Why Bother?

Ward/Branch Plan Guidelines

• Adaptable

• Practical

• Meet the needs of your ward or branch

Stake Comms Plan

Philosophies

• Communications, not radio

• Don’t assume others are able to communicate

• Don’t re-invent the wheel

• Plan for worst case, perform in any case

• Put plan into action

Stake Size

• About 200 miles wide, 100 miles tall

• Almost 17,000 square miles

• 10th biggest “state”

• Bigger than many countries– Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus, Jamaica, Falkland

Islands, Puerto Rico

• Wards/Branches pretty big, too

Amateur (Ham) Radio

ARRL

• Club sponsors (Sioux City, Norfolk, Yankton)

• Biggest radio club in the U.S.

• License test proctors

• Community involvement

• Field day

Two-way Radio Experience

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Repeaters

Radio types

• Handheld

• Mobile

• Base station

• Echolink

Readiness Levels

• Stage 0: Comms reliant on telephone grid, no knowledge of stake/ward/branch plan

• Stage 1: Comms reliant on telephone grid but know stake/ward/branch plan

• Stage 2: Alternative radio

• Stage 3: Licensed ham, access to radio

• Stage 4: Licensed ham, own radio

Ward Comms Plan

Stake Plan

• Disaster relief w/o telephone

• Can act under direction of local civil authorities

• Call communications specialist

• Plan how to communicate inside and outside of stake

• Put plan into practice

Stake Plan Specifics

• Goals

• General

• Training

• Equipment

Communications Center

• Clerk’s office

• Map

• Relatively quiet

• Close to stake offices

• Computer, desk space

• Radio reception unknown

Ward/Branch Plans-To Do

• Call emergency communications specialist

• Orange or red binder for plans, store in clerk’s office, notify membership

• Ask about interest in ham radio, get contact info for local non-member hams

• Plan for training

• Select communications center

• Get involved in community disaster relief

Getting Your License

• Go to www.sawyerhome.net/cannedham/stake.html

• Study Technician self-study guide

• Review question pool

• Take sample tests

• Take license exam