QRZ! Ham Radio 5/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 5.iso/files/races/1985.001

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Subject: 1 9 8 5  STATE  RACES  BULLETINS
                       STATE OF CALIFORNIA
                  OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
                  TELECOMMUNICATIONS  DIVISION
                      2800 Meadowview Road
                   Sacramento, CA  95832-1441

All  of  the 1985  bulletins  were  broadcast  by  and  from  the
home  of longtime State Chief RACES Radio Officer Marion  Henson,
W6NKR.  The Governor's Office of Emergency Services  headquarters
did not yet have a RACES radio facility.

             CALIFORNIA STATE RACES BULLETINS - 1985

                                                       April 1985
   I for one am most pleased to see the rejuvenation of the RACES
BULLETIN with attendant interest in the RACES program as
currently fostered by the State Office of Emergency Services.
   Welcome aboard to Stan Harter, KH6GBX.  Your efforts will be
appreciated by all RACES members.
   Amateur Radio began to play an important role for the State of
California in the 1950-1951 era of Civil Defense.  The California
Civil Defense Net (CCDN) was formed to supplement governmental
communications systems during emergencies.  From this base the
California RACES program was developed in 1952.
   RACES has served well during many floods, fire and
earthquakes.
   Not often do we get the call to duty but, when required, RACES
has been indispensable.  It behooves all jurisdictions to
maintain a high state of training and readiness.
   We all hope and pray that we are never needed.  On the other
hand, from past experience, we know that communications
facilities are never adequate during a major catastrophe. "BE
PREPARED!"
   Signed/MARION HENSON, W6NKR, State RACES Radio Officer

The following bulletins were transmitted via W6NKR every Monday
except holidays on 3545.6 kHz at 1900 at 15 wpm CW and at 1930
at 60 wpm and 100 wpm RTTY.  There was no packet system at the
time. The first line of each bulletin below shows the bulletin
number followed by the broadcast date:

(No number) 4/1/85
   OES has hired Stan Harter (KH6GBX) to fills its new position
of EBS/RACES communications coordinator. His primary duties will
be to organize the State EBS and RACES programs when he starts
work on April 22, 1985. Stan Worked as the Hawaii State Commun-
ications Officer for 20 years where he was directly involved with
the planning, organizing, implementation, operating and improving
the state's EBS and RACES programs. Stan has been an Amateur for
over 35 years and has worked at commercial broadcast stations for
over 23 years.  W6NKR

85-1  5/6/85
   Most problems called to our attention about RACES and/or
Amateur Radio appear to stem from lack of communication. That, in
turn, creates misunderstandings by both government and the
volunteers. Our goal is to reach the Amateur Radio operators
affiliated with local emergency services organizations on a
regular basis. This may be accomplished by broadening the reach
of this weekly net by (a) you and the respective State OES
(Office of Emergency Services) regions inputting these messages
to all Amateur Radio clubs in all regions having weekly VHF nets,
(b) having some of the latter copy the traffic from this net, (c)
State OES developing a VHF net, (d) State OES developing an RTTY
broadcast capability, and (e) any combination of the above. The
relay of this and all future weekly messages is a a start in that
direction. We welcome your input now on how this statewide
dissemination may best be accomplished. Our intent is that the
weekly State RACES informational messages be read, not dictated,
on the numerous established Amateur nets throughout the state.
Speed in this respect is not important. Regular and frequent
RACES and Amateur/OES relationship information is very important.

85-2      May 13, 1985
1. The 30 meter band, 10.1 through 10.15 MHz, has been added to
the RACES by the FCC.
2. We urge as many as possible monitor the State RACES CW net
Mondays 3545.5 KHz at 1900 hours local so that they may be
repeated at reading speed on as many VHF repeaters as possible
throughout the state. Immediately following the CW transmission
will be a repeat on RTTY for the benefit of RTTY receivers.
Spread the word to Radio Officers, clubs, ARRL Section Managers
and Emergency Coordinators, and others who may assist and
participate in the broadening the relay of information of
interest to Amateurs in emergency services.
3. One of the main reasons radio Amateurs who serve any OES must
been enrolled in RACES is that no services of any volunteer can
be accepted by any government unless they are recorded as a
volunteer Disaster Service Worker. Without such registration, as
accomplished in the RACES, there is no Worker's Compensation and
other protective benefits provided by law. By the same token,
governments should not categorize all Amateur Radio operators as
RACES. In short, every ham must be preregistered as a volunteer
Disaster Service Worker before the emergency or exercise. This is
done by Radio Officers in OES organizations. Please direct
questions to KH6GBX this office.

