FRS/GMRS Radio Mapping Guide

Radio mapping is the process of creating a visual representation of radio signal strengths and coverage areas across specific geographic locations; in this case, a team's Service Area. A radio map highlights areas with strong, weak, or no signal, helping organizations understand coverage patterns, identify dead zones, and optimize communication infrastructure.

Introduction to Radio Mapping

Scenario

A disaster has struck the Portland metropolitan area. Routine communications methods (e.g. cell phones) are disabled, and NETs are self-deploying to their Staging Areas/Incident Command Posts. After making some initial assessments, Incident Team Leaders begin deploying strike teams to render aid in the surrounding neighborhoods.

After dispatching a strike team to travel a specific route, the Incident Team Leader discovers they cannot establish FRS/GMRS radio communications with them. Time passes and nothing is heard. Is the team in a radio dead zone? Have their radios failed? Is the team in trouble? Should the Incident Team Leader dispatch a runner to their last known location? Does the strike team need the assistance of a follow-up strike team? Where are they?

Meanwhile, the strike team discovers they can no longer communicate with the NET Incident Command Post. How can they reestablish communications? Should they double back to the last point of communication, risking wasted time and physical exertion? Should they continue forward and hope to reestablish communications at a future location? How long will that take? If the team is in serious trouble, should they detour from their route to call for help? If so, in which direction?

The purpose of FRS/GMRS radio mapping is to provide some solutions for addressing these types of questions in an already stressful situation.

Method

FRS/GMRS mapping may be conducted by placing a two-person team, one Radio Operator and one Scribe, at a proposed NET Incident Command Post location. Rover Teams report to the Radio Operator as they stop at specific locations throughout the NET Service Area. The Radio Operator and the Rover Teams record the radio voice quality for the conversation, as they heard it, at each location. The radio voice quality values for each reported location are then used to create color-coded maps for Incident Command staff and Strike Teams for use during large-scale disaster response.

Goals

The primary goal of a Radio Coverage Survey is to measure the radio voice quality of FRS/GMRS radio communications within a prescribed NET Service Area.

The radio voice quality values may be used to:

• Validate prospective primary and backup locations for a NET Incident Command Post;
• Determine radio voice quality at points throughout the NET Service Area;
• Scope out potential locations for an FRS/GMRS repeater or relay sites.

The process of radio mapping with team members will also:

• Improve radio skills;
• Increase familiarity of the NET Service Area;
• Allow practice of elements of the Incident Command System (ICS);
• Build team cohesiveness; and,
• Cultivate an understanding of radio communication coverage patterns to reduce uncertainty and anxiety during a major disaster.