What is a Communications Plan?
For those of you who are prepping and have purchased radios or communications gear, you are definitely a step or two ahead of everyone else. Some of you have already setup and tested your gear. As you do, you learn about what works for you and what doesn't work. You have learned the limits and capabilities of the equipment you have purchased, while others have put it on a shelf thinking they will wait until disaster strikes before busting it out.
It is obvious to individuals like me that the procrastinators who haven’t tested their gear may have a tough time on the learning curve while under the stress of a situation. Those without gear will be worse off, as they will have a more difficult time trying to communicate. The rest of us will already be communicating and coordinating. Doing so requires planning though. Have you thought about how you will reach out to others? Have you written out a plan to communicate with others when the world goes sideways?
In this article, I will explain what an emergency communications plan is. I will give you an example plan, which I encourage you to use as a template. This article will focus mostly on the use of a plan for radio, such as amateur radio or GMRS radio, but don’t worry, I’ll give you some additional suggestions that might help if you don’t own any radio gear.
The Plan
When the stuff hits the fan, communication will be critical for gathering information. For example, you might want to check on a friend or relative without leaving your location. This is why having a radio is so important, but having the gear is just part of the equation. Each person you want to check on needs to know how and when to find you on the radio. Having a written communications plan will serve as a guide for how, when and with whom to communicate. Under the stress of circumstances it may be easy to forget specific details about a plan, increasing the chances of a communications failure. If everyone has a written and printed plan, the guesswork will be gone.
The plan should include details about when and where to meet on the airwaves. Each party needs to know exactly when to meet and which frequency to be on. The plan should also define the mode of communication, whether analogue or digital for example. My plan utilizes a series of communications windows. In other words, the plan has a procedure to follow if communication with the other party cannot be established the first time, specifying two additional times and frequencies to attempt.
Example
Party 1 and Party 2 shall meet on the radio using the following frequencies on the amateur radio bands at the following times, using analogue mode. This will be repeated every day following an emergency or disaster for the purpose of conducting a welfare check. If anyone misses the first time, continue through all three time slots until communication is established. If no contact is made during the window, continue the following days thereafter until communication is established.
146.520 MHz at 11:00AM
446.000 MHz at 11:15AM
144.500 MHz at 11:30AM
The example above is a generic model for a plan. Feel free to use this and modify it to your needs. If you want to add additional details such as the equipment to use, the call signs of each party in your plan or even the use of tactical call signs, then please do so. I simply want to impart the idea that a plan needs to be worked out and tested ahead of time. If cell phone service and internet is down, neither will be available for use to set up a meeting on the airwaves.
Consider incorporating the high frequency bands, digital modes and meshtastic into a plan. I am currently discussing the use of morse code, though it is something not everyone knows. Morse code can punch through noise like nothing else, it utilizes minimal bandwidth and can be used with low power. That’s its advantage over everything else.
Testing
As you write and establish the plan for your needs make sure you test your plan. Make sure whatever you choose works. There’s nothing worse than going through all these motions only to find out that it doesn’t work! You might find out that the frequency you chose to use with someone doesn’t work well due to line of sight issues. There could be something between locations that is blocking the signal. How will you overcome the obstacle? Finding a solution now will be easier than waiting until it is too late.
By the way, something I have discovered through my own testing is that digital modes use less bandwidth, resulting in less power consumption. The audio I receive using a digital mode is clearer too. The trade off is that digital radios can cost more money and everyone has to have one to use the mode. However, analogue radios cannot decode digital signals, which is another benefit of using digital modes. Think about incorporating digital radios and modes into your plan.
Other Things To Consider
There are some other things to consider for radio operators like myself. First, without the power grid, repeaters will go offline. Even repeaters using backup power may eventually go offline due to fuel ad energy shortages. Repeater owners may close their repeaters to anyone outside of their own circle of friends and family. If any of these happen, simplex operation will be the main method of local communication on the air. My suggestion is to start using simplex by inviting other operators to a simplex net. It doesn’t have to be a formal net. It can be informal, but begin using simplex with others so everyone knows when and where to meet. Incorporate the net into your plan if need be.
You’ll find out quick who can hear who and who may need to serve as a relay. I also suggest that you give each other signal reports, note each other’s locations and test how much power you and everyone is using. This information will be useful in knowing how well you can communicate with others around your area.
Second, consider having multiple radios of different types so that information can be gathered in multiple ways. In my article titled Backup Communications, I outlined different methods for backup communication. I wrote about having an AM/FM radio for information gathering from the Emergency Broadcast System. I also mention having a shortwave radio for gathering information from shortwave radio broadcasts. These broadcasts may be useful in obtaining information about a specific event and how it may be affecting larger areas around you. I recommend having these regardless of whether or not you are an amateur radio operator, CB radio operator or GMRS operator.
Last, consider having an out of state contact. If there’s an event, but cell phone service is still available (this may also work for satellite phone and texting services), an out of state contact will be able to facilitate the relay of information between friends and family members. Simply ask someone like a friend or relative living in another state if their phone number can be given to the people in your family in the event of an emergency. Tell them that if disaster strikes, people in the family will be calling them to check in and relay relevant information about relatives.
Conclusion
I hope I have given you a good start on developing your own communications plan. It’s a fairly simple concept to write and test. As with any form of communication, testing and practicing are a critical element but try to keep things simple. If the plan ever needs to be implemented, it needs to be easy to understand, execute and modify under the stress of a situation. Keep your plan(s) somewhere easily accessible so you can get it when you need it. In the meantime, keep praying for the best while preparing for the worst. Live the life you want to live and do the things that make you happy and most importantly, HAVE FUN. Operating in simplex is something I enjoy doing. It is fun. Thank You for reading.
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