dorton
Happy to be here
I have been following the Brushbeater blog for a while now, enjoy the articles
posted on there, and signed up when he posted up an course here in NC.
https://brushbeater.wordpress.com/category/communications-2/
The title of the course is RTO (Radio Telephone Operator)
The course is conducted on private property, and has opportunity for accommodations for out of town folks that wanted to camp(we had attendees from as far as Northern Pennsylvania, and as far south as Georgia), and also had options of rooms for rent on site.
Saturday morning started with classroom training, where it initiated by
discussing equipment needs for ham radio/emergency/prepparedness comms.
We transitioned to a discussion on SOI (Signals Operating Instructions), and their
importance for sending/receiving consistent concise radio traffic. This included PACE plan,
Challenge/Passwords, message formats for radio traffic based on different criteria.
The class moved outside and participated in an FTX relaying different message traffic based off of the formats we worked with earlier, and was also able to experience how terrain can effect signal propagation with UHF and VHF modes.
The class moved back inside where we worked on antenna design, and radio wave theory, assisted by visuals and a white board. To solidify the afternoon’s training, we made VHF omni-directional and direction antennas before testing them in the field. By dark we were working on building an 40m/80m NVIS antenna.
Saturday came to a close with the class being served smoked chicken, and chopped bbq that
was cooked on site. To say the meal was just good would be an understatement!
Day 2.
We kicked the day off with discussion with follow ups from previous day’s instruction, and an
introduction into the day’s hypothetical scenario in which conventional comms were down(no cell phones). At this time the class broke into elements, part being security patrols that would go out, assess, and relay intel gathered back to the TOC(Tactical Operations Center) using the SOI’s we had established on day 1. Both groups were able to step off during this FTX into the large acerage provided at the property, and put to test what they had learned, by observing OPFOR and using the information
The curriculum was well prepared, and Matt provided great instruction for anyone looking to
sharpen their radio skillset. This would be a great course for someone (or group) who is interested in the benefits that improved radio proficiency, understanding, and operation can provide to their community, group, or tribe. Comms are a vastly overlooked and under appreciated item in the world of preparedness.
I very much enjoyed the course, and look forward to some of the future offerings that are coming down the pipe.
-Dorton
posted on there, and signed up when he posted up an course here in NC.
https://brushbeater.wordpress.com/category/communications-2/
The title of the course is RTO (Radio Telephone Operator)
The course is conducted on private property, and has opportunity for accommodations for out of town folks that wanted to camp(we had attendees from as far as Northern Pennsylvania, and as far south as Georgia), and also had options of rooms for rent on site.
Saturday morning started with classroom training, where it initiated by
discussing equipment needs for ham radio/emergency/prepparedness comms.
We transitioned to a discussion on SOI (Signals Operating Instructions), and their
importance for sending/receiving consistent concise radio traffic. This included PACE plan,
Challenge/Passwords, message formats for radio traffic based on different criteria.
The class moved outside and participated in an FTX relaying different message traffic based off of the formats we worked with earlier, and was also able to experience how terrain can effect signal propagation with UHF and VHF modes.
The class moved back inside where we worked on antenna design, and radio wave theory, assisted by visuals and a white board. To solidify the afternoon’s training, we made VHF omni-directional and direction antennas before testing them in the field. By dark we were working on building an 40m/80m NVIS antenna.
Saturday came to a close with the class being served smoked chicken, and chopped bbq that
was cooked on site. To say the meal was just good would be an understatement!
Day 2.
We kicked the day off with discussion with follow ups from previous day’s instruction, and an
introduction into the day’s hypothetical scenario in which conventional comms were down(no cell phones). At this time the class broke into elements, part being security patrols that would go out, assess, and relay intel gathered back to the TOC(Tactical Operations Center) using the SOI’s we had established on day 1. Both groups were able to step off during this FTX into the large acerage provided at the property, and put to test what they had learned, by observing OPFOR and using the information
The curriculum was well prepared, and Matt provided great instruction for anyone looking to
sharpen their radio skillset. This would be a great course for someone (or group) who is interested in the benefits that improved radio proficiency, understanding, and operation can provide to their community, group, or tribe. Comms are a vastly overlooked and under appreciated item in the world of preparedness.
I very much enjoyed the course, and look forward to some of the future offerings that are coming down the pipe.
-Dorton
