INTRODUCTION TOFAMILY PREPAREDNESS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS/AMATEUR RADIO �Ontario Stake, Ontario Oregon

NEWEST MEMBER OF THE FAMILY:

• More organized than text messaging (e.g. multiple phone lists)
• Members can remove themselves easier
• We can remove members easier
• We can add members easier
• Members can control their notifications easier
• Can be used on a desktop computer
• Can send files from computer rather than loading to phone and then sending via sms or email
• Doesn’t require cell-service – can use internet and a desktop computer
• Aren’t hampered by texts not going through
• Much more organized
• Used by the Bishop’s Storehouse for keeping up on frequency shifts, band conditions
• Cuts down on having to look up phone info

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THE BIG PICTURE:

ONTARIO STAKE

• ~1,200 square miles in area
• ~57 miles furthest across
• 11 wards
• 1,888 families

Issues are:

Terrain, valleys, hills,

rivers, bridges, distances

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https://www.lds.org/maps/directory/

for maps

Best comms for stake & wards:

Cell>text>email>amateur radio

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1-2-3-3-3 Emergency Communications Plan

WITHIN ONE HOUR OF LOSS OF COMMUNCATIONS:

• STAKE AND WARD LEADERS ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER
• MEMBERS ENSURE THEIR FAMILIES ARE TAKEN CARE OF
• ERC SPECIALISTS CONTACT EACH OTHER ON 144.990MHZ

WITHIN TWO HOURS:

• LEADERS START ASSESSING NEEDS FOR MOST VULNERABLE IN THEIR STEWARDSHIP
• ERC SPECIALISTS ASSESS ISSUES IN STAKE AND WARDS (POWER, DAMAGE, ETC.)
• ERC SPECIALISTS DECIDE WHETHER RELOCATING IS NEEDED FOR COMMS, WHO IS MOST OPERATIONAL

(WHEN ACTIVATED)

• MEMBERS TUNE IN AT THE TOP OF EVERY THIRD HOUR (6AM, 9AM, 12PM, 3PM, 6PM, 9PM) TO STAKE FREQUENCY (144.990MHz)…

• …FOR THREE MINUTES TO SEE IF ANY INFORMATION IS BEING SENT, WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT IF THERE IS NO MESSAGE TRAFFIC WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME, (SAVES BATTERIES, CREATES A SCHEDULE AND PREDICTABILITY IN CHAOS)
• ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATIONS PLANS WILL BE COMMUNICATED AT THESE TIMES

WITHIN THREE HOURS:

• LEADERS DECIDE WHETHER TO UTILIZE ERC COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATE WITH ERC SPECIALISTS ON 144.990MHZ
• ERC SPECIALISTS DISCUSS ROTATION FOR COMMS FOR STAKES AND WARDS

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Why not CB's (Citizen's Band) Radio?

Low power (4W max)

Short range (3-20mi)

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Limited applications

(Voice only)

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*Few users (Peaked 1980’s)

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*No EMS/NOAA

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Why Not Walkie Talkies?�GMRS/FRS/MURS

Extremely short range

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Won’t handle stake terrain

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Cannot be modified

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Limited capability

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*Even fewer users

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*Very little support or parts

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Why not satellite Phones?

• Only work outdoors
• *Affected by severe weather
• *Limited versatility
• *Limited recipients
• *Limited users
• *No EMS/NOAA
• *Expensive to operate

Why not Starlink?

• *Controlled by 3^rd party.
• *Still requires infrastructure.
• *Priority may be restricted to certain users.

With amateur radio you will also be able to receive information from:

• NOAA – National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration – 162.400MHz
• Law Enforcement – scanner frequencies
• Other amateur radio operators (information comes through amateur radio faster than the internet around the world).

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SO! The Baofeng UV-5R

(“Handcart of Ham Radio”)

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• ~$17.00 / Amazon
• FM radio/EMS/ NOAA/VHF/UHF
• 1-5 mile transmit range out of the box.
• (Furthest was 87 miles across ground, and and 500 miles via Space Station into Texas)
• Easy to pack on foot, can be handed to others, long battery life, extremely versatile.
• Can equip entire family for price of a single other-brand radio.

