Emergency Communications Class

[indychad]

I'm in. Looking forward to it. Better to have the knowledge and not need it, than need it and not have it. When I get done with the class, my radio will go home with me and get set aside. I have way to many honey-do items on my list. I might even speed on my way to the class.....thats right, something illegal.

 

[acarnahan]

Signed up. This sounds really interesting

 

[Sailor]

Clarification:

(c) As used in this section, "police radio" means a radio that is capable of sending or receiving signals transmitted on frequencies assigned by the Federal Communications Commission for police emergency purposes and that:
(1) can be installed, maintained, or operated in a vehicle; or
(2) can be operated while it is being carried by an individual.

Smart phones are radio's capable of receiving police traffic. Whether or not you download the scanner app software or not it is capable.

So far all programmed areas have zero police freq's. Most all have gone digital/encrypted.

 

[ricochet22]

What frequencies do the public schools use? It would be nice to be able to keep tabs on the goings on at my kids schools

 

[bb37]

Richochet, it depends on the school system. And, it may take some research to determine what frequencies your local schools are using. The database at RadioReference.com is good place to start.

In my town, the school system has a police force separate from the town police. The school police are sworn officers, have unit IDs in the county communications and dispatch systems, and use the county radio talkgroups. That same school system has a handful of conventional UHF frequencies that they use for school busses, maintenance, and coordinaton at large events such as football games.

As an aside, I also know that my county emergency management agency has been visiting the school systems in the county to talk about how they would handle a Sandy Hook type of incident. They are covering evacuation plans, transportation, notification, turning kids over to their parents, as well as dealing with an possible active shooter inside a school building. School officials are waking up to the fact that Sandy Hook could happen anywhere.

 

[Sailor]

I include your school system if available. Most of the traffic revolves around the bus routes.

 

[ricochet22]

Richochet, it depends on the school system. And, it may take some research to determine what frequencies your local schools are using. The database at RadioReference.com is good place to start.

Thanks, I check the site. Appreciate the tip.

 

[acarnahan]

The initial post says we are to email our name, address, etc to Jeff Lewis. Does anyone have his email address? I got a confirmation from AGS but no contact info.

 

[Sailor]

There is a link in the AGS registration, but you can just PM me here.

BTW, I am probably going to have a pre-meeting via skype for this class. Some portions of the class will benefit from watching me work some software and demo some equipment, this will be a test run doing this on skype. Date and time to be announced.

 

[Sailor]

Fort Wayne class is 3/4 full.

Camden class still has some room.

I will be adding a remote class by video with follow up live via Skype later this summer.

Class in Indy in the fall.

 

[Kokomo1]

What frequencies do the public schools use? It would be nice to be able to keep tabs on the goings on at my kids schools

Working at a school, I can say the traffic on a school radio is the most useless and annoying traffic there is. The McDonald's drive thru is more interesting. I happily volunteered to give up my radio when we needed to buy new ones due to the narrow banding requirements.

 

[Sailor]

Working at a school, I can say the traffic on a school radio is the most useless and annoying traffic there is. The McDonald's drive thru is more interesting. I happily volunteered to give up my radio when we needed to buy new ones due to the narrow banding requirements.

The only thing interesting I have heard revolves around the buses. Accidents with them, fights, road closures and rerouting etc.

 

[Sailor]

Class was this morning, 17 students now have an emcomm plan for their groups. Great group of guys and gal. I am looking forward to helping them further as they need it.

 

[Shovelhead]

My brother and I attended the class. The majority of the class was directed at gathering information, it was well worth the cost of the class. I do intend on obtaining my license and well aware that I am not legally allowed to transmit unless it is a life or death situation. It was also well worth the opportunity to find, meet and get in touch with like minded people. For all the ham radio purists, you may pull your panties out and have no worry that this class enabled us to step on your hobby. If and when I transmit before I am "legally" allowed to do so, it will be in the spirit and need of John McClain "
Fine! Report me! Come the f*%@ down here and arrest me

 

[teddy12b]

I also attended the class and I'm very glad that I did. I was a blank slate when I arrived and didn't even know enough about what I was looking at regarding emergency comms to know where to start. Now I've got a better idea of where to start looking, and how much effort I need to put towards it. Many of the guys got up very early and drove several hours to attend this class and I think that speaks volumes for the material and the teacher.

I'll also say that I was very glad that we didn't have any wesboro baptist ham radio purists show up with signs whining and moaning. Nothing happened in the class that was illegal and nobody was harmed.

I walked away from the class very impressed and thankful that I'd been taking notes. I feel better about my situation in the future if I ever need to contact my family from distance. I also walked away from the class wondering how anyone could honestly try to consider themselves prepared but didn't want to spend a few hours on a saturday gaining a wealth of information with such a minimal effort.

If you didn't attend this class, you were wrong. Attend the next one.