War Emergency Radio Service
Civil defense radio service during the Second World War.
The War Emergency Radio Service (WERS) was a U.S. civil defense communications network active from 1942 to 1945. It was created by the Federal Communications Commission in June 1942, pushed by the American Radio Relay League, after Congress halted all amateur radio operations when the country entered World War II. WERS handled communications for air raid protection and natural disasters. Licenses were issued to communities rather than individuals, though participants had to hold an amateur radio license.
By the end of 1944, roughly 5,000 transmitters operated under 250 licenses. The service continued until the war ended in 1945. WERS used specific frequency bands, with transmitters required to maintain stability within 0.1%. Tighter control would have needed quartz crystals, which were scarce due to military demand. The service was designed for ranges up to about 10 miles, so power was limited to 25 watts. The Office of Civilian Defense encouraged building equipment at home from salvaged receiver parts to avoid using critical materials in short supply. WERS was later replaced by the current Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES).
- Established
- June 1942
- Operated until
- 1945
- Purpose
- communications for air raid protection and natural disasters
- Licenses issued
- 250
- Transmitters operated
- about 5000
- Maximum power
- 25 watts
- Frequency stability requirement
- within 0.1%
Lore & Background
When the United States entered the Second World War, Congress suspended all amateur radio activity. The War Emergency Radio Service (WERS) was created by the Federal Communications Commission in June 1942 at the insistence of the American Radio Relay League to provide communications for air raid protection and natural disasters. Licenses were granted to communities, not individuals, though participants were required to hold an amateur radio license. By the end of 1944, about five thousand transmitters operated under 250 licenses. WERS remained in operation through the end of the war in 1945. The service was authorized on specific frequency bands, with transmitters required to be stable to within 0.1%; tighter control would have required quartz crystals, which were in high demand for military radio purposes. Power was restricted to 25 watts, as the intended communication range was up to about 10 miles. The Office of Civilian Defense recommended home-built equipment using salvaged components from civilian receivers to avoid using critical items not readily available during the war.
Reader's Guide
The War Emergency Radio Service (WERS) was replaced by the current Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) system. Its significance lies in providing a structured civil defense communications capability during a period when all amateur radio activity had been suspended. By issuing licenses to communities rather than individuals, WERS ensured that local emergency response had dedicated radio support. The requirement that participants hold an amateur radio license maintained a trained operator base. The service's operational constraints—25-watt power limit, 0.1% frequency stability, and recommended use of salvaged components—reflected wartime material shortages and the focus on short-range communications up to about 10 miles. WERS demonstrated the adaptability of amateur radio infrastructure for emergency purposes, a legacy that continues through RACES.
From Wartime Silence to Standby Readiness
During World War II, the entire Amateur Radio Service was silenced, forcing the creation of an entirely new War Emergency Radio Service from the ground up. That process consumed roughly six months—a gap that left a painful lesson about the cost of improvising under pressure. In 1952, drawing on input from the American Radio Relay League and the Department of the Army's Office of Civil Defense, regulators designed a standby service called the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. The goal was straightforward: if the President ever invoked the War Powers Act of 1941 again and needed to shut down the regular Amateur Radio Service, the transition to RACES would be swift and orderly rather than a scramble. The rules took effect on August 15, 1952. Remarkably, despite numerous subsequent conflicts involving the United States, the President has never actually ordered the silencing of the Amateur Radio Service, meaning RACES has remained a prepared-but-unused contingency for over seven decades.
Enrollment and the Chain of Activation
Participation in RACES is entirely voluntary for FCC-licensed amateur radio operators who wish to support state, county, or local emergency management agencies. An operator registers their amateur radio license and station with the appropriate emergency management official and may receive credentials based on that agency's own policies. Crucially, RACES stations cannot self-activate. They are brought online exclusively at the direction of the state, county, or local emergency management authority, and only those stations previously registered with those governments qualify. When RACES is invoked, other amateur radio operations may be suspended, and RACES traffic might be confined to specific frequencies within the amateur bands. A subtle but important distinction exists for training: if registered operators conduct on-air practice without the request or direction of the emergency management official, they are operating under the ordinary Amateur Radio Service, not RACES. This boundary keeps the two services legally and operationally separate.
Beyond Wartime: The Full Spectrum of Emergencies
Although RACES was conceived as a wartime contingency, its operational scope extends far beyond military conflict. The rules explicitly allow RACES to provide or supplement communications whenever normal communication systems have sustained damage. The list of qualifying situations is broad: natural disasters, technological disasters, nuclear accidents, nuclear attack, terrorist incidents, and bomb threats all fall within the service's purview. This breadth reflects the practical reality that emergency management agencies need a reliable, government-directed communications channel regardless of the threat's origin. The service is authorized under Part 97.407 of the FCC's amateur radio regulations, which governs how these operations fit within the broader amateur radio framework. In practice, RACES fills a specific niche: it is the channel through which licensed amateur operators serve at the explicit direction of government emergency management officials, making it distinct from voluntary or self-directed amateur radio emergency communications.
Evolution and the ARES Connection
The landscape of RACES participation has shifted over time. In earlier years, the FCC issued actual RACES station licenses directly to civil defense organizations. To guard against abuse by officials who lacked amateur radio licenses, Part 97.407 incorporated restrictions on how long non-emergency operation could last and which stations could be contacted. Those organization-level licenses are no longer issued; any RACES operations today must use licensed amateur radio operators as control operators. In daily practice, the majority of amateur operators who enroll with their local government for potential RACES duty are also members of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, a volunteer network organized by the American Radio Relay League. ARES occupies a complementary but distinct role: it delivers emergency communications within the conventional Amateur Radio Service without requiring a government emergency declaration or direction from an emergency management official. This dual membership means many operators are prepared to serve under both frameworks, depending on whether the situation calls for government-directed RACES traffic or voluntary ARES support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the War Emergency Radio Service?
WERS was a U.S. civil defense communications network that operated between 1942 and 1945, providing radio links for air raid warnings and disaster response during World War II. It functioned as a bridge between the total ban on amateur radio and the country's need for local emergency communications.
Why was the War Emergency Radio Service created?
After the United States entered World War II, Congress suspended all amateur radio operations, leaving communities without a local emergency communications channel. In response, the FCC established WERS in June 1942 at the urging of the ARRL so that licensed operators could still serve civil defense needs.
How did War Emergency Radio Service licensing differ from regular amateur radio?
Rather than granting individual operator licenses, WERS issued community-level permits, though each participant still needed to hold a valid amateur radio license. The service was capped at 25 watts of transmitter power per station.
How large was the War Emergency Radio Service at its peak?
By the end of 1944, approximately 5,000 transmitters were active across roughly 250 community licenses nationwide. This made it one of the largest organized radio networks in the country during the war years.
When did the War Emergency Radio Service end?
WERS ceased operations in 1945, coinciding with the end of World War II in the Pacific. With the war over, the FCC restored full amateur radio privileges, making the emergency service obsolete.
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