Northern New York Section Amateur Radio Emergency Service ~ Emergency Communications Information

Last changed 9/5/22 by Northern New York Amateur Radio Emergency Service Coordinator KC2WI.

The primary repeater for wide-area ecom operations in the northern part of the section is Whiteface. The repeater is restricted to emergency use only. There is an Emergency Services Net at 7:30 AM and 7:00 PM every day.

The repeater with the widest coverage in the south-central Adirondacks is the Hamilton County RACES repeater on Blue Mountain.

The repeater with the best coverage in the southern district is Cobleskill.

The Northern NY Hospital and Emergency Net generally meets at 6:15 PM the first Tuesday of every quarter (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct) on the Whiteface repeater. Please contact net manager Bob Farrington KD2QLH for more information.

You are also encouraged to check in to the NYSPTEN on 3925 at 6PM (and the 2nd Region Net at 6:30 if you want to handle formal traffic), and/or monitor the frequency  3925 after 2RN. Please contact KC2WI or WU2M if you are interested in helping to keep a permanent HF net going.

The North Country Group meets every Sunday morning at 8:00 on 3958.

The primary NNY HF voice ecom frequencies are 3958 and 7245.

KF2GC has provided this list of Emergency Operations Frequencies.

ARES Emergency Coordinators and RACES Radio Officers, please email updated information to Section Emergency Coordinator KC2WI.

The NY State Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) frequencies are 3993.5 and 7245. RACES is established by federal regulation to provide emergency communications for civil preparedness purposes, is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is conducted by amateur radio operators using their primary station licenses. RACES is organized primarily at the local (county) level by the county office of emergency management.

The NYS RACES weekly net is 9:00 AM Sundays on 3993.5. With digital following on 3583.5 dial frequency, 1500Hz audio center. Initial mode Olivia 8/500, then MFSK32 and THOR22. The net is open to all Amateur Radio operators.

The New York State Phone, Traffic, and Emergency Net meets at 6 PM on 3925 every day of the year. NNY stations are strongly encouraged to check in. NYSPTEN is not an official NTS net and you will not be expected to handle traffic.

NTS Nets: The New York State Public Operations Net meets at 5 PM on 3925. The NTS Second Region Net meets at 6:30 PM on 3925 (alt 7237) SSB with a slow speed CW sessions at 6 PM and 9:30 on 3576 (alt 1807). Formal message handling is a component of ARES emergency communications. Everyone needs to be familiar with composing, sending, and receiving a standard written Radiogram message.

In case of daytime emergency, if no contact on the NNY or RACES frequencies, try the Carrier Net frequency 3935 from about 8:30-10 AM, the East Coast Amateur Radio Service (ECARS) net on 7255, The Midwest Amateur Radio Service (MIDCARS) net on 7258.

The Eastern NY section ARES HF net meets on the fourth Tuesday at 8 PM on 3993. See hudson.arrl.org/eny. NNY stations are encouraged to check in.

Digital Emergency Communications:

All emergency communicators should be developing NBEMS digital messaging capability using fldigi, flmsg, and flamp. The ARES Standardized Training Plan Task Book lists VHF digital competency as a Level 2 requirement and HF digital competency as a Level 3 requirement. is a recognized ICS function. The AUXCCOMM Position Task Book also lists digital proficiency as a required competency.

It is easier to get started than you might think! All that is required is a computer with a microphone and speakers and your existing radio(s). You do not need a hardwired interface although it is extremely helpful, especially on HF where with the exception of 60 M you can not 'talk and text' on the same frequency.. See www.arrl.org/nbems for an overview. Detailed information and software downloads are available at www.w1hkj.com.

Introductory NBEMS digital communications workshops have been presented Section Emergency Coordinator KC2WI. These workshops covered the installation of fldigi and flmsg software, and basic operation using acoustic coupling. If your group is interested in a workshop, please contact KC2WI. Workshop content can be presented as a webinar.

The NY-NBEMS Training Net is held Saturdays 8 AM. 3585.5 center frequency [Dial Frequency 3584 (USB). Waterfall (audio) center frequency 1500 Hz.] Initial mode THOR22. Bulletins MFSK32. (info as of 6/13/20) Make sure your RXID is on. All NNY ARES members are strongly encouraged to participate in this net!

There are several other regional digital nets: (info as of 6/13/20. For details or latest info, use web page link if available)
   USEast-NBEMS regional net Wednesday 7 PM.
   PA NBEMS Sunday at 7:30 AM on 3584.5 CF Initial mode Thor22
   NJ NBEMS Sunday at 9:30 AM on 3584.5 CF
   NHDN Saturday early check-ins at 7:00AM, flmsg flamp at 7:30 AM on 3583.5 CF Initial mode Thor22
   MIDTN Tues, Thurs & Sat at 7:30 PM on 3582.5

OVARC holds a digital training net on their repeater Friday evenings at 7 PM.

NBEMS Workshop document - How To Install and Configure fldigi and flmsg

HF Digital Tips for beginners from KC2WI

Some Common Q Signals used on Digital Nets

ARRL complete list of QN Signals

General Q Signals

If you are really in to computers and digital comms then check out Broadband-Hamnet. This is not anything we're doing at this time, only something that could be explored if anyone is interested.

Amateur Radio Emergency Service information at ARRL     National Traffic System / (Radiogram message handling) information at ARRL       New York State RACES information

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) guides all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to work together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from incidents. The Incident Command System (ICS) defines the procedures and organizational structure that will be used.

All volunteer Amateur Radio emergency communicators should be familiar with NIMS and ICS. The ARES and AUXCOMM position task books specify
   ICS-100 Introduction to ICS
   ICS-200 Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
   NIMS-700 Introduction to the National Incident Management System
   NIMS-800 National Response Framework, An Introduction
as training and qualification requirements. These are free easy to take on-line courses.
Complete list of FEMA independent study courses

Cyberspace & Infrastructure Security Agency - Emergency Communications
  SHAred RESources (SHARES) High Frequency (HF) Radio program
  National Emergency Communications Plan

Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) NNY Section Emergency Coordinator: Pete Newell KC2WI