Amateur Radio Operator Qualifications
Amateur Radio Operator Qualifications A NET volunteer may receive an ARO designation and badge if she or he completes radio training with Portland NET and qualifies under the following curriculum outline:
FIRST STEP: Basic NET Training, Unit 9 (Communications) Candidate receives this component during Basic NET training. If the candidate took Basic NET before Unit 9 became part of the curriculum, s/he can complete Unit 9 along with a Basic NET class taking it or receive this training from a NET ARO.
- Introduction to radio
- Types: FRS/GMRS, HAM, range, etc.
- Characteristics: license, range, etc.
- Neighborhood mapping
- Basic operation: FRS/GMRS hands-on exercise
- Radio net protocols
- ITU phonetics
- Uses tactical call sign correctly Knows what never to transmit
- Knows what to do if not acknowledged (troubleshooting, attempt simplex, etc.)
- Fills out ICS Communications Log
SECOND STEP: Amateur Radio Technician license Candidate passes the exam required to receive an Amateur Radio Technician license from the FCC, and confirms by forwarding his/her FCC call sign to the NET Coordinator. Exam classes are periodically facilitated by the NET program. Candidates can also study the textbook, and/or complete practice exams. A list of study aids, available classes, and testing times and locations is available at https://www.portlandoregon.gov/pbem/69887.
THIRD STEP: FEMA Independent Study CertificatesCandidate completes and receives certification in the following FEMA IS courses:
- IS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System
- IS-200: ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
- IS-700: National Incident Management System
- IS-800: National Response Framework, an Introduction
FOURTH STEP: NET ARO operations training. Candidate receives and completes NET ARO operations training from her/his Radio Training Liaison. Once the candidate completes operations training and the associated task list, the ARO Coordinator informs the NET Coordinator that the candidate may be issued an ARO badge.
