Posted on 03/15/2022 4:27:20 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
Radio amateurs in Ukraine appear to be diligently maintaining radio silence as the state of emergency declared there just prior to the Russian military invasion remains in effect. A February 24 decree from President Volodymyr Zelensky included “a ban on the operation of amateur radio transmitters for personal and collective use.” The Ukraine Amateur Radio League (UARL/LRU) reported this past week that it has received many messages of encouragement from the worldwide amateur radio community.
“The LRU informed international amateur radio organizations about Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine,” said the message from UARL Vice President Anatoly Kirilenko, UT3UY. “To date, there have been many reports from radio amateurs around the world in support of Ukraine.”
The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has adopted a neutral stance. “IARU is an apolitical organization focused on promoting and defending amateur radio and the amateur radio services,” the IARU said. “The amateur radio service is about self-instruction in communications and friendship between people.” IARU Region 1 has said it continues to monitor the development and expects all radio amateurs “to follow their national laws and regulations.”
IARU Region 1 also re-posted part of an advisory from the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) HF Committee on February 27. “Any radio amateur currently transmitting from Ukraine is risking his or her life. If you hear a Ukrainian station, do not broadcast its call sign, location, or frequency — whether on the band, in a cluster, or on social media. You may be putting lives at risk.” The DARC’s overarching advice: “In the current situation, the best we can do is listen.”
Ukraine’s assigned amateur radio call sign prefixes include EMA – EOZ and the more commonplace URA – UZZ. Some stations with Ukrainian call signs may still be active, because an exception to the amateur radio ban was made for stations in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine (eastern Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts), which have special legal status owing to Russia’s occupation since 2014.
In a Facebook post, Poland’s IARU member-society PZK has offered available Winlink nodes in Poland for any licensed refugees. If you are a licensed amateur radio operator, you can send information by email to your relatives in Poland or Emergency Services via the Winlink system. Polish Winlink nodes are active on 160, 80, and 20 meters: SR5WLK, 3.5955 MHz USB; SR3WLK, 14.111 MHz USB, and SP3IEW, 1.865 MHz USB.
W9IMS, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Amateur Radio Club — known for its special events commemorating major races at the Speedway — has posted a statement on its QRZ.com profile expressing its concern for well-known QSL maker Gennady V. Treus, UX5UO. The statement reads in part, “His last email to us said: ‘This moment we are safe, but we hear strong explosions near Kyiv. Do not know what will happen in nearest hours/days.’ We have not heard from him for days now. We are greatly concerned for Gennady and his family along with all the other citizens of Ukraine.” — Thanks to The Daily DX, PZK, and to Brian D. Smith, W9IND, for some information
The individual input by the Ham Community has done better than most to be on the side of freedom.
This article gives some good advice to hams outside the region. We have seen this many times and the individuals of the Amateur Radio community typically do much better than is general public in seeing through the smoke screen of the media.
Over the years, I came to understand that a large portion of the ham community were connected at some point in life with the military. That no BS bias still lingers, in spite of the Looney Leftist who dominate the so called Tech Sector.
73 de AA5OI
Now I really smell a rat....
.
Isn’t this what the Ham network is for? To communicate outside when there is no other way to do it?
Is the rat you smell inside of DC?
They are very common there.
The ARRL is a lobby group, headquarters is in Newington Connecticut. It can be political, but it that is not supported by the members.
I’ve seen how they operate. Have known some staffers there. When I lived in NM the retired technical editor lived in the same town. W1ICP, Lou McCoy. He retired where I lived in NM. He was an excellent technician, but had a handicap. He lost an eye in a firearms accident. I built a project for him once.
Do you know anything about radio?
RF Transmitters can be quickly identified in a military conflict. Shelling invitation.
But yes, remember when Boris Yeltsin was in danger in Russia. Some of the Ham community got the word out about him maintaining control. Military supported him too, from what I have read.
Until Obozo, our military was largely supportive of the Constitution. All took an oath as they joined and later as they advanced.
