What's the best source of information one can find in Anchorage during a grid shutdown?

Status
Not open for further replies.

anchorage-avi

Newbie
Joined
Oct 18, 2021
Messages
1
Hi all, I live in Anchorage. I am totally new to anything radio related. I would like to hear from local folks what would work for me should the power go out and should I want to hear information on what is happening nearby or regionally. For example, I was advised by a few radio sales websites that I called (and You Tube videos) to get a hold of a digital scanner like the Uniden Home Patrol. They don't know Alaska so I'm asking on here if that would yield me any broadcasts in event of emergency. I realize lots of Muni went encrypted but would the digital scanner have any helpful chatter in times of duress?

Also, to add to the Uniden Home Patrol, I was advised to get something like a President Lincoln with added CB capability. They said get both.

My thinking is that, whether or not I can hear official broadcasts from business or municipality, there would be every-day people using CB, SSB and various other frequencies to discuss what is happening and other problem solving things that come up in local/regional emergencies. I'm not familiar (I apologize) with what VHF, UHF, HF, LF or Ham radio is but I would think that folks would also broadcast on there any information that would be helpful in emergencies. Is that true in your local experience?

So in sum, which units would be best suited for Anchorage - and why? Which bands/frequencies would they utilize and receive?

Is the Uniden Home Patrol and the President Lincoln the way to go? Is either a total waste of money/time for this area?

What works for you (and why)?

Any local experience will be totally golden for me to know what to look into.

Thanks so much!

Best wishes,

Avi in Anchorage, AK (Abbot Loop)
 

kikito

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
2,601
Location
North Pole, Alaska
Hello,

I live in the Fairbanks area now and don’t have the most up to date info to help you in detail. In my case, GVEA is my powergrid provider. They have an MPT1327 analog trunking system that I can monitor when I’m wondering about my power being out. There’s no portable scanners that can monitor that type of system yet but programming and scanning the channels conventionally does just fine in this case. I also know what my house/block power grid name/designation is, so that I know when they’re addressing the problems that affect me.

In your case, I think Chugach Electric is the provider in your area. There’s database info here that they’re using a DMR Tier 3 digital trunking system that you could monitor with the latest digital scanners available. Perhaps you could even help provide more details on the system and talk groups as you discover them.

I can help you further with more specific questions but can’t promise as to the timeliness and accuracy of my responses since like I said I don’t live down there anymore. I know others in Alaska and your area might also respond sooner or later.
 

aps_ak

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 30, 2011
Messages
287
Location
Anchorage, AK
In your case, I think Chugach Electric is the provider in your area. There’s database info here that they’re using a DMR Tier 3 digital trunking system that you could monitor with the latest digital scanners available. Perhaps you could even help provide more details on the system and talk groups as you discover them.

Chugach Electric DMR System appears to be in pretty early stages of development, and there is not much activity on it. I submitted all the data for it last few weeks, and there is not much - I would certainly appreciate it if more folks submitted info I missed. CEA merged with Municipal Light and Power, and MLP talkgroups on ALMR/AWARN are still very active - which leads me to believe they are just using those radios for now.
 

ko6jw_2

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
1,448
Location
Santa Ynez, CA
Public safety radio in Anchorage is almost entirely encrypted. No scanner can monitor these systems. This is also true of the Alaska State Patrol.

I would suggest getting your amateur radio license. The Anchorage club has regular VE sessions. Ham radio is very important in Alaska and is supported by the state. The state EOC is on JBER and has full amateur radio capability. There are quite a number of ham repeaters in the Anchorage and Mat-Su areas.

Even though I live in California, I travel to Alaska several times a year and have made a lot of ham friends during my visits. They have provided emergency service and have had a daily net for nearly 60 years.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top