Comm Training Cadets

[taylor914]

I'm working on getting our cadets some more comm training than just the basic push this button, turn this knob type thing.  I created a power point based on some of the old BCUT training where we discussed frequencies, modes, and repeaters.  I'd like to do some other stuff to give them a better understanding of comms.  Suggestions?

[Lord of the North]

Suggest you explore the ICUT material available in LMS

[sarmed1]

Practical...... and not just sit in a circle and play radio.  Actually have them do check ins on a net, or at least practice running a net on ISR's.  Run mix of written, radio and phone messages:  such as simulate a mission base where they are monitoring checks ins, status's and message relay to ops personnel are just a couple ideas that come to mind.  I am sure there are others.

mk

[helper]

In addition to the above, give hands on with both the portables and base/mobile. I noticed that often cadets focus on the portables and are not comfortable with a base/mobile. Also, include using a comm log and how to enter it into WMIRS.

[LTC Don]

A great training exercise that covers many comm elements is to work a Young Eagles event and plan a comm exercise around it.  Some other type of flying event would work too, or even just a busy day at an airport.

1. Set a remote station a reasonable, safe distance from the runway.  Binoculars or spotting scope a must.  Remote station records the takeoff and landing times of the aircraft along with the tail number.  Remote station passes the times and tail numbers to the main receiving station somewhere else on the airport.

2. Main receiving station receives traffic from the remote station.  Main receiving station, on a different radio/channel, passes the traffic to another station offsite (recommended to be through a repeater, but certainly not required).

3. Offsite station receiving traffic from the main receiving station transcribes the traffic into an email, then emails the traffic to someone designated to receive it.  The email message is checked against the ICS radio log(s) for accuracy.  This component "closes the loop" so everyone can see the process and review for improvement.

If it's an all day event, hourly weather reports can be added in for complexity.

Setting up a good comm exercise takes a little bit of creativity, but it's not rocket science.  Have fun with it.

[JC004]

We'll be doing a couple UDF practice missions during meetings - just as if we were called to a mission during a meeting.  The plan is to have some people at mission base practicing MRO/CUL/MSA. 

[C/SrA Ravlin]

what about a Wing or Region comm-ex? I know that I love comm-ex and that they are not only great training but a fun way for cadets to get out and have a little fun while working...

[Holding Pattern]

what about a Wing or Region comm-ex? I know that I love comm-ex and that they are not only great training but a fun way for cadets to get out and have a little fun while working...

It wasn't until my first commex that I learned how to use the buttons on the front of my radio, even though I sat through 3 powerpoint presentations on using the radio beforehand.

[kirbahashi]

First off, OUTSTANDING!  I think we need to do more of this.  There are some great ideas being fielded here.  Getting more into the weeds is a great idea. I would suggest learning more about the antenna.  It is crazy to think of what you lose in using a rubber ducky.  Try building an antenna even if you have one (if the squadron can fund it).  They are easy and incredibly cheap.  I'd suggest either a 2m Vertical or a BNC Brass Whip.  GET PERMISSION FIRST IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE CORPORATE ASSETS!!!   Even if you have one, finding out why an antenna has to be of a certain length to do it's job helps you understand it better.

If you don't have some comm gray beards in your area, contact your local amateur radio club.  Getting your Technician License will also help you learn more about communications.  I just took a two day class and plan on taking the test (all really easy to do), and I learned more about antennas, propagation, and frequencies, than I have in the 25 years of using VHF radios.  And just because you get your license it does not mean you need to go out and spend crazy money...  The cost of the class was free, though I had to pay $25 for the current book.  I am also taking the test for free.  While I am getting a radio I won't be able to use in CAP, it is dirt cheap and it is an entry into that field.

The CommEX is a good idea.  Constant Watch is coming up in April/May.  But you will want to be more skilled.  Map out the local repeaters in your area.  Test the capabilities of your radios and that way you know what your equipment CAN do.  Also, check with the Director of Comms for your wing.  Find out when your wing holds check-ins.  Get on those in both the VHF and HF if you can.

