Emergency Automatic Id (Eai) Feature - Yaesu VX-8DR - APRS Manual

E F
MERGENCY EATURE
E A ID EAI F
The Emergency Automatic ID (EAI) feature can be used to aid in searching for persons
who are incapacitated in disasters like earthquakes, especially search-and-rescue person-
nel who may have become injured in a debris field. When using the EAI feature, a searcher
transmits a unique command (CTCSS tone pair), which will automatically cause the in-
jured party's radio to transmit, so others may perform direction-finding and effect a res-
cue. The incapacitated party may not be able to speak or even press the PTT switch. The
callsign of the incapacitated person will also be transmitted, to assist the rescue team.
If an emergency group is working in a dangerous area, all members should engage the
EAI feature on their transceiver, so that others can assist a fallen team member, if neces-
sary.
The Emergency Automatic ID (EAI) Feature has two operating modes: (1) Interval mode
and (2) Continuous mode.
In the Interval mode (when the VX-8DR receives the CTCSS tone pair), the radio will
automatically transmit a brief (0.5 second) beep tone every 2.5 seconds until the EAI
timer expiration.
In the continuous mode, the radio will automatically transmit continuously (with maxi-
mum microphone gain), until the EAI timer expiration.
The EIA is activated when the CTCSS tone pair stored in the Receiving Pager Code Memory
(configured via Set Mode Item 67: PAGE CODE-RX) is received for 5 seconds on the
frequency, which is stored in Memory Channel "EAI". It is NOT necessary for the inca-
pacitated person to press the PTT switch.
If your call sign is stored in the radio and the CW identifier is enabled via Set Mode Item
21: CW ID, the radio will transmit your callsign on the air when the EAI feature is first
activated by the remote page, and every 10 minutes thereafter. The "callsign" ID can be
changed to any desired sequence of characters, such as a name. After sending the callsign
or name, the radio will repeatedly transmit three tones for a user-defined period of time
(between 1 and 30 minutes). The callsign or name will be transmitted every 10 minutes.
The Emergency Automatic ID (EAI) Feature requires that you (1) store the CTCSS Tone
Pair into the Receiving Pager Memory (see page 40 for procedure), and (2) store the
desired UHF coordination frequency into Memory Channel "EAI" (see page 47 for proce-
dure).
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