The Amateur Radio Service
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The Amateur Radio Service
The Amateur Radio Service is composed of approximately 500,000 federally licensed radio operators
with a wide range of capabilities. Each has been issued a distinctive Amateur Radio call sign by the
Federal Communications Commission. Many of these "HAMS", by which these operators are often
identified, are members of various clubs and other "ham" organizations. Others have different interests
and choose not to join any formal group. Some operators are highly skilled technically and are
professionally employed in the most advanced industrial communications area or by the Federal
Government to work in the many fields requiring the most sophisticated electronic communications
services. Many hams simply enjoy talking to other hams across the country or around the world. What
they all have in common is the capability to be of assistance by providing communications when some
situation or emergency causes an overload or breakdown of the normally used communications systems.
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL), headquartered in Newington, Connecticut, is the worlds
largest organization of amateur radio operators. For more information about Amateur Radio, look at
these pages that are full of information:
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Questions and Answers (FAQ)
Sources on Bookworm (includes San Diego resources)
Note that CB radio and Amateur radio are in no way related except for the fact that they both use radios.
Their organization, equipment, and capabilities are in no way similar.
From the FCC Rules and Regulations, the ARRL has succinctly paraphrased Part 97.1 regarding the
purpose of the Amateur Radio Service:
The Amateur Radio Service is for individuals who are interested in the technical side of
radio and are able to provide emergency communication in disasters, all for the general
benefit of the public. It is called "amateur" because it is strictly non-commercial; no
business may be transmitted on amateur frequencies. The Amateur Radio Service is a
voluntary, disciplined communications service guided by five traditional objectives:
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To provide emergency or public service communications when normal
communications are disrupted or inadequate;
To advance the state of the art;
To improve individual skills in radio operation;
To provide a reserve pool of qualified radio operators and technicians;
To promote international goodwill.
Across the United States many amateurs have organized themselves under a formal structure to better
provide public service and emergency communications. By far the largest of these groups is sponsored
by the ARRL and is known as the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). A leadership structure
exists at national, regional, state, county, city and special service levels.
After World War II, the Federal Government, being very aware of the effectiveness and capabilities of
the Amateur Radio Service, created a vehicle by which State, County, and City agencies could obtain
federal funds to purchase equipment and in other ways attract ham operators to form alliances with
various governmental agencies as sponsors. This portion of Amateur Radio operations is the Radio
Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES). This service is authorized by the Federal Communications
http://www.races.sandiego.ca.gov/races/info/Ham-Radio.html
6/12/2004
The Amateur Radio Service
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Commission in Part 97 of its Rules and Regulations. Many States, Counties and Cities throughout the
country sponsor RACES groups. In San Diego County, San Diego County RACES is sponsored by the
Office of Emergency Services, and is managed by the Emergency Planning Detail of the Sheriff's
Department.
Generally speaking, the amateur operators in public service and emergency communications operations
furnish their personally owned equipment. This does not mean that a facility or agency may not provide
equipment for use by operators at a specific site or for a specific purpose, thereby allowing operators
who do not own equipment of a specialized nature, to act as communicators during mobilization of the
amateur networks. It is however, illegal for any amateur operator to receive personal remuneration or
"pay" for services performed as an Amateur Radio Operator.
The ARRL advocates dual registration of amateur operators involved in the emergency communications
area, in both ARES and RACES organizations.
ARES groups must be made up of licensed Amateur Radio operators and are limited to use of portions
of the radio spectrum set aside for use by the Amateur Radio Service. RACES, primarily made up of
amateur operators, also accepts non-amateurs in administrative and liaison positions and, when
authorized, operators may utilize public service and other governmental frequencies.
The Army, Navy-Marine Corps, and the Air Force have each formed a specialized communications
group under the name of Military Affiliate Radio Systems (MARS). Members of MARS must be
licensed Amateur Radio Operators and each is issued an individual MARS call sign. Operations of
MARS stations are on frequencies assigned to the military and do not use those set aside for the
Amateur Radio Service. Normally, MARS stations communicate only with other MARS stations and
function as conduits for personal messages between servicemen and their families or friends. MARS
stations are not, in the strictest sense, a part of the Amateur Radio Service.
Amateur radio communications are carried out using modern, state-of-the-art systems consisting of
many modes of operation. In addition to voice capabilities provided by hand-held, mobile, and
fixed/portable base stations, digital data communications may be established over any exiting radio
circuit using "packet radio" equipment to provide printed "hard copy", error free, high speed (about 1200
words per minute) point-to-point communications.
A growing number of amateurs have equipment to generate, transmit and receive color television
signals; such equipment aboard aircraft or mobile units is being used to send "real-time" pictures back to
central control points in times of disaster, hazardous chemical spills, or fires.
Using high level Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) repeater systems,
amateur operators are able to use low-power, hand-held, multi-channeled radios to communicate over
hundreds of miles. Using High Frequency (HF) frequencies, amateur operators are able to communicate
around the world.
Amateur Radio / 95-07-12 / Gary Morris / webmaster@races.sandiego.ca.gov
http://www.races.sandiego.ca.gov/races/info/Ham-Radio.html
6/12/2004