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G2B09

OPERATING PROCEDURES · - Operating effectively; band plans; drills and emergencies; RACES operation

G2B09§ 97.407(a)G2B →

Who may be the control operator of an amateur station transmitting in RACES to assist relief operations during a disaster?

  1. AOnly a person holding an FCC-issued amateur operator license
  2. BOnly a RACES net control operator
  3. CA person holding an FCC-issued amateur operator license or an appropriate government official
  4. DAny control operator when normal communication systems are operational
Why RACES is still Amateur Radio Service operation, so 97.407(a) requires that any station transmitting in RACES have an FCC-licensed amateur as its control operator, and both the station and operator must be enrolled or certified with the sponsoring civil defense organization. The emergency nature of the traffic does not create an exception to the licensing requirement; it only changes what communications are permitted. Frequency privileges are still limited to those of the control operator's license class.
Watch out The choice adding an appropriate government official is tempting because officials often supply the message content, but an unlicensed official can only participate as a third party while a licensed amateur keeps control of the station.
RACES is still amateur radio: no FCC amateur licence, no control operator seat, emergency or not.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.407(a) Radio amateur civil emergency service.

(a) No station may transmit in RACES unless it is an FCC-licensed primary, club, or military recreation station and it is certified by a civil defense organization as registered with that organization. No person may be the control operator of an amateur station transmitting in RACES unless that person holds a FCC-issued amateur operator license and is certified by a civil defense organization as enrolled in that organization.

(b) The frequency bands and segments and emissions authorized to the control operator are available to stations transmitting communications in RACES on a shared basis with the amateur service. In the event of an emergency which necessitates invoking the President's War Emergency Powers under the provisions of section 706 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 606, amateur stations participating in RACES may only transmit on the frequency segments authorized pursuant to part 214 of this chapter.

(c) An amateur station registered with a civil defense organization may only communicate with the following stations upon authorization of the responsible civil defense official for the organization with which the amateur station is registered:

(1) An amateur station registered with the same or another civil defense organization; and

(2) A station in a service regulated by the FCC whenever such communication is authorized by the FCC.

(d) All communications transmitted in RACES must be specifically authorized by the civil defense organization for the area served. Only civil defense communications of the following types may be transmitted:

(1) Messages concerning impending or actual conditions jeopardizing the public safety, or affecting the national defense or security during periods of local, regional, or national civil emergencies;

(2) Messages directly concerning the immediate safety of life of individuals, the immediate protection of property, maintenance of law and order, alleviation of human suffering and need, and the combating of armed attack or sabotage;

(3) Messages directly concerning the accumulation and dissemination of public information or instructions to the civilian population essential to the activities of the civil defense organization or other authorized governmental or relief agencies; and

(4) Communications for RACES training drills and tests necessary to ensure the establishment and maintenance of orderly and efficient operation of the RACES as ordered by the responsible civil defense organization served. Such drills and tests may not exceed a total time of 1 hour per week. With the approval of the chief officer for emergency planning in the applicable State, Commonwealth, District or territory, however, such tests and drills may be conducted for a period not to exceed 72 hours no more than twice in any calendar year.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
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The rest of G2B

  1. G2B01 Which of the following is true concerning access to frequencies?
  2. G2B02 What is the first thing you should do if you are communicating with another amateur station and hear a statio…
  3. G2B03 What is good amateur practice if propagation changes during a contact creating interference from other statio…
  4. G2B04 When selecting a CW transmitting frequency, what minimum separation from other stations should be used to min…
  5. G2B05 When selecting an SSB transmitting frequency, what minimum separation should be used to minimize interference…
  6. G2B06 How can you avoid harmful interference on an apparently clear frequency before calling CQ on CW or phone?
  7. G2B07 Which of the following complies with commonly accepted amateur practice when choosing a frequency on which to…
  8. G2B08 What is the voluntary band plan restriction for US stations transmitting within the 48 contiguous states in t…
  9. G2B09 Who may be the control operator of an amateur station transmitting in RACES to assist relief operations durin…
  10. G2B10 Which of the following is good amateur practice for net management?
  11. G2B11 How often may RACES training drills and tests be routinely conducted without special authorization?
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