View Full Version : Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES)
g4tut
01-03-2007, 09:55 AM
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) training
In 2006, Arlington Radio Public Service Club, in co-operation with Arlington County RACES, Fairfax County RACES and Virginia RACES, Inc. conducted weekly one-hour RACES interactive training classes via the Internet and toll-free voice conference bridge for participants.
Arlington's RACES training is a unique method of providing training using the best of today's technology.
In addition to being convenient for the class participants, the course helped save fuel, reduced air pollution and allowed participants to obtain training from the comfort of their homes.
These training materials are available without charge to local governments and nonprofit organizations who would like to use them for training purposes provided that (1) prior permission is obtained, and (2) the user places the appropriate copyright notice, "Copyright © 2006, Virginia RACES, Inc." and acknowledgments of Virginia RACES and Arlington County RACES on the materials.
The training files may be downloaded at the URL:
http://www.w4ava.org/training.htm
Arlington County's Auxiliary Communication Service Manual is also available for download at:
http://www.w4ava.org/races/auxcomm01.htm
An MP3 audio file describing the new RACES HF internet remote installed at the Arlington County Fire Department can be heard at: http://www.w4ava.org/newsbrief.mp3
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KD7ZOS
01-03-2007, 07:20 PM
Great Idea: Now if ARRL will get all of their SM's online to begin this program , I've been waiting for RACES training, now for over two years, since I and my hamsters became licensed. I'll be the first to sign up, for all of us! 73's Tom KD7ZOS
KC5SAS
01-03-2007, 10:36 PM
Quote[/b] (KD7ZOS @ Jan. 03 2007,12:20)]Great Idea: #Now if ARRL will get all of their SM's online to begin this program , I've been waiting for RACES training, now for over two years, since I and my hamsters became licensed. I'll be the first to sign up, for all of us! #73's Tom KD7ZOS
What does ARRL have to do with this? And why have you waited 2 years for training? There are multiple resources for training available for ACS/RACES volunteers.
In addition to the ICS/NIMS training required to participate there are several EmComm courses which can be used as well as nets, exercises and drills both as a group and with other agencies.
The SM isn't responsible for any of this. It's up to your Emergency Management Agency and it's ACS/RACES Officer to get you up to speed. If that isn't being done then somebody is not doing thier job.
N0FPE
01-04-2007, 10:39 PM
The ARRL has nothing to do with RACES. ARES is the ARRL's area. The league does encourage membership in both but they do not provide training for RACES. That is up to your local/county/state OEM/EMA. You have been waiting for the wrong thing!!!
Dan/NØFPE
?? Does RACES officially exist anymore, because the FCC stopped issuing new RACES licenses (1 per county) in the last big restructuring back on April 15, '00 & just recently deleted all the RACES bands that were reserved for civil defense operations in case the President declared a civil/war emergency & temp. suspended everyone's ham license. The idea was is that hams registered w/ a county established RACES group could cont. to operate to some degree in order to meet the needs of public service for the various gov't agencies, but not ragchew & were restricted to those FCC reserved RACES freqs. in the different amateur bands. Now, they're gone.
It is safe to assume that Uncle Sam has no plans of ever suspending ham licenses ever again by declaring us as official first responders just last year??? You're guess is as good as mine. Don't know what's up with that one, do you?
Essentially w/out the RACES licenses being issued anymore & the deletion of its designated bands, what is RACES good for anymore ??
I am open to any & all input, if practical & logical. Tnx.
-Brad
ka8n@sbcglobal.net http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif
Quote[/b] (ka8n @ Jan. 05 2007,05:24)]... but not ragchew & were restricted to those FCC reserved RACES freqs. in the different amateur bands. Now, they're gone.
Essentially w/out the RACES licenses being issued anymore & the deletion of its designated bands, what is RACES good for anymore ??
I am open to any & all input, if practical & logical. Tnx.
-Brad
Brad,
Perhaps you should take a look at the FCC Part 97 rules related to RACES. It's convenient that the ARRL leaves the RACES frequency segments out of their "mirror" of the rules but they do still exist.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7....407.htm (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/09nov20051500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2005/octqtr/47cfr97.407.htm)
This is the FCC Part 97.407 as is currently in effect directly from the FCC Wireless Bureau's page, last revision being Oct. 2005.
73'
NB2E
All the RACES designated bands were deleted in Part 97 on Dec. 15, '06 in FCC WT-Docket Co. 04-140.
Here is some additional info. I found about it:
§97.17 Application for new license grant.
(a) Any qualified person is eligible to apply for a new operator/primary station, club station or military recreation station license grant. No new license grant will be issued for a Novice, Technician Plus, or Advanced Class operator/primary station or RACES station.
