Bulletins & Announcements

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the ERSN table at the second annual Firewise Calaveras Festival on Saturday, October 17. This year the festival moved to Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys, and we couldn’t have asked for a nicer fall day.

The Calaveras County Resource Conservation District hosts this free, one-day festival, which brings together fire safety information, live demonstrations, local businesses showing off their wildfire preparedness products and services, food, and activities for the kids. It’s exactly the kind of event where ERSN belongs, with neighbors thinking seriously about how to protect their homes and families before the next fire.

Thanks to Our Volunteers

Staffing a table all day takes a team. Dennis and Mike manned the ERSN table for the first half of the day, pictured here with Alan.

Kenny and ERSN co-founder Marlaine took over for the second half, joined here by Mike.

Thank you all for giving up your Saturday to share what ERSN does with our community.

“We are honored to link loving arms in service to our Calaveras citizenry.”

— Marlaine, ERSN co-founder

Why It Matters

When wildfire strikes, communication is often among the first things to go. Power goes out, cell towers go down, and roads close. A GMRS radio, and a neighbor who knows how to use one, can make all the difference. Events like this festival give us a chance to meet people face to face, answer their questions about radios, and invite them to join the net.

Missed us at the festival? Read up on GMRS radios, check in on a weekly net, and bring a neighbor along. We hope to see you at next year’s festival!

Thank you to everyone who came out to our potluck at Meadowmont Lodge in Arnold. The food was great and the company was even better.

A special thanks to the lodge’s owners for hosting us. If you have friends or family coming up to visit and your guest room is already spoken for, Meadowmont is a lovely place to put them up, just minutes from White Pines Lake and Big Trees.

Happy Birthday, Ken!

And another happy birthday to Ken, the leader behind the curtain who makes all of this possible. Much of what keeps ERSN running happens out of sight, and a lot of it is Ken’s work. Thank you, Ken!

Our Current Goals

With fall here, we’re focused on three priorities:

1. Grow the network. We’ll keep raising awareness and bringing new people into the group. Last winter’s storm showed how quickly roads, power, and cell service can disappear, and this is likely to be another hard winter. The more neighbors who have a radio and know how to use it, the stronger we all are.
2. Fix the noise on the Arnold Summit repeater. We’re working to resolve the noise and static on the Arnold Summit repeater. Our next step is to move the mesh node at the site, and we’ll keep investigating from there.
3. Share what we know. Ken is working closely with Kirt to pass along the hands-on knowledge behind our repeaters and network. We build redundancy into our radio systems, and we’re building it into our team too, so the know-how that keeps ERSN on the air is shared across more people.

Want to help with any of these? Invite a neighbor to a weekly net, and check our status page for repeater updates.

We’re proud to share news from within the ERSN family. Jay, the ERSN member who runs our Murphys net, has founded S.I.E.R.R.A., the Signal Integrity & Emergency Radio Response Alliance. It is a new all-volunteer nonprofit that builds and operates an off-grid emergency communications network for the Calaveras and Tuolumne foothills, and trains the people who keep it running.

Grown From ERSN

S.I.E.R.R.A. is a direct offshoot of the ERSN networks. During the major snowstorm earlier this year, a GMRS repeater Jay built proved vital to the rescue of several people. That experience made the case for something larger: an off-grid hub that coordinates emergency communications between public safety agencies and residents across the foothills.

The alliance was established in 2026 as a registered California nonprofit public benefit corporation, with Jay serving as Founder and President. It brings together radio operators, public safety veterans, and engineers.

Layered Communications

No single technology survives every emergency. S.I.E.R.R.A. layers several, so that when one goes down another keeps information moving:

• Amateur radio: Licensed operators staff nets, relay traffic, and support agency communications.
• LoRa mesh: Solar-powered MeshCore relays along the Highway 4 and Highway 49 corridors pass short text messages and telemetry when power and cell service are down.
• Live situational awareness: The S.I.E.R.R.A. Live Feed brings official wildfire, evacuation, weather, earthquake, and road information from CAL FIRE, Cal OES, NWS Sacramento, USGS, and CHP together on one map.

Together with the GMRS nets ERSN members already use, these layers give our community more than one way to stay connected when the grid goes dark.

Educate, Build, Operate

The work is organized around three pillars:

• Educate: Workshops and field exercises so residents, ham operators, and agency staff know the network before they need it.
• Build: Solar-powered relays and repeater sites engineered to keep passing messages when power and cell service are gone.
• Operate: Trained volunteers who monitor conditions, relay traffic, and coordinate with fire districts and county emergency management.

You’ve Already Seen Their Work

If you’ve checked the road and weather conditions on our homepage or joined our mesh network, you’ve already used S.I.E.R.R.A. infrastructure. Our conditions widgets draw on the S.I.E.R.R.A. Grid data feeds, and the ERSN MeshCore repeaters are part of the SIERRA mesh network.

Get Involved

S.I.E.R.R.A. is run entirely by volunteers and is looking for ham operators, LoRa and MeshCore technicians, emergency management liaisons, field and site volunteers, and help with education and outreach.

