Fall Emcomm Drill Checklist for East Tennessee
Quarterly drill ideas before winter storms — go-kit, repeater check-in, and neighborhood PACE review.
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KI4TQN Blog
Articles & Updates
Channel highlights, preparedness topics, and site news — companion reading to the video library and free downloads. RSS feed
Winter Go-Kit Power — Batteries That Actually Work in the Cold
Li-ion sags in freezing weather. What to test, what to carry, and how to keep field radios alive overnight.
Read article →Estate Emcomm: When DIY Stops Being Enough
Ranches, farms, and remote properties need documented multi-layer plans — free tools first, consulting when scope grows.
Read article →New: East Tennessee Emcomm Hub
A single landing page for Tri-Cities emcomm — SKYWARN D7, MTEARS, canonical frequency pages, HF nets, and the deployment workflow.
Read article →POTA & Portable HF — Minimal Field Kit
Antenna, power, logging, and propagation checks for Parks on the Air and portable emcomm HF practice.
Read article →NBEMS vs Winlink on Activations
When fldigi/NBEMS fits tactical HF messaging vs Winlink RMS email — audio setup, templates, and COML documentation expectations.
Read article →COML Role: ICS-205 and ICS-210 in Plain Language
What the Communications Unit Leader actually delivers — frequency plan, PACE alignment, and the lite ICS-210 on KI4TQN.
Read article →HF Net Check-In Format for Emcomm
How HF traffic and section nets expect check-ins — phonetics, location, message availability, and when to say “no traffic.”
Read article →Winlink Session Log Walkthrough
Step-by-step session notes for a successful Winlink RMS exchange — audio levels, gateway choice, and what to archive for ICS.
Read article →East TN District 7 SKYWARN: Counties, Nets, and Frequencies
Northeast Tennessee District 7 SKYWARN covers six counties for NWS Morristown — weekly GMRS and 2m training nets on NETNRC repeaters, plus what spotters need to know.
Read article →Logging Your First NVIS Contact
A field log template for first regional NVIS QSOs — time, band, antenna, RST, and what to copy for emcomm readiness.
Read article →Winter 40m HF in East Tennessee
Why 40m NVIS dominates regional emcomm November–February in the Appalachians — antenna height, power, and net etiquette.
Read article →60m Liaison Practice for Extra Class
Using Extra 60m channel privileges for served-agency liaison — USB channels, power limits, and logging practice without interfering with federal users.
Read article →HF NVIS for Appalachian Property & Emcomm
Why low horizontal HF beats rubber ducks in hill country — NVIS bands, wire antennas, and pairing with VHF mobile layers.
Read article →Day One After Your License Arrives
Callsign in ULS, ID on air, first repeater contact, and the three accessories that matter more than radio #2.
Read article →DMR & BrandMeister in East Tennessee
Local BrandMeister repeaters KE4CCB and KM4KT, Tennessee talkgroups, and how digital fits an emcomm PACE plan.
Read article →Technician License — What Next?
After the VE session — ULS callsign, CHIRP, first net, and when to stop at Technician vs plan General for HF.
Read article →Baofeng First Programming Session
One evening CHIRP workflow — download, verify cable, import one repeater, label memories, and avoid the settings that confuse new Technicians.
Read article →FT8 for Weak-Signal Emcomm Coordination
FT8 is not voice traffic — but it can confirm HF paths and coordinate schedules when propagation is marginal.
Read article →First Mobile Install Checklist
Fuse at the battery, size wire, route coax, check SWR, and program memories before storm season — vehicle mobile wiring that survives emcomm.
Read article →Winlink Basics for Emcomm Volunteers
When to use Winlink, how RMS gateways work, and how to fit HF email traffic into your PACE plan.
Read article →HT vs Mobile for Property Owners
When a handheld is enough, when a vehicle mobile pays off on acreage, and how to document both layers in a PACE plan.
Read article →Summer Field Day Prep for New Technicians
What to bring, how to listen first, and which KI4TQN tools to cache before you leave home Wi‑Fi.
Read article →APRS for Emcomm Situational Awareness
When voice nets are congested, APRS position and status packets can still show who is where — limits, gear, and PACE placement.
Read article →Surviving Your First Ham Net
Listen-first checklist for club nets, SKYWARN training nets, and ARES check-ins — prowords, phonetics, and what NCS expects.
Read article →CHIRP: Program Your First Radio in 30 Minutes
Install CHIRP, load local repeaters from a CSV, set offsets and tones, and verify before your first transmission.
Read article →From the Channel: Baofeng 5RM Quick Start
Ten-minute out-of-the-box guide to the Baofeng UV-5RM — dual-watch display, scan, VFO vs channel mode, NOAA weather, frequency copy, and saving memories.
Read article →From the Channel: RB48 First Impressions & Off-Grid DMR
Summaries of two recent uploads — Retevis RB48 waterproof FRS radios and a solar-powered Wi-Fi DMR hotspot that runs without grid power.
Read article →What to Expect at an ARES Activation
Go/no-go, ICS forms, net discipline, and close-out — a realistic picture before your first served-agency deployment.
Read article →Field Power for Emcomm Go-Bags
Size batteries and solar for radios, hotspots, and phones — LiFePO₄ vs SLA and runtime math without guessing.
Read article →GMRS for Family Comms in East Tennessee
License, channels, programming, and when GMRS beats FRS for homestead and property use in the Tri-Cities region.
Read article →Meshtastic for Off-Grid Text When Cell Fails
When voice repeaters and cell are both down, LoRa mesh text can still move status between buildings — setup, presets, and realistic limits.
Read article →Spring Repeater Check — Five Minutes Before Storm Season
Before spring storms, verify one local repeater offset, tone, and your HT battery date.
Read article →Why Communications Matter in an Emergency
Cell towers, internet, and power are the first things to fail — and the last things most families have a backup for. Here is why a comms plan is not optional.
Read article →Welcome to KI4TQN.com
What this site is for, what you will find here, and how it connects to the YouTube channel, free downloads, and consulting work.
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