Emergency Communications
KR4KPA · ARES · SKYWARN
Primary Frequencies
| Use | Frequency | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| County EmComm Primary | 146.520 MHz | FM Simplex |
| County ARES Net | 147.195 MHz | FM |
| SKYWARN Activation | 146.955 MHz | FM |
| Regional ARES | 147.330 MHz | FM |
| EmComm Digital (APRS) | 144.390 MHz | APRS |
| HF EmComm | 7.290 MHz | LSB |
Full local resources →
Duval County EmComm Resources
Frequencies and net information for Duval County ARES, Jacksonville, FL. Source: duvalaresjax.org.
Duval County ARES Weekly Net
- When: Wednesdays at 7:30 PM Eastern
- Primary: 146.700 MHz — W4IZ repeater, PL 127.3 Hz
- Alternate: 147.315 MHz — W4RNG repeater, PL 127.3 Hz
This is also the primary Skywarn coordination frequency for the area.
Monthly Meeting
- When: 4th Tuesday of each month, 7:00 PM
- Where: Hogan Baptist Church, 8045 Hogan Road, Jacksonville, FL 32216
Duval County ARES Frequency Plan
| Frequency | Repeater | PL Tone | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 146.415 MHz | — (simplex) | None | ARES simplex calling |
| 146.640 MHz | W4IJJ | 156.7 Hz | Red Cross coordination |
| 146.700 MHz | W4IZ | 127.3 Hz | Primary — ARES net / Skywarn |
| 146.760 MHz | W4RNG | 127.3 Hz | Skywarn operations |
| 146.805 MHz | KK4BD | 127.3 Hz | Emergency communications |
| 146.925 MHz | KI4UWC | 156.7 Hz | ARRL North Florida Section / District |
| 146.955 MHz | WJ4EOC | 127.3 Hz | Jacksonville EOC |
| 147.135 MHz | W4EMN | 127.3 Hz | Emergency communications |
| 147.315 MHz | W4RNG | 127.3 Hz | Alternate net frequency |
| 147.390 MHz | K2LSF | 127.3 Hz | Emergency communications |
146.925/KI4UWC has an EchoLink node (KI4UWC-R, node 465626) for remote access.
146.955/WJ4EOC is the direct Jacksonville Emergency Operations Center repeater — activated during declared emergencies.
146.415 simplex is the designated ARES simplex channel when repeaters are unavailable.
EmComm Profile
Emergency Communications
Amateur radio operators serve as a backup communications layer when commercial infrastructure fails — during hurricanes, flooding, and severe weather events where cell towers and internet connections go down first. Florida makes this very real.
Affiliations
Duval County ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) — I am a registered member of Duval County ARES, based in Jacksonville, FL. ARES is an ARRL-sponsored volunteer organization that coordinates amateur radio support for public service agencies and emergency management. I am newer to the group and still learning the ropes — the weekly net and monthly meetings are where I am building that foundation.
Getting Started
I am a Technician class licensee currently studying for General. EmComm is one of the reasons I got licensed — amateur radio being genuinely useful when things go wrong is a compelling reason to take it seriously. My current focus is getting comfortable on the local nets, learning the Duval County frequency plan, and understanding how ARES activations actually work before I need to show up for a real one.
If you are a licensed amateur radio operator in Duval County and have not looked into ARES, it is worth checking out. The weekly net is a low-pressure way to get involved.
Go-Kit
Go-Kit
A go-kit is a pre-packed portable station you can grab and deploy quickly. Mine is a work in progress — I am newer to EmComm and building this out as I learn what is actually needed versus what looks good on a checklist.
Current Gear
The AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus is the primary radio for any deployment right now. It covers VHF/UHF in both DMR and analog FM, which covers local repeater work and ARES nets. The UV-5R goes along as a backup — cheap, simple, and if it gets damaged at a deployment site it is not a big loss.
What Is Missing
Everything else. No dedicated power solution yet, no go-bag, no field antenna beyond what is on the radio. This is the honest state of a new operator — the license comes before the infrastructure.
The next things to add:
- A small LiFePO4 battery or power bank capable of running an HT for extended periods
- A spare programming cable and laptop with the codeplug backed up
- Printed frequency reference card for Duval County ARES frequencies
- ICS identification and ARES credentials
Notes
The Duval County ARES simplex calling frequency is 146.415 MHz — this is the channel to have programmed and monitored if repeater infrastructure is down during an activation. The primary net runs on 146.700 MHz, PL 127.3 Hz (W4IZ repeater) every Wednesday at 7:30 PM.