Emergency Comms Prep Guide

Workflow

1. 1

   Assess Coverage Requirements

   2 hours

   Map served agencies, repeaters, and simplex fallbacks for your jurisdiction.

   Repeater Range EstimatorPropagation Distance

   Show tips (2)
2. 2

   Build Link Budgets

   2 hours

   Calculate path loss and required EIRP for critical point-to-point links.

   Link Budget CalculatorFree Space Path LossEIRP Calculator

   Show tips (2)
3. 3

   Plan Power & Go-Kits

   3 hours

   Size batteries, solar, and generator runtime for 72-hour operations.

   Power Supply Current DrawEIRP Calculator

   Show tips (2)
4. 4

   Run Comm Drill

   4 hours

   Execute simulated outage net with message handling and backup paths.

   Repeater Range EstimatorSignal-to-Noise Ratio

   Show tips (2)
5. 5

   Review After-Action

   1 hour

   Document dead zones, equipment failures, and update channel plan.

   Link Budget Calculator

   Show tips (2)

Tools Used

• Link Budget Calculator
  Primary

  Model path loss and required power for emergency links.

• Repeater Range Estimator
  Primary

  Estimate repeater coverage for served facility locations.

• Free Space Path Loss
  Supporting

  Baseline path loss before terrain and clutter adjustments.

• EIRP Calculator
  Supporting

  Verify effective radiated power meets link budget target.

• Signal-to-Noise Ratio
  Reference

  Estimate copy reliability under noise during drills.

Reference Materials

• Practice Without Repeaters

  Drills should include simplex fallback when repeaters are congested or down.

• Plain Language First

  ICS agencies may not know Q-codes — use clear voice traffic.

• Battery Maintenance

  Deep-cycle batteries left discharged fail quickly — top off monthly.

Related Scenarios

• Repeater Operation Guide
  Ham RadioBeginner5 tools
• First Radio Setup
  Ham RadioBeginner5 tools
• Digital Modes Setup
  Ham RadioIntermediate5 tools