Ham Radios Used in the Aftermath of the March 11th Earthquake

[airborne1092]

From the Stars and Stripes;

SEOUL — Ham radios once played a key role in the operations of the U.S. military before fading into the background with the arrival of better and more accessible forms of communication like cell phones, the Internet and Skype.

But just when you start to think ham radios might go the way of rotary phones, 8-track tape players and phonographs, disaster strikes and the old war horses of communications fill a void in the response to emergencies.

Ham radio operators were widely credited with helping with emergency communications in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina. Sixteen days ago when an earthquake and tsunamis devastated Japan, ham radio hobbyists and their outdated technology once again got involved in reconnecting families and guiding emergency aid where it was most needed.

Read more below:

Ham Radios During Disasters

[Ghost Pepper]

Thanks for the link.

Had our monthly meeting with the radio club and a few guys had relayed several messages from operators in Japan to their relatives in the states. I've had a hand full of contacts from Japan also but they were stations in the contest this weekend believe it or not. Amazing what "out of date" technology can do!

[Fidel. MD]

yeah, the more circuits, the better...

[Rivet]

Interesting article, thanks for posting it.