Mobile, internet, and power networks are often the first casualties in a disaster. Radio, on the other hand, is almost unstoppable. Radios can run from almost any power source and ad-hoc networks can enable global communication with relatively little effort thanks to global efforts of the amateur radio community.
As you can see in the above video many amateur radio operators make emergency communications in service to their local communities a key focus of their efforts in radio. ARES and RACES are the two primary organizations at the national level that help guide those efforts. Here are some of the related groups in the Bay Area:
- Santa Clara County ARES/RACES
- Cupertino ARES
- Los Altos ARES
- Mountain View ARES
- Palo Alto ARES
- Southern San Mateo County ARES (SCARES)
- Sunnyvale ARES
- Silicon Valley Emergency Communications System (SVECS)
- San Jose RACES
- Southern Peninsula Emergency Communication System (SPECS)
Please note that this is not, nor is it intended to be, a comprehensive resource. That’s an impossible task. If you’d like to recommend new resources please email KN6DAF @ Gmail.com.
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