RACES
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
                          Napa RACES Operations
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RACES Activation

RACES members will only respond if officially activated by the Napa County Office of Emergency Services or designated emergency services coordinators as communicated through the call-out procedures established by RACES management. Proper activation is required for Disaster Service Worker insurance coverage.
All RACES members when activated for duty or while participating in training exercises will conduct themselves in a professional manner. RACES members will observe all the rules and work place expectations of the government agency to which they are assigned. RACES members will carry out their assigned duties as directed by the command authority at the agency to which they are assigned, or by the incident command structure at a field location to which they are assigned or by their RACES team leader, Chief Radio Officer, or Assistant Chief. 

In the event of an earthquake or suspected large scale disaster all RACES members are to see to the safety of their families and then report with all possible gear to the
Napa County Administration Center 1195 3rd Street in Napa unless told to do otherwise by a competent authority. 
The first Radio Officer on scene is the COMM Unit IC until relieved by a more qualified Radio Officer.
If necessary bring your family with you.

To view the following with your browser, click on any link below.
Handy Checklist
        

To retrieve the following to print, click on any link below.
Handy Checklist
        
Your will need Adobe Acrobat, which is a free download here

Activation Guidelines
 
  • Ensure your own safety and security and that of your family and property.
  • Review preparedness checklists.
  • Monitor emergency frequencies and broadcast radio/TV:

  KVON - 1440 AM (Napa)       KCBS - 740 AM (Bay Area)        KGO - 810 AM (Bay Area)
 
 
  • Fill in your local RACES frequencies:   _________        __________        ________
  • The primary Napa County RACES repeater is  441.800 +  (PL 151.4).
  • In an emergency the first operator on the frequency is Net Control until more qualified RACES personnel take charge. (First task: pinpoint the disaster area. What areas are affected? Not affected?)
  • Report your departure, arrival, release orders and arrival back at home on the Resource Net for your own safety.
  • Begin your personal Activity Log. (Assignment location, frequency, supervisor, starting/arrival time, mileage.)
  • Drive safely. Notice conditions along the way. Report significant information to the Resource Net Control Operator.
  • Follow Check-in instructions of the Net Control Station.
  • An Op Area Resource Net may be established for major emergencies.
  • You may be advised to stand by, or assigned to a tactical net, staging area, EOC, etc.
  • Once you are assigned:
    • Operate professionally
    • Use the assigned Tactical Call and at the end of each message identify with your FCC call.
    • Log all messages. Have Message Forms available for agency officials to use for interagency communications.
    • Listen continuously to the Tactical Net.
    • Keep transmissions short.
    • Allow time between transmissions for emergency traffic. 
    • Wait for Net Control to acknowledge you before transmitting each message. If necessary, interrupt by saying "Emergency Traffic."
    • Notify Net Control if you leave the air for a break. 
    • Observe radio traffic precedence. 
    • Send only as fast as you can write, about 5 words at a time.

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Operational Do's and Don'ts
 

Do:
 
  • Listen for you call sign - answer promptly
  • Log all calls (in and out) on Activity Log
  • Leave the tactical frequency available to others
  • Keep all transmissions short
  • Use simplex for personal messages
  • Know how to interrupt the net for an emergency
  • Use short, simple phrases.
    • Goal: 5 words per line, 5 lines per message maximum
  • Establish contact before sending messages
  • Answer questions directly. Don't explain unless asked
  • Ask for whom the message is intended if not obvious
  • Let third parties speak over your radio
  • Shield your microphone from the wind
  • Use an earphone unless someone else has to listen
  • Bring charged spare batteries
  • Bring a high-gain antenna for your HT
  • If the repeater is down, use its output frequency
  • Use the telephone for sensitive messages
  • Use Message Forms for interagency messages

Don't:
  • Don't use VOX or a locking PTT switch
  • Don't wear HT on belt while talking
  • Don't leave a net without notifying Net Control
  • Don't make unnecessary transmissions
  • Don't use CW terms or other jargon
  • Don't talk louder in a noisy environment
  • Don't panic! Keep your voice calm

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Prowords  > > >  Efficiency

The truly professional communicator passes traffic in a minimum amount of time with minimum errors.
ADDRESS GROUP Name,  Title, Location, "END OF ADDRESS" 
AFFIRMATIVE Yes.  (or "CORRECT." )
BREAK For start and end of text,   or for a pause.
CORRECTION I made a mistake and I am going back to the last correctly sent word.
DRILL For exercise only. "THIS IS A DRILL MESSAGE."
EMERGENCY Highest precedence. Life/Death messages.
END OF MESSAGE Said after the name in the signature.
FIGURE GROUP The next group begins with numbers.
I SPELL ITU Phonics for unusual words,   proper names (shown below).
NEGATIVE No.
OVER This is the end of my transmission; I am waiting for your response.
POINT Decimal point.
PRIORITY Second highest message precedence.
READ BACK TEXT Read the text back as you received it.
RELAY Transmit this traffic to another station.
ROGER Message received and understood.
ROUTINE Lowest message precedence.
SAY AGAIN Repeat.  "SAY AGAIN ALL AFTER..."
SIGNATURE The sender of the message.   "SIGNED..."
SPEAK SLOWER Slow down,  I can't copy that fast.
STAND BY Wait...
MORE TO FOLLOW I have another message for you.
TEXT Body of the message.   "THE TEXT READS..." then: "END OF TEXT."
UNKNOWN STATION "UNKNOWN STATION,   PLEASE IDENTIFY."
WELFARE TRAFFIC Routine messages about families.
WORD AFTER To clarify text. "REPEAT WORD AFTER..." or: "WORD BEFORE...; "ALL BEFORE / AFTER..."
WRONG Your last transmission is not correct.

SEND ONLY AS FAST AS YOU CAN WRITE!
 
Prowords are already in use by CAP (Civil Air Patrol), NTS (National Traffic System) and MARS (Military) communicators to promote efficiency.  Poor transmission conditions often exist during emergencies, particularly when simplex frequencies are being used.  Become familiar with these words and phrases to help you participate as a RACES operator.

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ITU Phonetic Alphabet
 
 
A Alpha   N November
B Bravo O Oscar
C Charlie P Papa
D Delta Q Quebec
E Echo R Romeo
F Foxtrot S Sierra
G Golf T Tango
H Hotel U Uniform
I India V Victor
J Juliet W Whiskey
K Kilo X X-Ray
L Lima Y Yankee
M Mike Z Zulu

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Prowords  > > >   Efficiency