Communications and 2-way Radio Use

Volunteers in the Auxiliary are required to have a 1-day in-house course in communications and 2-way radio use. This course has the following goals:

• Teaching radio and communications fundamentals
• how radio works, frequency, wavelength, bands, antennas, propogation, modulation, and interference
• FCC part 97 rules and the various radio services available (CB, GMRS, MURS, Amateur Radio) to citizens
• The rules governing radio use in an emergency
• There will be considerable overlap between this part and the introductory information in the HAM Technician test. Experienced radio operators will be allowed to test out of this section of the course.
• How to communicate with citizens and neighborhood watches, including fundamentals of REACT
• How to communicate within the Auxiliary, including short-range 2-way radio use, phone trees, message passing, the use of texting in disasters, use of our own Amateur Radio personnel for call-up of the Auxiliary
• Working with 9-1-1 dispatch.
• How to use ARES/RACES to communicate with other emergency services, including the office of the Sheriff.