So. I think you miss the mark.
I was thinking Ukraine.
Looks like whichever Deep States are running this **** show don’t wanna risk anything getting out that might contradict their disinfo.
Do you know anything about radio?
RF Transmitters can be quickly identified in a military conflict. Shelling invitation.
—
Portable hand-held ham radios
I read an article that said the Internet temporarily killed the movement of Ham Radio but it has come roaring back.
“I think you miss the mark.”
I think “openurmind’s” question was a legitimate one...and the very same question I was thinking when I bookmarked this thread. I will admit, I know nothing about ham radio...or that type of equipment at all... except for military experience. But, I always thought ham radio really shined in emergencies. There was also the question for me as to whether the use of ham ready might create a target for the enemy. Now I know.
They are a target too.
I have some. And a number of much larger radio’s. My latest additions just arrived via UPS, yesterday.
I was on 40 meters this morning with the new rig and listening to JK1BQS in Japan.
Last night there was a monthly CQ contest and 20 meters was full of that. I was adjusting to a new rig with a makeshift antenna. Am very pleased with my purchase. It is an Icom radio, bought it used but it is almost as good as my old Collins S-line. (which I have loved to operate since the early 1980’s) There is a presence in a good vacuum tube receiver that you don’t get with any solid state computer driven receiver.
Volunteer hams listened to German military and other transmissions and passed on the info to the code breakers.
During war, if you allowed all hams to transmit, there could be some spies mixed in and you'd never know it.
Then there is the problem of making yourself a very easy target when you key up your transmitter.
In natural disasters cripple a region, RF is still there. And in those cases, Amateur Radio fills a void.
I operated a Navy/Marine Corp MARS station out of my home for 19 years.
That no longer exists, I dropped out in 1995, it did not last long after that. Homeland Security has some connection to ARES and RACES, coordinated somewhat by the ARRL.
“Do you know anything about radio?
RF Transmitters can be quickly identified in a military conflict. Shelling invitation.”
Yes I do know a bit about it, I am into radio. And one time Uncle Jimmy told me that on his third tour in Nam he would take his crew out and not contact anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. Because if you give away your location or called in for fire support you could get shelled by BOTH sides.
So he said short transmissions and move quick. But they still had to communicate now and then for resupply and to give reconnaissance updates.
Thank you, see #14
“temporarily killed”
I think it had an effect, but when the FCC turned the licensing exams over to volunteer examiners they made licensing a lot easier to accomplish.
In 1976 I made two trips to the Dallas Field office on Commerce Street to take my first 2 license exams. Came out of the 2nd one with my Advanced License, held that until I passed my Extra in 1985. Got my Commercial license in 2000.
Have not been that active for last 15-20 years. Caring for sick family members took priority. In last 6 months, we have formed a local ham club and are planning a repeater system here in the middle of the Big Nothing. Along with that a plan for teaching classes and doing exams.
It should help the presence build here.
I was living in NM when I got my first license. Many of my Ham friends worked at the labs or military bases in the region. It was a great place to learn.
RDF is quick now.
I’ve seen evidence that the RF spectrum is recorded form multiple points and that triangulation is possible after the fact.
Sobering thought. Unless the good guys are in control.
Only the uninformed think that the Ham Ops are right wing red necks. Simply an illusion created by media types and bureaucraps trying to expand their authority.
I wished I could say the same for some of the Alphabet Agencies.
“During war, if you allowed all hams to transmit, there could be some spies mixed in and you’d never know it.”
That absolutely makes sense. Look at the misinformation being put out by the stations with the call-signs of CNN, MSNBC, and others. Thanks.
Thanks. I’ve always had high regard for ham radio.
“Only the uninformed think that the Ham Ops are right wing red necks”
I think that could be ignorance associating Amateur Radio with the Citizen’s Band red neck trucker culture.
But wait...? Now you raise an interesting curiosity. You are not a right wing red neck operator? lol
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