Why A Binder?

While anything one needs for information is widely available and easily searchable on the Internet these days, having information at the ready when the Internet is unavailable is important. After all, the saying goes, “When all else fails, amteur radio doesn’t.”

When planning to participate in field day events, or just participating in EmComm due to a utility outage, a 3-ring binder is a useful tool. After seeing a friend’s binder, I bought a binder, hole punch and dividers, and set to work on building my own.

Contents

Here are a list and sources of the items I placed in my binder. Keep in mind that some of my information is very specific to my region, New England and Southern Maine. Similar information is likely available for any region.

To save space and make the information I need more easily found in print form, I have copied many pages into Word documents, and print duplex to save paper and ease the weight of the binder.

Tabs

• FCC License – First item you see upon opening the cover is my FCC license. If someone asks for proof, there it is. If the binder is lost, my address is right there. Print yours from the FCC website.
• Schedules – Radio nets from local clubs and organizations, including ARES and SKYWARN.
  • W1NPP’s Amateur Radio Nets
  • Yarmouth Radio Club’s list of nets
  • ARRL Digital Bulletin Transmissions
  • W1AW Operating Schedule
• Protocols
  • From the Amateur Radio Wiki‘s Codes and Alphabets page:
    • Morse Code table – Transparent background prints as white
    • CW Abbreviations table
  • Q Codes from ARRL‘s Communicating with Other Ham
  • ARRL Radiogram Codes (protocol for reference)
• Band Plans
  • Band Plan Chart
  • Printout of the frequency allocations within a band, copied to Word to focus on charts.
• Frequencies
  • Exported from CHIRP software (no differentiation of offline repeaters, need better source)
    • Channel guide for my radios with locations of repeaters
    • Spreadsheet of repeaters within a 50 mile radius of my residence
    • Spreadsheet of repeaters near places I visit
• Interops
  • Maine Statewide Interoperability Field Operations Guide
  • FRS/GMRS frequencies
  • Marine Frequencies
• Maps
  • ARRL WAS Map – State codes and region numbers
  • Worldwide Ham Radio Callsign Prefix Map
  • ITU Region Map
  • Amateur Radio World Map and DXCC Country List
• Radios
  • Baofeng BF-F8HP Menu Reference
    • Other Baofeng models available at Miklor.com
  • Jetstream JT2705M manual
    • Came with radio, unavailable online
• Antennas – Section in progress
  • From VE3ELB
    • Antenna Dimension Chart
    • Simple Wire Antennas That Work
  • From QST Magazine
    • An article on Ed Fong’s DBJ-1 dual band 2m and 70 cm antenna

Back of Binder

• Wide Rule Notepad and pen (removed for weight, in favor of a separate smaller notepad)

Inside Flaps

• Radiograms and QSL Cards I’ve received

Spine

Card sized print-out of:

• HAM Callsign: KC1JMH
• EchoLink: 998808
• DMR: 3123446
• GMRS Callsign: WRAT256
• Locator: FN43pp
• ITU zone: 08
• CQ zone: 05

Suggestions?

Do you carry a binder? What is in yours?