Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service

The IDHS Amateur Radio Disaster Communications ("Ham") Team supports auxiliary communications through the RACES program using amateur radio frequencies and any other means necessary. The Team also supports all other amateur emergency communications programs in the state of Indiana.

Military Auxiliary Radio System IDHS-HT proudly partners with USAF-Military Auxiliary Radio System (M.A.R.S) for emergency communications interoperability. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security has been issued an Agency License to operate on military frequencies using specially trained amateur radio operators. Preparedness is practiced using both voice and digital communications. For more information about the USAF MARS program, visit USAF MARS - Region V.

Monthly HF Net on 3.920 MHz

The monthly HF Net has been temporarily suspended while we conduct VHF Monthly testing on the second Saturday of each month.

Current RACES Frequencies in Use

During a real emergency, the IDHS RACES Team will monitor: 3.920 MHz LSB, 7.290 MHz LSB. Both frequencies are +/- QRM. Depending on the nature of the emergency, the following frequencies and systems may be monitored as well:

Primary - K9IPL Repeater, 146.670 MHz 88.5 Tone

Secondary - W9RCA Repeater, 146.880 MHz 88.5 Tone

Primary - Simplex 146.490 MHz

Primary - K9XV Repeater, 224.800 MHz 88.5 Tone

Secondary – W9ICE 224.980 MHz 77.0 Tone

Primary – KC9GMJ 443.100+ MHz 100.0 Tone

Secondary - KB9SGN 444.325 MHz 136.5 Tone

Winlink email messages can be sent to:

Primary - NCS770@winlink.org

Secondary - W9SEM@winlink.org

Secondary - W9SEM-10@winlink.org

Winlink messages via Radio Gateway should be sent to:

Primary - NCS770

Secondary - W9SEM

Secondary - W9SEM-10

Indiana State HF Test

Purpose of the State HF Test

The directed test conducted twice a year exercises the communications between the County EMAs and the state EOC over amateur radio frequencies. The designated radio operators are encouraged to use any or all of the announced frequencies and modes to test equipment and propagation. Counties checking in are encouraged to relay for other counties to assist and ensure participation in the state test. The use of HF voice and digital modes are highly encouraged.

Who May Check In to the State HF Test?

Any amateur station appropriately licensed by the FCC and designated by the county’s EMA director may check in representing that county. A single station represents each county on a given frequency and mode. The EMA director may designate any station to check in to any or all test frequencies and modes as he or she chooses. As part of the Test, counties are encouraged to conduct their own local Nets and to report the count of their check-ins as traffic for this Test. However, individual stations are NOT invited to check in for this test without prior authorization from the EMA director.

Contact Indiana State RACES: races@dhs.in.gov or watchdesk@dhs.in.gov

Indiana RACES Standards and Protocols

RACES & ARES Training Materials

RACES Training

The zip file below contains five presentations modified by David Love, W9XTZ of Greene County, and based on work done by Virginia RACES Incorporated. Modifications require written permission of the Communications Director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and David Love. David Love is a member of the IDHS RACES Team, Navy MARS and Green County EMA, and he has untold years of amateur radio experience.

This document is geared toward emergency communications involving RACES Teams or IDHS District RACES Councils. Comments should be sent to races@dhs.in.gov.

RACES Basic Zip File: You must save this file to your computer in order to view the presentations: View

The individual presentations are here:

ARES Training

The zip file below contains six Power Point Presentations modified by Tony Langer, W9AL of Starke County and is based on work done by Virginia RACES Incorporated. Modifications require written permission of Tony Langer. Tony is the Indiana ARES Emergency Coordinator. He is also a member of the IDHS RACES Team, the Starke County RACES/ARES Team, President of the Starke County ARC and has been licensed since 1998.

This document is geared toward emergency communications involving ARES or ARES/RACES Teams at the county level. Comments should be sent to Tony Langer at w9al@arrl.net.

ARRL Approved ARES-RACES Training Zip File: You must save this file to your computer in order to view the presentations: View

The individual presentations are here:

IDHS RACES and Indiana ARES have made a concerted effort to coordinate our recommended procedures wherever possible. When in a disaster, we all need to be able to work together.

Volunteers

Interested in volunteering? Contact your county’s emergency management agency.

If you are interested in supporting the IDHS State RACES team, contact the Indiana State Emergency Operations Center: races@dhs.in.gov or watchdesk@dhs.in.gov.