Like I said... Great idea.  Get them understanding more than just the PTT will help them greatly!

[taylor914]

All of you have some great ideas. 

If you don't have some comm gray beards in your area, contact your local amateur radio club.  Getting your Technician License will also help you learn more about communications.  I just took a two day class and plan on taking the test (all really easy to do), and I learned more about antennas, propagation, and frequencies, than I have in the 25 years of using VHF radios.  And just because you get your license it does not mean you need to go out and spend crazy money...  The cost of the class was free, though I had to pay $25 for the current book.  I am also taking the test for free.  While I am getting a radio I won't be able to use in CAP, it is dirt cheap and it is an entry into that field.

I've had my tech license since I was 10 (26 now).  So that has definitely given me an understanding that I wouldn't have otherwise had.  Building an antenna also sounds like a terrific activity to do with the cadets.

what about a Wing or Region comm-ex? I know that I love comm-ex and that they are not only great training but a fun way for cadets to get out and have a little fun while working...

We currently don't have any wing comm-ex.  We do have occasional Sar-ex and I've tried to get some of the cadets more into comms with that, but they're always raring to go on the ground team missions when we do those.  So I struggle with finding ways to get them into comms.  I'm afraid I don't have the knowledge to plan anything large scale like a comm-ex on my own.

Thanks for the input everyone!  Keep 'em coming if you think of any more.

[arajca]

Plan and set up a remote radio operating location, like you're supporting a disaster. Tie it in with a SAREX or get with a couple other units to do a few of them.

Plan a unit or couple unit comm-ex. Nothing says a comm-ex has to be a wing-wide affair.

[taylor914]

What would you guys think about having the cadets build their own foxhole radio?  I know it's not exactly a CAP thing, but it could 1. be a good history lesson and 2. show how simple receivers can be.

[SarDragon]

What would you guys think about having the cadets build their own foxhole radio?  I know it's not exactly a CAP thing, but it could 1. be a good history lesson and 2. show how simple receivers can be.

That might be a fun thing, but the end product might not be very functional in the grand CAP scheme.

[JC004]

An electronics kit (I think Arduino) is going to be part of the new STEM kits...you could build an Arduino radio as a STEM project.  I was considering maybe having them build some smart home devices they could take home and use. 

[C/SrA Ravlin]

Talk to your Wing DC about how to plan a comm-ex. They are much easier than you think to plan. Really the basics are give goals to accomplish(i.e. work on logging, talking, planning, MRO quals, etc...) and plan an area to do it... Find a really high area in your state and get up there to contact other participating stations.... Please PM me if you have more questions.

[gcreager]

All of our OPEX's are now distributed affairs, with several bases throughout the Wing. All the bases have a requirement for HF and VHF capabilities. for our next one, I will complete one SM's MRO training (last exercise) and start several more on that journey, as well as introducing the cadets to the skillset. Generally, I like to get the cadets comfortable with operations before brancing into some of the more interesting things (how to set up an antenna, how to build an antenna, etc), but if they're there and willing to help, and will follow direction, I'll show them how things go. As the cadets get more experience, I try to hover less, and let the more experienced cadets lead a bit more... as I start nudging them toward CUL.

[ALORD]

You can take free Amateur practice tests online here: http://www.eham.net/exams/ These tests consist of the ACTUAL questions and Answers, and there have been Kindergartner's who passed the Tech test after practicing the multiple-guess, 35 question test. You can buy the book for the theory, but the license itself is pretty much a walk in the park, Questions are drawn from several banks, and it is not uncommon to see one with all easy answers, like " When is it okay to use profanity on the radio?" On the other hand, you might draw a test with questions like, " What are the territorial limits of ITU Region 3?" Most people can memorize enough of the info from running through the practice test until they can consistently break 80% test scores. Now with No-Code Tests, you pay one fee and you can keep taking tests until you pass them all or fail one, and making the leap to General Class is very doable. The Extra Class test is a bit rougher, but if you can pass it, you can probably pass the GROL (FCC Commerical License) which actually qualifies you for some types of employment!

