so ive been licensed for about 6 months now and finally signed up with my county RACES group. they have a monthly drill this saturday and i have no idea what im getting into. the EC just said bring your ht and a notepad but didnt really explain much else

anyone been through their first drill? is it mostly just checking into nets or do they actually simulate emergency traffic? kinda nervous since everyone else has been doing this for years and im still figuring out net procedures

Don't worry too much about it - most groups are really welcoming to new folks. Usually the first drill or two they'll have you just listen and maybe check in at the end. You might handle some practice welfare traffic between pretend shelters or something like that. The main thing is learning how to pass messages accurately and use proper procedures.

Bring extra batteries for your HT and maybe a clipboard if you have one. The notepad is for copying down message traffic. Most importantly just relax and don't be afraid to ask questions afterward!

yeah my first ARES drill was pretty intimidating too but everyone was super patient. ended up being mostly net control practice and some basic message handling. they had us pass mock Red Cross traffic between different locations around the county

one thing i learned - write everything down even if it seems obvious at the time. when youre nervous its easy to forget call signs or message numbers. also dont feel bad if you mess up, happens to everyone starting out