Category: Events

  • News from Around the County

    Our June monthly meeting will be in person and on Zoom. Our location is Warner Pacific University (SE 68th Ave and SE Division St in Portland). This month our speaker, Jeff KI7TVE, will be reviewing the Incident Command System (ICS). We will continue handing out our latest grant items – warm winter beanies – to all members.

    The GPS Food drive has moved to Saturday, August 22. Please save the date! This event is really fun and we are hoping that the change to summer will bring much more participation. Mobile operations are a big part of emergency communications.

    We are still looking for volunteers for the summer Ultra Marathons. You can sign up here.

    Field Day is coming on June 27 and 28. Some of us will be up on Mt. Hood for the WY’East Ultra marathon. Those who are not can join with Portland Amateur Radio Club (PARC) or Hoodview Amateur Radio Club (HARC). PARC will be out in Hillsboro and HARC will be up at Larch Mountain. Check their websites for more details: W7LT.org and WB7QIW.org.

  • Volunteers Needed for Ultra Marathon Events

    Race season is almost here and that means it’s time to dust off your go-bags and charge up your HTs — we’ve got three ultra marathons on the calendar this summer and we need YOUR support!

    This is some of the best real-world training you’ll find anywhere: rugged terrain, dynamic net control operations, and the genuine satisfaction of keeping athletes safe out on the course. Oh, and it’s also just a fantastic time. Here’s what’s on the schedule:

    • Wy’east Wonder — June 28 (Mt. Hood)
    • Mt. Hood Trail Run — July 11 and 12 (Mt. Hood)
    • Volcanic — August 1 and 2 (Mt. St. Helens)

    Sign Up Here!

    Now, for the sharp-eyed observers among you — and let’s be honest, that’s most of this group — yes, you noticed it: the Wy’east Wonder falls on June 28. Field Day. We had absolutely nothing to do with the scheduling. That’s the day the race organizers picked. But honestly? What better way to celebrate Field Day than spending it on Mt. Hood, radio in hand, keeping people safe in the mountains? We’d argue that’s the spirit of Field Day in its purest form.

    Sign up to support one race, two races, or go full rock star and join us for all three. Every position matter and every operator make the operation better.

  • News from Around the County

    Thank you to all who helped with this year’s Walk MS event! Communications were very successful and despite a few rain showers everyone seemed to enjoy the event. We did have a few new members helping out which is great practice. This was our 13th year supporting the Walk MS folks.

    Our May and June monthly meetings will be in person and on Zoom and we will switch our location to Warner Pacific University (SE 68th and SE Division St). This month our guest speaker, Etienne K7ETN, will be talking about Summits on the Air (SOTA) for emergency communications.

    We will be handing out our latest grant items, warm winter beanies, to all members. We were hoping these would arrive last fall however there has been much delay with funding issues. Better late than never as they will be useful this coming winter.

    We were also able to purchase new Windows11 laptops for our go-kits. We are excited to add bigger screen size (14 inches) and faster operating systems as an upgrade from the old ones in the kits.

    We are still looking for volunteers for the summer Ultra Marathons You can sign up here.

    Please look at our upcoming events as we have scheduled several new dates and activities!

  • Winter Field Day 2026

    A new year is upon us and we are looking forward to adventures and activities to keep our radio skills sharp. The annual Winter Field Day (WFD) on January 24 is a great start.

    Natural disasters are unpredictable and can strike when you least expect them.

    Your training and operating skills should not be limited to fair weather scenarios.

    Preparedness is the key to a professional and timely response during any event.

    Ham radio operators should practice portable emergency communications in winter environments as the potential for freezing temperatures, snow, ice, and other hazards present unique operational concerns. WFD is formatted to help increase your level of preparedness for disasters and improve your operational skills in subpar conditions. You can learn more about WFD by visiting their website.

    MCARES likes to make this a fun event with an emphasis on fellowship and trying new things. Most of our usual activities only use VHF/UHF and this event is geared toward HF which is different and much more challenging. We will set up portable tents and use only battery or generator power. Scouters Mountain Nature Park is a perfect location with a picnic shelter and great rest rooms. We will provide lunch (chili and hotdogs) and plenty of hot coffee, cocoa, and tea. You are welcome to bring food to share as something about colder weather makes one a bit hungrier.

    We hope you will stop by for a visit and a turn on the radio if you choose. Scouters Mountain Nature Park is located at 11000 SE Honorable Way, Happy Valley, OR 97086. We will begin setup at 9 AM and we will close operations around 3:30 PM. When you come to the parking lot there is a short trail through the woods that will lead you to the picnic area.

  • News from Around the County

    This Saturday is our annual Member Appreciation Picnic! We hope you will join us at Wilshire Park, NE 33rd Avenue and NE Skidmore Street in Portland, at Picnic Area A, from 11:30 AM until 3:00 PM. We will be cooking up burgers and hot dogs, and will have plenty of cold drinks. Bring the family and a side dish or dessert to share if you would like. The weather is looking good for a mid-day gathering!

    Thanks to all who helped out at the Mt. Hood Ultra-marathon this past weekend!

    We will not be holding a General Meeting in July.

  • News from Around the County

    Happy summer (almost)!

    Thanks to everyone who signed up to help out at the summer Ultra Marathons. The first event is this month at Mt. Hood near Parkdale. The WY’ East Wonder happens to fall on Field Day weekend.

