In times of crisis and natural disasters, Amateur radio is often used as a means of emergency communication when wireline, cell phones and other conventional means of communications fail.

Unlike commercial systems, Amateur radio is not as dependent on terrestrial facilities that can fail. It is dispersed throughout a community without "choke points" such as cellular telephone sites that can be overloaded.

Amateur radio operators are experienced in improvising antennas and power sources and most equipment today can be powered by an automobile battery. Annual "Field Days" are held in many countries to practice these emergency improvisational skills. Amateur radio operators can use hundreds of frequencies and can quickly establish networks tying disparate agencies together to enhance interoperability.

Recent examples include the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in Manhattan, the 2003 North America blackout and Hurricane Katrina in September, 2005, where amateur radio was used to coordinate disaster relief activities when other systems failed.

On September 2, 2004, ham radio was used to inform weather forecasters with information on Hurricane Frances live from the Bahamas. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake and resulting tsunami across the Indian Ocean wiped out all communications with the Andaman Islands, except for a DX-pedition that provided a means to coordinate relief efforts. Recently, Amateur Radio operators in the People's Republic of China provided emergency communications after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and US hams did similar work following Hurricane Ike.

The largest disaster response by U.S. amateur radio operators was during Hurricane Katrina which first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane went through Miami, Florida on August 25, 2005, eventually strengthening to Category 5. More than a thousand ham operators from all over the U.S. converged on the Gulf Coast in an effort to provide emergency communications assistance. Subsequent Congressional hearings highlighted the Amateur Radio response as one of the few examples of what went right in the disaster relief effort.

Organization

While every ham has some emergency communications capability, those who are particularly interested in the public service aspects of the hobby usually affiliate with an organized group for disaster specific training, quick mobilization and to practice emergency skills. These major organizations include:

Australia

In Australia WICEN (pronounced 'Wy-sen'), the Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network is the officially recognized group that manages Amateur Radio operators to provide emergency communications. In NSW, WICEN is an accredited squad of the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association

Canada

In Canada, ARES, Amateur Radio Emergency Service, is sponsored by RAC, Radio Amateurs of Canada. Often other less formal networks of volunteer radio operators are also used and organized by the local emergency response agencies in conjunction with local ham radio operators.

India

In India, Vigyan Prasar (an apex body for science popularization under the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India) coordinates simulated disaster communication exercises and also organizes trainingsto help people getting ham radio licenses in areas which are vulnerable to natural calamities. Of late, a chapter on Alternative Communication Systems was incorporated by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) into its syllabus on disaster management. In this chapter, the emergency disaster communication operation of ham radio operators during tsunami is highlighted.

Ireland

In Ireland (26 counties), the Amateur Radio Emergency Network (AREN), co-ordinates emergency communications activities on behalf of the Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS). AREN membership is, however, open to all amateur radio operators whether members of IRTS or not.

New Zealand

In New Zealand the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) provides the AREC - Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (formerly Amateur Radio Emergency Corps) in the role. They won the New Zealand National Search and Rescue award in 2001 for their long commitment to Search and Rescue in NZ.

Trinidad and Tobago

In Trinidad and Tobago, the Emergency Amateur Radio Service (EARS), is a non profit organization registration number E 1772{95}is part of the Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio League TTARL http://www.ttarl.org coordinates emergency communications activities within its membership and others who wish to volunteer with EARS in times of emergency.With the Office Disaster Preparedness Management (ODPM) is actively involved in amateur radio and maintains an active amateur radio station and Five repeaters.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom RAYNET, the Radio Amateurs' Emergency Network, provides the organizational backbone of their amateur radio emergency communications groups.

United States of America

In the United States, there are two major methods of organizing amateur radio emergency communications: Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), sponsored by the ARRL, and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), which requires registration with municipal or county governments, to allow continued operation under Part 97.407 of the FCC regulations in the event the Amateur Service is ever shut down by presidential order. ARES and RACES involvement within the same area are usually intertwined, with many governments requiring membership and service in that locale's ARES organization as well. Many government Emergency Operating Centers, Red Cross Chapters and National Weather Service facilities have permanent Amateur Radio stations installed.

Radio clubs independent of the ARRL and ARES also participate in emergency communications activities in some areas. Additionally, the Department of Defense also sponsors the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) program which also utilizes Amateur Radio operators for emergency communication using military radio frequencies.

Emergency communications and disaster assistance is usually done in conjunction with volunteer disaster relief organizations such as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, local government emergency management agencies, as well as volunteer fire departments and ambulance corps.

The ARRL has a memorandum of understanding with numerous agencies including the American Red Cross and Salvation Army and is a partner in the Citizen Corps program of FEMA. The ARRL also is a member of the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) and conducts emergency communications certifcation courses for interested Amateur Radio operators.

