[Ares-races] 50th Anniversary of RACES

[Matt Finlayson]

50th Anniversary of RACES
 
The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) was first started in
1952, and this year (2002) marks its golden anniversary!  To recognize
the 50th year of RACES, the Lake County RACES/ARES of Lake County,
Illinois, has taken the initiative to organize an on-the-air operating
event on Saturday, September 28.  The time:  12 noon to 9 PM your local
time.  This special operating event is in cooperation with the ARRL.
 
All groups and/or individual participants of RACES and/or ARES and other
Amateur Radio emergency/public service-groups are invited to go on the
air to make contact with each other and other stations in the event.
This is an opportunity to gain awareness of and share knowledge with
RACES and ARES groups and its members along with other public
service-oriented operators throughout the country and in your own area.
The Lake County RACES/ARES is an ARRL affiliated club, and it invites
other ARRL affiliated clubs to join as well.
 
Prepare and be Recognized
 
Since the main weekend for the 2002 ARRL Simulated Emergency Test
weekend is scheduled for October 5 and 6, the last Saturday of
September, the 28th, is a great time to test your group's station
equipment in preparation for SET. Does your RACES or ARES group or club
operate from an emergency operations center, a communications van or
other station.  If so, stand up and be recognized.  Talk about it on the
air!
 
There are two main categories: group/club and individual. When
exchanging information as a group or club operation, here are some
suggested topics to
cover: Call sign, the operator's location and first name, and the name
of the emergency communication group that your group or club is
associated with.  If you are operating with emergency power and/or from
an emergency-like setting, please mention that during the contact.
 
If you are operating the event as an individual, exchange your call
sign, location, and any emergency communication affiliation or
membership that you may have.  If you hold a RACES position, or an ARRL
Field Organization or National Traffic System appointment, please be
sure to mention that.  Also, are you operating with emergency power or
emergency station equipment?  This event is a chance to recognize one
another and to help initiate awareness of all the emergency
communications groups, and individual operators.
 
One good way to enhance recognition for yourself, your club or group, is
to create and issue your own special-event QSL card.  If you have room,
why not include a brief profile of your group on the card to accompany
details of the contact?
 
Where to tune?
 
The Lake County RACES/ARES suggests that participants operate around the
following frequencies (in MHz) for the RACES Golden Anniversary
Celebration:
SSB:  7.283, 14.283, 28.383.
CW:  7.037, 14.037, 28.037
PSK-31: 14,070.15
VHF:  Your area's favorite repeater(s).
 
As always, please listen to make sure the frequency is clear before
transmitting.
 
Results
 
Please share your results and comments with the Lake County RACES/ARES
(www.races.org), lcraces@races.org  and/or Steve Ewald, WV1X, at ARRL
Headquarters, sewald@arrl.org.  Postal service mail is via: ARRL HQ, 225
Main Street, Newington, CT 06111.
 
 
 
 
73, Matt K9KRY
Executive Board
Lake County RACES


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