73 DE AF6OF ( Plus GROL + RADAR)

[Garibaldi]

You can take free Amateur practice tests online here: http://www.eham.net/exams/ These tests consist of the ACTUAL questions and Answers, and there have been Kindergartner's who passed the Tech test after practicing the multiple-guess, 35 question test. You can buy the book for the theory, but the license itself is pretty much a walk in the park, Questions are drawn from several banks, and it is not uncommon to see one with all easy answers, like " When is it okay to use profanity on the radio?" On the other hand, you might draw a test with questions like, " What are the territorial limits of ITU Region 3?" Most people can memorize enough of the info from running through the practice test until they can consistently break 80% test scores. Now with No-Code Tests, you pay one fee and you can keep taking tests until you pass them all or fail one, and making the leap to General Class is very doable. The Extra Class test is a bit rougher, but if you can pass it, you can probably pass the GROL (FCC Commerical License) which actually qualifies you for some types of employment!

73 DE AF6OF ( Plus GROL + RADAR)

My dad finally got his General, and my sister and I WERE going to try for it, but...it was a lot of theory and stuff that went wayyyyy over my head. Sticking with Tech for a while.

[ALORD]

As the tests step up, the number of questions from the available "pools" of questions and answers grows. Much of the General Class test material will look very familiar if you have taken the practice tests for Tech, in fact, enough where with a little testing strategy, you might be able to pass the General Class test by making an educated guess on answers you are uncertain about. There are plenty of "Throw away" questions in every bank of test questions. If you are a Tech, I suggest you try the eham.com online practice tests, and I will bet that you will do better on it than you might think. These are the real tests and answers; the only thing different about these is the answers will not be in the same order. Once you start to associate keywords in the answers to the test questions, you will be amazed at how easy it is for a Tech to transition to General. I have nothing against actually learning the material ( I have an MSEE earned after I passed the Tech and General tests) I passed the Tech and General and missed passing the Extra on my first test sitting by six questions after studying and yellow highlighting the test book, and taking the online test until I could answer 100% of the questions. At the time, General still had the code requirement (Which many older hams still mourn) so I had a year to take the code test. In the meantime, they dropped the code requirement completely, so jumping to extra just meant taking the online practice tests until I memorized enough questions and answers to pass every time. I got 100% correct answers on my Extra Class license, and at least 90% of the questions on that test have absolutely no relevance to what I do as a Ham ( I manufacture the Micro-Trak APRS product line for Byonics.com, so I pretty much live, work, and play in the VHF digital world) One of our squadron members was an old-time Elemer, and we bought a VX-150 handheld to give to the first Cadet who passed his Tech license test after sitting through the License classes. Virtually every Cadet dropped out of the Class from boredom, and no one claimed their free radio! If you can jump-start them into the Tech license in much the same way they pass other Cadet tests, you are more likely to keep them involved in radio and Com's in general.

[N6RVT]

My dad finally got his General, and my sister and I WERE going to try for it, but...it was a lot of theory and stuff that went wayyyyy over my head. Sticking with Tech for a while.

I'm actually a "Tech +" as there was a code requirement when I got it.  Turned out to be all I ever needed.

[Garibaldi]

I took ALORD's advice and went to take the online General test. It's not easy, but some of the questions are familiar. 35 multiple choice, and I've taken it about 10 times, and failed 10 times, but the scores keep going up. I think I'll surprise my Dad by getting it by his next birthday. He's the one who had been goading me into getting my license since I was a kid.

[EMT-83]

HamStudy.org is a better choice for test study. They have flash cards that explain the questions and answers, so you understand the material instead of memorizing answers.

