SC4ARC Amateur Radio Club

Have you lost your power, internet, cell coverage in the last couple of years? How many times and for how long? This is a common occurrence on the Coastside. During powerful storms, like in early 2023, and wildland fires, like CZU, there is often no power or communications for many days. Sometimes it is out because of one downed tree or even for no apparent reason. The only communication possible in these situations is by HAM RADIO and our team of Amateur Radio Emergency Services (SC4ARES) volunteers.  

Much of our HAM Radio equipment is very old and not at peak performance. Thanks to your generosity in 2023, we were able to install a new repeater at our La Honda location.  In order to ensure reliable communications in all of the Southcoast of San Mateo County, from Whitehouse Canyon, to Butano, to La Honda and to Skyline, we need to add a link, (a Voter Comparator)  between La Honda and Butano Ridge repeaters and to install a UHF or VHF repeater on Skyline.  We also have a critical need for test equipment that can be used to ensure that our systems are at peak performance.

The SC4 Amateur Radio Club (SC4ARC) funds and maintains the essential assets, such as 3 repeaters, radios, antenna towers and a network of digipeaters for Winlink digital communications, that are used in an emergency.  Our ARES volunteers transmit emergency communications to all of the San Mateo County South Coast, including Butano Canyon, Pescadero, Loma Mar, La Honda and South Skyline. These essential communications provide emergency traffic to first responders at the Emergency Operation Center in Half Moon Bay or Redwood City and critical information to our residents on road closures, trees / wires down, flooded areas, debris flows and evacuations.   This communication can and does save lives!

Since the CZU Fire of 2020, our team of amateur radio emergency volunteers have been activated 12 times.  An activation means that the Department Operation Center (DOC) or a Temporary Evacuation Point (TEP) is staffed by HAM radio operators who are trained in emergency communications 24 hours a day until the incident is over.  Often, this requires multiple days of round the clock service.  SC4ARES was activated for 10 days during the CZU Fire of 2020, for a total of 612 person hours.  Other activations have included assisting law enforcement with evacuation orders during a potential debris flow, storms that have taken out communications, and multiple power shutdowns in the area, most of which lasted for days.

During the CZU Fire, we had a couple of key learnings about gaps in our emergency communications infrastructure.  One key learning was the need to have a robust Winlink infrastructure throughout the Coastside.  Winlink is a network of amateur radio stations that provide worldwide radio email using radio pathways where the internet is not present.  The system is built, operated and administered entirely by licensed ham volunteers.  It supports email with attachments, position reporting, weather and information bulletins, and is well-known for its role in interoperable emergency and disaster relief communications.  It is capable of operating completely without the internet -- automatically -- using smart-network radio relays.  SC4ARC now has a robust Winlink network throughout the Coastside, north to Half Moon Bay and east to Skyline and King's Mountain.  This kind of communication is important in providing community members with a way to send welfare information to their loved ones who are outside the emergency zone.

Another result from our CZU Fire experience was the acquisition of 5 complete radio stations that can be deployed to remote areas of the region where they are needed most, such as Whitehouse Canyon, Pescadero, Butano, Loma Mar and Pescadero.  The purchase of these stations was only possible because of a grant from the Puente Fire Resiliency Fund.

We have the assets to provide emergency communication on the Coastside during an emergency.  The question is will we have it operational during the next disaster and will it reach all areas in need? THERE WILL BE ANOTHER DISASTER!  In order to be ready, our assets must be maintained and replaced when necessary.  This requires funding.  Please help us be ready for the next disaster, be it fire, floods or earthquake.  It could be a matter of life or death.

Thank you for your support!

Please listen to our Coastside Gives Radio Interview on KPDO Radio in Pescadero.