85-3      May 20, 1985
1. The following equipment is surplus to our needs. If interested
submit request and justification:
Item 1 - two each 51J4/R388 receivers.
Item 2 - one each Precision model EV-20 VTVM.
Item 3 - one each Motorola service monitor model T-1130A SN 130.
2. We encourage questions, suggestions and problems be directed
to this office by radio or in writing so that we may better
address the RACES program. We appreciate learning of what local
county nets are now carrying these Bulletins.

85-4      June 3, 1985
Amateur TV was demonstrated to the annual meeting of Civil
Defense administrators in Sacramento on 15 May. Installed on a
California Highway patrol helicopter, it flew around the city (of
Sacramento) transmitting excellent pictures back to the hotel
gathering. All were impressed with the clarity and potential of
ATV. Other Amateurs are demonstrating ATV to local and government
agencies in various parts of the state. San Jose RACES is
reportedly planning to enhance security at the August World
Police and Fire Olympic type games with ATV. State OES plans to
install equipment to receive ATV and maintain two-way Amateur
Radio communications with the ATV camera person. County OES
agencies and Amateurs with ATV are urged to get together to test
and evaluate applications in your area if not already done.
Ventura County is holding a countywide RACES meeting Saturday
June 8. We are starting to review RACES plans. Some are very good
and clearly state what is the mission and what is expected of
Amateur Radio operators. 73 KH6GBX

85-5      June 10, 1985
   The recent opening up of the VHF Amateur bands to RACES by the
FCC may be the best RACES news in 33 years. Repeaters were not a
planning factor in 1952. Gone now are the frequency barriers
between ARES and RACES. No longer must we write impractical war
and peace time frequencies in RACES plans. We doubt many hams and
jurisdictions stockpiled wartime only crystals. With the expanded
VHF spectrum authorized RACES we have our work cut out for us.
Work that requires little money but lots of creativity, planning
and coordination: new RACES plans. We can do away with war and
peace frequency plans, with a few exceptions, and rewrite plans
to reflect the real world VHF frequencies. Coordination of
frequencies will be just as important. Continued plans for
simplex frequencies is even more important. Disasters can and
will overloads or cripple repeaters. RACES plans should not be
rubber stamp verbiage but a professional plan for the use of the
Amateur radio Service. Guidance and help will be forthcoming and
I look forward to your input, experience and assistance.
   There are basically four levels of RACES plans in California:
(1) Cities
(2) Counties
(3) the six State OES Regions
(4) State plan.
73, KH6GBX

85-6      June 17, 1985
   We are reviewing the RACES/ARES plans. Many are out of date,
others are recent. Some are difficult to understand. Some repeat
the original instructions to the plan writer instead of providing
the information sought by the instructions! The recent revisions
to the VHF RACES bands will require a rewrite of RACES plans
after careful planning has been accomplished.
   RACES message 85-5 described the four levels of RACES plans
that need to be either written or updated. This will involve all
State and local OES offices and all ARRL Emergency Coordinators.
73, KH6GBX

85-7      June 24, 1985
This month I am traveling to many counties to meet Amateur Radio
operators and discuss plans and systems in the counties of San
Joaquin, Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Trinity, Kern, Orange, Los
Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino. I hope to meet many of
you along the way.  73, KH6GBX

85-8      Missing

85-9      July 1, 1985
Subject:  Portable Radio Batteries
   On protracted emergencies, such as wildfires or an earthquake,
there may be no A-C power to recharge your portable radio nicad
battery. Do you have a spare nicad battery and a D-C charger, or
throw away battery packs for your portable radio? You will often
be expected to use your portable where your mobile cannot go.
73, W6NKR

