The terms ARES®, Amateur Radio Emergency Service® and their logos are registered marks of the American Radio Relay League, Incorporated and used by permission.
NET SCHEDULE
Mondays:
7:00 pm: VHF Net (VHF Phone/Voice: 145.390 77 Hz)
8:00 pm: Digital HF Net (HF NBEMS 3.577 Thor22 1000 waterfall) 1st, 3rd and 5th Mondays
8:00 pm: Digital VHF Net (VHF NBEMS 145.390 77hz MT63-2KL 1500 waterfall) 2nd and 4th Mondays
2026 Net Control & Backup Schedule
Available 24/7: Central Mississippi ARES Winlink Net (Winlink VARA)
NET DETAILS
CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI ARES NETS
The purpose of our weekly Central Mississippi ARES Nets is to provide training and practice in ARES net procedures, traffic handling, and storm spotter reporting, to prepare our members for emergency activations. During emergencies, disasters, and severe weather events, the Central Mississippi ARES Emergency Net is activated to serve both the civilian and amateur radio communities in Central Mississippi, and the agencies we have signed agreements with.
ARES has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with several agencies (FEMA, MEMA, NWS, Red Cross, Salvation Army, County EOCs, and Hospitals) authorizing us to handle back up emergency communications and Storm Spotter communications on their behalf during emergencies, disasters, and severe weather events.
AFTER CLOSING A NET THE NET STATISTICS REPORT MUST BE SENT TO netmanager@msares.com FOR FURTHER HANDLING AND REPORTING.
1. Central Mississippi ARES Digital Net (CMA-DVHF)
Who: ARES, RACES, SKYWARN members, and all persons interested in digital modes. You do not have to have digital to check in.
What: A practice net with digital check-ins and traffic passing. Instructions and assistance handled using voice if needed.
Purpose: Introductory training in using NBEMS & Winlink
Time: Monday, 8:00 pm
Digital Net: VHF NBEMS 145.390 77 Hz on 2nd and 4th Mondays | HF NBEMS 3.577 on 1st, 3rd and 5th Mondays
VHF Frequency: Pelahatchie Repeater: 145.390 -0.6 offset 77 Hz, 1500 Hz on the waterfall
First Backup: Sharon Repeater: 145.450 -0.6 offset 77 Hz tone
Second Backup: Monterey Repeater: 146.760 -0.6 offset 77 Hz tone
2. Central Mississippi ARES VHF Training Net (CMA-VHF)
Who: ARES, RACES, SKYWARN members and all licensed amateur radio operators
What: A training net with voice check-ins and NTS format message traffic passing
Purpose: Training in ARES net procedures, traffic handling, and storm spotter reporting
Time: Monday, 7:00 pm
Frequency: Pelahatchie Repeater: 145.390 -0.6 offset 77 Hz tone
First Backup: Sharon Repeater: 145.450 -0.6 offset 77 Hz tone
Second Backup: Monterey Repeater: 146.760 -0.6 offset 77 Hz tone
Third Backup: Langford Repeater: 147.345 +0.6 offset 100Hz tone
Download the FLDIGI Suite of Software: FLDIGI Software
3. Central Mississippi ARES Winlink Net
Purpose: To provide practice in sending email, radiograms, ICS-213 forms, and SKYWARN Storm Spotter Reports to prepare our members for emergency activations.
Time: Available 24/7. To keep your Winlink skills sharp, your list of RMS Gateway Stations up to date, and your equipment freshly tested.
Software Needed:
Winlink Express: https://www.winlink.org/WinlinkExpress
VARA Software: https://downloads.winlink.org/VARA%20Products/
Mode: ARDOP, VARA, VARA FM, Packet, Robust Packet, Pactor. Note: Telnet (internet) may be used temporarily by those who plan to, but have not yet, finished establishing their amateur radio digital station.
Frequency: Any RMS Gateway Station you can connect to on HF (160, 80, 60, 40, 20, 17, 15, 10 meters), or VHF/UHF (2 meters, 70 centimeters)
Send Check In Email To: K5FIT, KG5SQZ
CMSARES Winlink Net Changes (effective 3-1-2025)
Examples of filled out forms for weekly Winlink net check-ins:
CMSARES Check In Form
CMSARES ICS-213 Form
CMSARES Radiogram Form
CMSARES Quick Welfare Message Form
Net Manager: K5FIT | Contact: k5fit@arrl.net
4. CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI ARES EMERGENCY NET
Central Mississippi ARES® Emergency Operations Plan
These frequencies will be used for any activated emergency net:
Frequency: Pelahatchie Repeater: 145.390 -0.6 offset 77 Hz tone
First Backup: Sharon Repeater: 145.450 -0.6 offset 77 Hz tone
Second Backup: Monterey Repeater: 146.760 -0.6 offset 77 Hz tone
Third Backup: Langford Repeater: 147.345 +0.6 offset 100Hz tone
The purpose of our Emergency Net is four-fold:
Firstly we activate to pass Priority, Emergency, and Health & Welfare traffic on behalf of the public and our served agencies when normal communications infrastructures fail, are overloaded, or hampered by natural or man-caused incidents.
Secondly, we activate to provide an important life-line to members of the amateur radio community. The participants in our Net are part of an active on the air community which keeps in touch with each other, and are ready, willing, and able to assist each other, when adversely affected by storms and other adverse events.
Thirdly, we activate to serve the National Weather Service in keeping with our signed agreement to be the provider of Storm Spotter Nets for their Skywarn data gathering program.
Fourthly, we activate because it provides a good opportunity for practicing, improving, and testing the skills which our ARES members will need during more serious communications emergencies, where we would be called upon to provide back up communications.
The following documents are used for any activated Emergency Net (.pdf format):
Central Mississippi ARES Emergency Net Script
Central Mississippi ARES Emergency Net Log
Central Mississippi ARES Storm Spotter Report Form
Central Mississippi ARES Storm Report Guide
National Weather Service Storm Spotter Training Book
Storm Spotter Cloud Identification Chart
AFTER CLOSING A NET THE NET STATISTICS REPORT MUST BE SENT TO netmanager@msares.com FOR FURTHER HANDLING AND REPORTING.
5. SKYWARN EMERGENCY NET
These frequencies will be used for the SKYWARN emergency net:
Frequency: Raymond Repeater: 146.940 -0.6 offset 100 Hz tone
First Backup: Pelahatchie Repeater: 145.390 -0.6 offset 77 Hz tone
The purpose of the SKYWARN Emergency Net is to activate to serve the National Weather Service by providing volunteer Net Control operators for their Storm Spotter Nets for their Skywarn data gathering program.
The following documents are used for the SKYWARN Emergency Net (.pdf and .xlsx formats):
SKYWARN Opening Net Script
SKYWARN 10 Minute Script
SKYWARN Closing Net Script
SKYWARN Net Log
SKYWARN Time Announce Log
Central Mississippi ARES Storm Spotter Report Form
Central Mississippi ARES Storm Report Guide