The Darke County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in cooperation with the Darke County Emergency Management Agency and the Treaty City Amateur Radio Association are sponsoring a one day class for the entry level Amateur Radio License. This level is called the Technician Class and it allows users to communicate with other amateurs via the use of mobile radios and handheld units both directly or through the use of repeaters.
Many amateur radio operators become valuable assets by volunteering their time and equipment during local emergencies and natural disasters. Many are trained as weather spotters for the National Weather Service in a program called “Skywarn”. Some amateur radio groups have volunteered their service during disasters such as Katrina and the present one in Haiti. The local group is called ARES, or Amateur Radio Emergency Service, and they have volunteers who have been very active by offering their service and equipment to the aid of government agency’s when needed. One example is the tornado that hit Arcanum several years ago. When all power was out in the area, amateur radio operators were able to come in and set up communications to assist police and fire.
The class is being given, free of charge to the first twenty five persons to apply. Darke County CERT members will be given priority, and the rest of the seats will be given on a first come first serve basis.
The class will be presented on Saturday February 20, 2010 starting promptly at 8am and concluding by 3:00. There will be a break for lunch at each persons own expense. The License test will be given at the end of the class with the exam starting at 3pm. Other licensed amateurs wishing to upgrade can come to the test session at 3pm. Walk-ins for the test session only are welcome!
To register for the class, contact the EMA office at (937)548-1444 or visit the EMA web-site at www.darkecountyema.org to register online.
Registration deadline is February 15, 2010.
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