85-10     July 8, 1985
Subject:  Scanner Bill
SB-1431 passed the State Senate the week before last. This is the
bill that will outlaw scanners. It now goes to Assembly who will
reconvene August 14. Contact your Assemblyman if opposed to
making scanners illegal for hams and public safety persons.
73, KH6GBX
Reminder to all Regions and Amateur Radio operators: Please
continue to notify and solicit all scheduled VHF/UHF Amateur
Radio nets to assign one or two persons to copy these Monday
night State RACES Bulletins and then read them over their own
nets. We solicit information and feedback from all Amateur Radio
operators.

85-11     Missing

85-12     July 22, 1985
   Item 1.  Ventura County OES reports extensive use of Radio
Amateurs during 118,000 acre Ojai fire in support of Red Cross,
CDF (California Department of Forestry) and the U.S. Forest
Service. Over 500 packet transmissions were handled. We know that
Amateur Radio served admirably on other fires in the state. We
will welcome your activity reports at State OES.
   Item 2.  State OES is recruiting Radio Amateurs for its State
OES RACES staff in the Sacramento area. Call Stan at 916-427-4281
for details.
   Item 3.  Local OES agencies and ham clubs wanting an update
briefing on RACES are encouraged to contact State OES, Item 2
above.
W6NKR

85-13     July 29, 1985
   Item 1.  San Jose City RACES needs assistance for the August
3-11 World Police and Fire Games, which may be the largest
sporting event ever held with more participants and events than
the 23rd Olympiad last year. Contact Bill Robinson, WB6OML, on
San Jose RACES Net 146.115 Wednesdays at 8 p.m. There is also a
remote bulletin board service for ARES/RACES activities at (408)
224-0218, Monday-Friday, 1800-2200 and all day weekends and
holidays.
   Item 2.  State OES is recruiting for RACES operators and
technicians for its Sacramento headquarters. Call 916-427-4281 if
interested and not already affiliated with a RACES group.
73, W6NKR

85-14     August 5, 1985
Subject: Questions and Answers
You can help us by calling or writing your RACES questions into
State OES Headquarters. Probably the most frequent question
lately is a request for a model RACES plan. We will soon be
working on that. We believe that any plan should be readily
understood by the use of the Amateur communications service and
not just the providers. This is specially true for new RACES
organizations so that what we Amateurs do is not a mystery to any
reader of a RACES plan. A well written plan can do much to
promote and maintain RACES activities. Our telephone is 916-427-
4281.  73, W6NKR

85-15     August 12, 1985
Subject: Q and A continued.
Question: Is RACES meant for just one department?
Answer:   It may seem that way in some governments because a high
visibility department may run the RACES program. This does not
mean, however, that RACES serves only one department. The RACES
must serve emergency communications requirements anywhere in that
government plus outside liaison requirements. Surplus operators
and resources may be assigned to support other organizations
essential to that government's mission. --KH6GBX

85-16     August 19, 1985
Subject: Q and A continued.
Question: Do Federal agencies have RACES?
Answer:   No. The RACES is administered by local and state civil
defense organizations. This does not mean that the RACES cannot
support Federal agencies, however. We encourage county RACES to
contact, support and maintain liaison with those agencies you
might assist. This may include the National Weather Service,
U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park
Service, Corps of Engineers, and others in your county. Counties
should encourage such support as training necessary to maintain
proficiency and interest among RACES members. State OES will
assist wherever we can. Call 916-427-4281.