External links

• ARRL Backgrounder: Amateur Radio Emergency Communication
• Navy-Marine Corp MARS with links to Air Force and Army programs
• Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services
• Disaster Communications Service (DCS )

Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC), formerly the Amateur Radio Emergency Corps, is a service provided by the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) which provides trained radio communicators and communication systems for emergency situations.

Mission Statement

"To be the preferred provider for emergency communications to New Zealand emergency services."

Objectives

• To train and provide competent radio communications personnel, who are suitably skilled in assisting organisations during emergencies.
• To maintain a close liaison with the New Zealand Police for Search and Rescue.
• To maintain a close liaison with Civil Defence in New Zealand.
• To maintain liaison with other community organisations.
• To provide and maintain suitable equipment appropriate to the emergency situation.

History

The Amateur Radio Emergency Corps were formed in the aftermath of the Napier earthquake of 1931. Amateur Radio Operators in the area were key in the maintaining of communications between Napier and the outside world, as the Earthquake disabled the Post & Telegraph Department's communication systems. In the months afterward groups of 'Radio Emergency Corps' formed around the country with the purpose of providing the means for radio communication to any part of New Zealand in an emergency. This was eventually nationalised under the NZART. The name was changed to 'Amateur Radio Emergency Communications' in the late 1990s to better reflect the more 'modern' nature of today's communicators.

Structure

AREC Sections - attached to NZART Branches nationwide - are coordinated by a Section leader, who report to Area Managers (4 in total) who in turn report to a National Director and their Deputy. The AREC is a service provided as a component of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters, which is a registered not-for-profit Incorporated Society.

Callsigns

As of last-quarter 2006 the nationwide Callsign Allocations of ZLxEx/ZLxExx - long recognised as 'Emergency' callsigns and administered by the AREC - were re-prefixed as ZKxEx/ZKxExx. The use of ZK by AREC stations will serve to improve the recognition of the special nature of their radio traffic, and allow Amateurs to more easily grant AREC operations priority. This move has been greeted by New Zealand Amateurs as somewhat controversial, as blocks of ZKxxxx callsign space are still occupied by Niue (ZK2) and The Tokelau (ZK3) and a perceived risk of AREC stations being confused with 'Rare DX' on HF frequencies.

These concerns were raised with the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development (Spectrum Management Group), and in February 2007 the MeD requested that NZART place an immediate hold on the use of ZK2 and ZK3 callsigns. The issue remains outstanding, with NZART liasing with the MeD, who is in turn liasing with the administrators of callsign space for both Niue and Tokelau. In the interim, AREC are using ZK8 and ZK9 as the callsign prefixes in the ZL2 and ZL3 areas, thus removing the conflicting use of ZK2 and ZK3.

Role

The AREC have traditionally provided resource for two complementary but separate areas:

Search and Rescue

AREC have in the last 30 years established themselves as key contributors of communications resource to the New Zealand Police, and in fact are the official communications authority for Search and Rescue in New Zealand.

Civil Defence

AREC maintain ties to the New Zealand Civil Defence and Emergency Management Groups at both central and local government levels. A National Comms Plan administered by AREC prescribes Callsigns, Frequencies and Net Control stations in such a way that the AREC should be able to establish communications with any region of New Zealand required in a case of serious emergency, assuming that local AREC sections are active and able to stand up their equipment. (National knowledge of the comms plan also allows for neighbouring less-affected regions to provide overlapping assistance and/or relay over HF, VHF or UHF frequencies as required).

Other

AREC Sections in individual areas may provide all manner of other communications and CIMS expertise - Firefighting is one example of where skilled communicators and high-flexibility radio communications systems come in handy.

Specialist Equipment

Amateur Radio Operators are widely renowned for innovation in communication circles. AREC capitalises on this innovation - privately designed and built equipment features heavily in what have become tried-and-true communications solutions.

Examples of AREC equipment include:

