Equipped for ARES
To participate in ARES, you will need to have equipment that meets the needs of our mission, which includes:
- operating “Fixed”, “Mobile”, and “Portable”
- using Voice and Data modes
- being power independent.

And, while an HT is nice place to start, it probably won’t get the job done without a much better antenna and a 30 Watt amplifier.

Base Level Equipment, you will need:
- Radio(s) that can handle VHF/UHF Voice AND Data Communications at 5 - 50 watts

- Appropriate VHF/UHF Antenna systems for operating “Fixed”, “Mobile”, and “Portable” operations.
(See posts at www.ctaresregion2.org/forum/vhf-uhf-144-...-mast-tripod-antenna )

- Power: Both AC to DC Power Supplies, and Battery

- Portable Laptop/Notebook Computer (Windows preferred)

- VHF/UHF Winlink Express

- TNC (or Software TNC Emulator) and Cables for Data Communications

- AC Extension Cord: 12g, 25’ and 50’

- AC multi plug Power Strip (fused)

- Coax for VHF/UHF:
Low Loss Flexible ½” Coax, 2 Lengths (50’+50’ or 50’+100’), Barrel connector.


For General Class (or Higher):
- HF Radio (100w)

- Coax for HF: RG-8x (or better), 2 Lengths (50’+100’), 1 Barrel connector

- HF Winlink Express AND Winlink Express plus High Speed VARA program

- HF Antenna(s) covering 75m/40m/20m for Winlink Express (E.g. Dipole/Inverted V, portable Vertical, Mag Mounted Ham Stick)

- Sound Card Interface (SCI) or Software SCI Emulator and Data Cable(s)

- HF Horizontal Antenna covering 75m/40m for Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) communications.

If you have any questions, please contact your local ARES Emergency Coordinator (EC) or the Region 2 District Emergency Coordinator (DEC)