ARES


Please visit our new ARES website: RuskCountyARES.com!

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service

Amateur Radio was created, in part, to encourage a large number of skilled radio operators would always be available in times of emergencies or disasters. Dedication to that founding principle continues today. The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes.


Local Upcoming Dates
ARES Presentation - Jan 25, 2018, 7pm @ Rusk County ARC Meeting


Join Us!
ARES Membership Requirements

Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization is eligible to apply for membership in ARES. Simply fill out the application form and forward it to your local EC (in Rusk County it's W5CWT). In North Texas, training is required to participate fully in ARES. Most training is free of charge and available online. Visit the ARES training page for more information. Because ARES is an Amateur Radio program, only licensed radio amateurs are eligible for membership. The possession of emergency-powered equipment is desirable, but is not a requirement for membership.

Locally, Rusk County is part of District 8 within the North Texas Section.

Contacts
District Emergency Coordinator
District 8 Website
(Upshur, Marion, Gregg, Harrison, Rusk, Panola, Nacogdoches & Shelby Counties)
Jo Ann Kieth (KA5AZK)

Section Emergency Coordinator
Chris Ebert (NA0D)

Assistant Section Emergency Coordinators
John Galvin (N5TIM), Jerry Goodson (W5BFF), Greg Evans (K5GTX), Dale Finley (KB5NFT), Joseph Martin (K5YFO)


Software Links
We use several different programs locally for Emergency operations. Here are link to most of them.

NBEMS Program
Fldigi - Used to send and receive digital communications. Available for Win/Linux.
Flmsg - Used to create forms (ARRL Radiogram, ICS forms, Weather Reports, etc.)
AndFlmsg - Android version of Flmsg and Fldigi together for a phone or tablet.

Winlink Programs
RMS Express - Client software similar to email client, used to send email via radio.

FSQCall - New software that allows for radio-based chat sessions. Still in beta testing.


Resources
Winlink RMS Packet Gateways' Status in North Texas

Click here to read the latest ARES Newsletter from the ARRL