On Thu, 5 Jun 2014 14:20:03 EDT, Channel Jumper
wrote:

A good radio operator should know how to program it manually.
After all - how are you going to program your radio in an emergency when
the EC tells you that all OP's are on XXX.XXX MHZ and you don't know how
to program it?

A good EmComm operator will have all the necessary channels in the
area/region/state pre-programmed in before hand. That's what an
ICS-205 is all about. Our complete region-wide template is nearly 200
channels, organized by county and function, and our county template is
20 channels.

As far as computer-loading channels, when you have 200 channels (or
more) to load, that's the only way to go. I just spent 15 minutes in
the hot sun loading a new lineup into my ICOM mobile - pre-loaded in
the software and cable-tested in the radio room before going out to
the parking lot. I don't even want to think what it would take to do
it manually - the buttons are too small for rapid use.

AS far as doing it manually, we do that as an exercise for our
hand-helds during the OR-ACES training, but we have the manuals and
Nifty Guides to go by. Better to have it pre-loaded.

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

Member, Washington County, OR
Emergency Communications Team
for ARES/RACES and HEARTNET

Station Co-manager - W7PSV / K7PSV
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center
Disaster Communication Team