• Website: sierragridteam.org
• Volunteer: Contact & Volunteer page
• Email: info@sierragridteam.org
• Support: Donate to S.I.E.R.R.A.

S.I.E.R.R.A. is a volunteer organization, not an emergency dispatch service. In a life-threatening emergency, always call 911.

Congratulations to Jay and the whole S.I.E.R.R.A. team!

The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on February 24 to ratify a local state of emergency following the severe winter storm that struck the region the previous week.

Storm Impact

The storm hit the West Point, Avery, Arnold, and Dorrington areas particularly hard. Dorrington received approximately 88 inches of snow, while Arnold saw around 58 inches. Heavy snow brought down trees and power lines across the county.

Emergency Response

Between February 17 and February 23, emergency services responded to 476 calls across the affected areas, including:

• 58 evacuations
• 96 calls for snow, tree, and power line blockages
• 118 storm-related calls
• 26 medical aid calls
• 76 welfare checks

Infrastructure

PG&E reported hundreds of downed power poles and over 9,500 customers without power. Roads became impassable at points during the storm, with snowplow crews and Public Works collaborating with PG&E to clear roadways and restore service.

What the Declaration Means

Ratifying the emergency declaration opens access to additional state and federal assistance for ongoing response and cleanup efforts.

Why This Matters for ERSN

Events like this are exactly why our network exists. When power goes out and cell service fails, GMRS radio and mesh networks keep our community connected. Make sure your radios are charged and your emergency plans are up to date.

Read the full article at myMotherLode.com.

February 19 — 9:00 AM

Members with programmed radios: Arnold area members should use simplex 020 to share neighborhood status during nets. The Forest Meadows repeater is functional so far — use 041 or 042.

Hourly check-ins start at 9:00 AM at the top of the hour.

Many roads are still unplowed and trees continue to fall. Stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.

February 19 — Early Morning

Hwy 4 has reopened at Avery and by the Rocket station. Use caution — hazards may remain on the roadway.

• Many trees and power lines are still down throughout the area
• Snow plows are not expected to be clearing side roads for some time

February 18 — 1:30 PM

The Arnold Summit repeater is not operating consistently. Until further notice, ERSN is using simplex check-ins on the hour on channel 20.

As of 1:30 PM, Hwy 4 is closed at Avery and by the Rocket station.

• Many trees and power lines down throughout the area
• Snow plows not expected to clear side roads for some time

What You Can Do

• Monitor your programmed channels for simplex check-ins on the hour
• Stay off the roads if possible — conditions remain hazardous
• Keep your radios charged and ready for updates
• Check back here for the latest status updates

Great news! The Forest Meadows repeater is back online and operational.

The repeater serves the Arnold and Murphy’s area and is an important part of our emergency communications network. Members in these areas can now resume using the repeater for communications and practice nets.

• Repeater: Forest Meadows
• Frequency: 462.675 MHz (20RP)
• Coverage Area: Arnold, Murphy’s, and surrounding areas
• Status: Operational

Jay’s Monday 7:00 PM practice net on this repeater can now resume as scheduled. We appreciate everyone’s patience during the outage period.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 10:00 PM tonight through 10:00 PM Friday for the Northern Sierra Nevada region.

What to Expect

• Heavy Snow: 4 to 8 feet expected above 5,500 feet, with around 1 foot at 4,500 feet
• High Winds: Gusts up to 60 MPH with whiteout conditions likely
• Travel: Mandatory chain controls and road closures should be expected

Snow levels will stay near or above mountain passes through Tuesday, then drop significantly to 4,500–5,500 feet Wednesday through Friday. Periodic bursts of 1 to 2 inches per hour are possible.

Critical Impacts

Heavy, wet snow combined with high winds will cause tree failures and power outages. Expect near-zero visibility at times with high risk of becoming stranded. Travel is strongly discouraged.

Be Prepared

• Charge your radios and have emergency power and lighting ready
• If travel is essential: Pack flashlights, extra batteries, blankets, food, and water
• Stay informed: Monitor NOAA Weather Radio for updates

This is exactly why ERSN exists—when cell towers go down and power is out, radio communication keeps our community connected. Make sure your equipment is ready.

Get a jump on home defense at the FireWise Calaveras Festival!

• When: Saturday, November 1st, 2025
• Where: Angels Camp Fairgrounds, 2465 Gun Club Road, Angels Camp, CA
• Contact: firewise@calaverasRCD.org for exhibitor/vendor information

Key Highlights

The festival will feature:

• Demonstrations on fire safety techniques
• Exhibits showcasing emergency preparedness
• Information tables with resources
• Insurance information and guidance
• Kids’ activities for the whole family

This free event is hosted by Calaveras County Resource Conservation District. Learn more at www.calaverasRCD.org/firewise.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn about wildfire preparedness and connect with emergency preparedness resources in our community.

The TCU September Lightning Complex follow-up meeting has revealed important insights for emergency preparedness.

