Anderson Powerpole Connectors
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Setting up ad-hoc operating locations can be a challenge, especially when a variety of different radios and peripherals are going to be utilized. Seldom are components interchangeable between brands, and often not even amongst radios from the same manufacturer. Microphone, antenna, and power connectors often vary. Seldom is there a reason to interchange microphones, and most all of us have the stash of adapters to convert antenna connections from PL-239 to N or SMA or BNC. But power connections can present more of an issue.
Different radio manufacturers use different power connectors. Power supplies, while newer ones have Anderson Powerpole (APP) connectors built in, often just have posts with thumbscrews, banana plugs, and a variety of others.
In the hustle of setting up radios, the greatest challenge, and potential hazard, is hooking up power. Antenna and Microphone connectors are either compatible or not so are not prone to being hooked up wrong. You might hook the wrong antenna up to the wrong radio, but an SWR check will let you know there is an issue. Hook up power wrong and the smoke escapes your gear and it never works right again. Not as bad, but still a possibility, is a power supply with connectors that don't match your radio, requiring cutting and splicing wires, introducing another possibility of incorrect power hook up.
Clearly there would be a benefit to having a standard power connector that eliminates the need for ad-hoc wiring and the risk of reverse-polarity power connections. Any connector capable of handling the current could be used, but everyone would need to agree. In EMCOMM/AUXCOM circles, the agreed upon connector has been the Anderson Powerpole (APP).
Molex Connectors were widely used in years gone by, but are known to not deal with the heat generated during heavy use, and the connectors would fuse together. While I've never personally experienced that, complaints about the connector came out after the September 11th attack and hurricane Katrina deployments. This seemed to be the catalyst to increase the push for standardization, and APP won the title; there are some good reasons why.
First, the connectors are gender-less, so you don't have to worry about keeping appropriate quantities of male or female connectors. They are keyed, so they are very difficult (if not impossible) to hook up backwards. They are color coded, which makes it easy to orient the connector properly. They are "Break-Away" connectors. There are three power ratings, yet the will still interconnect with each other.
The usefulness of keyed and color coded connectors is obvious, helping to protect us from letting the smoke out of our gear.
The APP connectors just snap together and will also come apart when pulled away from each other. The "Break-Away" feature may save gear from being yanked off a table of someone snags a power cable, which can sometimes happen when cables are draped across tables or the floor in quickly set up ad-hoc operations. It also makes for fast and easy install and removal of equipment.
Let's talk about the three power ratings. The connectors come in different sizes that are rated for 15, 30, and 45 amps (up to 24V). But, they are the same size, so will interconnect. So, your power supply may have a 45A APP connector while your VHF mobile radio may use less expensive 15A connectors, but they will still work together. While the three different amp ratings are physically compatible, they do have different metal conductors inside.
The biggest downside of APP is the cost. Not just the cost of the connectors, but the cost of the special crimping tool. It IS possible to make the connectors without the crimping tool, but it can be a bit frustrating. If possible, borrow a crimping tool from someone who has one. If not, the cost is a one-time expense, both for the crimping tool and for the one-time cost of connectors for each piece of equipment. A crimping tool can be had in the $25-$45 range as of 2024, Connectors range from $1 to $3 a pair.
Housings should be mated, viewed from the contact side (opposite the wire side), with the hood up, tongue down, RED on the LEFT, BLACK on the RIGHT.
Assembling the connectors can be a bit frustrating, as you must first crimp a wire to the metal conductor and then insert it into the housing. Quite often the conductor doesn't fully insert and will result in poor connections. The easiest way to ensure assembly is correct is to look down the side opposite the wire and ensure the inserted connector is snapped over the one built into the housing. If you see a "seam" where the two connectors meet then it is not properly assembled. Sometimes slipping a needle-nose in the wire side and pushing with some force will result in a nice loud "Snap!", or as I call it "The Powerpole Click".
