Emergency communication is one of the reasons the amateur service exists. The first principle in 47 CFR 97.1 is the value of amateur radio as a voluntary, noncommercial service, “particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.” The ARRL describes amateur operators setting up and running organized communication networks for government and emergency officials, and notes that they are most likely to be active after disasters that damage power, telephone, cellular and other infrastructure (ARRL). The FCC rules still apply to every amateur station during that work (Technician pool question T2C01).
Where hams help
The ARRL’s ARES page describes three kinds of work:
- Public service events such as walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons, parades and festivals. The time commitment is typically set in advance, and often you are asked to bring only a handheld radio.
- Localized disasters such as floods or tornadoes, where a volunteer is typically part of an organization with a pre-planned list of expectations and roles.
- Major disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes, with a time commitment of several weeks to a few months.
A planned public service event is not by itself an emergency under the rules. The emergency provision in 47 CFR 97.403 covers the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.
ARES
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is an ARRL program made up of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment with their local ARES leadership for communications duty in the public service (ARRL). Any licensed amateur may apply, whether or not they belong to the ARRL. Emergency-powered equipment is desirable but not required.
To join, fill out the ARES registration form on the ARRL ARES page and send it to your local Emergency Coordinator. Local ARES groups may have agreements with government agencies or with organizations such as the American Red Cross, and volunteers must meet the requirements of the organization they serve.
Training
The ARRL’s ARES Standardized Training Plan Task Book (version 3.0, July 2024) defines three levels. At Level 1, the entry level, it requires:
- a Technician or higher license and membership in an ARES group;
- a basic emergency communications course;
- FEMA’s IS-100, an introduction to the Incident Command System, and IS-700, an introduction to the National Incident Management System.
The task book encourages IS-200 and IS-800 at Level 1 and requires them at Level 2. Level 3 prepares members for ARES team leadership. The task book calls itself the minimum requirement, with any local training in addition, and notes that the FEMA courses are online and require a FEMA student ID. FEMA lists IS-100.C at 2 hours and IS-700.B at 3.5 hours. For an emergency communications course, the ARRL offers online courses, starting with Intro to EmComm.
RACES
The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) is defined in the rules as a radio service using amateur stations for civil defense communications during local, regional or national civil emergencies (47 CFR 97.3). Unlike ARES, which is an ARRL program, RACES stations and operators must be registered or enrolled with a civil defense organization (see the rule below), and the ARRL describes RACES as coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (ARRL). To join, ask the emergency management office that covers your area whether it runs a RACES program.
RACES does not add frequencies: operators use the privileges of their own license class, and if the President invokes war emergency powers, RACES stations are limited to specific authorized segments. Drills and tests are limited to 1 hour per week, with up to 72 hours twice a year when approved by the state’s chief emergency planning officer (47 CFR 97.407(b) and (d)).
SKYWARN
SKYWARN is the National Weather Service’s volunteer severe weather spotter program. Its main focus is severe local thunderstorms, and spotters give the NWS timely, accurate reports of severe weather. The NWS encourages anyone with an interest in public service to join. Training is free and typically lasts about 2 hours, and the NWS also offers a free online program.
Many hams take part in SKYWARN and pass weather information to the NWS (ARRL). The ARRL and NWS created SKYWARN Recognition Day in 1999 to celebrate the contributions that volunteer SKYWARN radio operators make to the NWS. The ARES task book lists SKYWARN spotter training as optional at Level 1.
The National Traffic System
The ARRL’s National Traffic System (NTS) passes formal messages, called radiograms. Its operators take part in nets at the local, section, region and area levels 365 days a year. During disasters, radiograms carry information critical to saving lives or property, and inquiries about the health or welfare of disaster victims. The ARRL is modernizing the system through its NTS 2.0 project.
A radiogram’s preamble carries the information needed to track the message, including the “check,” which is the number of words or word equivalents in the text. On voice, spelling unusual words with a standard phonetic alphabet helps them arrive correctly (Technician pool questions T2C03, T2C10 and T2C11). Messages sent on behalf of other people are third-party traffic, so the third-party rules in 47 CFR 97.115 apply.
Winlink
Winlink is a worldwide system of volunteer resources supporting email by radio, with non-commercial links to internet email. It is the primary project of the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, which says it serves emergency communicators and licensed operators who do not have internet access. Winlink relays messages using email addresses based on amateur call signs (Technician pool question T2C08). The content rules still apply: no business messages, and nothing encoded to obscure its meaning (47 CFR 97.113).
Equipment that helps
Asked what volunteers should bring, the ARRL answers “It depends!” You may be asked only to show up, or to bring a handheld and some batteries in a go kit; a shelter assignment of several days may call for everything needed to put together a base station (ARRL). A kit to consider:
- a dual-band handheld with spare batteries and a way to charge them without mains power;
- a more efficient antenna than the short flexible one supplied with a handheld (Technician pool question T9A04), and some coax to get it higher;
- your local repeater, net and simplex frequencies programmed in and written down on paper;
- pencil, paper and message forms, and headphones for noisy rooms.
Practice with the gear in nets and public service events before you need it. The first radio guide covers power and antennas in more detail.
What the rules allow in an emergency
Other rules support emergency work:
- Control operators must give priority to stations providing emergency communications, on all frequencies and at all times, except to stations sending RACES training drills and tests (47 CFR 97.101(c)).
- While providing emergency communications, amateurs may exchange messages with stations in other FCC-regulated services (47 CFR 97.111(a)).
- When no other means is reasonably available, amateurs may give broadcasters information directly related to the immediate safety of life or protection of property (47 CFR 97.113(b)).
- You may take part in an emergency preparedness drill on behalf of an employer. Drills that are not government-sponsored are limited to 1 hour per week, or up to 72 hours no more than twice a year (47 CFR 97.113(a)(3)(i)).
Keep the limits in mind. Section 97.403 applies only to the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available, and 97.405 applies to a station in distress. Drills have their own limits, listed above and in the RACES section. Outside those circumstances, all the usual rules apply, including your license privileges and station identification (Technician pool questions T2C01 and T2C09). The ARRL’s advice to new volunteers is to join a local ARES, CERT, RACES or emergency management organization first (ARRL).
For the full set of everyday operating rules, see rules on the air.