(Copied from Docket 04-140 from Section "J")
50. Decision. Based on the record before us, we believe that deleting the frequency bands and segments specified for RACES stations is warranted. We agree with ARRL that, because the Director, OSTP has authority over RACES operations in terms of frequencies to be used, the specification of RACES bands during a wartime emergency is unnecessary and duplicative, and can be eliminated, provided that there is a cross-reference to Part 214 of the Commission’s Rules in Section 97.407. Accordingly, we will revise Section 97.407(b) as proposed.
Meaning that the RACES authorized bands are now extinct. Which concludes my whole point.
1800-1825 kHz, 1975-2000 kHz, 3.50-3.55 MHz, 3.93-3.98 MHz, 3.984-4.000 MHz, 7.079-7.125 MHz, 7.245-7.255 MHz, 10.10-10.15 MHz, 14.047-14.053 MHz, 14.22-14.23 MHz, 14.331-14.350 MHz, 21.047-21.053 MHz, 21.228-21.267 MHz, 28.55-28.75 MHz, 29.237-29.273 MHz, 29.45-29.65 MHz, 50.35-50.75 MHz, 52-54 MHz, 144.50-145.71 MHz, 146-148 MHz, 2390-2450 MHz
Here is a link to the ARRL article on the matter:
ARRL Info. (http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt04-140/faq.html)
73 de -.- .- ---.. -.
WA5BEN
01-08-2007, 02:42 AM
Quote[/b] (ka8n @ Jan. 05 2007,05:24)]?? Does RACES officially exist anymore, because the FCC stopped issuing new RACES licenses (1 per county) in the last big restructuring back on April 15, '00 & just recently deleted all the RACES bands that were reserved for civil defense operations in case the President declared a civil/war emergency & temp. suspended everyone's ham license. The idea was is that hams registered w/ a county established RACES group could cont. to operate to some degree in order to meet the needs of public service for the various gov't agencies, but not ragchew & were restricted to those FCC reserved RACES freqs. in the different amateur bands. Now, they're gone.
It is safe to assume that Uncle Sam has no plans of ever suspending ham licenses ever again by declaring us as official first responders just last year??? You're guess is as good as mine. Don't know what's up with that one, do you?
Essentially w/out the RACES licenses being issued anymore & the deletion of its designated bands, what is RACES good for anymore ??
I am open to any & all input, if practical & logical. Tnx.
-Brad
ka8n@sbcglobal.net http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif
The FCC stopped issuing RACES licenses to EOC because they were redundant. That had no impact on RACES, as most EOC were already using the callsign of the person on duty.
The frequency restrictions were removed to allow better flexibility for RACES operations, particularly in areas where virtually every repeater pair is already assigned.
RACES remains the one and only group of amateur groups that are officially created, credentialed, and recognized by government entities.
As a practical matter, every ARES organization must have a core group of RACES certified operators, and every RACES group needs an ARES-like organization for non-emergency activities (walk-a-thons, etc.).
RACES & the old Civil Defense are a thing of the past. In a terrorist attack, ham radio can't even be used for e-comms because the federal gov't requires all vital & security sensitive messages to be passed via encryption.
All hams could do is provide strictly health & welfare traffic, if even that. The same thing goes for MARS. The requirement of all new MARS stations to use AMTOR to connect to a bbs is totally antiquated & obsolete. You're lucky if your message gets to the other party(ies) in a few days, or the week for that matter, if at all. MARS shot themselved in the foot over that one. Who wants to play Army? ...
RACES is most definitely a tye-dye faded out old t-shirt from the 70's. There are very few areas in the country anymore that have active groups. They sure look good on paper though, don't they?! But what's paper & actually is are 2 different things. Here in my county, no one can, (or wants to) tell me who the RACES Officer, whether they appointed themself, or what RACES members would even do when activated. What's an SOP & EOP???
I enjoyed volunteering for ARES & getting shoved off to the sidelines while all the emergency workers sat there still puzzled by what ham radio was & why we were even there. Never again shall I waste my time in 100 degree heat: 99% humidity to stand around not being needed nor wanted.
I esp. like the hams that show up to help wearing their dirty, holey clothes they used just the day before while mowing their lawn. Then there was one wearing a construction orange vest that read "FEMA" on it. I wonder what fantasy world he was living in...
The bottom line is this, when s#%@ hits the fan & we the few people of the amateur community show up to help, that aren't victims ourselves, we'll get there, set up our pretty radios & antennas, tables & chairs & get ready for nothing, because everyone else is using their expensive encryption HT's w/ briefcase repeaters, Nextel's & tax dollar paid lap-top computers & all we hear is intermod, static & a whole lot of silence.
