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Does anyone think the general public really cares about message formats and NIMS training? They're certainly relevant to we hams involved, but in a general encyclopedia article for the public? I doubt you find such trivia in other encyclopedias.
Expanded section on activation a little bit; added information concerning RACES function and association with National Weather Service/SKYWARN. 108.77.126.83 (talk) 03:32, 17 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I have undone the change because it confuses activation of the actual Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, according to the special rules that apply to that service, with activation of groups that have RACES in their name, but which are operating under normal amateur rules. Essentially, there is no need for a true RACES activation unless regular amateur radio has been shut down, and that has not happened since the end of World War II.
Jc3s5h, I respectfully disagree. According to FCC Part 97.407, there is nothing limiting the activation of RACES to only those times when regular Amateur Radio operations are shut down. Unlike ARES or other emergency Amateur services, however, RACES may be permitted to operate during those times when other Amateur operations may be suspended. To that end, I will concur with you. However, that is not the only time when a "true RACES activation" may be requested. In fact, I can assure you that in the aftermath of the F-5 tornado that devastated the Illinois towns of Plainfield, Crest Hill and parts of Joliet in 1990, the FCC themselves directly authorized RACES operation, and certain frequencies were declared "off limits" to regular Amateur operation. I was there personally, though of course that cannot be cited as a reliable source. Outside of the RACES-only frequencies, Amateurs were able to continue regular operations. They just needed to refrain from the RACES frequencies. Today, when there are SKYWARN activations in the Dallas-Ft. Worth (Texas) area, primarily Dallas and Tarrant Counties (and I believe Kaufman and Rockwall Counties as well), those nets are operated under RACES, not ARES. That is different in surrounding counties, and is at the discretion of the local Offices of Emergency Management (or Preparedness). Additionally, RACES may be activated for training and simulated emergency tests for limited periods as specified in Part 97.407, section d, subsection 4. The difference is, RACES requires official governmental activation, whereas ARES does not. Most of us wear both hats. Indeed, (and speaking as the Training Net Control Station for our local RACES organization as well as an ARRL-appointed Official Emergency Station with ARES) we often operate as ARES if we are expecting a severe weather activation but it hasn't yet been issued, then we switch to RACES mode when the activation from NWS or the local EOC/OEM comes in, with little change in the personnel. Our RACES Net preamble references FCC part 97.407, and as directed under that part, we limit communications with non-RACES stations accordingly except for a bona fide emergency. I believe the key phrase here re. RACES activation is "at the request of a government agency" be it Federal, state or local. 70.251.110.171 (talk) 18:57, 17 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Unfortunately the FCC rules make this almost impossible to write about, and much of the confusion comes from language carried over from the days when people who were enrolled in RACES did not necessarily have to have an amateur license. The FCC can limit the use of a frequency to disaster-related transmissions under the amateur service rules with no need to invoke RACES. Without a link to the FCC's official announcement, we can't really discuss what the FCC did. Even if such a link is available, there is little assurance that the FCC official concerned created a well-crafted announcement in the middle of a disaster.
There is no doubt that amateurs enrolled in RACES do assist with disasters as a result of a request from the agency they are enrolled in. But are they acting in the amateur radio service, or the radio amateur civil emergency service? Do the restrictions, such as not being able to communicate with un-enrolled amateur stations, apply? I have not seen any intelligible explanation of this from the FCC. Jc3s5h (talk) 19:42, 17 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]
As FCC Part 97.407 (c) 1 and 2 are written, it would be understood to mean that a RACES station is not permitted to communicate with a non-RACES station unless that communication involves the amelioration of an immediate threat to life or property, as authorized elsewhere in Part 97, in which case the station with the emergency does not even have to have a licensed Amateur as a control operator. Here is the applicable section which specifies authorized stations with which a RACES station may communicate:
(c) An amateur station registered with a civil defense organization may only communicate with the following stations upon authorization of the responsible civil defense official for the organization with which the amateur station is registered:
(1) An amateur station registered with the same or another civil defense organization; and
(2) A station in a service regulated by the FCC whenever such communication is authorized by the FCC.
The types of messages which a RACES station may transmit are specified in Section 97.407 (d), 1 through 4. As a result of these rules and restrictions, it can be determined that these stations are operating in the RACES service, as opposed to the regular Amateur service. ARES does not have these restrictions, and those communications are subject to ordinary Amateur service regulations. As you know, RACES can also continue to operate should the President invoke War Emergency Powers or if the government should otherwise restrict regular Amateur Radio operation, whereas this is not possible under ARES. As in the example that I gave earlier regarding the Plainfield, Illinois tornado of 1990, the FCC did actually intervene and the operation went into RACES status. In Dallas and Tarrant Counties (and other Texas counties that operate with RACES), we are operating with the full authority and under the restrictions of RACES during most "called" SKYWARN Nets. This is true in many other jurisdictions across the country, such as Arlington, VA. There are certain government agencies across the country which train their Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) volunteers using the RACES protocol. The volunteers serve their respective jurisdictions pursuant to guidelines and mandates established by local emergency management officials, but which may not be actual RACES organizations. Perhaps this is part of the confusion. However, these should not be confused with bona fide RACES groups, such as Dallas County or Arlington County in Virginia. -Posted by KF9AS70.251.110.171 (talk) 04:39, 18 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]
