The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) provides communications personnel to government agencies in times of extraordinary need.
RACES operations involve handling emergency messages on Amateur Radio frequencies. These operations typically involve messages between critical locations such as hospitals, emergency services, emergency shelters, and other locations where communication is needed. These communications are handled in any mode available on any band that performs the best to get the message through. Not part of the Suffolk County ARES RACES team yet. We are always looking to increase our ranks. Please help us be the best we can be.
How to become part of Suffolk County ARES RACES
There is some online training that you must complete the
Required certifications are
Click here for Transcripts
Once you have completed the ICS Courses, please send your transcripts and a photo of your head with a white background to John Melfi W2HCB, the Suffolk County District Emergency Coordinator/Radio Officer W2HCB. Select races on the drop-down.
We have a very large public service event in October
The Suffolk County Marathon
October 18, 2026: We require a lot of operators. I would like to thank all the operators who have volunteered over the past 10 Years. We look forward to working with many of you again.
The Suffolk County Marathon on post time is 06:00 and runs until about 2:30 PM, The marathon starts at 7:30. The reason for the operators on post at 06:00 is due to road closures. If you would like to help, please email W2HCB
Select Suffolk County Marathon in the drop-down.
Please try to check into the Suffolk County ARES RACES net on Mondays at 21:00 local on the WA2LQO Repeater
145.330 -.600 144.730 136.5 encode decode
Suffolk County ARES RACES Divisions
1: Babylon
2: Huntington
3: Islip
4: Smithtown
5: Brookhaven
6: Riverhead
7: Southampton
8: Southhold
9: East Hampton
10: Shelter Island
NYS RACES Net – Weekly Net Sundays 0900 local time
We are Region One
Frequency is 7.281.0 LSB
Following the NYS RACES Phone Net
The RACES Drill message will be sent out digitally on the Frequency 7.081.50 USB, 1500 on the waterfall in either Olivia8-500, MSFK32, Thor22, MT63-500S.
Below is a link to the NYS RACES PAGE where you will find the following New York State RACES Net Standard Operating Procedure, RACES Net log form, NYS Races HF Net Frequencies.pdf
https://www.dhses.ny.gov/radio-amateur-civil-emergency-service-races
Download FLDIGI, FLRIG & FLMSG
Winlink P2P Server KC2FTD
7.081.500 USB with 500 hertz
New York State Albany OEM
Please send Pratice ICS and weather forms.
NEW YORK PUBLIC OPERATIONS NET
3.925.00 LSB Daily 17:00 UTC 22:00
NEW YORK STATE PHONE TRAFFIC AND EMERGENCY NET
3.325.00 LSB Daily 18:00 UTC 23:00
New York State NYS-BEMS NET
Net starts at 08:00 Eastern Time on 3.583 KHZ USB 1500 on the waterfall. The usual check-in mode is Thor-22. Please make sure both your RXID and TXID are enabled because we do change modes to pass traffic. Please join us to test your digital capabilities. We call the net to order and then take check-ins by geographic areas ( not NY RACES regions ). Please check in by giving your call sign twice and your name and either QTC or QRU (QTC: I have traffic; QRU: no traffic).
More information than this slows down the check-in process.
Public safety and service agencies know that when all else fails, Amateur Radio works! Hams are regularly called on for everything from disaster communications to parade duty. Whatever it is, hams answer the call. Things to keep in mind: We do not self-deploy. Please do not interfere with emergency personnel when activated, as we are not first responders!
WinLink with VARA FM HF and VARA Chat is a very important tool for your stations at home and on the go and at your home stations.
WinLink software click here User Programs
VARA products, please click here VARA Products
There is a western Suffolk Winlink gateway
W2TOB-10 on 145.070
We are planning on an eastern Suffolk gateway. The Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club has a gateway built, and we are working with Suffolk County OEM on a location for it. That station call sign will be W2TOB-12 on 145.530
Another important tool is the HAMSHACK HOTLINE
https://hamshackhotline.com/
CISCO SPA525G2 5-Line IP Phone Without Power Supply (Renewed)
There are many ways we can communicate, so why not have every option at your disposal?
Are you ready to go into action? Do you have a go-kit station?
A go-kit station is a self-contained station, along with your manuals and supplies, for a short or long deployment. Go-kits can be big or small but must have everything you might need. You can have a go-kit for public service events for a one-day event, but you might want a kit that will run for a few days. The longer the deployment, the more robust a kit you need. A minimum go-kit should have a VHF UHF radio, coax, power supply, and backup battery, as well as a good antenna. Always remember to bring your medications and water and stay hydrated. It would be beneficial to have a laptop and be able to use WinLink or VARA Chat. If we need to go on a much bigger scale deployment, you might want an HF radio.
Here is a picture of my go-kit station: VHF, UHF, AND HF all bands and modes. Go-kit stations come in all sizes. My go-kit has been used mostly for fun but is all ready to go into action for an emergency if needed.
My first go-kit was a milk crate with my power supply, radio, plus an HT and antenna coax and baking sheet when I was deployed during 9/11. It was nothing like it looks now.
If you need help or advice, please reach out, and we can point you in the right direction.
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