*** Let's face the facts, ham radio is a dying hobby. Very few young people getting in. The only thing the FCC knew to do was too drop the code & open the doors to all the CBers that have been flooding our 2 meter repeaters for quite some time now & ARRL e-comm title collectors that came straight off of Channel 19. ***
"Mercy sakes good buddy. Let's have an emergency meeting at the choke & puke down da' road." What an absolute joke ham radio is becoming. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
The title of the article should be changed to:
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) Un-training
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
WA5BEN
01-10-2007, 11:26 PM
Quote[/b] (ka8n @ Jan. 09 2007,09:44)]"Mercy sakes good buddy. Let's have an emergency meeting at the choke & puke down da' road." What an absolute joke ham radio is becoming. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
The title of the article should be changed to:
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) Un-training
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
There are so many assumptions and flatly false assertions in this post that it is difficult to select the "worst of the worst", so I will just take them in order.
Quote[/b] ]
RACES & the old Civil Defense are a thing of the past. In a terrorist attack, ham radio can't even be used for e-comms because the federal gov't requires all vital & security sensitive messages to be passed via encryption.
In a terrorist attack, only a tiny fraction of the traffic would relate to things needing secrecy. The "bad guys" and the "good guys" both know what has happened. Tactical operational security (by the "bad guys") is no longer needed. For the "good guys", only information related to evidence gathered, damage assessment, movement of forces, and security for key players requires secrecy. That will be passed on government frequencies -- most probably via SATCOM to out of area decision makers. For on-scene communications, NSA or "soft agency" tactical-level digital encryption is built into the radios.
Quote[/b] ]
All hams could do is provide strictly health & welfare traffic, if even that.
Normal disaster communications -- related to load balancing at hospitals, various communications between hospitals, logistics, and the myriad other needs are fully appropraite and legal under RACES.
RACES is an active participant in every emergency drill carried out in the DFW area -- especially in mass casualty scenarios. Several of those scenarios have been based upon terror attacks.
RACES is a critical part of the official emergency plans of every city:
* At least one operating position (with city-provided radios) exists in the EOC of every city
* A full HF/VHF/UHF position exists at the county EOC
* These EOC are manned for any disaster -- natural or man-made
* Operating positions exist at each of the primary hospitals, and at the blood bank.
* Four NWS-provided operating positions exist at the Fort Worth Weather Forecast Office. These face the desk of the lead forecaster, allowing instant communication. (Many of the NWS meteorologists now have ham tickets.)
* Operating positions exist on the weather sets of each network television affiliate.
* All RACES members have undergone full police background checks, and carry city-issued or county-issued photo ID that afford immediate clearance at roadblocks. These ID are issued by the police department, the fire department, or the emergency management agency of the respective city or county.
* Training is required to be kept current. A minimum of 12 hours per year participation in training nets, plus an NWS SKYWARN certification course at least every two tears, plus FEMA courses.
* Participation in public service events is required.
Quote[/b] ]
The same thing goes for MARS. The requirement of all new MARS stations to use AMTOR to connect to a bbs is totally antiquated & obsolete. You're lucky if your message gets to the other party(ies) in a few days, or the week for that matter, if at all. MARS shot themselved in the foot over that one. Who wants to play Army? ...
MARS has adopted the Winlink system nationwide. The maximum delay is a few minutes. For most messages, the delivery is essentially instantaneous.
It never ceases to amaze me how those who have never participated in EMCOMM are so willing to offer their uninformed opinions disguised as "fact". It would be beneficial if one at least developed a groundwork of information upon which to base an opinion before expounding on that about which one does not know.
WA5BEN
01-11-2007, 12:11 AM
Quote[/b] (ka8n @ Jan. 09 2007,09:44)]I enjoyed volunteering for ARES & getting shoved off to the sidelines while all the emergency workers sat there still puzzled by what ham radio was & why we were even there. Never again shall I waste my time in 100 degree heat: 99% humidity to stand around not being needed nor wanted.
The bottom line is this, when s#%@ hits the fan & we the few people of the amateur community show up to help, that aren't victims ourselves, we'll get there, set up our pretty radios & antennas, tables & chairs & get ready for nothing, because everyone else is using their expensive encryption HT's w/ briefcase repeaters, Nextel's & tax dollar paid lap-top computers & all we hear is intermod, static & a whole lot of silence.
*** Let's face the facts, ham radio is a dying hobby. Very few young people getting in. The only thing the FCC knew to do was too drop the code & open the doors to all the CBers that have been flooding our 2 meter repeaters for quite some time now & ARRL e-comm title collectors that came straight off of Channel 19. ***
First of all, ARES is NOT an officially-recognized organization by any level of government. Because of that, it is NOT well-equipped to do EMCOMM.
