09/20/2024

As ARRL continues the September series on National Preparedness Month, we turn to a critical element for radio amateurs and especially Amateur Radio Emergency Service� (ARES�) [1]volunteers: their station.�

Many hams have a home station from which we operate on a regular basis.� Is your station set up to operate or have the ability to operate off the grid or on alternate power sources?� There are many ways to set this up to run on battery power and could even be done temporarily if you don't have a permanent battery backup situation.��

ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, says it is easier than ever to have a backup. "With the new batteries out there, and solar technology both improving in quality and decreasing in price, building a resilient station is no longer difficult or expensive," he said.� Johnston encourages ham radio operators to think about powering more than just the radio on an alternate power source.� "Do you have lights that could run off the battery source?� Do you have an alternate power source for your computer?� What about your internet connection?� Is there a backup for it?" he asked.�

Johnston says backup generators are great but sometimes are only fed to certain circuits in your home.� Amateurs should test their ham station to ensure that it is powered by the generator.� If the whole house system does not power the station, a portable generator could be an option. The key is to test the system under blue sky conditions to ensure it works, check for RF noise, and potential power drop.��

Having backup antennas is also crucial. "Especially if we are dealing with storms, it may be useful to have alternate antennas on hand, especially for HF and VHF," said Johnston.��

SEE PREVIOUS STORIES:

https://www.arrl.org/news/national-preparedness-month-ensuring-family-safety [2]

https://www.arrl.org/news/resilience-through-amateur-radio-for-national-prepare dness-month[3]�

https://www.arrl.org/news/national-preparedness-month-have-a-go-kit�[4]


[1] http://www.arrl.org/ares
[2] https://www.arrl.org/news/national-preparedness-month-ensuring-family-safety
[3] https://www.arrl.org/news/resilience-through-amateur-radio-for-national-preparedness-month%C2%A0
[4] https://www.arrl.org/news/national-preparedness-month-have-a-go-kit

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