What is ARES?

In 1935, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) established the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) to organize licensed volunteers for public service communications. ARES evolved from early informal disaster responses into a well-structured network working with agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, the National Weather Service, Homeland Security, the Salvation Army, and other organizations during a crisis to provide reliable backup communication when regular phone and internet grids fail.

Today, ARES volunteers maintain readiness and are eager to assist in emergency communications by deploying portable gear during hurricanes, floods, and other severe local emergencies.

Our ARES Group

The Robertson County Amateur Radio Club (RCARC) was founded in 2011 by local Amateur Radio operators and enthusiasts, and shortly thereafter, the club members established the Robertson County ARES Group.

Robertson County ARES is a part of District 11, along with several counties to our west, including Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Stewart, and Montgomery.

John G. Ethridge (K4IYN) serves as our District 11 Emergency Coordinator and Jerry M. Lewis (KG4HDZ) serves as the Assistant District 11 Emergency Coordinator.

The addition of an Amateur radio system in the Operations Office at NorthCrest Medical Center in Springfield expands our capabilities to assist the community in an emergency. This system is tested and verified operational on a regular schedule.

As the newly appointed Emergency Coordinator for Robertson County, my plans for the group, along with my assistant E/C Doug Couts, is to

1. Ascertain that all ARES members in our group are current with their training and required documentation.

2. Actively work to recruiting new members to our group and assisting them with the required training so they can reach their full potential.

3. To personally meet with our elected officials and department heads to establish a good working relationship and to offer our services as Emergency Communicators to the Community in times of need.
   

Robertson County Information

Emergency Coordinator:

• Dewey Edwards, KR4IDA
• Phone: (615) 207-5347
• Email: kr4ida@gmail.com

Assistant Emergency Coordinator:

• Doug Couts, KO4MKD
• Phone: (629) 395-5798
• Email: resomaniac@gmail.com

• County Organization Name: Robertson Co. ARES

• Meeting Night and Time:
  1st Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM

• Meeting Address:
  First Freewill Baptist Church, 811 16th Avenue, Springfield, TN 37172

• Primary VHF Frequency: 147.345 (Tone 114.8)

• Simplex Frequency: 147.345

• County Net Information:
  Robertson County Skywarn / ARES Training Net Tuesday, 7:00 PM CST (1900 Local), 147.345 (tone 114.8)

Training Links for required FEMA and ARRL Courses

Be sure to log into your FEMA SID and/or ARRL account before taking any online courses in order to get credit for the course.

If you don’t already have a FEMA SID, here’s how to get one:

Go to the official FEMA SID Portal. https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid

Click Register for a FEMA SID.

Fill out your personal details (name, email, address).

Submit the form and check your email for your assigned number.

Save your SID number in a safe place so you can use it for future exams and course applications.

Only register once. If you forget your number, use the recovery options on the SID portal rather than creating a new profile.

FEMA training systems (NDEMU) require your personal profile details to match a verified Login.gov account.

• ICS-100 https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-100.c&lang=en

• ICS-200 https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-200.c&lang=en

• ICS-700 https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-700.b&lang=en

• ICS-800 https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-800.d&lang=en

• ARRL Basic Emcomm Course https://learn.arrl.org/courses/67044

• ARRL Intermediate Emcomm Course https://learn.arrl.org/courses/68230

The ARRL ARES Minimum Training Standards for each level are listed below:

First and Foremost, you must hold an FCC issued Technician License or above

Basic Training includes ICS-100, ICS-700, and the ARRL Basic EmComm Course. You are also required to obtain an ARES Task Book, and Join an ARES Group

Intermediate Training includes ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-700, ICS-800 and the Intermediate EmComm Course (prerequisite is the Basic EmComm Course)

Net participation is required at least once per quarter. You must program a tone into an HT and program a frequency and offset into a radio. In addition to the above you must complete and send an ICS-213 Message

Advanced Training includes all Basic and Intermediate requirements, plus ICS-120, 230, 235, 240, 241, 242, 244, 288, 2200, 802 and the ARRL ARES Advanced EmComm course. In addition, you are required to hold a ARRL Full Membership, participate in one Public service event annually, participate bi-annually in an SET or Exercise, and serve as Net Control

Other requirements include presenting a training session, Currently hold or previously held a leadership position in a group, participate in PIO activities (PR-101 qualifies)

You must show proficiency in using ICS forms, operating a VHF digital messaging station in Peer-to-Peer mode, and be able to operate a HF digital mode messaging station.

Click Here to Return to the Robertson County Amateur Radio Club main page

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