We welcome new members! All amateur radio operators with a current FCC-issued license are eligible to join Mesa County ARES (MCARES) which is part of Colorado ARES. Amateur radio operators can perform a valuable service to the Mesa County community during disasters and emergencies when the normal communications such as cell phones are disabled or overloaded.
MCARES requirements:
- Training
- Fill out an ARES application. You can pick this up at any of our regular ARES/EmComm meetings.
- Obtain Incident Command System classes through FEMA. At a minimum, we require taking the IS-100b and IS-800 training courses online. We also recommend IS-200 and IS-700 to round out your understanding of the ICS system.
- We also recommend the ARRL’s EC-001 Emergency Communication Course, available free of charge through the ARRL.
- Equipment
- At a minimum, we require a dual-band analog VHF/UHF handheld radio with spare batteries that can last at least 24 hours. A gain antenna is recommended in addition to the standard factory-supplied antenna. You should be able to program the radio in the field, in addition to using available programming software and cables. You must be familiar with all aspects of your radio, and be able to effectively troubleshoot operating procedures.
- In addition to a good handheld, we recommend a mobile 50-watt radio to operate in more remote locations. Many MCARES operators have mobile/base “go-kits” that allow them to operate from a vehicle or as base-station units.
- More ARES agencies are using digital communication. In Colorado, the de facto standard is DMR. Rocky Mountain Ham Radio has established a statewide system of DMR repeaters, so many of our team members have purchased UHF/VHF analog/DMR handheld radios.
- Preparedness
- In order to be able to respond to a request for assistance in a timely manner, you should have a personal “Go-Kit” (in addition to your Radio Go-Kit) that includes adequate food/water, clothing and other personal items to sustain you during a deployment of 1-3 days.
- You should also make sure your family is prepared for an emergency or disaster that would allow them to be self-sufficient if you were called to assist in an emergency.
This only scratches the surface! We cover these topics and many more at our regular MCARES monthly meetings. Watch the Home page of this site for meeting times and locations.
Contact Chip Ferron NØWKR at chip.ferron@gmail.com for more information.