TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM ARRL DISTRICT 3 EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INC.
WOOD COUNTY BULLETIN NR 16.51 DATE: December 18, 2016
SUBJECT: PROTECT YOU HANDHELD RADIO
When providing communications in wet weather you should protect your communications equipment. The most likely communications equipment will be your Handheld radio. There are a couple of ways to keep it dry.
One is to use a small plastic bag. Use a bag that will fit over the Handheld radio. Tear or cut a small hole, just big enough to allow the antenna to go through it. This will keep a lot of water from getting to the radio, but will still allow audio to and from the radio.
Another way to protect you Handheld is to keep it inside your jacket, your pocket, or your rain gear. It's hard to operate your radio like that, but that problem can be overcome. Purchase or build a Speaker/Microphone that will match you radio. The only thing that may get wet now is the speaker/mic, which should not cost as much as the radio, if it were to get wet.
Speaker/Microphones can be adapted to your radio using old used commercial or public safety radio Speaker/Microphones. All you need is the proper plug or plugs for your Handheld radio and a wiring diagram. Most of the old commercial and public safety Speaker/Microphones use the same electronic microphone element as the one made for your radio. There may need to be couple minor wiring changes within the hand microphone. A homemade, or modified, Speaker/Microphone may not look as pretty as the one you buy, but if it saves your radio, it is well worth it.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV