Programming Old Motorola Radios
Northern California Repeater Users Group
Introduction to NorCal RUG
Northern California Repeater Users Group, (NorCal RUG) is a group comprised of local public service radio communications teams, part of these volunteers are members of REACT (Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams). REACT is an international non-profit community service organization, which was formed over 25 years ago and is dedicated to monitoring the Citizens Band (CB) Radio emergency Channel 9. REACT teams across the United States and in many other countries are volunteers who are dedicated to assisting motorists on our highways and to providing volunteer communication services to our local communities.
As time passed, it was apparent that for many uses, CB radio did not provide enough reliability. For this reason, a UHF radio system known as GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) is now being utilized. GMRS has been around for many years, but until recently, has had very little use. GMRS is now being utilized by NorCal RUG, and has been developed and fine tuned into a very reliable emergency radio system. GMRS started approximately eleven years ago in the Bay Area with the installation of a UHF repeater on San Bruno Mountain in San Francisco, and one in Sacramento, California. As time went on, and with the advent of more and more users on the GMRS system, it became apparent that an organization was needed to police and coordinate the use of the GMRS network. Thus, NorCal RUG was born.
NorCal RUG operates on the UHF frequency of 462.675 MHz with a repeater input frequency of 467.675 MHz. NorCal RUG operates through a network of UHF repeaters which now cover about two-thirds of the State of California. This network of repeaters gives NorCal RUG, and its sister organization in Southern California, a very wide area of coverage within the state.
Our sister organization in Southern California is known as Repeater Users Group (RUG). RUG was organized in 1982 and now has approximately twenty repeaters on-line, which cover all major highway systems from San Diego to Modesto. They work very closely with various police and fire agencies through-out Southern and Central California, and with the California State Office of Emergency Services.
Our organization, NorCal RUG, was formed in February 1987, with a specific goal; “TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY REPEATER COMMUNICATIONS TO LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES IN TIME OF DISASTER OR CRISIS, AND TO COOPERATE WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ENGAGED IN SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS”.
One method of accomplishing this goal is by extending our present emergency repeater network north to the Oregon border and east to the Nevada border. At present, we have three repeaters on-line in the Bay Area and one in the Sacramento area. Two more repeater projects are presently in the works. These two repeater projects are in progress and should be completed by the end of 1993.
NorCal RUG is presently involved with a number of Bay Area communities in areas such as disaster service and committees involved in drafting and executing Disaster/Emergency Evacuation Plans.
NorCal RUG, is also involved in many community service events such as providing communications for various community activities which consist of March of Dimes Walk-A-Thons, various parades and charity events, and the Bud-Lite U.S. Series Triathalon which was held in San Jose, by the City of San Jose, California in 1987.
NorCal RUG IS A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATION WITH THE PRIMARY GOAL OF ASSISTING LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR DISASTER OR A MAJOR EMERGENCY.