I used them for my Tech and General, and I'm currently studying for my Extra. BTW, it's free.

[ALORD]

A lot of people complain that Ham Radio is dying, but in fact, eliminating the code requirement has made licensing sky rocket! Ham radio is growing faster than ever, and about half of all licensee's are Tech Class ( The last time I checked) I find most people get into Ham Radio for very specific reasons. If that means that bunch of them buy a $30.00 Baofeng handheld radio to talk on the local repeater, do (NON-CAP) SAR volunteer work, support Bicycle Rides or other fund-raisers, I am totally happy with that, but a good number of them migrate into newer areas and occasionally, that requires a higher class license. The Tech Class has operating privileges that will make almost everyone happy, and Amateur's tend to generate the new ideas that later become commercial. More power to Tech's! ( And all 27 of you Tech + operators out there too!  )

[Holding Pattern]

It's worth mentioning that my local library has all the ARRL books, making it a good choice for really diving into radio theory and test study.

Check there before shelling out money for their books.

[Brad]

I'm a General myself, and my county ARES EC and Skywarn AEC.

With regards to CAP, to the member(s) that said their Wing doesn't do a comm-ex, i find that concerning as it is a requirement of CAPR 100-1 and the Compliance Inspection to do an annual exercise.

One thing that works well for Cadets is to use ISR radios to run small-scale nets among the students. It has been done repeatedly at NESA and is a great learning experience.

[Garibaldi]

My mistake. I thought when I wrote about my dad, I was wrong. He had been General most all his time, he just got Extra not too long ago. I just told him about trying for General.

I've not really been into Comm as much as he was. I was always fascinated by the radios he had, and the stuff he knew. One of my favorite moments was having him explain skip-wave propagation when I was about 11 or 12. I got into Comm as a cadet because it meant I could stay at base in the comm box (we inherited a comm box or two, the ones that sat on the back of a 1 1/4 ton pickup, from the NG in the mid 80s) instead of humping the NOGA mountains. Until we got PRC-77s and others figured out my game. Then I was back on the trails, with a 30 pound radio on my back in addition to my field gear. I called nets, I ran comm at SAREXes, raised antennae, taught basic classes. Kept it up as a SM, but lost interest when everything went to NTIA. I don't use my amateur radio much at all, but I renew my license dutifully every 10 years. I know enough to turn on and use the EFJ units and I constantly get on cadets who say "over and out" or "roger dodger" or use 10 codes.

[THRAWN]

Love the discussion on family links here. For a while, I was the contingency and emergency comms guy for a 3 letter federal agency in the Philly area. During our monthly field drills, my son would join us as we set up the unit and did our thing. He was 2 or 3 at the time (6 now), but he actually brings up "going to the park and playing radios with my friends" from time to time. I make sure he is around when I use my personal radios and he seems interested in getting his license. His eyes get really big when we go to a fest or meet and he sees the mountains of "stuff"...

[gcreager]

re: ham tests on-line, what I strongly recommend (and I have an astronaut or two who can attest the method works, for the Tech/General testing, get a good study guide and work through it. I like both ARRL and W5YI, but it doesn't matter. Spend a small amount of time on it daily. I recommended the astronauts (preparing for NASA's on version of SAREX, the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment) spend 15 min/day studying and take at least one, but no more than two, tests daily. When you're consistently getting scores of 85 or more, go take the test. There are things to learn for Amateur Radio: Rules and Regs so you don't crash-land with the FCC, and customs, so you don't get lynched by the local club. But, like the private pilot's license, it's a license to learn.

While I'd love to see everyone in the hobby proficient in electronic theory and construction practices, it just ain't gonna happen. What I can appreciate is adding another communicator who brings something unique and useful to that hobby. And, over time, most will learn other useful things related, somehow to communications, and all the neat technologies we employ.

