Amateur Radio In Public Service A Report from

”Amateur Radio In Public Service” A Report from Sweden Krister Ljungqvist SM 0 FAG 1

Content • Presentation of SSA – Sveriges Sändare Amatörer • Swedish Em. Com organizations: SSA, FRO, SEMA, SRSA • Example of recent emergency cases in Sweden • Ongoing co-operations in education and training • Exercises: FROSSA, KRIS etc • Networks and equipment: Ham, FRO, other • Conclusion 2

Swedish voluntary radio-organizations with emergency communications program • SSA Sveriges Sändareamatörer - the national amateur radio society. Co-operates with FRO in Em. Com. • FRO Frivilliga Radio Organisationen: Supports home guard and civil defence. Civil defence branch is sponsored by SEMASwedish Emergency Management Authority. 3

SSA (Swedish radio amateurs) facts • 5 500 members • Sweden is divided in districts 0 – 7. • Call signs: SM, SA, SK (club stations), SL (FRO and military club stations) ex. SM 0 FAG • SSA issues call signs and licenses • Em. Com coordinator established 2006 • Educational co-operation with FRO in “FROSSA” 4

FRO facts: • Founded in 1946 • 6800 members of which many hams and SSA members • Sponsored by civil defense and home guard • Own frequencies outside ham bands • Agreements with SEMA and municipals • Educational activities, own teachers • Manning of communication centres and vehicles • Centrally located stocks of radio equipment • Call signs SL ex. SL 0 ZS 5

Governmental Emergency Organizations • SEMA Swedish Emergency Management Administration. Government body assisting and regulating municipals (290) and counties (21) crisis management • SRSA -The Swedish Rescue Services Agency, a national supervisory authority for the rescue services. Government supported, international UN rescue mission assistance, fire brigades 6

SEMA Swedish Emergency Mgmt Agency User organizations: • Coast Guard • Customs Services • Armed Forces • County administrative boards (Emergency Healthcare and Ambulance Services) • Municipalities (for example Local Rescue Services, Social services, Maintenance support) Solar panel 40 W Supported communication systems: • RAKEL (TETRA UHF Radio) • MOBITEX (VHF Packet and voice) SEMA will probably be dissolved at end of 2008. 7

KISTA 2001 & 2002 • • The Silicon Valley of Sweden turned down (ERICSSON, NOKIA…) Door-locks and security gates inoperative GSM down after 4 hours Fixed network down after 6 hours City of Kista w/o power whole day All offices and factories evacuated One door – one guard Only working radio is FRO repeater 8

Winter storm ”Gudrun”: • Power companies w/o communication to repair teams • • Rescue teams and hospitals w/o communication Municipal services w/o commmunication The public w/o communication Amateurs assist fire brigades 9

SSA and FRO co-operation SEMA Mo. U FRO Board FRO Comm Training Municipal Voluntary Training SSA board Clubs Municipal Voluntary Team FRG FOS RECRUITING AND TRAINING 10

Training and education • Voluntary members participate in municipal training events - Equipment is municipal owned, personal ham radio equipment or FRO equipment • FRO arranges additional education and seminars for municipal FRG teams • Duties includes office work, transportation etc – not only radio communication 11

Exercises 1. IARU: Global Em. Com party 2. KRIS: Nationwide HF/VHF exercise 3. FROSSA: SEMA sponsored education and communication training 4. Rally communication: Local clubs manning control points and building VHF/UHF voice reporting network 12

Em. Com exercise – “KRIS” • Nationwide activity twice per year • Hamband frequencies only • HF and VHF from local municipalities and counties (LC) to a headquarter (HQ) station in Stockholm • Individuals contact closest LC • The exercise is managed by SK 0 AR – the Stockholm Radio Amateur club SRA 13

KRIS HQ station - SK 0 AR 14

Em. Com exercise “KRIS” – frequencies Example: SM 0: 3600 k. Hz, 7070 k. Hz, 145. 450 MHz (HQ) SM 1: 3610 k. Hz, 7070 k. Hz, 145. 450 MHz. SM 2: 3620 k. Hz, 7070 k. Hz, 145. 450 MHz. SM 3: 3630 k. Hz, 7070 k. Hz, 145. 450 MHz. SM 4: 3640 k. Hz, 7070 k. Hz, 145. 450 MHz, 144. 320 MHz USB SM 5: 3650 k. Hz, 7070 k. Hz, 145. 450 MHz, 144. 290 MHz USB. SM 6: 3660 k. Hz, 7070 k. Hz, 145. 450 MHz, 434. 400 MHz. SM 7: 3670 k. Hz, 7070 k. Hz. 145. 450 MHz Modes: SSB, CW, FM 15

Em. Com exercise and co-operation “FROSSA” • Co-operation b/w FRO and SSA= FROSSA • Nationwide but local exercise on municipal level • Hamband FRO frequencies • FM-voice, scrambled voice, HF-packet, MOBITEX-packet • HF/SSB as standby for county communication • Manning of County of Stockholm HQ with HF-radio, VHF etc • Manning of power grid companies comm vehicles , HF, VHF etc • Traffic/Em. Com manual developed 16

Car racing – Communications team 17

FRO resources Vans and repeaters: • HF • • HF/UHF Marine VHF Air VHF Satellite comm Backup power Portable repeaters Stationary repeaters 18

FRO vans 19

Amateur radio shelters and vans 20

Power Grid Co´s vehicle manning • HF/VHF/WLAN/DECT • • GPS Satellite communication Power generator Portable UHF repeater 21

HF Antenna Satellite Antenna V/UHF Antenna PC med printer/Fax/Kopiator Sat Generator DECT HF Radio PSK 31 V/UHF Radio PC Server Battery Mobile communication van (power grid) • Inmarsat BGAN • HF-VHF-UHF Radio • V/A Conference • PABX (BP-50/128) • Generator • Battery WLAN Telephones Fax PABX PSTN Trunk Line • DECT – WLL • • • WLAN Rugged PC/Server Paging - wireless Packet modem PC w. Printer /fax/copy GPS 22

Why Em. Com? • We strengthen our position for continued use of our ham bands • We increase our possibility to use new bands like 5 Mhz and widened 7 MHz • We can apply professionalism to our hobby and induce increased interest for amateur radio • We can do an contribution to the society • We increase our skills in radio communication 23

Conclusion • Amateur radio is a great asset for the community • Co-operation is vital – b/w radio amateurs, governments, municipals, other vol. organizations • Nothing works without preparations, regular training and education • Support is needed from governmental bodies and municipalities: locations, participation, financial support • Traffic discipline need to be trained and enhanced - ham procedures not enough. Net control important • More radio amateurs needed to join Em. Com teams 24

Cont. • Digital modes like PSK 31 and software compability need to be developed and trained • Harmonization of emergency frequencies within IARU needed • Duties are not only radiocomm but also office work and transportation • Personal insurances need to be arranged Swedish authority SEMA supports local municipal voluntary communications, but not regional and international. No large scale emergency needing interregional communication is expected in Sweden by SEMA. 25