WHY ?
* No method of issuing credentials. Credentials must be issued by a government agency or an "NGO" (think Red Cross). Because ARES is "all-inclusive" (if you are a ham, you are a member), there is no vetting process.
* No consistent training requirements
* No assurance to a government official of any level that the person who shows up does not have a criminal history, is not under indictment, and/or is not unstable.
If the emergency workers were puzzled why you were there, why WERE you there ?
We must SELL our capabilities and services BEFORE we show up. If we have no role in THIS exercise, we could send a CAREFULLY CHOSEN person / couple of people to observe tha exercise. From their report, we can create a presentation, contact the appropriate agency heads, and BUILD a relationship. From that, we can have a well-defined role in the next excercise. In the meantime:
Parades: Every town has some. Offer to provide parade communication support. Under promise and OVER deliver.
Involve Civic Organizations: If (and only if) you have a good speaker, put together a 15 minute talk on ham radio disaster responses in Katrina, tornadoes, forest fires, or something closer to your town's highest threat potential.
Use the person with the best gift for the SALES job to the specific organization. That guy or gal with a Technician License may really SHINE as a public speaker. That Extra Class with 185 years of radio technical knowledge who says "um" every two words is the WORST guy to send. If you have someone who does both well, you are fortunate, indeed -- but understand that there are two different parts of the brain involved, and that the combination of technical and speaking talents is extremely rare.
When you gain an agency sponsor, form a RACES "core group" within your ARES group, so that you have a vetted, credentialed, and well-trained core organization.
When people learn what you can do, they will invite you to the party -- and they WILL seek your advice on how to improve the capabilities of the town. At that point, CONSIDER and LEARN before responding. "Let me think about that for a couple of days" is taken as "my issue is important, and he wants to consider options".
A quick answer is often the worst answer -- even if it is the same answer you would have given after a couple of days of thought. Many times, the quick answer is the one you wish you could pull back -- and the one that killed your credibility.
WA5BEN
01-11-2007, 12:42 AM
Quote[/b] (ka8n @ Jan. 09 2007,09:44)]The bottom line is this, when s#%@ hits the fan & we the few people of the amateur community show up to help, that aren't victims ourselves, we'll get there, set up our pretty radios & antennas, tables & chairs & get ready for nothing, because everyone else is using their expensive encryption HT's w/ briefcase repeaters, Nextel's & tax dollar paid lap-top computers & all we hear is intermod, static & a whole lot of silence.
I a REAL disaster, there is ALWAYS a shortage of communications. In Bogalusa, LA, we went over 10 days without any kind of telephone service, and 10 days without any power. The police department, fire department, EMS, and parish sheriff's office relied upon ham radio to intercommunicate for every one of those days.
"It never ceases to amaze me how those who have never participated in EMCOMM are so willing to offer their uninformed opinions disguised as "fact". #It would be beneficial if one at least developed a groundwork of information upon which to base an opinion before expounding on that about which one does not know."
-WA5BEN Quote
Here is a list of some of the e-comm activities I've been formerly involved in:
* Top-Off 2 Disaster Drill involving bio-terrorist attack at Dubage Co. Farigrounds & terrorist airplane crash at Chicago Midway Airport.
* Mack Disaster Drill for the City of Rockford (Bioterrorist attack).
* Chemical disaster at Greater Rockford Airport.
* NCO for Tornado Warning w/ 2 rotating mesoclones (Lower level rotating wall clouds) on Labor Day '06.
* Misc. SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) activities & functions
* 11 different FEMA-EMI courses.
* Misc. ham radio volunteer functions over the years.
* ARRL EC-001 E-Comm course completed.
If that isn't satisfactory enough, then I don't know what is. What never seizes to amaze me are all the fat people who sit on it & take all the credit for everyone else's work. Esp. those who perceive to "know it all" about e-comms.
I'll be the 1st to admit I don't know everything in it, nor would I want too, but after almost a decade in this hobby, I see it falling apart as agencies shy away from ham radio operators that perclaim to have "been there, done that", while all the HT's, pagers & ARRL Official ID cards have around their large waist. Hell, the only thing that's missing is the lightbar & sirens on their cars with the big spotlight & not to forget the wallet badge. Good grief!!!
I get so sick of hams like you that act like they've seen it all. Even the things I listed above don't mean all that much in e-comms, but just to prove my "worthyness" to people like you.
I'm involved in gov't security where I work. All comm's & messages passed among workers are required to be encrypted at all times under the new Homeland Security laws. That's why you see so many analog radios going for nickels on the dollar on ebay. They just can't use them anymore.
