Amateur Radio Emergency Service

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization is eligible for membership in the ARES. 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.

The Butte County ARES Emergency Coordinator is Stephen McDermott, W6AKF. If you are interested in joining Butte County ARES call Stephen at (530) 898-1947. Fill out the ARES registration form (see below) and snail mail it to Stephen at the address below.

Stephen McDermott, W6AKF Butte County ARES EC 3549 Esplanade #252                                                  Chico, CA. 95973

 ARES Meetings

 Butte County ARES meeting are held the Butte County Search & Rescue Building 3898 Morrow Lane in Chico. Meetings are the forth Friday of every month at 7pm.

No meetings this November or December.

September 24th: Program to be announced later.

October 22th: Program to be announced later.

 Butte ARES Frequencies

In an event where the Butte county EC activates ARES during an emergency, these frequencies will be used.

Primiry Repeater: 146.850 -, W6RHC (110.9 PL)

Secondary Repeater: 147.105+, N6YCK (100.0 PL)

Simplex Frequencies: #1 146.550 & #2 145.550

National Simplex Calling Frequency: 146.52

ARES members and amateurs wishing to help during these events are requested to program the above frequencies in to all of their radios.

Butte County Public Safety Scanner

Click on "Listen Live" at the top of the page. Then determin your operaating system you have. Then select "Listen Live".

 ARRL Radiogram Form

   
                              GoPak

ARES® Registration Form

Anderson Powerpole®


The 30 amp Anderson Powerpole® is quickly becoming the standard power connector of preference within ARES originations around the country. The Powerpole® allows for quick field installation and interchange of power supplies and radio equipment without having to resort to clip leads and other jury rigged arrangements. The Butte County ARES has adopted the 30amp Anderson Powerpole® for their members to use with their emergency communication radios.

Powerpoles® are both polarized and genderless, so you never have to worry about male vs. female or positive vs. negative. Connections can be quickly made and remade in the dark without any hassles and the 30 amp connector can easily handle 100 watt radios.

Housings should be mated according to the diagram above, viewing from the contact side (opposite the wire side), tongue down, and hood up, RED on the LEFT, BLACK on the RIGHT. Use a 3/32-inch-diameter roll pin, 1/4 inch long, to keep the housings from sliding apart.

Highly conductive silver-plated copper contacts allow minimal contact resistance at high currents. Self-wiping action on make and break keeps conducting surfaces clean. Contact dents keep connectors mated in high-vibration applications and provide quick-break, snap action upon disconnect.

Powerpoles® and Red/Black cable can be obtained at: Powerwerx