    If you are not joining us at Mt. Hood, we hope you all have a chance to join either Portland Amateur Radio Club (PARC) or Hoodview Amateur Radio Club (HARC) at their weekend events.

    PARC will be at 32355 NW Beach Rd. in Hillsboro and HARC will be at Larch Mountain, east of Corbett.

    Our monthly meeting will feature Bob W7JNM giving a presentation about SSTV. This is a hybrid meeting and we hope you can join us at Portland Community College SE campus, Community Hall or online with Zoom.

  • SKYWARN Recognition Day

    Multnomah and Clackamas County ARES have been asked to partner in supporting the National Weather Service (NWS) SKYWARN Recognition Day. Last year we had a fun time, and the NWS staff are great to work with. The tour of their facility is really interesting. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, December 2 at the Portland Weather Service office located at 5241 NE 122nd Avenue in Portland.

    Operations will start at 8:00 AM and end at 4:00 PM. The Multnomah ARES Mobile Communications Unit will be set up in the parking area for operations, so you will be warm and dry. The goal is to make contacts with other participating NWS offices and SKYWARN members. Contacts will be made using HF, VHF, and Winlink. It is anticipated that two local repeaters will be used during the event.

    Each 2.5 hour shift will include a radio operator and a logger. The operator and logger may switch off during their shift. Volunteers will also be needed to help with set up and take down before and after operating hours. Tours of the NWS office will take place at scheduled times during the day.

    Members are encouraged to sign up for shifts.

    We hope you can join us. Let’s show our support for the NWS SKYWARN program!

  • News from Around the County

    Winter Field Day was at Scouters Mountain on January 28 and it was great fun. We braved the chilly weather and set up two stations. Joe had his awesome Yaesu FT DX 10 for voice, and Bob and Ken brought their Elecraft stations for CW. Propagation was very good and we were able to make contacts as far away as Nova Scotia and southern Florida, and many places in between. We appreciate all who visited and helped out. A special thanks to Joe for submitting our logs to the WFD organization. The chili dogs were consumed at a very high rate!

    We are super excited to have a new meeting location at Portland Community College’s Southeast campus (SE Division and 82nd Ave). Our March 23 meeting will be there as will all other in-person meetings. We will send building details and parking instructions prior to the March meeting.

    We are planning a Winlink exercise from home for Sunday, February 26 at 10:00am. Please save the date. The drill guide will be sent via email soon. Time to dust off the equipment and practice, practice, and practice!

    The early planning has begun for the three Ultra Marathons this summer. Take a look at the dates and try to save a few to your calendar.

    • June 24: Wy’East Wander Mt. Hood near Parkdale
    • July 15-16: Mt. Hood Trail Run
    • Aug 5-6: Volcanic near Mt St. Helens

    We will need your help to staff the various needed positions.

  • News from Around the County

    We have a few new and exciting changes for 2023!

    We are looking for a new meeting location – somewhere closer in town – and hope to have that nailed down soon. We will keep you posted on the progress.

    Multnomah County Emergency Management just announced their new EOC will be located on the 2nd floor of the Multnomah building. We hear a new radio room will be a priority.

    We have been contacted by Todd Janssen from Go Beyond Racing and asked if we can volunteer for a couple more of their ultra-marathon events this summer. Leadership has agreed to add the following races:

    • June 24: Wy’East Wander Mt. Hood near Parkdale
    • July 15-16: Mt. Hood Trail Run
    • Aug 5-6: Volcanic near Mt St. Helens

    Please save the dates as we will need as many members as possible to support these events.

    Multnomah County Emergency Management is in the planning stages of a statewide Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake Exercise in June. This is a large, full-scale, multi-agency event. Jeff KI7TVE is representing MCARES in the planning process. The last Cascadia exercise was in 2016 and we are looking forward to providing emergency communications on June 13 and possibly June 14.

    The January 26 MCARES meeting will be online via Zoom. Bruce AA7PB and I will be presenting on the new MCARES Power Kits. We will talk about uses, safety, how to start the generator, and a video presentation.

  • News from Around the County

    The November 17 MCARES meeting will be in-person at Portland Fire & Rescue Station 2 at 4800 NE 122nd Ave. Jeff WX7OR will be presenting “Winlink Beyond the Basics.” The parking lot gate closes at 7PM sharp so plan to arrive a little early.

    I am pleased to announce that Phyllis W7ZM has been chosen to be our new net manager. We are looking forward to working with Phyllis to keep our weekly nets running smoothly.

    Carrie K7CAC has resigned as Charlie team Leader and AEC. The Charlie team is our largest team and Carrie has done a great job and will be missed. We are looking for a new team leader and will keep you posted on the search.

    We have been asked by the Portland office of the National Weather Service to participate in their Skywarn Recognition Day on December 3. Steve W7SRH and Adam KF7LJH are working on the details. This is a great opportunity for the ARES trailer, and our members will have an opportunity to participate. Stay tuned for more details coming soon.

    Multnomah County Emergency Management is in the planning stages of a statewide Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake Exercise in June of 2023. This is a large full-scale multi-agency event. Jeff KI7TVE is representing MCARES in the planning process. The last Cascadia exercise was in 2016 and we are looking forward to providing emergency communications again next year.

    Please note there will not be a December membership meeting. The leadership team will be holding its annual planning session. If you have ideas or input for 2023 please send them to leadership [at] multnomahares [dot] org.