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W6MLP
Milpitas ARES®/RACES

Ham Radio is a Hobby...
Emergency Communications is a Commitment

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Welcome to the Milpitas ARES/RACES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services) home page.

Milpitas ARES/RACES [MARES (pronounced mair-ease)] is a local group of volunteers, all licensed amateur radio operators (slang = "ham radio"), dedicated to serving the public in time of need. We support the City of Milpitas and Santa Clara County. We also provide support for local community events.

If you are interested in joining Milpitas ARES/RACES, please visit this link for information.

Who We Are

  • Your neighbors who are amateurs have formed an organized pool of radio operators to provide reliable primary and backup communication links for the City of Milpitas and other agencies when needed.

  • We are a volunteer organization made up of FCC licensed amateur radio operators with ties to Milpitas. We have voluntarily registered our qualifications and equipment for public service communications duty when disaster strikes.

  • We serve the community without compensation of any kind.

  • We vary in age, interests, and occupations.

  • The only requirement for MARES membership is an FCC Amateur Radio License and a sincere desire to serve the community. Don't have an FCC License, there are lots of ways to obtain your license.

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What We Do

  • We provide the city and county with an early assessment of damage and casualties from Milpitas neighborhoods to help the City focus their response during a disaster.

  • Provide backup communications when regular resources break down or are overwhelmed.

  • Handle message, information, command, and liaison radio traffic for our served agencies.

  • Provide communications for community service events and activities.

  • Conduct training and drills as necessary to accomplish our objectives.

  • Our members pride themselves on their professionalism. We are "amateurs" only by virtue of volunteering our time, skill, and equipment at no cost to help our city, community, and neighbors in time of need.

Last Updated:  June 30, 2017