In order to be an effective and useful communicator in an emergency situation, there are a few things you need in addition to a radio.
The first thing is emergency batteries. Now, your radio (HT) may or may not have an optional battery case that allows using standard AA batteries from the grocery store. If it does, you should have one of those. However, for long term emergency communications you need something with a lot more "oomph". That something is an external Gel Cell battery.
These can be had in units as small at 12 Volts and 4 Amp Hours. The largest one you can easily carry around in an emergency is likely to be 12 volts at 7 Amp Hours. Larger units are available, but they are no fun to lug around.
You can usually toss a 12V 4AH battery in a fanny pack or specially made battery carrier.
For charging, these units are easily kept ready to go with a trickle charger like the ones sold at Harbor Freight for under $10.00.
The second thing you absolutely must have is a better antenna than the one that came with your HT. I often refer to the antenna that comes with HTs as a "rubber attentuator". It is supposed to work over a wide range of frequencies and usually on two or more bands.
The problem is, it doesn't work as well as you think it does. Better antennas come in two classes, small ones that attach to your radio in place of the one that came with the radio and external ones that hang from a tree limb or door frame or window frame.
To see antennas in the first category, go to a web site such as http://www.aesham.com and search on HT antennas. Look for ones that are LONGER than the one that came with your radio and for ones that also advertise some level of GAIN.
For the second category, MUCH longer antennas that REALLY get out and can pull in VERY weak signals, you can build those yourself. They are called Twin Lead J-Poles. Here are two links to plans for building your own.
http://www.qsl.net/wb3gck/jpole.htm
http://www.hamuniverse.com/2meter300ohmslimjim.html
You can also buy these from places like aesham.com or eBay or others. Use Google to search for Twin Lead Ham Antennas.
Once you have these two ESSENTIAL items, you are a better prepared emegency communicator than ANYONE who does not have these items.
Now you can begin to work on other items such as Grab And Go bags, portable emergency food supplies, FRS/GMRS radios for communication with others who are not hams, etc.
By the way, if you plan to get FRS/GMRS radios, look for ones with a SCAN feature. The scan feature can be a lifesaver (theirs, not yours) if you are asked to go through a neighborhood looking for survivors. I'll explain why in next month's post.
M7OZH
