Introduction

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 Sunday evening at 8:00PM on the 145.450 MHz repeater (negative offset, no CTCSS tone).