EMCOMM

Amateur radio has its roots in emergency traffic (EMCOMM) and derives justification from this. There have been many disasters in which radio amateurs have saved lives. In Germany, however, there have been very few incidents since the storm surge of 1962. In less developed, large-area countries, the situation for EMCOMM is quite different.

For many decades, the The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) viewed emergency radio only through the lens of support from the official emergency services. This has been a very narrow view, as relevant interntational regulations (Radio Regulations, Amateur Radio Act, and its implementing regulations) do not recognize this narrow perspective. Some national regulations might see it differently, though. The most important provision for EMCOMM is the lifting of the ban on third-party communication in emergencies and disasters: Under normal circumstances, we are only allowed to pass on information from radio amateurs to other radio amateurs.

The following texts have been written from a mostly German perspective. They might not be fully valid in other parts of IARU Region 1.

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The Analog Age

The central weak point in official emergency services radio used to be analog radio technology. Each department of any service had its own carefully planned radio island so that it could conduct its radio operations without outside disturbances. Amateur radio EMCOMM was important for bridges between these islands. To achieve this, amateur radio operators had to be able to transfer messages error-free and reliably via radio using voice or Morse code.

New Conditions in the Digital Age

These days integrated digital radio networks exist for government agencies and other official emergency services. Besidess the nationwide networks using TETRA etc., there are closed mobile radio networks. These allow for easy cross-connections between different services.

Our previous bridging function with EMCOMM is therefore superfluous – at least as long as the digital networks are functioning. The attitude of the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), fire departments, police, Red Cross etc. towards amateur radio EMCOMM is therefore often defensive. I can also understand every THW platoon leader who does not want anyone around during an operation, who has not received basic THW training.

This is, of course, well known, but is blatantly ignored. Amateur radio operators are still building emergency radio kits optimized for such operations. Such initiatives will most likely be in vain until the last TETRA stations fall silent due to a lack of emergency diesel power. We amateur radio operators should therefore focus on supporting the population, whose needs are rarely addressed in official disaster relief efforts.

No More Analog Telephone Networks

Until the introduction of ISDN in the 1990s, every normal telephone connection operated purely analogically and was powerd from the local exchange. To ensure that every telephone worked in an emergency, at least in Germany telephones were permanently connected for a very long time. Local exchanges had their own battery rooms to ensure the telephone network continued to function even during power outages.

With an ISDN connection, one telephone could continue to receive power from the local exchange. This meant that emergency calls were still possible during a power outage. This option disappeared when the telephone network was integrated into the Internet. Today, almost every landline phone is instantly dead in a power outage because as the subscriber's router is powered by the local power grid.

Mobile Networks Are No Alternative

In an emergency, mobile networks are no alternative: Many base have no sufficient backup power. Batteries, if they have them at all, provide power for a few hours of operation. Only a minority of base stations have backup generators, but their diesel reserves only last for a few days.

It can also be assumed that many people will try to use their cell phones in a power outage. Therefore, disruptions to mobile networks are to be expected.

What Can Radio Amateurs Do Today?

First, we must move away from the fixation on EMCOMM for official emergency services. Analog radio, especialy FM in he VHF/UHF bands, is useful to the extent that almost every radio amateur is equipped for it and there are many relay stations. Analog radio has the central problem that it only works with one radio amateur at the station. In digital radio, many things can operate unattended.

The need for change has probably become widely recognized by now. However, I have observed that most discussions begin in a vacuum and quickly become static. My contribution to grounding these discussions is EMCOMM Basic Facts.

Welfare Traffic

If we want to serve the public in emergencies, we can do so preferably in two ways. But we must take these steps long before the emergency occurs:

• We help those around us with internal communication, e.g., by procuring and configuring PMR/FRS radios and providing training.
• We create ways out of the information black hole that every power outage creates. There are many ways to do this, from shortwave radio to handheld radio to email transmission via Winlink.

I'm not talking about everyday, small-scale, and short-term power outages – these are perfectly normal, everyday occurrences that everyone has to deal with on their own. I am talking about widespread, prolonged power outages. What happens in such cases was evident a few years ago in Berlin Koepenick, when the power went out for 32 hours in a district of Berlin. Searching for "Koepenick Stromausfall" on YouTube will find many posts from various sources that often are translated automatically.

Write Off the Official Services Completely?

I see an opportunity when these services will approach us: When their own communications infrastructure collapses due to a lack of power. Even within these services, there is an understanding that this could happen relatively easily. Therefore, in many places, attempts are being made to keep the old analog technology functioning. This often goes against the express wishes of politicians.

As far as I know, a simple TETRA base station requires about 3 kW of power. Emergency power generators usually have diesel reserves for 2-3 days. I have my doubts that the diesel procurement will work in the event of a large-scale disaster. And what do you do, for example, at a central relay station on a mountain when a storm has knocked down numerous trees?

I propose therefore, to leverage a particular strength of amateur radio: We work with small systems that require little power. Typical examples:

• With US$ 3,000 and some power-saving measures, you can upgrade an FM relay for up to 20 days of off-grid operation.
• With a US$ 20 battery and a handheld radio, you're equipped for 20 days of standby operation.