Communications

Worcester County Search & Rescue Team, Inc.
COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION
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Worcester County Search and Rescue offers a Communications Jump Team (CJT) which consists of communications personal to establish Emergency Communications in devastated areas effected by weather conditions, natural disasters or other. Most of our Comms Team Members are either Amateur Radio Operators, or personal interested in communications, work in the communications field as Dispatchers, two-way Radio repair, members of the US Military with communications ratings, or members of the US Coast Guard or Air Force Auxiliary program working as Radio Operators, members of MARS (Military Affiliated Radio Systems), SHARES (Shared Resources High Frequency Radio Program) or support the National SOS Radio Network. You do not need to be a Licensed Amateur Radio Operator to be on the (CJT) Communications Jump Team as most of our communications is done via MURS (Multi-use Radio Service), FRS (Family Radio Service) , GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service), and in some cases, (CB) Citizen Band Radio. WCSAR Team also has a GPS Satellite Phone for CJT deployment where telephone service is not available.

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Worcester County Search & Rescue Team has established the following Frequencies as specified for our operational (CJT) Communications Jumps Teams and other programs::
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151.940 Mhz - Primary VHF Frequency (MURS) Channel 3
462.5875 Mhz - Primary UHF Frequency (FRS) Channel 2 (WRSP Program)
462.5625 MHZ - Primary UHF Frequency (FRS) Channel 1 (MRSP Program)
462.675 Mhz - UHF/GMRS (Unofficial GMRS Channel for Emergencies and assistance)
146.58 Mhz - VHF 2 Meter Amateur Radio
446.00 Mhz - UHF Amateur Radio
5403.50 KHz/USB - Amateur Radio HF 60 Meter Band
29.600 Mhz/FM - Amateur Radio 10 Meter Band
27.065 Mhz/AM - Channel 9, Citizen Band Radio (CB)

No CTCSS (Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System) incorporated on our selected Frequencies.

Worcester County Search & Rescue Team Personal that are CJT Members have their License to operate on GMRS Frequencies. WCSAR Team will sponsor the fee for same to those individuals that want to be Licensed on GMRS. Also, WCSAR Team supports other Amateur Radio Organizations for their Emergency Communications through RACES, ARES, and VHF/UHF Repeater Operations that are used for Emergency Communications and Nets. We also encourage our Communications personal to get their Amateur Radio License through the ARRL VE Program in your area. Check our Schedule Page for Testing in Massachusetts.

Emergency Frequencies to note and monitor:

156.800 MHz - Ch.16 Marine Band International Calling and Distress Frequency.
121.500 MHz - Aircraft Distress, Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).
243.000 Mhz - Military Air Distress Frequency
27.065 MHz - CB (Citizen Band Radio) Channel 9 Emergency Channel.
146.520 Mhz - 2 Meter Amateur Radio - National VHF Calling Frequency, used for Emergencies.
462.5625 MHZ - FRS (Family Radio Service), Channel.1 (unofficial) Calling and distress Channel.
462.6750 MHz - GMRS unofficial Emergency Distress Frequency.
446.000 MHz - Amateur Radio UHF Calling Frequency
2182/2187.5 Khz/USB (DSC) - Maritime International Calling & Distress Freq.
45.3600 MHz Statewide Civil Defense, MEMA, Ch.1
45.3200 MHz Statewide Civil Defense, MEMA, Ch.2     [ MEMA ]
52.525 MHz - 6 Meter Amateur Radio (FM)
47.420 Mhz /FM- American Red Cross
155.955 MHz MEMA All Statewide (100 CTCSS)
153.965 MHz MEMA Area 1 (203.5 CTCSS)
154.085 MHZ MEMA Area 2 (210.7 CTCSS)
155.085 MHz MEMA Area 3 (162.2 CTCSS)
155.0850 MHz Area 4 Western Mass
148.15 Mhz - Civil Air Patrol Repeater Output / 150.7 Mhz - USCG Aux Repeater Output
149.080 Mhz - Canadian Interagency Search & Rescue Frequency
406.00 Mhz - (406.025, 406.028, 406.037) UHF Beacon Frequency for EPIRBS, newer ELT's and PLB's. EPIRB-Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacon, ELT-Emergency Locator Transmitter, PLB-Personal Locator Beacons.
FOR AREA/RACES/MEMA/FEMA/SKYWARN PERSONAL IN MASSACHUSETTS
Note these Amateur Radio Repeater Frequencies to monitor and use in an Emergency
Freq:      CTCSS   Location                                     53.310 71.9 or 100.0 Mt. Wachusetts
146.910 162.2      Mt. Greylock                              3943 LSB (HF)
146.940 127.3      Mt. Tom                                    7245 LSB (HF)
146.670 123.3      Agawam - IRLP Liaison
146.985 136.5      Greenfield
146.925 100.0      Worcester
146.970 114.8      Paxton
147.390 100.0      Athol
145.370 136.5      Gardner

Communications Terminology and Links for further Information:
Click on highlighted area to access info:

MURS - Multi-Use Radio System
FRS - Family Radio Service
GMRS - General Mobile Radio Service
PMR446 - Personal Mobile Radio, 446 MHz
FRN - Free Radio Network
MARS - Military Affiliated Radio Systems...ARRL UPDATE
SHARES - Shared Resources High Frequency Radio Program
NSOS - National SOS Radio Network
ARRL - American Radio Relay League (Emergency Radio)
WMA - Western Massachusetts Section ARRL
IARU - International Amateur Radio Union
RACES - Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services
ARES - Amateur Radio Emergency Service
REACT - Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams
CB - Citizen Band Radio
CTCSS - Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch Systems Information
VE Test Session - To find nearest ARRL Amateur Radio Test Session
ECHOLINK - Amateur Radio stations Communicate over Internet VoIP
QRZ Data Base - Amateur Radio License Operators Call-Sign Data info.
EPIRBS - ELT's - PLB's (Radio Distress Beacons)
WWV - NIST Radio Station, National Institute of Standards & Technology
SATPHONE - Satellite Telephone System Information
HAMCLASS - On-line Ham Radio Licensing Classes
FEMA ICS-704 Required for FEMA/MEMA Communications
POPULAR COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE

It is recommended that all WCSAR Team personal go to our 'download' page and download SKYPE (Internet Telephone) and eQSO PMR 446 build. Skype allows your Computer to be turned into an Internet Telephone where you can call anywhere in the world for free using VoIP Technology. Best to use with broadband, DSL, but a modem can also be used. PMR446 Build (eQSO) allows you to network groups into a private 'chat' room for meetings and info to team members that want to all meet at the same time using Internet VoIP protocol (realtime chat) allowing communication link with MURS/FRS Radios. Similar to Echolink.

All visiting Ham Operators and WCSAR Team Members that are Hams, please check into our Monthly HF and VHF Net on the First Monday of each month. 1900 hours/EST on 146.58 simplex 2 Meter VHF/FM, and at 1930 hours/EST on 5403.50 KHz/USB (primary) 5371.50KHz/USB (secondary) 60 Meter HF. Net Control Operator is WA4DDH, grid FN42, Holden, Massachusetts. A special 'numbered' propagation QSL Card will be sent to those that check in on our HF Net. See below...73's, Bill