Gaston County ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service)
GASTON COUNTY EMERGENCY COORDINATOR (EC): JAMES LEDBETTER KO4DZI 444.750 (+) 100 tone Primary frequency KC4IRA
444.725 (-) Color Code 1 DMR Repeater NC4GC
Proud Sponsor of: The Gaston Regional Skywarn Team
2023/2024 Officers:
Gaston County EC: James Ledbetter KO4DZI
AEC: Tony Jones N4ATJ
AEC: Brent Guffey KD4FRP
Secretary: Steven Richardson KQ4DVN
Treas: Pete McGinnis KG4PCR
The Gaston County ARES meets at 7:00 PM, on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the Gaston County EOC at 615 N Highland Street, Gastonia North Carolina.
Gaston County ARES holds one (1) regular net each week (as ARES nets):
Held on the on the 147.120 (100 Hz tone) N4GAS repeater (Echolink callsign: N4GAS-R) in conjunction with the Gaston County Amateur Radio Society (GCARS) on Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. (EDT/EST)
The Gaston County ARES is made up of amateur radio operators from around Gaston County who volunteer their time for communications duty in service to the public when emergencies or other public needs arise, providing vital communications when no others are available. The Gaston County ARES works closely with Gaston County Emergency Management and with several other agencies, (Red Cross, National Weather Service, FEMA, and local government officials) to assure the safety and welfare of the citizens of Gaston County should an emergency occur.
The Gaston County ARES was officially organized in February 2001, with members devoting their time and resources in establishing an organization that would help with local, state and national emergency communications plans. On November 23, 2016, Gaston County ARES also took on the role -officially- as Gaston County’s Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) upon execution of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Gaston County Emergency Management Department as permitted by the F.C.C. under 47 CFR Parts 97.3 and 97.407; N.C. Gen. Stat Sec. 166A-19.5(b); and Gaston County Code of Ordinances Chapter 5, Secs. 5-3(c) and 5-5(5).
As of 2019, Gaston County ARES/RACES became integrated with the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and NC Emergency Management (NCEM) (under the N.C. Department of Public Safety) program of AUXCOMM due to a reorganization at the state level which was solidified with the addition of a SHARES station.
RACES has now gone defunct, inasmuch as it has be superseded by AUXCOMM
Gaston County ARES is a separate and distinct organization from GCARS/GRC or other supporting groups, although it shares physical and virtual assets with some of them. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit group unto itself. However, you do not need to be a member of the ARRL or GCARS to join ARES. You simply need to be a licensed amateur radio operator (a Technician Class license will do to start) in good standing with the F.C.C.
If you are interested in joining the Gaston County ARES,
please contact the
Emergency Coordinator, James Ledbetter, KO4DZI
Thanks & 73