Mounted search and rescue

["Raskin, Larry" <Lawrence.Raskin@jhuapl.edu>]

Al,

Our team is currently using a mix of commercial 150MHz VHF high band 5
watt handhelds (Motorola Sabers & Standard Vertex), FRS/GMRS handhelds
and VHF/UHF Amateur radio (of the active members on TROT-SAR about half
are hams).  We also have several high power (50 watt or greater) mobiles
for base and relay operation.

For our team, each member is assigned a team radio which they keep at
home (we respond from our homes not from a central location).  These
radios are issued with a belt case, extra battery, charger, speaker
microphone, and rubber duck antenna (we also have some hi-gain antennas
and a bracket to attach the antenna to the riding helmet).  Several of
the members also have the capability to connect the portable radio to
the vehicle lighter for power and an external magnetic mount antenna.
This allows the radios to be used in the tow vehicle for convoys or
directions to the meeting location.  

In addition to the team radio, each member has their own FRS/GMRS radio.
These are used for training as well as on searches.

For those members who are licensed amateur radio operators (hams), we
can utilize the local amateur repeaters, autopatch, IRLP (internet radio
linking project), VoIP (voice over internet protocol), Winlink (windows
internet link), Echo-link (another form or internet linking), and APRS
(amateur packet reporting system).  The amateur radios can be programmed
to receive the search frequencies and used as a backup radio. 

Typically, each member takes their VHF radio along with the FRS/GMRS.
One member of the team is assigned the task of communications (using the
VHF 5 watt radio).  This way each team always has at least one spare VHF
radio.  The VHF radio is used to communicate with IC at base.
Communications between the members of the team is done using the
FRS/GMRS radios.  

We have had several cases where the 5 watt VHF radios could not reach
back to base.  The normal way communication is handled in this case is
for another team in the field to relay messages.  This is where having
both amateur radio and mobile relay radios helps.

If you have a vehicle with a high power radio already installed that can
be sent to a location at the far end of a search area, that station can
be designated as Relay #1 for example.  Base can talk to Relay #1, Relay
can then communicate with the field team.

In our case, we also use amateur radio.  This allows use to use the
existing amateur radio repeaters some of which are able to cover several
hundred miles.  For example, there is a linked system here that covers
Maryland, parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.  Portable
systems (tower trailers with repeaters and generators) are used both for
voice and data packet transmissions. 

Being a ham, my suggestion is to contact the Jackson County Office of
Emergency Preparedness.  They should be able to give you the contact
information for the Emergency Manager for your local RACES (Radio
Amateur Civil Emergency Service) unit.  They can help you with issues of
coverage, connections for sources of used equipment, etc.

Best of luck,  let me know if I can help.

Larry Raskin WB3DAJ
ARES/RACES Montgomery, Howard, Carroll counties in Maryland 
Communications Officer TROT-SAR 
Communications Advisor Maryland Search & Rescue (MSAR) 
Radio Officer Project Liberty Ship S.S. John W. Brown