Ham Radio for Emergency Preparedness — ARES, RACES, and Getting Involved

Why Ham Radio Matters in Emergencies

Amateur radio operates independently of cellular infrastructure, internet backbone, and commercial power — with battery backup, a ham station can communicate when everything else fails. During Hurricane Katrina (2005), the 2011 Joplin tornado, and numerous earthquakes and wildfires, licensed amateur operators maintained life-safety communications for emergency managers, hospitals, and relief organizations when no other communications were available. This is the documented, recurring value of amateur radio in disasters.

ARES — Amateur Radio Emergency Service

ARES is an ARRL-coordinated volunteer program. Local ARES groups maintain rosters of licensed operators, train regularly on emergency procedures, and work with served agencies — hospitals, Red Cross chapters, EOCs (Emergency Operations Centers), and county emergency management offices. Any licensed amateur including Technicians can join ARES. There is no experience requirement to enroll; you learn through training exercises and simulated emergency tests (SETs).

Find your local ARES group: contact your ARRL section (arrl.org/sections) or ask at a local ham radio club. Most counties and major cities have active ARES groups.

RACES — Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service

RACES is a FEMA-managed program in which licensed amateurs provide communications for government agencies during declared civil emergencies. RACES activations are government-directed; operators must be registered with their local RACES organization in advance to participate. Contact your county emergency management office to ask about RACES enrollment.

Building a Basic Emergency Go-Kit

A simple Technician-level emergency go-kit:

• Dual-band HT (fully charged, with spare battery)
• Nagoya NA-771 or similar aftermarket antenna
• Roll-up J-pole antenna (improvised elevated antenna for better coverage)
• Programming cable + laptop with CHIRP (reprogram for local nets on-site)
• Printed frequency list for local ARES/RACES nets and served agencies
• Power bank (10,000+ mAh) for extended HT operation without AC
• Copy of FCC license and ARES ID card

• Can a Technician Class operator participate in ARES activations?
  Yes. ARES welcomes all license classes. Most emergency communications tasks — staffing shelter radio positions, relaying messages within a city or county, providing tactical communications at an event — fall within Technician privileges on VHF/UHF. The higher license classes are valuable for HF communications over longer distances, but Technician operators fill essential local roles.
• How do I find local emergency nets to monitor?
  Ask your local club or ARES group for the regional net schedule. Most ARES nets operate on a local 2-meter repeater on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule. The ARRL nets database (arrl.org/arrl-net-directory) lists scheduled nets by state. Monitoring these nets (you do not need to check in initially) teaches you the local operating culture before you need it in an actual activation.