What to Expect

Activation

SCARg is not routinely on call. When the Shenandoah County EOC is activated for an event that exceeds normal response capability — a significant flood, a severe weather system, a large-scale infrastructure failure — ARES may be notified as part of that activation. 

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a volunteer organization of licensed ham radio operators who use their equipment and technical skills to provide backup communications for public safety agencies and local communities during disasters or emergencies. When standard networks like cell towers or the internet fail, ARES members step in to ensure critical information can still get through.

Whenever local ARES activation may occur,, the SCARg ARES Coordinator (or a designated alternate) will contact members on the notification list and provide assignment details. You won't be left guessing about what to do or where to go.

Authorized ARES coordinators would call ham operators whose phone numbers are on a call-out list to determine who is available to assist.

Training

Required Training

• Valid FCC Amateur Radio License

• FEMA Independent Study Courses: IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, IS-800

• All four are free and available online at training.fema.gov

• Certificates are submitted to the Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator for your file

Optional and Ongoing Training

• Weekly check-ins to test equipment and practice communications protocols

• Participation in any training exercises planned and scheduled by the group

ARES Membership Application

Download a PDF copy of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service ARES® Registration Form for District 2, Shenandoah County, HERE.

Shenandoah County Weekly Net

On Tuesday nights there is a 2m Net at 8pm on the KQ4DSO Repeater (146.715MHz , shift -0.6MHz, PL Tone 146.2Hz).

The Net Control Operator varies weekly, and the last Tuesday of each month is reserved for a simplex Net on 146.550MHz.

All licensed amateurs with privileges on the 2-meter band are invited and encouraged to check in on the Net.

This is a “directed net”. Members who routinely participate are called in turn, and then each of the stations who have checked in are called again for an opportunity to share comments. There is ample opportunity offered for new or visiting stations to check in and make comments, even if they are not currently included on the routine call list.

The repeater is also available using Echolink (node 474435).

This Net is not officially affiliated with the Shenandoah Valley Amateur Radio Club.

Nearby National Traffic System Nets

• 6:45 PM Daily: Eastern Panhandle Traffic Net [EPTN] 147.255, PL 146.2

• 7:30 PM Daily: Northern Virginia Traffic Net [NVTN] 147.300, no PL tone needed.

For more information about the National Traffic system, visit ARRL,org.

Administrative Expectations

Family and Personal Preparedness

Before you can help others, you need to be ready yourself. SCARg asks all members to maintain a minimum of three days of self-sufficiency for themselves and their families — food, water, medications, and any other necessities. This is the same standard the County asks of all residents and is especially critical for emergency responders, since your ability to deploy depends on your family being taken care of first.

Primary Threats in Shenandoah County

The county's main emergency scenarios are flooding, severe summer weather, and winter storms. Training and preparedness planning should reflect these realities. Operators should be familiar with how their equipment performs in each of these conditions.

Continuing Education

Shenandoah County supports ongoing learning. If you identify a course, exercise, or training opportunity that would improve your capability or strengthen the group, bring it forward. The county is willing to assist in a supportive capacity where it can.

Training opportunities will be announced whenever available.

Code of Conduct

As a member of SCARg, you represent not only Shenandoah County Fire & Rescue, but Shenandoah County itself. All members are expected to act with integrity, dignity, and character in all interactions — whether during an activation, a training exercise, or a community event.

Safety

Your personal safety is the top priority — always. If you are ever in a situation that feels unsafe, remove yourself from it and get to a safe location. No communication task is worth putting yourself in danger. Emergency communications supports public safety; it does not replace it.