ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, joins the podcast in support of the September/October 2025 article “The EOC: Serving at the Hub,” by Rick Palm, K1CE, which talks about what an Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, is, and offers tips for hams who are serving at an EOC for the first time. Josh takes us through more Emergency Operations Center functions, as well as what hams need to know before they walk into one.

During a severe weather event, such as a tornado warning, the proper use of an emergency group is paramount for safety and coordination. Transmissions on this vital communication channel should be reserved exclusively for immediate, critical information concerning the storm and its impact. This includes prompt announcements when warnings are issued or officially canceled by the proper authority. Crucial reports also encompass observable, significant changes in the storm syste

Q-signals are a system of radio shorthand as old as wireless and developed from even older telegraphy codes. Q-signals are a set of abbreviations for common information that save time and allow communication between operators who don’t speak a common language. Modern ham radio uses them extensively. The attached document and image below list the most common Q-signals used by amateur radio operators. While Q-signals were developed for use by Morse operators, their use is commo

DID YOU KNOW?  By pressing the PRIVATE TALK  button while within a selected Group, you can not only initiate a private, one-to-one QSO, but you can also see the status of the radio/operator. A = Radio is ON / Operator is PRESENT (in the current Group) B = Radio is ON / Operator is ABSENT (in another Group) C = Radio is OFF / Operator is ABSENT To initiate a private call, scroll to the desired radio/operator and press the MENU / SELECT  button, followed by pressing the PUSH TO

If you haven't already found them, go to LINKS  in the homepage menu to see a comprehensive list of external resources and tools—covering everything from education and training to weather monitoring tools. Check it out when you get a chance, and if you know of any other valuable resources, let us know so we can add them to the library.

While radio technology serves a wide range of purposes, the fundamental principles of clear and effective communication have been well-established over time. On the MRS  network, we follow a code of conduct that ensures all on-air communication is respectful, efficient, and reliable. Adhering to these simple rules helps us all uphold a standard of operational excellence. The most fundamental rule is also the simplest: listen first, transmit second . Before you key your microp