With the exception of civilian law enforcement, all gov't/military e-comm communications absolutely must, w/ no exceptions MUST be secured for the protection of this country from the unthinkable. Running an emergency or disaster where I work is no exception. Too much info. being passed that could contradict the operations of where I work & could allow for weaknesses for terrorists to overcome, that would not have otherwise.
During an emergency there, hams would not even be allowed access there. Even with all the pretty ID badges. The only badge that gets you in, is one issued, after FBI & DHS background checks. Ham radios are not even allowed inside the perimeter of my work site.
If someone penetrates the perimeter, they are subject to a possible large fine & imprisonment, to say the least. A disaster or emergency is no exception to this rule. It can't be, due to possible security breaches & sensitive areas that can not be accessed by the public.
There are a lot of just such places all throughout the country where a disaster is more likely to occur at than in your own back yard, because of the high magnitude of what is being used or stored there (i.e. your city water pump station & power transformer stations are considered to be restricted areas). If someone were to enter any of those kind of areas, they could get in big trouble as they have total access to your tap water supply or power.
These are places that hams would never be allowed access to, or allowed to provide e-comms for because of the potential for terrorists to gain access to & disrupt, destroy, or contaminate. Us hams are not the Wiet Erp rescuers of the modern age.
I have a BIG problem with know-it-all hams that think when "the big one hits" that they are just going to load up their ham gear & go to save the day. First off, hams have to be called upon to help out, which almost never happens anymore. They're just not needed w/ today's technology. Secondly, they have not passed the required elements to obtain clearence to gain access to those areas. Regardless, of a county background check for a RACES badge. Besides, you can't just apply for a badge in a special restricted area w/out having a need to do so. The same goes for military installations & other gov't protected property.
Cell towers & phone lines are closed off for emergency workers only. Even the news media gets bumped off. Nextel radios provide secured lines of two-way e-comms. Temp. repeaters are set up for use using the most state-of-the art encryption means. If you really don't believe any of this I am saying, all I can say is, just wait for that "big one to hit" in your area someday & then, you'll know where ham radio is, no where. Whether it occurs in a security sensitive area or not. Because even in a playground in a park, once a disaster has been declared there, it becomes a "temporary restricted area" in the process.
My county doesn't even issue ID badges of any kind for the hams. Even the ones in RACES. This is because too many hams have tried to get through areas in a disaster with them, that they have no business being in for their own personal safety.
So now tell me, how can RACES, ARES, or any other ham radio e-comm group fit in all of this? Other than showing up & playing cops and robbers. Demonstrating a true dog & pony show to all the professionals at work... # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
WA5BEN
01-11-2007, 10:19 PM
Quote[/b] (ka8n @ Jan. 11 2007,05:45)]"It never ceases to amaze me how those who have never participated in EMCOMM are so willing to offer their uninformed opinions disguised as "fact". It would be beneficial if one at least developed a groundwork of information upon which to base an opinion before expounding on that about which one does not know."
-WA5BEN Quote
Here is a list of some of the e-comm activities I've been formerly involved in:
* Top-Off 2 Disaster Drill involving bio-terrorist attack at Dubage Co. Farigrounds & terrorist airplane crash at Chicago Midway Airport.
* Mack Disaster Drill for the City of Rockford (Bioterrorist attack).
* Chemical disaster at Greater Rockford Airport.
* NCO for Tornado Warning w/ 2 rotating mesoclones (Lower level rotating wall clouds) on Labor Day '06.
* Misc. SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) activities & functions
* 11 different FEMA-EMI courses.
* Misc. ham radio volunteer functions over the years.
* ARRL EC-001 E-Comm course completed.
If that isn't satisfactory enough, then I don't know what is. What never seizes to amaze me are all the fat people who sit on it & take all the credit for everyone else's work. Esp. those who perceive to "know it all" about e-comms.
I'll be the 1st to admit I don't know everything in it, nor would I want too, but after almost a decade in this hobby, I see it falling apart as agencies shy away from ham radio operators that perclaim to have "been there, done that", while all the HT's, pagers & ARRL Official ID cards have around their large waist. Hell, the only thing that's missing is the lightbar & sirens on their cars with the big spotlight & not to forget the wallet badge. Good grief!!!
I get so sick of hams like you that act like they've seen it all. Even the things I listed above don't mean all that much in e-comms, but just to prove my "worthyness" to people like you.
I'm involved in gov't security where I work. All comm's & messages passed among workers are required to be encrypted at all times under the new Homeland Security laws. That's why you see so many analog radios going for nickels on the dollar on ebay. They just can't use them anymore.
With the exception of civilian law enforcement, all gov't/military e-comm communications absolutely must, w/ no exceptions MUST be secured for the protection of this country from the unthinkable. Running an emergency or disaster where I work is no exception. Too much info. being passed that could contradict the operations of where I work & could allow for weaknesses for terrorists to overcome, that would not have otherwise.
