|
Community service is a big part of what Amateur radio is all about. Check here often to see what community service activities the club has been involved in. Organizations interested in utilizing the communications services of the Hillsdale County Amateur Radio Club should contact club leadership for more information.
ARES Message Traffic RACES Snow Spotters Storm Spotters License Training and Testing
Amateur Radio License Training & Testing The club conducts classes from time to time to prepare candidates to gain an entry level Technician license (Element 2 test). This license, granted by the Federal Communications Commission, will allow you to enjoy many radio privileges. The club also conducts other training and license testing sessions when there is a demand. All three tests are offered.
Element 1 - Morse Code no longer required as of February 23, 2007 Element 2 - Technician Question Pool (07/01/18-06/30/22) Element 3 - General Question Pool (07/01/19-06/30/23) Element 4 - Amateur Extra Question Pool (07/01/20-06/30/24)
Training Resources ARRL Licensing, Training & Education Materials Ham Radio Licensing Course on LumaLearn! (pay site) Ham Radio Prep (pay site) HamTestOnline (Integrates study materials with question drills, pay site)
No-Nonsense Study Guides from Dan Romanchik KB6NU W5YI Amateur Radio Training Materials by Gordon West
Exams Click here to view practice exam resources from Links page
ARRL registered license exams within (25 50 75 100 150 200) miles of Hillsdale
If you can't wait, we can help you locate a nearby testing session or schedule a special session. For more information about classes or license testing, check the Calendar page or contact club leadership.
The National Weather Service (NWS) Northern Indiana Office (IWX) is conducting 2021 Skywarn Spotter Training for the Spring Season in March and April. The online training is free and is limited to 150 people per session. Individual registration is requested and after registration you will be provided a confirmation via email with the webinar link. The training is not county specific. Training is open to anyone and you do not need to be a licensed amateur, but it is recommend that participants be at least age 14. Click here for more information, session schedule and registration links. All sessions are identical so you only need to attend one.
The National Weather Service Northern Indiana Office maintains a schedule for severe weather spotter training opportunities. Click here for a complete schedule of training for the, including registration links.
NWS National SKYWARN Information
NWS Northern Indiana SKYWARN Information
Events hosted by National Weather Service - Northern Indiana
SKYWARN Spotter Training Online
Hillsdale County Emergency Management is always looking for volunteers, either to join the group or just to monitor the monthly tornado siren test, so if you are interested contact the HCEM office.
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization, is eligible for membership in the ARES. The only qualification, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license, is a sincere desire to serve. Because ARES is an amateur service, only amateurs are eligible for membership. The possession of emergency-powered equipment is desirable, but is not a requirement for membership. Click here for more information about ARES.
Dan Sprow (KC8RYF) is Emergency Coordinator (EC) for Hillsdale County. Don Gambill (KC8WAU) and Brett Smith (KC8ZDA) are Assistant ECs (AEC). To join, complete the ARES Registration Form and return it to the EC or AEC. Check the calendar page for meeting times and locations.
ARES Registration Form (PDF, from ARRL website)
Amateur Radio Today video narrated by Walter Cronkite KB2GSD (SK)
Founded in 1952, the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) is a public service provided by a reserve (volunteer) communications group within government agencies in times of extraordinary need. During periods of RACES activation, certified unpaid personnel are called upon to perform many tasks for the government agencies they serve. Although the exact nature of each activation will be different, the common thread is communications. Click here for more information about RACES.
In Hillsdale County, the RACES program is run by Hillsdale County Emergency Management (HCEM). If you meet the requirements and would like apply for RACES membership, send your completed RACES application, a copy of your drivers license and a copy of your FEMA certificates to HCEM.
Hillsdale County RACES Requirements (PDF)
Hillsdale County RACES Application (PDF)
Snow spotters provide valuable real time and snowfall information to the National Weather Service, which in turn leads to better forecasts. Snow spotters receive training that covers NWS winter weather products, types of winter precipitation, how to properly measure snow and how to report information.
The National Weather Service (NWS) Northern Indiana Office (IWX) will be conducting 2020 Skywarn Spotter Training for the fall season in October. This fall training includes severe weather and winter weather, according to Michael Lewis, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at IWX. The online training is free and is limited to 150 people per session. Individual registration is requested and after registration you will be provided a confirmation via email with the webinar link. The training is not county specific. Training is open to anyone...you do not need to be a licensed amateur, but it is recommend that participants be at least age 14. Click here for more information, session schedule and registration links. All six sessions are identical so you only need to register for one.
The straight dope on how to measure snowfall
The National Traffic System plan is a means for systematizing amateur traffic handling facilities by making a structure available for an integrated traffic facility designed to achieve the utmost in two principal objectives: rapid movement of traffic from origin to destination, and training amateur operators to handle written traffic and participate in directed nets. These two objectives, which sometimes conflict with each other, are the underlying foundations of the National Traffic System. Click here for more information about NTS.
HCARC Radiogram (PDF) ARRL Radiogram (PDF, from ARRL website)
|
KB6NU recordings of online Tech class 
