I need to take the classes, even my wife has been asked by the state to take some of them as well for emergency preparedness(she is in the medical field). I've just had too many irons in the fire lately. There is an ARES statewide net on sunday nights on the colorado connection repeater system, if I recall. We have a 2m ssb net on mondays, but I lack a radio to do that. I know some are rolling their eyes at being involved in such activities, and only got into ham for shtf stuff, but without training, that intention is all but useless. At least with this, you're making some contacts with people that could be considered preppers to some degree, and you're learning how to operate in adverse situations.