The RACES mission varies form one jurisdiction to another across the nation. In general, it tends to be predominantly tactical voice modes at the city and county levels. However, from county to state it tends to be less tactical, but more administrative and logistical.
In California, recent emphasis on RACES procurement was on packet radio communications. The growth in packet from 1985 to 1990 was phenomenal. It can be said today that a packet terminal is virtually as important in an EOC as a telephone. By 1991 the majority of counties in California participating in the RACES acquired the first generation of packet radio terminals; and some were moving into their second. Thus, at the county to region level, digital communications (packet, AMTOR, etc.) tends to be more utilized. However, long haul packet communications are neither efficient or emergency proof, so the State shifted its RACES matching funds program emphasis to high frequency single side-band radios for county-to-state communications. New developments in Automatic Link Establishment (see RB.192 in 1991) and NVIS Antennas (RB.152-156) offer exciting possibilities for HF communications.[If the referenced bulletins are not available Bulletins-By-Topic in book format is available at cost; $10 including postage.]
---Stan Harter, KH6GBX
In California, recent emphasis on RACES procurement was on packet radio communications. The growth in packet from 1985 to 1990 was phenomenal. It can be said today that a packet terminal is virtually as important in an EOC as a telephone. By 1991 the majority of counties in California participating in the RACES acquired the first generation of packet radio terminals; and some were moving into their second. Thus, at the county to region level, digital communications (packet, AMTOR, etc.) tends to be more utilized. However, long haul packet communications are neither efficient or emergency proof, so the State shifted its RACES matching funds program emphasis to high frequency single side-band radios for county-to-state communications. New developments in Automatic Link Establishment (see RB.192 in 1991) and NVIS Antennas (RB.152-156) offer exciting possibilities for HF communications.[If the referenced bulletins are not available Bulletins-By-Topic in book format is available at cost; $10 including postage.]
---Stan Harter, KH6GBX
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