Local Ham Radio Operators Step up in Good Times and Bad
The following article is in the current Emergency Management magazine:
http://www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Local-Ham-Radio-Operators-Step-up-in-Good-Times-and-Bad.html
The following article is in the current Emergency Management magazine:
(TNS) - When wildfires, floods, tornadoes and terrorist events disrupt cellphone communication systems at the moment they are most needed, that’s when a more than 100-year-old technology still holds its own.
Amateur radio operators, often called “ham radio operators” regularly volunteer their skills and expertise to coordinate responses in emergencies like the Boston Marathon bombing and when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.
There are more than 725,000 licensed amateur radio operators in the United States. Those that were providing support for the 2013 Boston Marathon became a key communication link when cellphone systems became overloaded after bombs exploded near the finish line killing three and injuring hundreds.
http://www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Local-Ham-Radio-Operators-Step-up-in-Good-Times-and-Bad.html