EPPOC hosted OES Director Eric at their October 1st meeting. Although traditional communications remained operational during the fires, and our net was consequently only partially activated, the crisis exposed the need for improved data to assure safe evacuations along Highway 4.

Key Takeaways

The meeting highlighted critical gaps in evacuation planning and the importance of reliable communication systems during emergency events.

We highly encourage ERSN members to listen to EPPOC’s ZOOM replay to better understand the challenges and improvements needed for future emergency response.

Action Items

• Review evacuation routes and communication protocols
• Consider additional data collection methods for Highway 4 corridor
• Continue improving coordination between agencies and volunteer networks

Thank you ERSN member Martha for interviewing ERSN Co-Founder Kirt on your community safety program, September 15th.

• Program: Be Prepared, Calaveras
• Replay: Watch on YouTube

Jay’s practice net on the Forest Meadows Repeater has moved to a new day and time.

• Previous Schedule: Wednesday 7:30 PM
• New Schedule: Monday 7:00 PM
• Location: Forest Meadows Repeater
• Contact: ersnnets@gmail.com for more info

This change is effective immediately. Many ERSN members up in Arnold may have access to this repeater. We are excited to hear from you! Please message us if you would like to be added to Jay’s roll call.

Great to see everyone who came to the Meshtastic meetup at Pine Brook HOA. The presentation deck is available online for anyone who wants to review the material.

It was especially exciting to connect ERSN with TCARES and explore the potential to establish a Motherlode Mesh network across our region.

Resources Shared

Here are the key resources from the meetup:

• Mesh Monitor - Live monitor that watches MQTT traffic from nodes connected to our Motherlode topic
• ERSN Mesh Overview - Working group overview and instructions for joining our channels (will be updated soon)
• Getting Started With Meshtastic - YouTube video perfect for sharing with newcomers to Meshtastic technology

Next Steps

Primary Focus: Demonstrating Off-Grid Communications

Our main goal is to demonstrate consistent off-grid communications within the Ebbetts Pass area and potentially across the Motherlode counties.

• Solar Node Deployment: Procuring solar-powered nodes for installation at Rocky Ridge, Summit, and Red Hill using repeater configurations
• Target Timeline: Aiming for deployment during the 4th of July weekend

Secondary Focus: Emergency Services Connection

Building communication infrastructure to connect beyond our local community to emergency services like San Andreas.

• WinLink Research: Exploring WinLink 2000 integration and potential Meshtastic-based solutions
• Custom Solutions: Investigating what we might need to build ourselves

Future Considerations

Looking ahead, we discussed several potential initiatives to strengthen our emergency preparedness:

• ICS Training: Classes on Incident Command System and developing plans for how ERSN fits into the broader disaster response ecosystem
• Regular Training: Establishing training days and drills to help with onboarding new technologies and building operational readiness

The meetup was a great success in bringing together our community and identifying concrete steps forward. Stay tuned for updates on our progress with the solar node deployments and mesh expansion efforts.

ERSN member Jay will be hosting a 7:30 practice net on Wednesdays for our Forest Meadows Repeater. Many ERSN members up in Arnold may have access also. We are excited to hear from you! Please message us if you would like to be added to Jay’s roll call this Wednesday, June 4th.

Join us for a meetup at Pine Brook HOA for everyone interested in learning more about Meshtastic technology.

• When: June 14th, 10 am - noon
• Where: 2108 Flanders Drive, Arnold, CA

• When: Saturday, May 31st, noon - 5 pm
• Where: Bret Harte Theatre, Angels Camp

• When: Saturday, May 3rd, 9 a.m. - noon
• Where: Independence Hall

ERSN has been invited to participate a second year running and will be raffling off a pair of radios.

This is a great opportunity to introduce friends and family to ERSN and elevate your fire safety skills.

An exciting development in April was the formation of a tech committee for ERSN. Dan, who created and manages our ERSN website, has graciously volunteered to serve as Chair.

First Project

Their first project is strengthening our network functionality via Meshtastic texting technology.

Get Involved

Please review the information posted under the resources tab on our ERSN website and email us if you are interested in learning more. Please type “MESH” in the subject line.

Thank you, everyone, who attended our April 12th Spring Meet-up at Pinebrook HOA. Special thanks to Kirt and Colleen for hosting!

• When: Wednesday, February 26th
• Where: Greenhorn
• Speakers: Fire Chief John and Eric from the Calaveras Office of Emergency Services

Verizon was down for up to five days for multiple Arnold residents this past week. This highlights the importance of having backup communication methods during emergencies.

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone this month impacted by the devastating Santa Ana-fueled Southern California fires. Difficulties obtaining accurate information in a timely manner underscored how critical your participation in ERSN is to saving lives. Thank you for being part of our emergency communication network!

Barbecue/Potluck a Blazing Success! Saturday, Sept 27th. Fabulous food and friendship, thanks to all who attended!

Special thanks to Golden Pines RV Resort Owners Ben and Kayla for hosting us at your lovely Lodge, and Jay for smoking and grilling tri-tip and ribs.