographic location. As a club, KARS has an obligation to serve our community as a communications tool during times of disaster. These disasters can be anything: weather related, HAZMAT situations, technological breakdowns, civil insurrections or hostile attacks on the country. Whenever communications failures, natural or manmade occur, amateur radio steps in to fill the gap.
For most operators, just having a contact and acquiring information to assist you in making good decisions for you and your family is invaluable.
By adding skills such as Winlink, amateur operators can assist in making health and welfare announcements for our neighbors, to providing critical communications for government and non-profit agencies providing assistance to our community during these times.
These are the frequencies applicable to KARS members to use during disasters:
Primary Repeater KT5TX 147.200 pl 141.3 +0.6 MHz
Backup Repeater NA5D 442.350 pl 131.8 +5 MHz
Primary Simplex Frequency 146.600
These are the frequencies utilized by ARES during disasters:
Ft. Bend Co. KD5HAL 145.490 pl 123.0 -0.6 MHz
Ft. Bend Co. B/U KD5HAL 444.525 pl 123.0 +5 MHz
Harris County WD5X * 147.000 pl 103.5 +0.6 MHz
*Monitor this repeater at the top of the hour for information
Harris Co. S/W W5BSA * 145.190 pl 123.0 -0.6 MHz
*Monitor this repeater on the half hour for information