OZARES is Ozaukee County's ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) and RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service). ARES is sponsored by a private, nonprofit organization, the American Radio Relay League. RACES is sponsored by the U.S. Government Federal Emergency Management Agency, and administered by the Division of Emergency Management of the State of Wisconsin.
OZARES members are all Amateur Radio Operators, individually licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. They are trained emergency communicators who have volunteered personal time, skill and equipment to serve in the public interest. While OZARES is a private, volunteer organization, it is permanently attached to the Ozaukee County Department of Emergency Management by mutual consent and to the mutual benefit of Ozaukee County and OZARES.
OZARES operates 2 open repeaters, at 147.330 (PL 127.3) and 443.525 (PL 114.8). Meetings are usually held in the Emergency Operations Center (Justice Center, Port Washington) on the fourth Thursday of the month, at 7 p.m. Nets are held on most other Thursdays at 8:00pm on the 147.330 repeater. Guest check-ins are welcome.