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Santa Clara County ARES®/RACES

Allied Health Facility Radio Station

Station Location

For maximum efficiency and effectiveness, the ideal location of the radio equipment should meet the following requirements.

Adjacent to the facility’s Command Center or administrative area (whatever location would be used to manage an emergency)

During an emergency, almost all radio traffic will be to/from the emergency management staff. Minimizing the distance between the command center and the radio equipment means the operator will be away from the station much less.

A small anteroom off to the side of the administrative area is ideal.

During non-emergency times, licensed staff or residents may wish to use the equipment for practice. The ideal location would be accessible to those authorized to use the equipment.

Quiet

For the radio operators: The radio operators can/will use a headset, but surrounding noise should be kept to a minimum (typical office-level noise is fine).

For others: The radio operator will need to speak into the microphone. Doing so shouldn’t interrupt others in the room.

Secure

The radio operator will usually bring their own personal effects and may need to bring additional equipment. These items should be secure when the radio operator needs to leave the station, such as to retrieve/deliver a message or visit the cafeteria or restroom.

The amateur radio equipment must be secured to prevent use when a licensed operator is not present. A locked cabinet is commonly used.

Separated from patients
Amateur radio operators should be separated as much as possible from patient areas to protect both the operators and patients from any possible exposure to diseases, pathogens, etc.
Room for up to two operators
In most cases, a single operator will be sufficient. In particularly busy times, an extra operator could be useful. Each needs a place to sit and operate computers, radios, etc.
Reliable Power and Internet

For power during a sustained outage (> 1 hour), The amateur station should have access to at least one dedicated 120V 15A circuit that has backup generator power via automatic transfer switch. The station will also need some local battery power to keep equipment going during transfers between commercial and generator power, during generator faults or refueling, or during other localized electrical problems.

Station Equipment

Allied health organizations are encouraged to discuss their equipment needs with their local city’s amateur radio Emergency Coordinator before making any purchases.

Essential Equipment

The most important investment is an antenna on the roof. This makes it possible for an amateur radio operator to attach their own radio and hear and be heard by other stations. A tri-band (2m/1.25m/70cm) ground-plane antenna mounted at a high point on the roof, separated by 10–20 feet from other antennas and free of nearby obstructions, is ideal.

A feedline should be run from the roof antenna to the area where radio equipment will be used (or where an operator bringing their own equipment would be stationed). In most cases, LMR-400 or equivalent cable is recommended for this feedline. 1/2 inch Heliax (LDF4-50A) is ideal. A DC-blocking, inductor-type lightning arrestor should be installed on each feedline.

The next most important piece of equipment is a radio. Facilities with larger populations, particularly those with amateur radio operators on staff or in residence, can benefit greatly from having the radio on-site, plugged in, and regularly tested by the local, on-site operators. Smaller facilities may choose to hope for an amateur radio operator being available to bringing his/her own radio to plug into the pre-installed antenna. Again, it’s best to discuss the specific needs of the facility with the local city’s amateur radio Emergency Coordinator.

We recommend a dual-band (2m/70cm) radio, with a data connector to enable packet radio use.

Sending resource request forms and other messages via packet radio (an e-mail-like data transmission), rather than by voice, can dramatically improve efficiency and effectiveness of radio communications. Whether the data equipment should be supplied by the facility or brought by an amateur radio operator that is dispatched to the facility is a subject best discussed with the local city’s amateur radio Emergency Coordinator. We recommend a complete packet station, including radio, TNC, computer, printer, and associated software and cables.

If a packet station is used, a method to share the antenna with the voice radio will be needed. There are several options, some better than others, which include using an extra antenna, sharing a single antenna with a triplexer and diplexer combination, or sharing a single radio using two VFOs. The city EC will be able to discuss the best option.