Updated: 4/20/2023
- ZOOM LINK FOR JUST ABOUT EVERY MEETING: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89530741792
2. CONTACT INFORMATION:
Questions regarding NFARC — contact Gordon Gibby MD docvacuumtubes@gmail.com
Our groups.io forum: https://groups.io/g/NF4RC
To Join ARES(R) contact Alachua County ARRL Emergency Coordinator Jeff Capehart via email: jeffcapehart@gmail.com — simple form to fill out!
To start the process of BADGING to be able to serve in sensitive locations, please see: ARES RACES Badging Information
3. How does this dynamic club relate to the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES(R))?
The North Florida Amateur Radio Club (NFARC) was formed in order to better support the American Radio Relay League ARES(R) mission in Alachua County, and beyond. We similarly created the Alachua EOC Radio Club, in furtherance of that same goal.
The ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a Program of the American Radio Relay League; it is not a club. Anyone can be involved and a member of ARES(R). You don’t have to be involved with NFARC to serve admirably and lead within ARES(R).
Because ARES(R) is a Program, and not a club, it cannot hold an amateur radio license. Both NFARC and the Alachua EOC Radio Club do meet the FCC requirements and have trustees allowing club-based amateur radio call signs (NF4RC and NF4AC respectively) — which we felt was important for both voice and data-based emergency communications.
ARES(R) also cannot generally acquire liability insurance, which is a problem if you are doing lots of Exercises, as our group does. NFARC holds typical ham radio club liability insurance, so we can hold Exercises and Conferences and provide assurances to venues who allow us to use their property.
Because NFARC generally holds monthly meetings that do much of ARES(R)-type business, it can get confusing! However, in a deployment with an agency such as the Alachua County Emergency Management dept, you are an individual, badged by them, accountable to them, anyway. They do their checking on potential volunters as individuals; there is no blanket authorization of this ro that club!
The ARRL ARES(R) Program provides for an Emergency Coordinator and various Assistant Emergency Coordinators in most counties, including Alachua County. Many of those leaders are heavily involved in NFARC — and perhaps also in other fine local amateur radio clubs! That’s great!
Because we were established to support the amateur radio emergency service mission (a founding reason for the FCC Amateur Radio Service, per Part 97.1), NFARC activities and efforts are in large part directed toward assisting local volunteers in becoming better trained and better equipped for that service. However, that is a VERY broad mission! As a result, we are heavily involved in:
- Helping volunteers acquire and advance in FCC Licensure
- Gaining technical expertise in radio and electronics
- Learning federal, state, and local standards for emergency commuications
- Acquiring and improving their own personal radio equipment, with an eye toward deployability
- Reaching out to the community to develop new volunteers in this exciting hobby and valuable public service
Our club is a little different. We don’t have a “board” and we make most decisions by an informal consensus. We take a formal “membership” once a year for documentation purposes, but we don’t have any dues. When we need to fund a project, we just take anonymous donations. Our Treasurer takes care of the rest. Our goal is to get as much done, as possible, and you’ll find that our meetings are very, very productive.
How can I get connected and involved?
Our group hold several types of meetings, but the principal one is a monthly training and discussion meeting held on the 2nd Wednesday evening of each month. This meeting may be in person at the EOC or at the Alachua County Red Cross, and/or over Zoom at the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89530741792
Informal get-together begins at 6:30 PM, and the formal meeting begins at 7PM and generally goes to 8:30 PM and possibly a bit beyond. If you need to leave before we quit, no problem! Additional information about our Zoom connections is provided below.
ARES(R) Net
You can also join in on the ARES(R) VHF voice net on the 146.820 K4GNV repeater hosted by the sister club The Gainesville Amateur Radio Society, on every Thursday evening at 8 PM — as a function more properly of ARES(R) the VHF voice net is attended by members of multiple local clubs and even persons not part of any club.
Email List
We have a very active conversation on our groups.io forum!! If you need more information, check out our forum:
https://groups.io/g/NF4RC
SERVING IN A DISASTER
Due to State Statutes, your ability to serve is somewhat limited by whether or not you have had a government background check and received a county volunteer badge. We heavily encourage ALL our volunteers to complete our requests for TRAINING and then acquire county background check and badging. We may certainly be able to use your skills and assets in a disaster, but holding a county volunteer badge will make you much more flexible.
Badged Volunteers
Updated: 10/10/2022
REFERENCE: Volunteer background check requirements, https://qsl.net/nf4rc/StateVolunteerRequirements.pdf
- Jeff Capehart (24 hr)
- Gordon Gibby (24 hr)
- Leland Gallup (24 hr)
- David Huckstep (24hr)
- Wendell Wright
- Earl McDow
- Susan Halbert
- Larry Rovak
- Earl Sloan
- Judith Jones
- Randy Carter
- Vann Chesney
- Andy Hunn
- Ralph Boal
- Alan West (? 24 hr)
- John Troupe
- Jim Bledsoe (employee)
- Robert Swain (employee)
- Kevin Rulapaugh (employee)
- Brett Richard Wallace (24 Hr)
- Dean Covey
- Amy Woods
- Lorilyn Roberts
- Reid Tillery