THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS

Note that we are moving the ARES web site to be a separate (but self-contained) subsite of the DFMA web site. This is an ongoing project and will take some time to complete.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES - pronounced “air-ease”) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) are non-profit associations of trained and licensed Amateur Radio operators who volunteer their time and equipment to assist served agencies when critical communications system failures put the public at risk. In North Carolina, ARES is organized into three branches of five districts for a total of fifteen districts. Durham County ARES is a combined ARES/RACES group located within the tenth district under the central branch.

Durham ARES serves the residents of Durham County through the coordination and direction of the North Carolina ARES/RACES Organization and the county’s Department of Emergency Management. ARES helps support the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and National Weather Service with communications related tasks and operations. During RACES activation, the FCC can impose restrictions on Amateur Radio operations. In these instances, only the Department of Emergency Management can request ARES/RACES activation.

Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization, is eligible for membership in the ARES/RACES. The only qualification, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license, is a sincere desire to serve. Because ARES is an amateur service, only amateurs are eligible for membership. The possession of emergency-powered equipment is desirable, but is not a requirement for membership.

Durham ARES is a Special Interest Group (SIG) of the Durham FM Association (DFMA). All Durham ARES/RACES members are encouraged to join the DFMA. Your DMFA membership helps fund the Mobile Communications Unit (MCU), repeaters, and other equipment used during emergency operations.

For more information about our organization please feel free to contact our leadership, or join our weekly net held each Thursday evening at 8:30 PM on the 147.225 MHz repeater (positive offset, no CTCSS tone).

Folks can now take advantage of on-line Spotter training through the Comet MetED program at https://www.meted.ucar.edu/training_course.php?id=23.   The course includes two modules: "Role of the SKYWARNSpotter" and "SKYWARN Spotter Convective Basics" and takes about 2 hours to complete. The Raleigh NWS will honor this training and include individuals who take this online training as part of its database ofSKYWARN spotters for central North Carolina.