The American Red Cross Bay Area chapter (ARCBA) Response Communications team uses a wide variety of radio resources to help the Red Cross function in any disaster that interferes with normal telephone and Internet access.
Amateur Radio
Simplex
- 147.420 MHz
This is our primary tactical frequency; a.k.a. “ARCBA Simplex”. We use it for local site communication and volunteer coordination. - 147.465 MHz
We plan on using this as a remote base frequency on the Bay Net repeater system, to allow us to use 2m radios at any shelter site where we don’t have a 70 cm radio. - 147.495 MHz
This will be our cross-band frequency, used from HTs inside shelters to cross-band repeaters in cars parked outside the shelters, talking back to the Bay Net repeater system on 70 cm frequencies.
Repeaters
- Bay Net 1: 443.225/+/100.0
Located on Black Mountain in the South Bay. - Bay Net 2: 443.975/+/100.0
Located near the Caldecott Tunnel in the East Bay. - Bay Net 3: 444.075/+/100.0
This is a portable repeater designed for emergency use. It has its own low-level frequency coordination, enabling it to be used almost anywhere within the ARCBA territory, provided it isn’t located at too high an elevation. - Bay Net 9: 927.8625 DPL 023, 2.5 KHz, no hearclear
This 900 MHz repeater is normally linked full-time to Bay Net 1 and Bay Net 2, but could be disconnected or used as a full-duplex relay to Bay Net 3 in an emergency.
Red Cross
- 47 MHz
- 800 MHz
- GMRS
462.575 and 462.675 MHz - Business Band Itinerant
151.625 and 464.550 MHz