About W1FCA
Licensed amateur radio operators supporting Franklin County emergency management.
Our mission
Franklin County ARES (callsign W1FCA) is a volunteer group of FCC-licensed amateur radio operators in and around Franklin County, Maine. We provide backup emergency communications when normal communication systems are overloaded, damaged, or unavailable. Our service is provided free of charge in support of our community and our served agency, the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency.
Amateur radio has a simple but vital role in emergencies: when all else fails, amateur radio works. When the power is out, cell towers are overwhelmed, and the internet is down, licensed operators can still pass accurate messages across town or across the state.
What ARES is
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) is a program of the ARRL — the national association for amateur radio. ARES consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment to provide communications support during emergencies and public-service events. ARES groups are organized locally but are part of a national structure:
- National — the ARRL administers the ARES program and training.
- Section — the ARRL Maine Section oversees ARES across the state, led by a Section Emergency Coordinator.
- Local — each county has an Emergency Coordinator (EC) who leads the local group and works directly with the county's emergency managers.
How we fit in
Franklin County ARES is the local ARES unit for Franklin County. We operate within the ARRL Maine Section and work hand-in-hand with the Franklin County EMA. During an activation, our Emergency Coordinator takes direction from the County EMA Director through the standard Incident Command System (ICS) used by all emergency responders.
- Callsign
- W1FCA
- Serves
- Franklin County, Maine
- Served agency
- Franklin County Emergency Management Agency
- Emergency Coordinator
- John Tarbox, WA1KLI
- ARRL Section
- ARRL Maine Section
What we do
- Run regular nets — we meet on the air nightly, with a directed ARES net each Wednesday, to keep our skills sharp and our roster current.
- Train — members work through nationally recognized emergency-communications and incident-management training (see Training).
- Support our served agency — we plan and exercise with the Franklin County EMA so we are ready when needed.
- Practice and serve publicly — we take part in ARRL Field Day, the annual Simulated Emergency Test (SET), and local public-service events.
- Operate digital modes — we run a local packet/APRS station (W1FCA-15 on 145.030 MHz; W1FCA-1 on 144.390 MHz (national APRS)) connected to the Maine Emergency Packet Network.
Get involved
We welcome any licensed amateur in the area. There are no dues, and ARRL membership is not required. The best first step is to check into our net or come to a meeting.