What I brought into the squadron was decades of communications... and emergency communicator... experience, since I was first licensed at age 13, and have been a geek ever since. I speak fluent antenna, HF ops and VHF ops, repeater, and digital. While we have others in the Wing with similar experience, there's Just Not Enough to train everyone up right. Now, what I'm facing, is soem SMs who want to do comms, but don't want to learn how to do it safely, or correctly, because they think it's "easy". I'm trying to get them to let me help 'em but some are a bit stubborn.

[C/SrA Ravlin]

Another good practice would be (I dont know if this has been posted yet or not as I got this from another thread...) that if you can get onto an airport have some cadets with a handheld sitting near the airport with mono/binoculars and have them record the tail numbers and send them to another station in a separate location to relay to a final base station who will record the numbers, as will the other stations, and you can compare them at the end to see if your little game of "telephone" was successful. Maybe even see if you can use HF to relay to another station in your state or outside of your state and have them do the same... PM me with any questions as I would be happy to help you set it up.     

[Garibaldi]

Another good practice would be (I dont know if this has been posted yet or not as I got this from another thread...) that if you can get onto an airport have some cadets with a handheld sitting near the airport with mono/binoculars and have them record the tail numbers and send them to another station in a separate location to relay to a final base station who will record the numbers, as will the other stations, and you can compare them at the end to see if your little game of "telephone" was successful. Maybe even see if you can use HF to relay to another station in your state or outside of your state and have them do the same... PM me with any questions as I would be happy to help you set it up.     

Errrrmmmmm...that's kinda what they do in Wisconsin, at Fond du Lac airport, which handles all the overflow and visitor traffic for EAA. Except it's a little more organized.

[Theodore]

Im trying to get some cadets in my squadron to embrace Comms more. Lately, I brought some small, basic FRS radio from Wal-Mart and have started there, and worked them up into the squadron's radio equipment.

[Garibaldi]

Im trying to get some cadets in my squadron to embrace Comms more. Lately, I brought some small, basic FRS radio from Wal-Mart and have started there, and worked them up into the squadron's radio equipment.

Not going to say you're wrong on this, but as long as you don't use them for actual CAP radio traffic I'd say you're OK. I often used CAP issued ISRs to get cadets used to passing simulated message traffic.

Just don't use them on any CAP activity and you're fine.

[SarDragon]

Im trying to get some cadets in my squadron to embrace Comms more. Lately, I brought some small, basic FRS radio from Wal-Mart and have started there, and worked them up into the squadron's radio equipment.

Not going to say you're wrong on this, but as long as you don't use them for actual CAP radio traffic I'd say you're OK. I often used CAP issued ISRs to get cadets used to passing simulated message traffic.

Just don't use them on any CAP activity and you're fine.

Not necessarily true.

9-10. Intra-Squad Radios (ISR). The primary use of ISR radios is for ground team members to communicate among themselves when away from their vehicles, as well as other short-range ground communications. However, ISR radios are authorized for all CAP units and activities, except that they must NOT be utilized in flight and may not conflict with other federal users. Only radios specifically manufactured for the ISR service are authorized and they will not be modified in any way, including the addition of external antennas or amplifiers. Because these radios operate only on federal frequencies, use of ISR radios for personal communications is prohibited.

9-13. FRS/ISR Procedures. Operations with either ISR or FRS radios should use normal CAP operating procedures, including call signs. To operate either FRS or ISR without supervision, operators must be qualified as a radio operator under paragraph 5-2 of this regulation.

The usage restrictions for ISRs have been loosed up, and there is some allowable FRS usage now.

9-11. Family Radio Service (FRS). While use of ISR is preferred, the use of FRS radios is authorized IAW NTIA Regulations section 7.5.8. FRS radios are authorized for all CAP units and activities not directly supporting Emergency Services (actual missions and training). Emergency/disaster response, medical communications, and command and control communications are examples of emergency services functions which are prohibited from using FRS.

We've been using them for airshow for years.

[Theodore]

I used those radio strictly from training purposes only.