Events – Page 2 – Rochester Amateur Radio Club, Inc.

Recommended Training for ARES Members

Posted on January 29, 2019January 29, 2019 by BJ Watts

The following self-directed courses are available for free through FEMA.
ARES members are encouraged to take them in order to get familiarized with the Incident Command System in use nationally.

IS-100b Introduction to the Incident Command System: http://training.fema.gov/IS/courseOverview.aspx?code=IS-100.b
IS-200 Basic Incident Command System: http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is200.asp
IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction: http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is700.asp
IS-800 National Response Plan (NRP), An Introduction: http://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-800.b

MN ARES also recommends the following courses:

EC-001 Introduction to Emergency Communication http://www.arrl.org/online-course-catalog#
CPR/AED and First Aid Training: Via Red Cross

Olmsted County Emergency Services Nets

Posted on January 27, 2019 by BJ Watts

An ARES net is activated when threatening situations warrant as determined by the National Weather Service in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, or by the Olmsted County or Rochester Emergency Operations Centers. Skywan nets are directed nets and all communications is controlled by the net control station (NCS) using net procedures. Contact Steve Wiebke (W0STV), for more information on becoming a ARES net control station operator.

The Olmsted county ARES net uses the Olmsted EOC 147.255 repeater, PL100.0 Hz, for skywarn and emergency event activation/information. The 146.820, PL100.0 Hz, repeater is the backup for the 147.255 repeater and is available to provide additional ARES communications. A third back up repeater is the 146.625 PL 100.0 for redundancy and over flow traffic that can not be handled by the previous two repeaters..

An ARES information and training net is held every Sunday evening at 9:00 PM local time. Please see the Nets and Meetings page for net and repeater information. All registered ARES members are required to check into this net. Any licensed amateur radio operator may check into the net. Please listen first and follow the NCS check in procedures.

ARES net information links:

ARES Net Control Station Schedule ARES NCS Schedule.
ARES Net Control Station Preamble/Postamble Text
- ARES Net Control Preamble
ARRL Message Format (FSD-218) PDF Format and ARRL Radiogram form in PDF Format
MN-ARES-Specific ICS forms and documents

The Olmsted skywarn activity debriefing is held during the Sunday evening ARES nets, following any previous weeks activation. All amateur radio operators that were activated are requested to check into the net. Comments and constructive suggestions are welcomed.

Sunday Night ARES Net Rotation

Posted on January 27, 2019January 29, 2019 by BJ Watts

The Sunday Night ARES net will start a weekly repeater rotation in 2018 starting in February, as follows for each Sunday in a month:

First Sunday @ 9pm	147.255+ P.L. 100Hz
Second Sunday @ 9pm	146.625- P.L. 100Hz
Third Sunday @ 9pm	147.255+ P.L. 100Hz
Fourth Sunday @ 9pm	146.820- P.L. 100Hz
Fifth Sunday @ 9pm	147.255+ P.L. 100Hz

The purpose is to monthly test each repeaters operation during a net from around the county for quality control, and to test our radio(s) on each VHF repeater.