Welcome to Cupertino ARES/RACES
This site is operated by and for Cupertino Amateur Radio Emergency Service (CARES) members interested in emergency preparedness and amateur radio communication. Visitors are welcome to check us out.
What's News!
PG&E's Public Safety Power Shutoff
Posted by Jim KN6PE, 5 Sep 2019
The Emergency Management news over the summer was all about PG&E's Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) plans. While PSPS is a new concept to Northern California, it is nothing new down south. Naturally, understanding the risks and implications of a PSPS event to the SF Bay Area was a big topic.At the CARES September general meeting, Bob N6IM lead the membership through PG&E's PSPS program and a review of what it means to the City, Cupertino Citizens Corps, and CARES. If there is good news in any of this: the difference between a PSPS event and an Earthquake is that we will know a PSPS is coming; our response will be similar.
Check out the presentation here and the new PSPS Resource Page for additional links.
2019 Field Day a big hit!
Posted by Darryl KI6LDM, 23 Jun 2019
We have yet another amazing and successful 2019 Field Day because all of you helped make it happen!We combined our Field Day with the Cupertino OES Preparedness Fair. As a result, we had a lot of walk-ups who were actually interested in what we were doing. We talked up preparedness, amateur radio, and how the two play together. We had a good operational GOTA station and even had a few visitors make contacts under the guidance of Brian AG6GX. Our NVIS setup on 40 meters worked quite well and nicely complemented Kevin K6TD’s hex beam/triplexer arrangement on 15 and 20 meters.
FT8 was a new mode for us and we made several contacts. CALFIRE’s Communications Unit 1629 out of Morgan Hill also joined us this year -- thank you Lyon AI6F and team! Out information booth, staffed by Mary KI6GCX, was busy with several visitors expressing interest in CARES and other Cupertino Citizen Corps activities. We had a visit from Kristen McIntyer K6WX ARRL Vice Director who had a chance to tour the site and see how Cupertino runs field day!
Lastly, a special shout-out to Skip WA6VFD as our Safety Officer, Paul KI6DRN as event photographer, the set up and tear down crew, and all who made this event another success!
What's in your Go-Kit?
Posted by Jim KN6PE, 6 Mar 2019
Technically, a Go-Kit is a pre-identified collection of equipment and personal gear that you will need to perform your duties as an Emergency Communicator in the event of an activation.Yet, they are also a reflection of our personal style on how we respond to the field. The parts we assemble, how we store them, power them, and use them help ensure our success during a deployment. This is the topic for the March 2019 CARES meeting.
See the Go-Kit presentation for all the details.
A fresh look at generators and batteries
Posted by Jim KN6PE, 3 Jan 2019
Every so often, you attend a meeting and listen to a topic where, as you look around the room, everyone is leaning in to listen attentively to something new and exciting. This was the case at tonight’s CARES January 2019 general meeting.We had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Richard Wheeler / AI6RW discuss his work on extending the operating time of radios during electrical power blackouts after an earthquake. This topic was very relevant given that Cupertino Citizen Corps just wrapped up its 2018 Earthquake Exercise this past December.
This was not just another topic on batteries and generators. Richard walked us through his work looking at gasoline and propane generators, comparing 2 different propane generator models, generator efficiencies, Lithium generators (battery systems), solar charging, and the conclusions he reached on the combined use of low-cost propane generators with Lithium generators.
This brief introduction does not do his work justice. Instead, check out his presentation titled Goal Zero Lithium Power Stations for all the details!
Upcoming Activities
5 Sep 2024, General Meeting
Cupertino Parks on the Air Overview, Zoom, 19:30 to 21:00
3 Oct 2024, General Meeting
Windshield Survey and Drill Prep, St Jude Parish Hall,19:30 to 21:00
19 Oct 2024, CCC Exercise
Communications Exercise using Windshield Survey and Ark Support. 08:00 to 12:00
7 Nov 2024, General Meeting
Informal Message Passing, St Jude Parish Hall,19:30 to 21:00
5 Dec 2024, General Meeting
Topic Year End Review, St Jude Parish Hall,19:30 to 21:00