Our local RBERS group, 30 in all, ranging in years from 14 (yes, 14) to the mid 80's, will be practicing their craft on Saturday, April 20. They are your neighbors, and they will be assembling to provide an essential community service. There are eight 'stations' and two Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in Rancho Bernardo to which these dedicated volunteers are assigned: each of the community centers and the Library Police Storefront and the RB Gymnasium. These places are configured with radio transmitters, receivers and antennas to establish a solid network for communications.

The radio operators, licensed by the Federal Government, will conduct a communications exercise to simulate a major disaster. They will use the communications equipment to make sure it is both functional and reliable.

During widespread disasters and emergencies, amateur radio organizations, such as RBERS, provide emergency communications when requested by the County Office of Disaster Preparedness (ODP). Many times, amateur radio has been the sole source of news when commercial communications links were severed all over the world. So critical are these services that radio amateurs provide to the nation, that they were labeled, "A National Resource."

In Rancho Bernardo, and throughout San Diego County, radio amateurs quietly go about the business of preparing for disaster. They train by doing. Each year, radio amateurs participate in city- and county-wide drills and exercises to demonstrate their expertise and to determine new ways to communicate when commercial methods fail or become saturated. With the advent of cellular telephones – and the result of an increasing number of people buying them for personal use – cellular saturation becomes a significant problem during emergencies.

Radio amateurs in Rancho Bernardo and surrounding areas offer a wide variety of emergency communications; they use voice, Morse code or the more modern computer generated digital methods. They meet once a month on Saturday at Coco's. If you would like to join this group (or just sit-in) call Jim Scanlan at 485-0879. Members of the RB group include:

Jim Baker, John Barrett, Scott Belfield, Dick Beym, Bob Bleiweiss, Jerry Bobian, Nathan Burgess. Howard Carlin, Jim Christman, Jim Diaz, Howard Ehlers, Basil Frank, David Gearing, Sam Glassberg, Everett Harris, Warren Hodges, Pat Jones, Bruce Leonard, John McCue, Sam Miller, Irving Pregozen, Glen Reed, Arlow Sampson, Jim Scanlan, Stan Shaut, Mark Sherbert, David Sutherland, Don Spencer, Vern Sylvester and Wally Thompson.

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The Seven Oaks Emergency Preparedness team conducted a very successful simulated exercise recently. The teams: Citizen Band radio operators (CBs), first aid, transportation, media and damage assessment were led by Ralph Stewart and Mitch Mitchell. The two leaders were pleased with the progress the Seven Oaks teams made and congratulated all the players. There will be another exercise in the Fall.