“If you are at all interested in emergency communications, and it sounds like you are, I highly recommend getting involved with ARES.  The primary reason for that is the experience you would gain as a radio operator.  As you could imagine, in any type of emergency, a HAM radio isn’t going to do anyone any good if there isn’t someone who knows how to use it, and where to tune to get the necessary information, or call for help.

Our ARES weekly training nets are designed to teach this.   Additionally, the Utah County ARES (UCARES) participates in numerous inter-agency exercises and events to hone our skills, and to become familiar with the various agencies we would need to deal with in the event of an emergency.  It’s important to us that the various public service agencies (police, fire, EMS, hospitals etc.) know who we are, and are familiar with us, and comfortable with our capabilities.  If they don’t know us, or are unfamiliar with our capabilities, then we are of no use to them.”

73,

W1BYU

Here are a few interesting excerpts:

If public safety is the principal beneficiary, then §97.1 is being fulfilled. If the entity itself and not the general public is the principal beneficiary, then they should be encouraged to use radio services other than Amateur Radio.

and

The FCC’s Rules do not prohibit the recreational use of Amateur Radio by employees at a station located in the workplace, including club stations.

It is a must read for anyone who plans to be involved in volunteer service using HAM radio.  I highly recommend that all UCARES members take a few minutes and read through this to better understand the FCC and the ARRL’s standing on Part 97

-Tyler  (N7TTP)

DPS/DHS is working to involve numerous different agencies so this event
should prove to be a very interesting exercise.

The exact details of the exercise have not yet been released.  I believe
this is intentional since in the event of an actual emergency or
disaster, we would have very little to begin with.

What can we expect?

We have not yet been asked to man the EOC’s, however, don’t be surprised
if you are asked to report to your assigned EOC, and if your are
responsible for opening an EOC and cannot be available, you should make
plans with someone else assigned to your EOC who can open it in your
place.  This call could come a week in advance, the night before, or 10
minutes after your needed.  Please be ready.

Be ready to monitor the normal UCARES frequencies in case an emergency
NET is called.   Those frequencies are:

147.340 +(100)

Possible back-up frequencies:

147.280 +(141.3)
146.460 (s)

NOTE: There may be multiple nets going on.  Please listen to the net
control before checking in or asking a question.  Is the repeater you’re
listening to a staffing net, info net, or is it something else?

How will you know if a net has been called? We have a number of ways to
alert ARES membership.  E-mail, SMS pages, phone calls, or just
monitoring the 2M frequencies.  Any or all of these could be used in the
event of an emergency.

-Tyler

Clark Cox KA6PIZ, Interface Coordinator

This meeting will be at the BYU Conference Center at 1900 (7pm) in Rm 2295.  We encourage all new hams to come and mingle with those participating in this , the biggest event UCARES supports each year.  With seventy plus hams participating, it’s a great opportunity to practice your radio skills and have fun.  The BYU Conference Center/Harmon Bldg is located east of the Marriott Center on University Parkway by 900 E.  The road west of the Marriott Center (450 E), east of Miller Field,  is closed so plan accordingly if you like to come up the hill from Bulldog Ave.  We welcome all our recent new hams from the last test session and any new ARES members, or those interested in ARES, to join us and meet your Ut. Co. neighbors.

Talk in will be on the 147.34 repeater.

We encourage all lady hams to join in this third Tuesday of the month net and get on the air.