WELCOME TO

AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT (ARECS)

What is NBARC's purpose?

As an ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) group and ARRL (American Radio Relay League) affiliate club, NBARC is dedicated to providing trained amateur radio communicators to local government agencies, emergency support services, and disaster relief agencies such as the American Red Cross. In the event of a natural or man made disaster and the assistance of ARES is called upon, NBARC members are prepared to station themselves where needed to provide these necessary emergency communications.

NBARC also believes that everyone should be prepared for an emergency. Everyone, not just emergency service personnel and emergency volunteers, should know what to do before, during, and after an emergency such as an hurricanes, tornadoes or floods

"ARES" Amateur Radio Emergency Service is a registered trade mark of the American radio Relay League, Incorporated and is used by permission.

Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES®) is the nationwide public service and emergency communications arm of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), which is the largest national association of Amateur Radio enthusiasts

RADIO EMCOMM PORTABLE STATIONS (REPS)

Click on image to enlarge

NBARC has built its first D-Star Go Kit REPS.

The case is a Pelican 1520 case in orange color. Retails for $185.00 and you can find them for $85.00 using Google Search.

Inside of the case is a West Marine 12 volt 3-circuit panel with voltage meter, a RIGrunner 4004 with USB distribution box, the USB is used for the fan and led lights, an ICOM 880H analog and digital data dual band D-Star radio The lower compartment houses a power supply, Duracomm battery switcher and charger a with cooling fan for the lower compartment

The USB Led light and a USB cooling fan is pictured standing off the top panel.

Please visit our Go-Kit page for ideals on how to build your own Go-Kit.

ARECS will be using Analog 2 meter VHF/UHF for emergency communications and eventually will be switching over to D-Star Digital Data for emergency Communications using D-Rats EmComm software to form a network of D-Star repeaters using digital and data for emergency communications though-out Brevard County.

D-STAR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS:

What is D-Star?

Purely digital mode
Simultaneous voice and data
High-Speed (DD) and Low-speed (DV)
Repeater and gateway infrastructure
All DV radios can do 950bps data
No modem required

WHY D-STAR DATA?

Integrated data support
- Fewer wires, devices, less complexity
- Smaller Frequency plans
Simultaneous voice and data on the same frequency
- No need for separate radios
- Simpler frequency plans
- Positional reports in real-time while operator is speaking
Gateway operation for wide-area operation
- Data works through the gateway too

D-RATS EMCOMM

What is it?

A multi-platform integrated tool for communication using D-Star radios. With only a pair of radios (or an entire repeater stack) a variety of data transmission methods are supported, including:

Fast, error-free transfer of electronic records
- Situation status reports
- Resource request
- Patient manifest
- Pictures of damage
Quite operation
- Put radio operators directly in an EOC
- Field stations in noisy environments
Integrated logging of messages with times and dates

Developed for 1st responders
Initially developed for the Washington County ARES/RACES group in Oregon, D-Rats quickly evolved into a full blown multi-platform EmComm software suite for data communications using D-Star radios.

Fast information access for 1st responders
Fast information is critical to first responders team leaders. How that information is presented can mean the difference between being an asset and a liability. D-Rats presents the most professional communications package for today's Amateur Radio EmComm Specialist!

"Why say it when you can send it?"
In time of emergency, message accuracy is vital. Don’t let a language barrier get in the way. If it is easier to show a data document than verbally describe something, then let D-RATS do it! You’ll get better EmComm efficiency, accuracy and accountability.

It's well suited to everyday communications
The D-RATS suite is extremely scalable. It’s well suited to everyday communications, not just emergency situations. For example, say you need to send a few support messages during a civic marathon event, or during some field training exercises – the D-RATS software suite’s keyboard-to-keyboard text messaging, file transfers, and position reporting maps keep things basic. It’s much like the everyday communications we’re all now used to.

Security in obscurity
While utilizing D-STAR technology as transportation layer, a basic layer of obscurity, D-RATS uses data compression, and other data technology to generate a second layer obscurity. Obscurity is the best security can legally have over Amateur Radio.

ARECS
Will run D-Rats EmComm on the KJ4OXT D-STAR repeater. The antenna is approximately 240 ft above sea level. This will be the central hub for communications for central Brevard County.

D-RATS EMCOMM
Is the new emergency communication tool that is coming to Brevard County.

D-Rats EmComm Software
Is free. Software can be downloaded at http://www.d-rats.com/ Download Version 0.3.1.0.

For more information download D-Rats EmComm (.pdf)

ARECS will be conducting weekly D-Rats training classes using D-Star simplex on 145.670 MHz and on the KJ4OXT D-Star repeater on the frequency of 147.030+ MHz.

We're Looking for EmComm Operators for Brevard County.

If you are interested in becoming part of our team of outstanding, "professional" communicators, contact Bob AEC for the North Brevard County @ N6USP or PH 321-264-2622 for more information.

When disaster strikes, be ready to be part of the solution.