BASIC GEAR/RESPONDING UNIT DEFINITIONS

All responding amateurs must be prepared to be self sufficient for at least 24 hours. You must know your own capabilities and make sure you don't exceed them. You must be accountable for your own safety. Don't be a victim!

BASIC EQUIPMENT (Required for District 22 responders)

  • ICS Forms
    • ICS-205 Incident Radio Communications Plan
    • ICS-214 Unit Log Form
    • ICS-213 General Message Form
    • ICS-216 Radio Requirements Worksheet
  • Appropriate clothing for weather and conditions
    • ARES Uniform Shirt
    • Change of clothing
    • Cap
  • Heavy soled leather boots
  • Leather gloves
  • Hard Hat
  • Dust/Face Mask (Prefer NIOSH approved as Type N95 respirator)
  • ARES Safety Vest
  • Safety goggles
  • Rain gear, including
    • Boots
    • Poncho or rain suit
    • Socks
  • Flashlight with spare batteries and bulbs
  • Maps (regional, city, county, trail map, etc)
  • Money, including change for pay telephones
  • Clipboard, paper, pens and pencils (very important)
  • 24 hour personal item kit, including:
    • Personal medications
    • Purell hand sanitizer
    • Toilet paper
    • Change of clothes
    • Optional - Sleeping bag and or tent
  • First Aid Kit, including:
    • Adhesive Bandages
    • Sterile Gauze Pads
    • Adhesive Tape
    • Large Gauze Compress
    • Gauze Roll
  • Photo ID card (drivers license, ARES ID, County SO issued ID, etc.)
  • Water and food (for at least 24 hrs)
  • AM/FM radio
  • Pocket knife
  • District 22 Emergency Response Plan
  • COPLAN
  • Spare fuses
    • Automotive
    • Radio
  • Reliable transportation and a full tank of gasoline

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT (suggested for field deployment)

  • Electrical tape
  • Electrical repair equipment
    • PowerPole connectors
    • PowerPole crimper
    • Two conductor 12 volt wire
    • OEM radio connectors
    • Prewired 12-volt power cables for radio
  • Duct tape
  • Portable 2 meter or dual band antenna (J-pole, etc.)
  • Magnetic mount with 5/8 wave whip (dual band preferred)
  • 50 ft. (min) coax cable with PL-259 connectors
  • 50 ft. (min) nylon cord
  • Coax connectors and adapters
    • "N" to PL-259
    • Barrell connectors
    • BNC to PL-259
    • SMA to PL-259
    • SMA to BNC
  • Batteries
    • deep cycle or gel cell
    • Alkaline or Lithium
      • "D" Size for flashlights
      • "AA" for radios
      • "AAA" for radios
      • "9-Volt"
      • Battery charger for above
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cigarette Lighter connector
  • Battery clips
  • 12 volt lighting
  • Push up mast with drive-on or other mount
  • 120-volt electrical extension cords
  • 120 volt electrical strip plug (needs to be able to handle multiple "wall wort" devices)
  • Antennas (Dual band preferred)
    • 2 Meter Band
      • Beam
      • Vertical
    • 440 Band
      • Beam
      • Vertical
    • HF NVIS Antenna
  • First Aid Kit
  • Tool Box
  • Bug Spray! (make sure that it contains DEET)
  • Sunscreen lotion
  • Auto Jumper Cables

Amateur operators will need to provide specific equipment when responding to a disaster. Each amateur's capabilities can be defined as a STRIKE TEAM. Net Control will ask for certain STRIKE TEAM capabilities when assigning amateurs to duty stations. In all cases, handy talky (HT) and Mobile refer to 2-meter transceivers. UHF units can be very useful and should be brought along if available.

PORTABLE UNIT (minimum required for District 22 members)

  • Basic Equipment
  • Hand Held transceiver
  • Spare HT batteries (alkaline battery pack recommended)
  • Hot rod antenna or equivalent
  • Speaker/microphone,
  • Earphone or headset (REQUIRED)

MOBILE STRIKE TEAM

  • Basic Equipment
  • Car mounted mobile or HT with 12v adapter
  • External antenna

BASE UNIT

Basic Equipment

  • HT with speaker microphone or headset, or mobile radio
  • Portable antenna system
  • 12 volt power supply
  • 12v DC power cord with high capacity battery
  • Generator if needed

PACKET STRIKE TEAM

  • Basic Equipment Home or portable VHF packet system
    • Portable computer
    • Software (installed and installation disks)
      • WinPack software
      • AirMail or other WinLink software
      • Outpost software
  • Optional Printer and printer supplies, including paper and ink cartridges

RELAY STRIKE TEAM

  • Basic Equipment
  • Home or mobile HF station
  • Cross-band VHF/UHF mobile station

ATV STRIKE TEAM

  • ATV Transmitter
  • ATV Downconverter
  • UHF Beam Antenna
  • Camera
  • Video Tape(s)