During an emergency there, hams would not even be allowed access there. Even with all the pretty ID badges. The only badge that gets you in, is one issued, after FBI & DHS background checks. Ham radios are not even allowed inside the perimeter of my work site.
If someone penetrates the perimeter, they are subject to a possible large fine & imprisonment, to say the least. A disaster or emergency is no exception to this rule. It can't be, due to possible security breaches & sensitive areas that can not be accessed by the public.
There are a lot of just such places all throughout the country where a disaster is more likely to occur at than in your own back yard, because of the high magnitude of what is being used or stored there (i.e. your city water pump station & power transformer stations are considered to be restricted areas). If someone were to enter any of those kind of areas, they could get in big trouble as they have total access to your tap water supply or power.
These are places that hams would never be allowed access to, or allowed to provide e-comms for because of the potential for terrorists to gain access to & disrupt, destroy, or contaminate. Us hams are not the Wiet Erp rescuers of the modern age.
I have a BIG problem with know-it-all hams that think when "the big one hits" that they are just going to load up their ham gear & go to save the day. First off, hams have to be called upon to help out, which almost never happens anymore. They're just not needed w/ today's technology. Secondly, they have not passed the required elements to obtain clearence to gain access to those areas. Regardless, of a county background check for a RACES badge. Besides, you can't just apply for a badge in a special restricted area w/out having a need to do so. The same goes for military installations & other gov't protected property.
Cell towers & phone lines are closed off for emergency workers only. Even the news media gets bumped off. Nextel radios provide secured lines of two-way e-comms. Temp. repeaters are set up for use using the most state-of-the art encryption means. If you really don't believe any of this I am saying, all I can say is, just wait for that "big one to hit" in your area someday & then, you'll know where ham radio is, no where. Whether it occurs in a security sensitive area or not. Because even in a playground in a park, once a disaster has been declared there, it becomes a "temporary restricted area" in the process.
My county doesn't even issue ID badges of any kind for the hams. Even the ones in RACES. This is because too many hams have tried to get through areas in a disaster with them, that they have no business being in for their own personal safety.
So now tell me, how can RACES, ARES, or any other ham radio e-comm group fit in all of this? Other than showing up & playing cops and robbers. Demonstrating a true dog & pony show to all the professionals at work... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
While your "almost a decade" in the hobby may give you some insight, that would be about a fifth of my experience. On the crypto side, I worked as Senior Field Engineer, Product Development Engineer, Director of Training, and Marketing Support Engineer for one of the top three crypto companies in the world. I was one of four people in the company authorized to discuss the internal workings of the key generators with government cipher committees. Suffice it to say that I know a few things about intel, counter-intel, and methods of attack.
Public Safety Communications magazine has serialized two of my articles, including one entitled "An Illusion of Secrecy" , which dealt with the need to secure public safety communications. The other was entitled "Real World Disaster Communications: Planning for The Unforeseeable". That article formed the basis for emergency communication planning in the State of Texas (and several other states), was the foundation for the deployment of the Operation S.E.C.U.R.E. HF Emergency Communication System, and led to the purchase of the first "fly-away" SATCOM terminal in state history.
The Texas Department of Public Safety consulted with me regarding how to identify and stop media leaks during the Branch Dividian standoff. My plan proved that the media were monitoring DPS cell phone calls, and produced a wonderful spectacle of media types with tremendous amounts of egg on their faces after they had interrupted programming and announced to the world that the Dividians were coming out. (The DPS SECTEL's and STU-III's were used much more often after that !)
* Worked the Delta 191 crash at DFW Airport
* Worked the other Delta crash at DFW Airport (Those are the only two crashes in the history of the airport, and they explain why I do not fly Delta...)
* As Alternate RACES District Radio Officer of Disaster District 1a, served as Texas DPS Division of Emergency Management liason to the City of Wylie, and (at request of the senior city official on site) effectively ran the Wylie EOC after the Wylie, Texas tornado
* And a few other tornadoes, floods, clorine gas releases, train derailments, etc.....
I said all that to say this:
There is a clear need for TRAINED, VETTED, and WELL DISCIPLINED amateur radio volunteers in EVERY type of disaster. RACES offers each town, village, city, county, parish, or state the ability to create and CONTROL a body of disciplined, trained, and pre-cleared radio operators. RACES photo ID are issued by the goverenment agency ONLY if the person passes full background checks. These are the same checks performed on police and fire radio operators.