85-17     August 26, 1985
Subject: Q and A continued.
Question: Does RACES provide equipment to radio Amateurs?
Answer:   No, the RACES is not like the MARS in that respect. The
RACES is comprised largely of Amateurs providing their own
equipment in a structured and efficient organization. In those
governments where the RACES support has proven itself, equipment
may be provided if funds allow. This usually takes the form of
Amateur radio equipment in the EOC and/or mountaintop repeaters.
ATV, digipeaters and packet terminal node controllers have joined
the list lately. Once you have proven your value you are more
likely to get permanent funding support. One Radio Officer said
recently, "You are as good as you want to be." --K6QIF

85-18     September 9, 1985
State OES is now recruiting and signing up Amateur radio
operators to serve as RACES staff volunteers at the following
State OES locations, the telephone number, and who to ask for:
1. Sacramento 916-427-4281 Stan Harter
2. Los Angeles 213-620-5607 Don Root
3. Pleasant Hill 415-671-4908 Al Miller
4. Redding 916-225-2680 Al Kelly
--W6NKR

85-20     September 23, 1985
The subject of Amateur Radio was a major topic at the recent
National Conference of the Associated Public-Safety
Communications Officers and the Forestry-Conservation
Communications Association meeting in San Diego. Most interest
was shown in packet radio, the California Department of Forestry
VIP (Volunteers in Prevention) program, confusion between the
ARES and the RACES, replacing the old RACES plans, and
volunteerism in general. Many people in public safety
communications are also hams. Many know very little about the
RACES, however.

85-21     September 30, 1985
Subject: EBS (Emergency Broadcast System)
   EBS stands for Emergency Broadcast System. Every operational
area in the state has designated AM, FM and TV stations to carry
emergency information for the public. Amateur radio can be used
to provide the link between civil authorities and the broadcast
stations when other links are lost. All broadcasting stations
must test their EBS equipment weekly. The FCC is now fining
stations that fail to receive and listen to the test messages.
The reason is, of course, that they could miss a real EBS
activation.
   Progressive operational areas test their EBS once a month from
the EOC to all broadcast stations. Amateur Radio operators
attached to their local OES offices monitor the stations and
report the results to the EOC. Such areas have an EBS that really
works. Does it work in your area?  73, KH6GBX

85-22     October 7, 1985
Subject:  Mariposa County
A RACES seminar, a meeting of all Amateurs interested in
emergency public service communications, will be held at Mariposa
County Unified High School on Saturday, 12 October from 0900 to
1530. Amateurs and officials from Mariposa, Fresno, Madera and
Stanislaus Counties are known to be attending, plus State OES
from Fresno and Sacramento.  ATV and packet radio will be
demonstrated by State OES and the Turlock Amateur Radio Club. If
you are in the area and not yet enrolled in the RACES, you are
most welcome to attend. For details, contact Dave Longman, N6KNA,
Mariposa 209-966-4951.  73, KH6GBX

85-23     October 7, 1985
Subject:  Surplus Property Available
The following is available for disposal to RACES personnel for
the asking. All is located at this headquarters. Submit requests
to this office or your regional OES office. Anything not claimed
in 60 days will be scrapped. Requesters must pay for or arrange
transportation.
Item 1. 1 ea. receiver, National model HRO-50T, excellent
condition.
Item 2. 1 ea. receiver, Hallicrafters, model SX-28.
Item 3. Several Eimac 250-TH power triode tubes.
Item 4. Several Eimac 4-65A power tetrode tubes.
Item 5. Several Eimac 827A rectifier tubes.
Item 6. Several G.E. 3B28, Raytheon RK866A, and RCA 866A tubes.
Item 7. Dozens of boxes of small vacuum tubes.
All tubes are believed to be new and unused.

85-24     missing

85-25     October 21, 1985
Subject:  Antenna Restrictions
   FCC released an order PRB-1 dated 19 September 1985 which
strikes down all state and local ordinances and regulations
prohibiting and unreasonably restricting Amateur Radio antennas.
The ruling does not apply to restrictive covenants in private
contractual agreements. There is strong federal interest in
promoting Amateur communications. The rulemaking was supported by
the ARRL, Department of Defense, American Red Cross, and numerous
cities and counties. Opposing it in California was the City of La
Mesa and the County of San Diego.. The FCC said that the
Department of Defense, American Red Cross, and local civil
defense and emergency organizations have found in Amateur Radio a
skilled pool of radio operators and a readily available backup
network. --W6NKR

