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 There is a place for you in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. A.R.E.S. (please don’t say “Aries”) is part of the ARRL Field Service organization, and organizes hams desiring to serve the public through emergency communications (“EmComm”).
You do not have to be a member of ARRL or any other organization. The only requirements are a valid amateur radio license, and the willingness to serve. If you meet these basic qualifications, you are welcome to become part of ARES. To get started, introduce yourself to your county Emergency Coordinator, and complete an application.
What does ARES do?
Just because there is an emergency somewhere, don’t expect to be called. We are not “first responders.” ARES units provide supplemental communications when a “communications emergency” exists, and a served agency requests ARES activation. Your county ARES Emergency Coordinator’s job is to develop and maintain working relationships with served agencies in your county, including Public Safety agencies (such as Fire, Police and Rescue departments), the County Emergency Management Agency, National Guard and Reserves units, Civil Air Patrol, MARS, RACES, SATERN, REACT, Hospitals and Schools, as well as support and relief agencies including The American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Travelers Aid, and Catholic Charities, to name a few.
In a large-scale disaster, all of these served agencies may have communications needs to be filled by ARES volunteers. Periodically, ARES leaders in counties, districts and sections will conduct classes, training nets and exercises to help ARES members learn and sharpen their emergency communication skills. Additionally, the ARRL and FEMA both offer online training courses to help ARES volunteers improve their EmComm capabilities, and prepare in advance for “that phone call in the middle of the night.”
Get Going!
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, take the first steps: Fill out your registration form online, and go to your next club meeting and introduce yourself to your County EC (or assistant) and offer your services. Take part in the training, nets and exercises, and prepare yourself to serve the public in the oldest and very best of Amateur Radio traditions!
Continue reading ARES – There’s Room for You!
Here are some ideas for Club Projects. You are encouraged to leave your comments and get some good discussion going!
- Licensing Classes
- Volunteer to handle Public Information – newspapers, radio and TV stations
- Technology committee – Everybody’s an expert at something. Share your expertise with the rest of us.
- Public Service – From assisting at disasters to assisting at County Fairs and Firemen’s Parades, we can serve the pubic.
- Parties and Picnics – Yeah, we like to eat… Social events are important too!
- Operating activities – Let’s put all four counties on the air for Field Day and the PA QSO Party
It is said that engineers never know when to stop “improving” things. I certainly share that malady!
I think the website is close to its final, working form, and is almost ready for production. It already has plenty of new and useful functionality. There is one new and very exciting feature I’ve added… If you’re a registered user, YOU CAN ENTER YOUR OWN ARTICLES!!! As everyone uses this feature more and more, the website becomes a place you will have to visit often. It’s safe to say the website is never the same twice!
I’ve added lots of eye-candy. I think I may have missed my calling as a Graphic Designer. Or maybe it’s brain damage from my reckless youth!
You’re probably wondering what the “QRM” box is all about. Well, each item submitted to the website can be “tagged” with several keywords describing what it’s about. The QRM is a 3-D beehive of those keywords. The bigger they are, the more articles are related to those keywords. Clicking on a green one loads all articles with that keyword. Slide your mouse on over to the QRM box and watch all those pretty colors, man… (oops, another flashback!)… You know you want to!
This is YOUR website. Please feel welcome to reply to any post, vote in the polls, browse the Classified Ads, read all the “stuff”, and write your own posts to share with others. If you have photos of your shack, upload them! Let’s all make this thing grow!
 Fifteen Hams were in attendance at the February Meeting. Quite a bit of club business was discussed, and plans were set in motion for upcoming activities and events. W3BC presented an update on progress on the new website, and with the approval of the members in attendance, he was given the go-ahead to take this website public.
President W3DWR read correspondence received from the Pennsylvania Department of State regarding the status of the Club’s incorporation. The matter was referred to the Executive Board, which will convene to take appropriate action before April 1. W3BC presented his revisions / cleanup of the Club Logo which was accepted as the official logo of the Club. He was directed to register the Logo with the Pennsylvania Department of State as a protected Service Mark.
W3BC challenged the club to undertake a project for 2011 to develop new amateurs by offering licensing classes, providing Elmering and sponsoring VE Exams; to contact and invite licensed hams in the Quad-County Area to come to our meetings and join our ranks; and to strengthen our outreach to the Public through Public Service activities and Media Relations. As a result, several members immediately volunteered their services, and pledged to make themselves available as Quad-County Amateur Radio ambassadors in their communities.
Visitor, John Buttner, KB3OUG, the newly-elected president of the Punxsutawney Area Amateur Radio Club discussed the need for all clubs in the Quad-County area to work together and share their resources. His comments were well received, and a good bit of meaningful discussion followed, opening the door for future expansion of inter-club cooperation.
After the meeting adjourned, Herb Murray, W3TM presented a well-received program outlining tips for successfully obtaining a desirable vanity callsign. Following the presentation, there was a Social Hour with refreshments, fellowship and discussion among old friends and new. The last people to leave were there until after 10:30!
 Quad-County Club Secretary Jeff, KA3FHV suffered a fall recently, and injured his hip. Doug advises that he is undergoing surgery for a hip replacement on Saturday, February 19.
Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery, Jeff!
(Please enter your get well wishes to Jeff as a comment below.)
Seven brave souls ventured forth through the elements to enjoy the February QCARC Breakfast. I’m eating mine as I write this!
On our “Welcome to Amateur Radio” page, we hope to list at least one Elmer for each community we have selected. By volunteering, you will become your community’s “go to” person for new hams and those looking to become hams. This is a very important part of the hobby that has given you so much. Please do your part and give back to your community and to your hobby.
If you are ready, willing and able to serve responsibly, please take a moment to register as your community’s Amateur Radio Ambassador.
Continue reading Calling All Elmers!
 Thirteen members and guests of the Quad County Amateur Radio Club enjoyed a pleasant evening on Saturday, December 11th. Great food–a choice of an Old Fashioned Turkey or Ham dinner, with all the trimmings– and a good time of socializing made for a memorable evening for all in attendance.
The consensus was that we can’t wait for the next “Big Feed!” Here’s a photo:
Hello everyone!
I’d like to open this discussion as a place for you to leave your comments and suggestions for the new website. Is there a feature you’d like to see? is there something that could be better. Is something missing?
These and many other concerns are just what we will discuss here!
This is the new, upgraded website of The Quad-County Amateur Radio Club. It has been redesigned from the ground up to support modern features and provide you with an interactive experience which will help you find the information you are looking for more quickly and easily.
You may comment on any discussion, and even start a new discussion topic. In addition, the new technology allows the club to present the latest information immediately without any fancy HTML programming required!
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There is a place for you in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. A.R.E.S. (please don’t say “Aries”) is part of the ARRL Field Service organization, and organizes hams desiring to serve the public through emergency communications (“EmComm”).
