Mounted search and rescue

[Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>]

I am with Ian:  carry as many communications devices as
you can, but don't use them all at once.

I know a lot of teams do expect the team leader to have
the radio, but in the interest of skills development and
good leadership, the team leader should *not* be the 
radio person.  Nor the navigation person.  And certainly
not both at the same time.  Leading, communications, and
nagivation are all separate tasks, and at times demanding
ones too.  And often the team leader is also supposed to
train the rest.  So that's four separate tasks.  To load
all SAR tasks on one person while others go along for the
ride results in exactly that:  training your team to just
go along for the ride.

Note this is not a fault specific to MSAR;  all SAR teams
deal with these same issues.

Re why some radios work, or some field teams' radios work,
but not others, a number of causes could be at play.  To
diagnose, contact SAR teams in your area that are radio
hotshots, or the local business where these teams buy their
gear, ask for their help figuring out what exactly is
wrong and how to fix it.

        Una Smith
        New Mexico