What changed
ARES, RACES and served agencies — edited Aug 31, 2026 by Unknown editor
This is the first recorded version, so every line is shown as added. Note: Imported from content/wiki
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## ARES — Amateur Radio Emergency Service
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ARRL-sponsored, organized by section and county under an Emergency Coordinator. Open to any licensed
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amateur who registers. Serves whoever asks — Red Cross, hospitals, emergency management, county
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government.
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## RACES — Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
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A Part 97 provision under which amateurs operate **under the direction of a civil defense or
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emergency management authority**. Membership requires enrollment with that agency, often including a
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background check. In practice many counties run a combined ARES/RACES group with the same people.
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## Other groups you will meet
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- **SKYWARN** — trained severe weather spotters reporting to the National Weather Service. Free
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training, and enormously useful.
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- **MARS** — Military Auxiliary Radio System; operates on military frequencies, requires separate
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enrollment.
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- **CERT** — community emergency response teams, often with an amateur radio component.
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- **Hospital, Red Cross and utility volunteer nets.**
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## The relationship with the served agency
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The agency sets the mission; the amateur group provides communications. Formal agreements
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(memoranda of understanding), identification badges and periodic joint exercises are what turn a
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club into a resource an agency will actually call.