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In times of crisis and natural disasters, amateur radio is often used as a means of emergency communication when wireline, cell phones and other conventional means of communications fail. Unlike commercial systems, Amateur radio is not as dependent on terrestrial facilities that can fail. It is dispersed throughout a community without "choke points" such as cellular telephone sites that can be overloaded. Amateur radio operators are experienced in improvising antennas and power sources and most equipment today can be powered by an automobile battery. Annual "Field Days" are held in many countries to practice these emergency improvisational skills. Amateur radio operators can use hundreds of frequencies and can quickly establish networks tying disparate agencies together to enhance interoperability. Recent examples include the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in Manhattan, the 2003 North America blackout and Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, where amateur radio was used to coordinate disaster relief activities when other systems failed. On September 2, 2004, ham radio was used to inform weather forecasters with information on Hurricane Frances live from the Bahamas. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake and resulting tsunami across the Indian ocean wiped out all communications with the Andaman Islands, except for a DX-pedition that provided a means to coordinate relief efforts. Recently, Amateur Radio operators in the People's Republic of China provided emergency communications after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and US hams did similar work following Hurricane Ike. The largest disaster response by U.S. amateur radio operators was during Hurricane Katrina which first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane went through Miami, Florida on August 25, 2005, eventually strengthening to Category 5. More than a thousand ham operators from all over the U.S. converged on the Gulf Coast in an effort to provide emergency communications assistance. Subsequent Congressional hearings highlighted the Amateur Radio response as one of the few examples of what went right in the disaster relief effort.

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Related Questions

What are the ratings and certificates for Radio Hams - 1939?

Radio Hams - 1939 is rated/received certificates of: USA:Approved (PCA #5059)


How meteorological department uses ham radio during disaster?

Communication to other hams via amateur radio to get weather reports is very critical. Using APRS, data from weather stations connected to amateur radios can be broadcasted.


Is ham radio used by any government department for disaster management and if yes then how?

Most emergency agencies are quite happy when hams volunteer to communicate for them. A good example is in the destruction of the World Trade Center where the power and phone lines were taken out. The police could not contact fire, or even their own officers, and the fire departments could not contact the police, or their own fire engines. Hams, or Amateur Radio Operators, came to the scene by the hundreds - each totally a volunteer using their own emergency rigs. The rigs consist of at least a handheld VHF or UHF two-way radio and a bunch of batteries for it connected and kept in a back pack or belt pack. There would be hams on scene, and other hams at the police stations, the fire stations, the New York city disaster teams, and so forth. These hams would pass on information by radio that the emergency responders could not. This is very typical. Hams respond to many disasters to provide all sorts of communications for the local emergency responders. Some, like in the World Trade Center disaster, travelled, using their own money, from other states, even from far away states, just to help the emergency responders. This same response occurs after hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions (Mt St Helens in Washington State for example), search and rescue situations, and so forth.


Is Ham radio and amateur radio is same?

Yes Ham Radio and Amateur Radio are same. Amateur and Ham radio operators use two-way radio stations from their homes, cars, boats and outdoors to make hundreds of friends around town and around the world. They communicate with each other using voice, computers, and Morse code. Some hams bounce their signals off the upper regions of the atmosphere, so they can talk with hams on the other side of the world. Other hams use satellites. Many use hand-held radios that fit in their pockets.


What is ham radio?

Ham radio operators use two-way radio stations from their homes, cars, boats and outdoors to make hundreds of friends around town and around the world. They communicate with each other using voice, computers, and Morse code. Some hams bounce their signals off the upper regions of the atmosphere, so they can talk with hams on the other side of the world. Other hams use satellites. Many use hand-held radios that fit in their pockets.


What is the need of ham radio?

Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams," use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training.


How ham radio is used to give information during in a disaster?

There are many, many Hams who have portable VHF and UHF rigs, complete in a container with large batteries to run the radio, and often with a large (19" or more) antenna rising from their backpacks. In New York city, for example, when the World Trade Tower came down, most of the longer-distance (longer than line of sight) radios no longer worked, as the power went out. The large number of hams who came from even far-away States positioned themselves in fire stations. police stations, etc. and other hams were near fire trucks, police cars, command centers, etc. The person would tell the ham what to say, and he would say it to the ham at the farther away place, who would tell it to the firefighter, officer, dispatch center, etc. This is very typical of disasters with hams coming to help, although it might not always be in support of police or firefighters. And this service is free to the local governments. (Actually, any government) Other hams, at home can patch in telephone signals to the disaster scene for people to ask about loved-ones, if that service is available on the scene.


What has the author C L Hutchinson written?

C. L. Hutchinson has written: 'Simple and fun antennas for hams' -- subject(s): Amateur radio stations, Amateurs' manuals, Antennas, Design and construction, Radio, Shortwave radio


What are the Common radio activities of Ham Radio operator?

Using HF (high frequency 3-30mHz) to talk to area hams in a converstional format Using HF to communicate with hams in other parts of the US and around the world Contesting . . . see how many other hams you can contact in the contest period. Message handling for military person . . . MARS (Military Affiliate Radio Service) Emergency message handling . . . ARES Providing backup battery-powered communications on the ground for police, fire, and other responders during emergencies that take down their regular radio service. Search and Rescue . . . providing communications in remote areas.


How information is dissemeted by IMD at various levels during disaster?

ham radio, satellite, television, radio


Have any radio hams or CB operators made two-way radio contact with a UFO?

Sadly, no. There was once a plan to arrange a schedule with one, but it gang aglay when it was discovered that UFOs don't exist.


When was Jarno Hams born?

Jarno Hams was born in 1974.

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