Ham Radio First Responders
 

There are at least two organizations within amateur or ham radio.  One is called RACES or Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service and the other is ARES or Amateur Radio Emergency Service.

What’s the difference and how they each help our local community?  That’s the subject of the next meeting of the Cedar Creek Amateur Radio Club (ARC).  Here is a brief summary of the two services.

ARES is activated before, during and after an emergency. Generally, ARES handles all emergency messages, including those between government emergency management officials. RACES, on the other hand, almost never starts before an emergency and is active only during the emergency and during the immediate aftermath if government emergency management offices need communications support. RACES is normally shut down shortly after the emergency has cleared.

A further explanation will be offered by our two in-person experts at the meeting.

John Newman and Mark Taylor are leaders in both organizations and will illustrate how they work and how we can be even better prepared for emergencies in our area.

The Saturday, August 13 meeting will feature door prizes and important information about the hobby.

Everyone is welcome.

The meeting will be held Saturday August 13th at the Mabank Café on Hwy 198 in Mabank.  The club meets the second Saturday of each month there. The meeting starts at 9 AM, but many come early for the breakfast buffet.  Anyone interested in technology or emergency response is welcome.

Formed in 1981, the Cedar Creek ARC has over thirty members from the tri-county area. It maintains a VHF repeater system that provides hand-held radio coverage to hams in the lake area, and mobile and base coverage throughout the three counties. CCARC participates in the National Weather Service SKYWARN program and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. The club also provides classes to those wishing to join the ranks of Amateur "ham" Radio. For more information, visit www.k5ccl.org.