When all else fails... Amateur radio is there.

             The title of this blog is a statement used by the AARL as a way of promoting Amateur (or ham) Radio.  This is also a very true statement.  During times of disasters and emergencies, when other communications have been disrupted, properly train Hams with the proper gear can instantly go on the air and restore communications.

                Most of my readers will remember the quick and massive flooding that his Pennsylvania in September 2011.  When the storms started local Ham Radio clubs activated their Skywarn networks.  They use these networks to keep other Hams, and scanner listeners, updated on the weather conditions.  These nets are also used to keep The National Weather Service updated on what is actually happening, and on things their systems may not be seeing.  Also various clubs worked closely with local authorities and rescue crews to help people who became stranded because of the flash flooding.  For days, and in some cases weeks, there were rescue centers set up for people who were displaced by the flooding.  Ham radio operators were also present at these sites.  They helped coordinate supplies between sites, and helped pass important information and messages along.

                On a more national, and international, level would be the attacks that took place on September 11.  When the planes hit the twin towers this caused phone communications to go down.  Almost instantly Ham Radio operators dispatched out to get communications up and running.  The same was true in DC and here in Pennsylvania.  Once local communication bases were set up operators started using HF frequencies to communicate between these sites to better coordinate efforts.  And like in the example above rescue centers were set up.  But in this case operators were passing information around the nation, and in some cases around the world.

                In both of the above examples Ham Radio operators used frequencies, and repeaters, in the 2 meter band.  This band works great for local communications.  Ham Radio operators can use local based repeaters to expand the range of their equipment.  In the second example though where it was needed to communicate long distances Ham operators used more powerful equipment that operated in frequencies that were capable of traveling a lot further distance.

                When all else fails, will this Amateur operator be there?  I would like the answer to this question to be yes.  Emergency communications is something that really interests me, and I am working towards being there.  I have begun taking free online training courses from both FEMA and The ARRL.  I have a couple of HT’s (handheld radios) available for use.  Plus I have my 2 meter mobile radio that can be connected in my house as a base unit.  If the power goes out I have a battery I can use for limited operation.  This is all great for local emergencies.  But if there is a national or international emergency I can’t say I am as prepared.  At this point in time I don’t have any radios capable of operating on the HF bands.  So this is something I need to work on.  This is also something that I need help with, it is hard to save for radios, but it is easier to pay back.  So when all else fails, will you help this Amateur be there?