For a typical severe storm outbreak, RACES operators are located in every EOC of every city, at the county EOC, at the state police regional EOC, at the National Weather Service, and at all of the broadcast television stations (the rigs are permanently mounted on the weather sets, and several of the station meteorologists have become hams). For a commercial airplane crash, the emergency plan calls for RACES to man the crash site, hospitals, blood bank, and appropriate EOC. For other types of incidents, RACES has pre-defined responsibilities.
My city RACES ID says "Richardson Fire Department Emergency Management Reservist". My State of Texas RACES ID says "Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management". Each and every RACES member undergoes the same extensive background checks that are performed on a police dispatcher.
* Lack of effective training is the fault of the provider of training.
* Lack of proper vetting is the fault of those doing the vetting.
* Light bars on his/her vehicle are a really GREAT reason why a person should not be cleared. (Unless he/she is a volunteer fireman, or has another true reason to have them.)
In most cases, we are not talking about accessing USG restricted areas. We are talking about recovering from a disaster -- whether natural or man-made -- in a CIVILIAN environment.
I would remind you that NO government entity -- state or federal -- can usurp the powers of the local community. The state must be ASKED for help by the town/city, and the federal government must be ASKED for help by the state. (Yes, I have personally handled the official requests from several towns/cities to the state.)
Finally, on one train propane tank explosion with polyeurethane fumes, I was asked to escort someone. When I drove up, it was a USAF Captain -- an EOD expert, in full Class A uniform. My RACES ID had me escorting him ! (I didn't say it made sense, as I pointed out to the local cop, but that was the only way he could clear him in.....) The captain and I had a good laugh about that, but we got the job done.
n4xts
01-13-2007, 01:44 AM
Quote[/b] (ka8n @ Jan. 11 2007,05:45)]"It never ceases to amaze me how those who have never participated in EMCOMM are so willing to offer their uninformed opinions disguised as "fact". It would be beneficial if one at least developed a groundwork of information upon which to base an opinion before expounding on that about which one does not know."
-WA5BEN Quote
Here is a list of some of the e-comm activities I've been formerly involved in:
* Top-Off 2 Disaster Drill involving bio-terrorist attack at Dubage Co. Farigrounds & terrorist airplane crash at Chicago Midway Airport.
* Mack Disaster Drill for the City of Rockford (Bioterrorist attack).
* Chemical disaster at Greater Rockford Airport.
* NCO for Tornado Warning w/ 2 rotating mesoclones (Lower level rotating wall clouds) on Labor Day '06.
* Misc. SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) activities & functions
* 11 different FEMA-EMI courses.
* Misc. ham radio volunteer functions over the years.
* ARRL EC-001 E-Comm course completed.
If that isn't satisfactory enough, then I don't know what is. What never seizes to amaze me are all the fat people who sit on it & take all the credit for everyone else's work. Esp. those who perceive to "know it all" about e-comms.
I'll be the 1st to admit I don't know everything in it, nor would I want too, but after almost a decade in this hobby, I see it falling apart as agencies shy away from ham radio operators that perclaim to have "been there, done that", while all the HT's, pagers & ARRL Official ID cards have around their large waist. Hell, the only thing that's missing is the lightbar & sirens on their cars with the big spotlight & not to forget the wallet badge. Good grief!!!
I get so sick of hams like you that act like they've seen it all. Even the things I listed above don't mean all that much in e-comms, but just to prove my "worthyness" to people like you.
I'm involved in gov't security where I work. All comm's & messages passed among workers are required to be encrypted at all times under the new Homeland Security laws. That's why you see so many analog radios going for nickels on the dollar on ebay. They just can't use them anymore.
With the exception of civilian law enforcement, all gov't/military e-comm communications absolutely must, w/ no exceptions MUST be secured for the protection of this country from the unthinkable. Running an emergency or disaster where I work is no exception. Too much info. being passed that could contradict the operations of where I work & could allow for weaknesses for terrorists to overcome, that would not have otherwise.
During an emergency there, hams would not even be allowed access there. Even with all the pretty ID badges. The only badge that gets you in, is one issued, after FBI & DHS background checks. Ham radios are not even allowed inside the perimeter of my work site.
If someone penetrates the perimeter, they are subject to a possible large fine & imprisonment, to say the least. A disaster or emergency is no exception to this rule. It can't be, due to possible security breaches & sensitive areas that can not be accessed by the public.
There are a lot of just such places all throughout the country where a disaster is more likely to occur at than in your own back yard, because of the high magnitude of what is being used or stored there (i.e. your city water pump station & power transformer stations are considered to be restricted areas). If someone were to enter any of those kind of areas, they could get in big trouble as they have total access to your tap water supply or power.
These are places that hams would never be allowed access to, or allowed to provide e-comms for because of the potential for terrorists to gain access to & disrupt, destroy, or contaminate. Us hams are not the Wiet Erp rescuers of the modern age.
