Posted on 04/29/2015 10:18:57 AM PDT by markomalley
Amateur radio has stepped in to fill communication gaps in Nepal, which is struggling with power outages and a flaky Internet after a devastating earthquake on Saturday killed over 5,000 people.
The hobbyist radio operators, also known as ham radio operators or hams, are working round-the-clock to help people get in touch with relatives, pass on information and alert about developing crises ever since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit about 80 kilometers from Nepals capital city of Kathmandu.
Ham radio sends voice or morse code messages across radio frequencies and has often helped in emergencies. It can work off solar power or low-voltage batteries, which means that the radios can continue to work even after smartphones and laptops are discharged, said Jayu Bhide, National Coordinator for Disaster Communication at the Amateur Radio Society of India, on Wednesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at itworld.com ...
I am not aware of one but would like to join one. I am getting ready to start my tech licence study.
5.56mm
But now that I'm limited to text and CW, I expect my WPM will climb.
I'm really slow.
I did my 15WMP to pass the test for Advanced, but that little spurt of speed would take some time to work back up to.
/johnny
Euro stations have assumed net control duties on 14.205 and 14.215 GJ3DVC is primary net control at this time, 20:00 UTC.
I have not heard 9N1AA today, he’s probably getting some well deserved rest.
Hardly. License holders are at record levels and hams are active from the medium frequencies to microwave.
I believe that Nepal doesn’t have reciprocity agreements that permit non Nepalese or Indian operators to work there. Hence the use of Indian hams.
Many of the SKCC operators send at 5 WPM more or less and I adjust my speed to match theirs. Nobody judges anyone else concerning their speed or quality of their fist. We all have fun doing something "retro" and I view it as my way to Elmer other ops just getting into CW. Many of the ops meet up at http://www.obriensweb.com/sked/index.php?board=skcc. Believe it or not, CW is getting quite popular again.
There are a couple of Elmers in my town that periodically do a class for tech license. Unfortunately, I haven’t done a whole lot with mine. Life tends to intervene.
The CEPT website shows that foreign hams can get licenses but must pay high fees based on the number of bands you want to work. It would seem reasonable the under emergency conditions that Nepal would allow volunteer ops to come in. Based on some traffic I heard earlier the net control station was calling for check-ins from any 9N stations. I don’t know if that means that other 9N stations are up and operating. I heard none.
>>Kartographer, do you know if there is a ham radio ping list ?
I think so
Preppers?<<
Bacon?
Add me to the ham ping list. Advanced license, back when they had it. Talk 2m to and frm work.
HAM operators are ALWAYS first to coordinate.
There is it is on my home page.
Ham Ping
How do you get a Ham License?
You only need a license to transmit.
Anyone may receive shortwave broadcasts.
When we get major disasters, it is the first place I go for boots on the ground info.
The 40 meter band is probably the most active place to listen.
You know that feeling when you can’t find a cell?? The very first thing to go down in a natural or Man made disaster is the cell phone. Been in emergency coms for 35 years. Even a 5 watts CW transmitter and a piece of wire in the tree at 30’ can make global communications possible. Can do that on solar power if necessary. Remember that when you bitch about your neighbors tower. de .— ...— -.-. ..-. via QRZ
Tell that to my XYL .... .. .... ..
I think I’ll go for it.
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