Date: March 2022

Amount: $92,000

The Marin County Sheriff Office’s RACES/ACS Unit is funding North Bay Area Mesh (NBAM) to support and promote digital communications, amateur radio, training, public service events and open access to all, especially Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and emergency communication organizations in Marin and Sonoma Counties. NBAM is a standing committee of the Marin Amateur Radio Society (MARS). MARS communications support of public service events has a 30-year history of effectively engaging the energy and activities of scores of hams; adding the use of the amateur microwave frequencies has excited the keen interest of new members as well as established leaders.

This grant from ARDC will support NBAM’s efforts in:

• Building an AREDN mesh backbone in Marin and Sonoma Counties
• Providing equipment to client hams to connect to the AREDN mesh
• Developing presentation and training materials
• Training operators during public service events and special classes
• Assisting organizations in the implementation of AREDN mesh networks
• Developing standardized “package” units for deployment by NBAM and others
• Providing routine maintenance of network
• Filling in gaps in emergencies, if necessary
• Building an easy to understand website

This set of projects will provide infrastructure for AREDN mesh and improve coverage. This will demonstrate to ham operators, non-ham clients and NGOs the benefit the mesh provides during emergencies. We also anticipate an increased use of digital tools by amateur operators and neighbors to support the deployment of nodes and perhaps even become licensed themselves.

Learn more at https://w6sg.net/site/.