This group is a county-level unit of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), a part of the part of the ARRL‘s field organization. We consist of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. The group headquarters is in Austin, Travis County, Texas. Every licensed amateur in the local area, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization, is eligible for membership in ARES. We have monthly meetings, training, activation as well as weekly voice and data nets to keep up our skills.
About
Travis County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (TCARES) is located within District 7 of the South Texas ARES Section of the West Gulf Division of the ARRL. It has been serving Travis County, Texas and other agencies within the county since 1972. Our mission is to provide reliable, resilient, and professional emergency communications support to public safety agencies, hospitals, non-profit relief organizations, and our communities during times of disaster or crisis. Our trained and dedicated volunteer amateur radio operators serve as a critical backup communications network when traditional systems are disrupted or overwhelmed.
Our members include industry experts in Engineering, Radio Communications, Emergency Management, Information Technology, Architecture, Counseling, and Disaster Response (and many others).
Through proactive planning, technical expertise, and a spirit of volunteerism, Travis County ARES stands ready to assist in preserving life, property, and public safety “When All Else Fails”.
Operational Priorities:- Supporting Travis County and surrounding communities during natural and human-made emergencies, including floods, wildfires, severe storms, extreme heat events, hazardous material incidents, critical infrastructure monitoring, and infrastructure failures.
- Maintaining a high state of operational readiness through regular training, drills, and coordination with emergency management partners.
- Promoting public service and community resilience by ensuring the availability of robust, decentralized communications infrastructure.
- Operating in accordance with the principles and guidelines of the ARRL ARES program, while adapting to the specific needs and risks of Travis County.
- To further promote ham radio and emergency preparedness.
Monthly Meetings
We hold our meetings on the 4th Tuesday of the month (in person and via Zoom). Members can access the meeting link on Groups.io Mailing List. If you're not yet a member, email us for an invite.
Weekly Voice Nets
We hold a weekly net each Sunday, check out our Voice Net page for details and information.
Nets
Voice Net
ALL Travis County ARES members should attend the Travis County Amateur Radio Emergency Service Voice and Training Net which meets every Sunday at 1900 hours (7:00pm) local time for the purpose of handling traffic, training, dissemination of relevant information and emergency preparedness. All local amateurs are encouraged to participate.
SKYWARN
In a time of severe weather we host a SKYWARN WX Net. Weather nets, held on a wide coverage local repeater. SKYWARN trained hams provide quality, up to the minute info about what is actually happening in the field.
Winlink
TCARES also has Winlink Wednesday events. Members are encouraged to use Winlink by various modes and frequencies including Telnet, VHF and HF.
Rally Plan
The TCARES Rally Plan outlines our coordinated approach to organizing and deploying amateur radio operators during emergencies and public service events. It ensures that all members know where to gather, how to communicate effectively, and what tasks to prioritize. Rally points, activation procedures, and resource assignments are detailed in the plan to maintain a swift and organized response to any situation. Whether responding to natural disasters or supporting community events, the Rally Plan is a critical component of our mission.
Deployment
ARES deployment is a coordinated event. Deployment can only be activated from the Emergency Coordinator / Deputy Emergency Coordinator for the County, Region, or State. Please do not self-deploy.
Rally Plan
If a deployment is announced, follow the Rally Plan. The Rally Plan is available for download from the members-only files section of our Groups.io board.
Join TCARES
We welcome anyone within Travis County (or surrounding areas) to join the Travis County Amateur Radio Services team. Joining is easy, just follow the steps below.
Step 1: Register at South Texas ARES Information Depot
Step 2: Check in to our Weekly Training Net
Step 3: Sign up to our Groups.io Mailing List (this is our main communication channel)
That’s it. Once you check into a Net (there is an opportunity for “new members” to check in at a special time, once you check in an officer of TCARES will reach out to you to speak more.
Weekly Meet Up
Many of our members are at the AARC Breakfast every Saturday morning at 8:00 at Waterloo Icehouse on Burnet Road). Please feel free to join us!
Welcome Aboard!
Once you are registered, start working through all the training tasks at the South Texas ARES Information Depot. Join us ask breakfast, and get to know us and the mission. We will get to know you and what you are interested in, from there we can put you in touch with the appropriate team.