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Upcoming Meetings/Training/Events
Unless otherwise indicated, meetings will be held at the Bradley County Emergency Operations Center, 1555 Guthrie Drive, Cleveland, TN 37311.
A Brief History of the Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS)
Since the early pioneers of amateur radio first used their wireless sets to communicate during disasters, those who followed in their footsteps have provided thousands of hours of public service time in communities around the world when normal communication networks are brought down.
They quickly developed a reputation of using emergency power generators and wire antennas to establish contact with other agencies involved in disaster recovery operations. As interest grew and more operators were going on the air with their Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses, there was a need to organize the volunteer operators.
So in 1952 the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) was formed to serve government agencies in times of extraordinary needs. During periods of RACES activation, certified unpaid personnel were called upon to perform many tasks for the government agencies in which they serve. Although the exact nature of each activation will be different, the common thread was communications. The FCC regulates RACES but it is administrated by local, county, or state civil defense agencies.
In addition to RACES, the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES), which is administered by the American Radio Relay League, provides disaster communications for non-government agencies such as the American Red Cross.
Some local volunteers had affiliated with RACES while others maintained affiliation with ARES. Some had membership in both. Bradley County operators also serve as spotters during severe weather, which is under a third program, SkyWarn. SkyWarn volunteers serve the National Weather Service. They in essence were wearing three hats.
In 2005 efforts began to form a single agency that would combine RACES, ARES, and SkyWarn under the Cleveland -Bradley County Emergency Management Agency and to begin an organized program of training. Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization,is eligible for membership in ACS. The primary qualification is a sincere desire to serve. ACS needs volunteers that can work on generators, put up antennas, computer operators and many other service type jobs. We need the manpower to be ready in case of an emergency. Tony Melton and Steve Weber serve as joint coordinators of the ACS program in Bradley County.
ACS Today
ACS is still growing and evolving into what it will be in the future. In January 2008 the Bradley County Auxiliary Communications Service became the pattern for all counties in District Three Homeland Security in Tennessee.
Qualifications to become an ACS member
To participate in ACS, you must have a sincere desire to serve your community in times of disaster and be able to donate time for your training each month. You must be fifteen years old, but cannot be deployable until you are 21 years old. You must have completed the FEMA Independent Study Classes NIMS IS 100, 200, 700 and 800. Also the ARRL Emcomm 1 course or "its equivalent" to be a member of the ACS Response Team. Members that have not completed their training are part of the ACS Reserve Unit.
ACS meets on the third Thursday of every month at the Bradley County Emergency Operations Center, located at 1555 Guthrie Drive, Cleveland, and the meetings begin promptly at 7 PM EST.
ACS Monthly Training
Training is a major part of the ACS meetings. We focus on classes for both the individual member and as a unit. Many of these classes are taught by the ACS members themselves, others classes are taught by Emergency Management Personal.
ACS Leadership
Coordinators Tony Melton, KD4MRS
Steve Weber, KA4ELN
Deputy Coordnator Jack McCarty, WA5CHJ
Deputy Coordinator David Benton, WB4JGG
Net Manager Bob Gault, KD4NEC
HF Officer/Traffic Manager Ron Akers, W8BF
Staging Manager Jean Clayton, KE4OEQ
Digital/Mars Operations Mike Bishop, WM4RB
Law Enforcement Liaison Steve Weber, KA4ELN
Equipment Team Manager
ARES Reserve
Bradley County Clubs
Cleveland Amateur Radio Club: This club is not affiliated with ACS, but actively supports the ACS program through its member participation.
Regularly scheduled Cleveland Amateur Radio Club meetings are held twice monthly, on the second Tuesday and fourth Tuesday, at the our club house located at 560 Johnson Boulevard, SE, 7pm local time unless cancelled. The Cleveland Amateur Radio Club has two Volunteer Examination team's offering testing for all Amateur classes of license and Emcomm Level's 1, 2, 3. The testing is on the third Saturday of each month at 10AM. Walk ins welcome.
No December Testing.
Derek Wooley (KD5UBL), President CARC
Contact us at our Clubhouse
560 Johnson Boulevard, SE
Cleveland, TN 37311
Phone 423-479-4660
Mailing Address
Cleveland Amateur Radio Club
P.O. Box 2683
Cleveland, TN 37320-2683
Ocoee Amateur Radio Society: This group is not formally affiliated with ACS, however it's membership supports ACS by membership and by member participation in ACS sponsored activities, to the point one of the OARS by-laws stating that each OARS member must contribute at least one (1) day per year to public service events through Amateur Radio Communications in order to retain membership in the Ocoee Amateur Radio Society.
Regularly scheduled Ocoee Amateur Radio Society meetings take place monthly at the Bradley County Fire and Rescue Center on the first Monday of each month at 7pm local time unless otherwise announced. The Ocoee Amateur Radio Society is in the process of sponsoring a Volunteer Examination team at which time a testing schedule will soon be added.
John Alcock (KE4TQM)
Club President OARS
Contact us at our Clubhouse
Ocoee Amateur Radio Society
C/O Bradley County Fire and Rescue
260 East Inman St
Cleveland, TN 37311
Phone 423-479-2700
Mailing Address
Ocoee Amateur Radio Society
P.O. Box 502
McDonald, TN 37353
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