+

Amateur Radio Emergency Communications

By: Addison Verger

Click icon to add picture

+Disaster Strikes

When traditional forms of communication fail (wireline, cell phones, etc.), Amateur radio is often used

Such crises include natural disasters (severe storms, etc.), tragedies (national crises), and public service events Hurricane Katrina September 11 attacks 2003 North American Blackout

+Amateur Radio Usefulness

Amateur radio is not as dependent on “terrestrial facilities” (choke points) that can fail

Amateur radio equipment can be powered more simply (automobile battery)

Antennas and power sources can be easily improvised/set-up

Operators are prepared for such events (annual field days)

Hundreds of available frequencies to make communications

+

+Organization

In the United States, there are two major groups for organizing emergency amateur radio communications

Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) Organization of amateur operators sponsored by the

American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Register with local ARRL Emergency Coordinator Units are autonomous and operate locally

Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) Standby replacement radio service regulated by the

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Requires preregistration with a local civil defense

organization

+ARES

Activated before, during, and after an emergency

Handles all emergency messages, including those between government emergency management officials

May communicate with any amateur station

+RACES

Almost never starts before an emergency, active only during the emergency and during the immediate aftermath (if government emergency management offices need communications support) Normally shut down shortly after emergency has cleared

May communicate with: RACES station licensed to local civil defense organization Other RACES licensees Certain amateur stations registered with civil defense

organizations Certain US government stations authorized by the responsible

agency to communicate with RACES stations Stations in a service regulated by FCC (when authorized by FCC)

+RACES

May transmit only messages related to: Impending danger to the public or affecting national

defense during emergencies The immediate safety of individuals, the immediate

protection of property, maintenance of law and order, alleviation of human suffering and need, and combating armed attack and sabotage

The dissemination of information to the public from a local civil defense organization or other government or relief organization

Communications during RACES drills

+Hurricane Katrina

The largest disaster response by U.S. amateur radio operators

Coordinated by the ARRL, some 1000 Amateur Radio volunteers served in hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast communities and at evacuee centers there and in other states

Hams in the Gulf Coast region, among out of state volunteers, provided emergency communications while other systems were being repaired

Hundreds more aided right from their homes by relaying messages to families around the country (informing families about people trapped in the area)

+

+Hurricane Katrina

As early as the Monday following the storm, hams throughout the hurricane zone were putting emergency stations on the air, including: WX4NHC, the amateur radio station at the National Hurricane

Center, the Hurricane Watch Net, the Waterway Net, Skywarn, and the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN)

The rescue of 15 people stranded by floodwaters on the roof of a house in New Orleans was facilitated by ham radios Using that Red Cross chapter’s amateur radio station, Ben Joplin,

WB5VST, was able to relay a request for help on the SATERN network via Russ Fillinger, W7LXR, in Oregon, and Rick Cain, W7KB, in Utah back to Louisiana, where emergency personnel were alerted

+Hurricane Katrina

Communications: High Frequency (HF) amateur radio stations were set up in various

towns to communicate out of the area to Montgomery and the outside world

A communications network connecting every Red Cross facility in a town on a local short range radio frequency was also set up

The network included fixed and mobile disaster vehicle stations

Congressional hearings highlighted the Amateur Radio response as one of the few examples of what went right in the disaster relief effort Brought up further discussion on future of ham (threat of

broadband over power lines interference)

+REFERENCES

http://www.arrl.org/ares-races-faq

http://electronicdesign.com/boards/katrinas-wake-ham-radio-triumphs

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/9228945/ns/technology_and_science-wireless/t/ham-radio-operators-rescue-after-katrina/#.UWx8YY7bF0o

http://www.qsl.net/gm3zdh/emergency-communications/hurricane-katrina.htm