Documents

KARO ECHO Handbooks, Checklists and other Documentation

PREPARDNESS

How to obtain your entry ham ticket: A KAROECHO guide to the Technician License and further Upgrades

Primer for New Licensed Hams in El Cerrito/Kensington: Getting Started

Base, portable, and mobile antennas for vhf/uhf disaster communications (more detail)

Primer on the Pros and Cons of Handheld, Mobile, Portable, and/or Fixed Station Operations

KARO-ECHO TRAINING GUIDE BASED ON THE FOUR LEVELS OF SKILL (Short Form)

KARO-ECHO TRAINING GUIDE Based on the Four Levels of Skill (Detailed long form)

KEARES Self-Assessment Checklist Training Task book

The ABCs of Battery Power

Battery Emergency Power Operations

KARO ECHO Go Kit / Checklist Recommendations. This Go-Kit is based on the above four types of deployment (Level A, Advanced B, Extra C, and MAT Qualified).

KARO/ECHO Simplified three page Jump Kit (Go-Kit) Check-List

A Jump-Kit Check-List with Extensive Discussion/Explanation

A Slide Show Introduction to the KaroEcho Disaster Communications Plan

Karo-Echo Disaster Communications Plan

Karo-Echo Standard Operating Guide (SOG) -- DRAFT Document. A SOG can succinctly define policy, intent, responsibilities, and list/name practices procedures without detailing how or why they are implemented. It serves as a general introduction to the scope of an agency such as ours, as well as an introduction to affiliated organizations. New members might also become better acquainted as to our mission, goals, purposes, intents, and direction after reviewing the KAROECHO SOG.

High Frequency Operations (HF)

Short Introduction to HF Antennas and Propagation

Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) antennas for short range radio communications (short skip)

Introduction to HF, Short Wave, and SDR Listening

Ionosondes and ionosopheric measurements' relation to radio propagation

Essential Space Weather for Emergency Managers: How Solar Storms Affect EmComm January 2025 FEMA PDF

HF Propagation Links Ms Word

HF Propagation Links PDF

April 2025 Space Weather Presentation by NOAA, NWS, and NASA (subdirectory -- many files)

Reducing RF Noise Interference on HF (the High Frequency bands)

Why HF, its application, user strategies, and Contra Costa County HF Usage (A Powerpoint Presentation to ORCA May 3, 2025)

How to Use HF SDR Websites and Dongles for SWL and VHF/UHF Scanning

NET OPERATIONS

KARO-ECHO Net Script

Net Operations and Procedures

KARO/ECHO How to Work a Directed Net Click here

Critique/Cold Wash/Debriefing: Lessons Learned on the September 30, 2018 KaroEcho SET

KaroEcho Sept 30, 2018 SET Broadsheet. Detailed SET Info Sheet Here -- Held in parallel with the KE CERT Drill

Fundamentals of Net Control (based on lessons learned since the 2018 SET (by KM6UCF, KE6BEE, and NI6A)

Using Q signals and Handling Instructions (the HX field in the ARES message form preamble)

OPERATING

An Annotated Glossary and Acronym List (EmComm_Glossary Acronyms)

Best Practices and Procedures: The Contra Costa County ARES EmComm Operations Document (Contra Costa EmComm Operations Procedures)

Original Co Co County Op Aid 1 (rev-06/2024)

Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale

The Role of a Message Center and Message Center Manager

Role of a Neighborhood District Radio Communications Coordinator (DRCC) in Creating and Maintaining Neighborhood Comm Hubs

How to Create a Comm Hub Message Center and Operate it Efficiency

Emergency Communications Field Operations Manual and Handbook (Karo-Echo) (Rev 04/2020)

Definitions of ARES Message Precedence Designators (Emergency, Priority, Welfare, and Routine).

Formal Written Traffic versus Point to Point Verbal Tactical Comms: When to write it down and when not to.

Handling Welfare Traffic and ARL Numbered Messages

A list of Relevant VHF and UHF SIMPLEX Frequencies in our area

Message Handling Best Practices This is a detailed, advanced, and rigorous Instructional guide. (see Chapt. 8 of KE Field Operations Handbook)

Obtaining Fills efficiently in Message Handling (short easy to understand primer)

Using Prowords and Obtaining Fills: A Clean and Very Succinct 2 page Instructional Guide

Utilizing the FOUR Time/Date Stamps of the KE Modified form 213, with clarifications on word count (check).

A Succinct Presentation of How to Use Prowords, Get Fills, Use Op Notes, and Handling Instructions Based on the 03/25/2021 Net

Using ICS-213 Form Made Simple

Comparing ICS-213 Message Form with the ARRL Message Form (a very short critique)

A Breakdown of the Elements of the ARRL/ARES Standard Message Form Made Simple for Dummies!

A Short Example Why We Use the ARES/ICS Modified/hybrid Message Form

Sample Forms

The KARO-ECHO HYBRID/Modified ICS-213 ARES/RACES MESSAGE FORM as fillable PDF or in MS Word format

ICS-213 (pdf) (fillable PDF) (Word dot doc ) (ICS Standard Form)

ICS-213 Fillable. docx (ICS Standard Form)

ICS 309 Communications Log KE-ARES (PDF) Printable

ICS-309 KE-ARES Fillable Log Form (MS Word)

ICS-309 KE-ARES Fillable Excel Format (xlsx)

CERT FRS/GMRS Radio Operations and Guides (for Rote Beginners and Advanced)

Disaster Communications Primer for El Cerrito/Kensington CERT Trainees (Short Form)

Graphic Diagram of Emergency Communications Tiers Depicting how FRS/GMRS Interoperates with Ham radio and the EOC

A Detailed Introduction Using Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) Radios for Disaster Communications (Long Form)

How to Run a CERT FRS/GMRS Directed Net Operation Control Operation on Tier 2 (to and from Blocks to Area ICPs)

FRS and GMRS Channel/Frequency and Power Limitation Chart according to the most recent November 2017 FCC Rules

Quick 1 page guide for FRS/GMRS radio operations. If you read only one page, read this one.

What Radio Equipment is Desired for FRS, GMRS, and Ham Radio EmComm Use?

Club Info

KaroEcho Constitution/Charter Third Revision (Adopted January 10, 2022)

Volunteerism: How to approach volunteers in a friendly and productive manner: RealTeamwork!

Club Insurance: KARO ECHO has purchased a full coverage Liability Insurance policy including an equipment insurance floater through the ARRL Copies of our insurance coverage descriptions can be found here (Liability Policy) and here (Equipment Insurance Policy floater).

KaroEcho Past Minutes (See the bottom of Past Events Page)