Standardization of connectors makes for easier setup and breakdown of equipment and lower risk of equipment damage. If you're standardizing just for yourself, then other connector types may be more cost-effective for you. However, if you'll be participating in group activities with your equipment, EMCOMM or not, consider using APP to minimize the risk of your equipment power being improperly hooked up.
Linked Repeater Networks
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Many National Weather Service offices in the U.S. include Amateur Radio as a part of their operations plan, and most of those utilize a linked repeater network of some sort. We’re going to cover the general concept of a linked repeater network as well as how they work, and why local weather nets are often held on non-network repeaters.
A linked repeater network is a coordinated group of repeaters that rebroadcast radio transmissions picked up by other repeaters on the network, allowing ham radio operators hundreds of miles apart to communicate using a simple handheld, mobile, or fixed base radio. As a result, the NWS can keep up with weather conditions over a broad area, and operators can be forewarned of incoming weather conditions that may require local monitoring.
So, how do linked repeaters actually link? Linked repeaters have a 2nd radio interfaced with the repeater’s main radio, often called a “remote base”. This allows a signal coming in from the Remote Base to be transmitted by the repeater’s main radio and a signal coming in on the repeater’s main radio to be rebroadcast on the Remote Base.
Why Digital Communications?
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We've been covering various digital modes over the past few months, particularly PSK, APRS & Winlink.
While digital voice modes like D-Star, Fusion, and others offer some other EMCOMM related enhancements to our conventional analog modes, the real improvement in our ability to communicate comes from our ability to automate various functions and communicate complex data more efficiently, digital modes that allow us to harness the power of computers.
While operators tended to deploy more as "shadows" of key personnel like ambulance drivers, police, fire, or shelter employees in decades gone by, the growing ability of local, state, and federal agencies to interoperate has virtually eliminated the need for such services.
As a result, our mission required change, and are still changing. Communities with active Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) often embed amateur radio operators as members, serving as a CERT member, enhancing their team with additional communication capabilities. Amateur Radio operators have been included in Search and Rescue (SAR) and Damage Assessment teams during disasters as well.
Tabletop Exercises
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Tabletop exercises are a useful tool for developing the skills to operate in a real-world situation, with the opportunity to identify many challenges and pitfalls before ever going through the effort of staging an actual exercise or deploy to an actual disaster.
Why tabletop versus a Simulated Emergency Test type exercise? Well, they are easier to plan and execute, all you need is a meeting place, and even the table is optional! Trying to coordinate an actual drill may require coordination with served agencies and place demand on physical resources like repeaters, radio equipment, or even served agency locations; all of this takes time and often places demands on other organizations.
Tabletop exercises can often be executed in an hour or two, where actual drills typically run much longer, placing more demands on the time of volunteers.
Tabletop exercises provide an opportunity to develop a plan or just work the bugs out of existing plans by playing "What if" games and talking through option when dealing with mission critical information such as knowing primary and backup repeaters, what to do when repeaters are down, frequencies and timetables for simplex communication, etc.
Automated Packet Reporting System (APRS)
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APRS is packet-based digital tracking and communication system. It's best known for allowing operators to report their position or weather station data by internet or radio and be tracked using APRS clients and websites like aprs.fi, but APRS is useful for more than that. APRS also allows simple short messages between operators, sort of a radio-based text-messaging system. As a matter of fact, there is a text-message gateway available, allowing an operator to use their APRS setup to send text messages to cell phones and receive responses!
Since APRS allows for position reporting it has applications in search and rescue, damage assessment situations, and public service events like running and bike races. By embedding amateur radio operators into the field teams their progress can be monitored via APRS utilizing both online and offline mapping systems.
Although this makes APRS a potentially robust tool for public service, it's also useful for other activities, such as our summer balloon launches, where the balloon carries an APRS transmitter we then track to recover the balloon payload, which usually includes cameras and other electronics.
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