85-26     October 28, 1985
Subject:  Storms
Winter 1985 is fast approaching and no one can be sure how severe
it may be. Although last winter was relatively mild, winter
storms have traditionally caused more destruction in California
than any other type of disaster. In view of this, Governor George
Deukmejian has proclaimed the week of November 10-16, 1985, as
Storm Preparedness/Flood Awareness Week.
--WILLIAM M. MEDIGOVICH, Director

85-27     November 4, 1985
Subject:  FCC Form 610
   Effective 1 January 1986, only the June 1984 and later
editions of this form may be used to obtain or renew an Amateur
license. --KH6GBX

85-28     November 18, 1985
   Richard Andrews, State OES Region One manager in Los Angeles,
briefed the Governor's Earthquake Task Force on his findings
after the Mexico City earthquake.
   "The effective use of volunteers will determine the degree of
recovery success following a major disaster," he said. From this
we can see the need for local government trained and assigned
Amateur Radio operators -- be they called RACES or by any other
name.
    Andrews said, "It will be very difficult to get an overview of
the extent of damage in order to allocate critical resources
following a great earthquake here in California." Organized
Amateurs can make the difference.
   Now is the time for local OES and Amateurs to get together,
train together, and continue to work together in those areas
where this is not yet done. Offers of assistance from untrained
and unregistered volunteers after an incident has occurred may
not be accepted. It costs nothing to become registered and
affiliated. Contact your local OES/civil defense for more
information. --W6NKR

On the printed Bulletin used for mail distribution there is a
diagram that is worth a thousand words that graphically shows
roles and relationships. It shows a local government, its OES/CD
office, and its RACES unit as one governmental entity; e.g., the
RACES is never a separate or detached element. A dotted line
indicating coordination runs from the RACES to an ARES block,
under which is the definition "Health and welfare, Red Cross,
non-governmental and other communications."

85-29     November 25, 1985
   November started with the state having received 83% of its
normal rainfall in 1985, compared with 105% in 1984 and 190% in
1983. There can be localized downpours that may create flood
problems particularly in the vicinity of this summer's forest
fires. The fire season, too,m is seldom over in some parts of the
state. RACES plans, training and preparedness is ever important.
Being willing to help and being able to help may be two different
things for every Amateur Radio operator. Knowing how in advance
of an emergency is critical. --W6NKR

85-30     December 2, 1985
Packet terminal on 145.01 MHz is now operational at State OES
Headquarters. Callsign KH6GBX. High elevations to link KH6GBX
include W6BXN Mariposa, N6IJP-1 St. Helena, and W6AMT-7 St. John.

85-31     December 9, 1985
Subject:  FEMA
Julius W. Becton, Jr., has succeeded Louis O. Guiffreda as
director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Becton
served more that 40 years in the Army before retiring in 1983.
Prior to FEMA he was director of the Office of US Foreign
Disaster Assistance, Agency for International Development.

85-32     December 16, 1985
   ITEM 1.  MEXICO CITY EARTHQUAKE. State OES Law Enforcement
Division was requested to coordinate transportation for 13
California Search and Rescue dog teams. Dogs and handlers worked
to exhaustion, with only a few hours sleep each night. They kept
this pace up for a week, when they were flown to Travis Air Force
Base by California National Guard aircraft and to their homes by
the Civil Air Patrol. OES Fire Division sent three teams of
firefighters skilled in heavy rescue techniques to assist, along
with a National Guard C-130 loaded with rescue equipment. The
teams included members from our fire division plus crews from
Rancho Cordova and Sacramento in the north and L.A. and Orange
counties in the south. Both L.A. City and County sent seven
planeloads of emergency, rescue and medical equipment and
supplies, plus 20 rail cars of heavy earth moving equipment to
Mexico.
   ITEM 2.  HAPPY HOLIDAYS.  State OES RACES operators will be on
leave from this net from 17 December 1985 through 5 January 1986.
The next CCDN (California Civil Defense Net) will be January 6th.
All of us at State OES wish to thank you for your dedicated
support, contributions of time and energy, and willingness to
serve. May your holidays be joyful and safe.

                            * * * * *