< ABREE Tactical Antenna

On Amazon ~$11.00

Extends UV5R range

20-40 miles

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Nagoya 15” Antenna >

On Amazon ~$10.00

10-15 miles

My best on this ^^^ was 73 miles

From downtown Nampa in

A parking lot simplex to Sturgis Peak

On this was 73 miles to Silver City – War Eagle Repeater between

N7RWC (Russ Carey) by the Ontario Chapel and myself while I was mobile in ->>>>>

Nampa (crystal clear signal)

WHY GET AN AMATEUR RADIO LICENSE?

• You can use a radio in an emergency without a license
• But you won’t know where to tune in or how to listen
• Takes practice like any skills (driving, flying, hunting, athletics, etc).
• The more people we have the better it works
• Untrained people on the air -> chaos, disruption of services
• You can use it with your family ahead of time to prepare (camping, hiking…even at the mall or fairgrounds…my favorite, way faster than texting or waiting for it to ring, whole family reached at once)
• The Lord has counseled us to prepare spiritually and temporally
• FOR WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS AND NOTHING IS LEFT – YOU HAVE OPTIONS, FREEDOM, PEACE.

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TETON DAM DISASTER 1976

Order to evacuate given at 11:15am

11:55am – dam began collapsing

(40 minutes warning)

Loss of all communications (Elder Eyring)

The warning is being given now:

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“Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.” ~2025

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• Dam Failure
• Major Flooding
• Earthquake
• Wildfire & Smoke
• Extreme Heat & Drought
• Winter Storms
• Thunderstorms & Wind
• Transportation/Industrial Hazards
• Public Health Risks

Likely/possible disaster scenarios for Ontario Stake ranked for severity/impact

WE CAN SERVE AS A COMMUNICATIONS HUB FOR OTHER AREAS RELAYING MESSAGES AND INFO IF WE ARE OPERATIONAL

(Globally if we want to, we just have to prepare! We were asked

To do this for the Tonga disaster, to listen for SOS)

Amateur Radio Licenses

• “TECHNICIAN” – LOCAL
• Make local reports, relay messages, monitor EMS/NOAA, search and rescue with teams & local leaders

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• “GENERAL” – GLOBAL
• Contact Church HQ, storehouses, region, coordinate interstate shipments of relief, relay messages from other parts of the world

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• “AMATEUR EXTRA” – UNRESTRICTED* (Really cool stuff)

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Technician License:

• www.hamstudy.org (~$4 app, free online) or Ham Radio Prep (Free)
• Has test questions, answers and explanations
• ARRL Technician Study Manual (Spiral Bound) if you wish to read (~$29).
• 35 questions, multiple choice, no minimum age.
• $15 for test
• $35 for license.
• License good for 10 years.
• Test online at home on your computer or in person.
• A LICENSE TO LEARN!!!!
• GET YOUR CALL SIGN!!!

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Troublesshooting quiz with prizes!!

FAREWELL TO �K7BSL – “BEAR”��THE Original ERC Specialist Fruitland 2^nd Ward�

We will miss you (and your USMC radio voice)

�Help? – Join us most Sundays 144.990MHz 530PM MT�Contact your ward specialist:�Ontario 1^st – KK7LFE – Bro. Michael Callahan�Ontario 2^nd – N7RWC – Bro. Russ Carey�Ontario 3^rd – KK7KJM – Bro. Phil Montgomery�Fruitland 1^st – KK7LCE – President Eldredge�Fruitland 4^th – N7MDM – Matt Millican (Stake)�Fruitland 5^th – KE7EEP – Bro. Adam Atkinson �New Plymouth 1^st – KK7IHE – Sis. Lynna Lundy�New Plymouth 2^nd – KK7QYN – Sis. Dolly Grover�New Plymouth 3^rd – KK7TPM – Sis. Kathy Hardin �Bro. Turner KK7WDM – High Council, Bro. Montague N7RZM asst. Stake – Secretary – Sis. Shipley – KK7IWY