The “ Channel 7-7 Initiative ” aims to increase the safety of all those engaged in outdoor activities through the use of a small, free radio or “Walkie”.
Only one channel has been selected nationwide for this purpose, Channel 7 - Subtone 7, so there is no doubt about which channel to use depending on the place or places where our adventure takes place.
This security initiative is based on three fundamental principles:
- Coordination within the same group, whether hiking, where one radio should be at the head and the other at the tail at least, staying informed and always avoiding that the first ones separate too much from the main group and if there is any straggler, they are waited for in a coordinated manner so that they do not lose the route, especially if visibility conditions are not good, but also in other activities such as mountaineering or climbing where the first and the next in the rope can maintain communication, even if they are not in sight.
- Provide or receive assistance from other groups of mountaineers or hikers nearby. To do this, we should always carry a radio/walkie-talkie on the 7/7. Listening and not transmitting will barely consume any battery power. In case of urgent need, everyone on the same channel can provide or receive assistance from groups or individuals engaged in activities nearby.
- Direct communication with rescue groups of the Civil Guard or Firefighters, even if we call 112 if we have this type of radio it is good to communicate it and that we are on channel (7/7) at the moment we establish a link by this means they will already know that they are close to us and will be able to expand our information on the rescue site, injured (if there are any) etc.
Currently, many mountain refuges in the main mountain ranges in Spain already have a radio station that can be listened to permanently (channel 7 - Subtone 7).
Unlocked walkie-talkies or PMR (personal mobile radio) do not require any license to operate them, unlike portable VHF and UHF radios, in accordance with the provisions of Law 9/2014, of May 9, General Telecommunications.
If you have a license and are taking one of these radio stations into the countryside, you should know that the 146.175 MHz frequency is the main frequency of the REMER (Ministry of the Interior's Emergency Radio Network) for all of Spain. In some mountain areas, it is also used by shelters, and this is the frequency recommended by Civil Guard rescue teams. CIVIL GUARD RECOMMENDATIONS
This initiative is not intended to replace traditional communication systems such as the telephone, but rather to add an additional capacity to our safety in case of an emergency or that of others in distress.
“You never know if we might be the rescued or the rescuers.”
In other articles, we'll discuss how to proceed with an emergency call using the "8 lines" system we use at Northvivor and how to use a radio or radio station.
Remember that #TrainingSavesLives