I have a BIG problem with know-it-all hams that think when "the big one hits" that they are just going to load up their ham gear & go to save the day. First off, hams have to be called upon to help out, which almost never happens anymore. They're just not needed w/ today's technology. Secondly, they have not passed the required elements to obtain clearence to gain access to those areas. Regardless, of a county background check for a RACES badge. Besides, you can't just apply for a badge in a special restricted area w/out having a need to do so. The same goes for military installations & other gov't protected property.
Cell towers & phone lines are closed off for emergency workers only. Even the news media gets bumped off. Nextel radios provide secured lines of two-way e-comms. Temp. repeaters are set up for use using the most state-of-the art encryption means. If you really don't believe any of this I am saying, all I can say is, just wait for that "big one to hit" in your area someday & then, you'll know where ham radio is, no where. Whether it occurs in a security sensitive area or not. Because even in a playground in a park, once a disaster has been declared there, it becomes a "temporary restricted area" in the process.
My county doesn't even issue ID badges of any kind for the hams. Even the ones in RACES. This is because too many hams have tried to get through areas in a disaster with them, that they have no business being in for their own personal safety.
So now tell me, how can RACES, ARES, or any other ham radio e-comm group fit in all of this? Other than showing up & playing cops and robbers. Demonstrating a true dog & pony show to all the professionals at work... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
KA8N, sounds like sour grapes on your part buddy. 10 years in ham radio? noticed you were born in 1982, yet you sound as jaded as some of the 70+ year old hams...you seem to be down on anyone who has a desire to serve with PROPER TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, through RECOGNIZED AGENCIES. In case you failed to take note, only government agencies can activate RACES, it is BY THE GOVERNMENT, FOR THE GOVERNMENT.
So no, you won't be working walk-a-thons with RACES, but there is no reason to have the Hateorade you do. I must ask, have you been turned down for some real EMA volunteer work? Kicked out of an EOC? With a know-it-all ego like yours, you'd be shown the door at any real EMA or EOC around here. Those with a big ego don't make it that long in real public safety jobs. You hint around alot about your involvement with some secret Federal agency, so don't you get your fill of saving the world and humanity at that three letter unknown agency you claim to work for? Why bash folks who actually are getting REAL (meaning certified by the public safety agency they serve not something someone made up) training, certification, and are part of their local EMA/EOC/PS agency staff? Aren't we all supposed to be on the same team?
Okay, rant off. Go back to saving the world Mr.Superspy. Those of us lowly EMA volunteers will be standing by to open the door for you when you come home.
W4CBJ
01-13-2007, 04:13 AM
While I am all for the Amateur Radio community working with other agencies, my experiences sadly indicates that it rarely works out. Usually, the main problem is the "control freak." No amount of agreements, promises, etc. does a damn bit of good. C. F.'s don't pay a bit of attention to ordinances, rules, regulations, laws, etc.
Some morning, when you have three (3) weeks to listen, I'll tell you all about it... 73 Joe W4CBJ
WA5BEN
01-13-2007, 07:54 PM
Quote[/b] (w4cbj @ Jan. 12 2007,21:13)]While I am all for the Amateur Radio community working with other agencies, my experiences sadly indicates that it rarely works out. Usually, the main problem is the "control freak." No amount of agreements, promises, etc. does a damn bit of good. C. F.'s don't pay a bit of attention to ordinances, rules, regulations, laws, etc.
Some morning, when you have three (3) weeks to listen, I'll tell you all about it... 73 Joe W4CBJ
Many failed amateur - city cooperation efforts are the direct result of having the wrong people on the amateur side. The most effective SALESMAN and/or cooperation builder is the person who MUST lead. The longest licensed ham and/or most technically savvy ham is usually the WORST person to send.
Quote[/b] (WA5BEN @ Jan. 10 2007,16:19)]I would remind you that NO government entity -- state or federal -- can usurp the powers of the local community. #The state must be ASKED for help by the town/city, and the federal government must be ASKED for help by the state. #(Yes, I have personally handled the official requests from several towns/cities to the state.)
And that's a Constitutional safeguard that the media and liberal politicians chose to ignore during the "Katrina" aftermath debates. Especially those politicians who fell down on the job!
KS4VT
02-08-2007, 03:26 PM
Quote[/b] (ka8n @ Jan. 05 2007,08:24)]Essentially w/out the RACES licenses being issued anymore & the deletion of its designated bands, what is RACES good for anymore ??
I am open to any & all input, if practical & logical. Tnx.
-Brad
We find it valuable essentially for the protection of our volunteers. #The County recognizes that when we (RACES) is activated we need to insure them under the County umbrella should something happen.