• Portable Hand-held Radio Equipment - many AREC sections maintain a set of (usually VHF) handheld radios, generally programmed for commercial 'Emergency Services' bands for direct compatibility with Police, Defence, Maritime and other emergency services. These are usually issued one-per-search-party - AREC members themselves may not be members of the Search Party (unless they are otherwise qualified, perhaps through involvement with Land SAR or Tramping Clubs). AREC provide both the equipment and training in their use.
• Amateur Radio Fixed Repeaters - the pre-existing 'permanent' repeaters that cover much of New Zealand on both VHF (2m) and UHF (70cm) frequencies often provide well known performance and coverage over an AREC event area. When AREC stations come up on a frequency, all other stations are required by good operating practise to give that station priority. The repeater would be left for AREC operation until the AREC event came to a close.
• Short-Term Special-Purpose (STSP) Repeaters - these are VHF or UHF repeaters designed to operate in a conventional fashion, but be highly portable. Their licenses allow them to be relocated as/when required and they can usually be transported easily in your average car. Typically these would be located on a high point providing line-of-site to a search area or emergency zone, providing enhanced range for VHF or UHF radio equipment. These may be either commercial or custom designs.
• Crossband Repeaters - Similar to an STSP, but usually based on a COTS Dualband Tranceiver with native cross-band repeat functionality. These have the advantage of being very portable - a Crossband Repeater based on a Dual-band Hand-held Transceiver can be transported, complete with antenna and mast, by 2 trampers. This would include an external 12V battery power supply capable of running the unit for a number of days. Crossband units are often inserted into areas of bush or scrub via Helicopter, with a Search Party (made up of Trampers or Land SAR volunteers and/or Police staff) conducting the actual installation.

Both of the above provide means by which VHF or UHF handheld radios can have their effective range greatly improved. VHF and UHF equipment has a significant size advantage over HF equipment, which typically requires antennas several meters long in length and are as such unsuitable for portable operation, especially in areas of dense bush.

• Portable High Frequency (HF) Radio Equipment - HF sets are considered by some as 'older technology' and are generally much less portable and flexible than their VHF or UHF equivalents, however, they are a retained capability with several distinct advantages (by virtue of not being limited by Line-of-Sight). Their use requires a little more training, and often some initial setup (typically the running out of a long-wire antenna) - but in some circumstances HF radios will be by far the better performer over VHF/UHF equipment. There is also a useful tie-in to the Mountain Radio Service. Police Search and Rescue are also actively re-introducing the use of HF radio in appropriate situations.

The combination of frequencies and equipment used in a given situation is usually determined case-by-case, or by local AREC standard practise. It has been observed that VHF/UHF crossbanding technology is more commonly used in the North Island where HF equipment is more commonly used in the South Island, however, there are exceptions to both of these.

Training

AREC has a nationally directed training programme which is administered section-by-section through the AREC Section Leader. Generally speaking, an AREC member is expected to be an expert in the following areas:

• Radio Operation Techniques - terminology, phonetics and 'net control' skills as applicable to high-traffic, high-stress situations.
• Setup / Configuration of equipment utilised by the local AREC Section
• General knowledge of radio equipment
• Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS) familiarity
• Basic Fault Identification and Remediation - for Radio Equipment

Other complementary skills often found within AREC members include:

• Knowledge of Civil Defence or Emergency Services Procedures
• Computing and general Communications expertise
• Data Entry / Keyboard skills
• Management / Organisational Skills
• "Be Prepared" attitude. Members are often called upon to respond at short notice and be out in the field overnight or longer.
• 4WD or off-roading experience
• Tramping / Bushcraft / Tracking & Trailing knowledge/experience
• Emergency Management skills - esp within the CIMS infrastructure.

Sports & Cultural Events

AREC regularly use volunteer contributions to sporting and cultural events as training for their communications methods and equipment. One notable event in New Zealand is the Rally of New Zealand, a World Rally Championships stage during which AREC provides a substantial number of volunteer radio operators for control, safety and results traffic handling. These events provide an excellent opportunity to practise the establishment of portable radio equipment in the field, as well as a Headquarters facility and mobile stations. Radio traffic during the course of the event provides an opportunity to practise message handling procedures both in the field and at Rally HQ.

Other events AREC may participate in include Cycle Events, Marathons, Santa Parades, 4WD events and Horse Treks, as examples. Any situation requiring reliable radio comms in a slightly unconventional environment, may be able to benefit from AREC involvement. The alternative is often the use of Cellular Phones (unsuitable in poor coverage areas) or commercial (costly) radio providers.

Awards and Recognition

In recognition of their contribution to Search and Rescue, AREC were awarded the Inaugural New Zealand National SAR Award in 2001. They were nominated for the award by New Zealand Land SAR Inc. for their long commitment to SAR in New Zealand - in all classes of search.

The wording on the award is:

"The Award is presented to Amateur Radio Emergency Communications in recognition of their outstanding performance and contribution to Search and Rescue in the New Zealand Region, particularly the skilled communications personnel and technical capabilities that have established them as the preferred provider of emergency communications in support of Search and Rescue in New Zealand"

Similar Organisations elsewhere in the world

• ARES - Amateur Radio Emergency Service (United States)
• RACES - Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (United States)
• RAYNET - Radio Amateurs Emergency Network (United Kingdom)

External links

• AREC Official Website