Emergency & Public Service
ARES, RACES, and EmComm — using amateur radio when it matters most.
When phones and the internet fail, amateur radio still works. Organised groups such as ARES and RACES train with emergency managers and served agencies, and individual operators keep go-kits charged so they can help when needed.
Emergency communication is less about exotic equipment and more about preparation: knowing how nets run, having independent power, choosing antennas that cover the distances you need — often NVIS on 40 and 80 metres for regional contact — and practising before the day it matters.
The guides below explain how to get involved and how to prepare a station that works when everything else is down.