Skip to comments.
Ham radio attempts to fill communication gaps in Nepal rescue effort
IT World ^
| 4-29-15
| John Ribeiro
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 ...
TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-79 next last
One note on the article, it says QRP is 15-20 watts. QRP is actually 5 watts or less. Otherwise, a nice piece on what amateur radio can do when SHTF.
To: markomalley
Morse gets though where voice doesn't.
God bless those that help with communications.
/johnny
To: Art Bell
3
posted on
04/29/2015 10:24:16 AM PDT
by
Theoria
(I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
To: markomalley
What bands are getting the most traffic? QRP will only really reach out down below 40m. I’ll fire up the rig and see what I can pick up, being on the west coast I should get something.
4
posted on
04/29/2015 10:28:00 AM PDT
by
factoryrat
(We are the producers, the creators. Grow it, mine it, build it.)
To: VR-21
5
posted on
04/29/2015 10:32:35 AM PDT
by
VR-21
To: JRandomFreeper
Morse gets though where voice doesn't. _ ._. .._ . ._._._
6
posted on
04/29/2015 10:33:47 AM PDT
by
chajin
("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
To: factoryrat
I don't have an antenna up, or I would listen in, too.
I had a dream about getting a vertical, so maybe I should get one. lol!
/johnny
To: factoryrat
QRP will only really reach out down below 40m. It's all QRP on V/UHF bands, unless you are into EME. I would presume that short range communications are carried out on V/UHF, and longer range is done on HF using NVIS, given that half of Nepal is a mountain country and most of their repeaters in high places are out of power by now. If they have enough power in the link, RTTY or PSK are preferred modes, as they can be serviced by minimally trained operators.
8
posted on
04/29/2015 10:36:41 AM PDT
by
Greysard
To: markomalley
“Otherwise, a nice piece on what amateur radio can do when SHTF.”
It’s too bad that Ham Radio is dying, and fast.
Someday, we are really going to need it.
9
posted on
04/29/2015 10:36:51 AM PDT
by
tcrlaf
(They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
To: factoryrat
QRP will only really reach out down below 40m.
Not so. I use my QRP rig and often use 20m, 17m, and 15m. My farthest contact is 5,300 miles to south Brazil. That is using phone, not CW.
I love QRP but if I really needed to make contact (like emergency situations), I would use PSK mode at 30 watts or, phone at 100 watts.
10
posted on
04/29/2015 10:41:09 AM PDT
by
TxAg1981
To: markomalley
If you’ve been there, you understand how unlikely it is that anyone anywhere has electricity at any point in time.
Can ham radios operate on pedal power?
11
posted on
04/29/2015 10:46:09 AM PDT
by
Uncle Miltie
(we also gave those who wished to destroy space to do that - Baltimore's Democrat Mayor)
To: Greysard
Imagine, an antennae on EVEREST!.............
12
posted on
04/29/2015 10:46:22 AM PDT
by
Red Badger
(Man builds a ship in a bottle. God builds a universe in the palm of His hand.............)
To: factoryrat
“What bands are getting the most traffic? QRP will only really reach out down below 40m.”
I personally would guess 80 or 40. With any higher frequencies, they’d be QRM’d by lids trying to work on their DXCC.
Personally, I’d do 80m PSK31 if I was them.
13
posted on
04/29/2015 10:47:52 AM PDT
by
markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)
To: markomalley
Please add me to your Ham radio ping list, if you have one.
14
posted on
04/29/2015 10:49:22 AM PDT
by
LadyBuck
(Strangeways, here we come....)
To: Uncle Miltie
“Can ham radios operate on pedal power?”
Yes. Search “ham field day” and you’ll find all sorts of improvised radio.
15
posted on
04/29/2015 10:51:48 AM PDT
by
CrazyIvan
(I lost my phased plasma rifle in a tragic hovercraft accident.)
To: JRandomFreeper
“I had a dream about getting a vertical, so maybe I should get one. lol!”
Suggest an SGC-239 auto-tuner and a random length wire (it can match a wire as short as 40 feet for 80m and higher (8 ft for 40m and higher). Also it’s less than 200 dollars.
16
posted on
04/29/2015 10:55:08 AM PDT
by
markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)
To: TxAg1981
My best contact ever was last breakout back in the 90s. I spoke from Texas to Northern California on FM on the 6 meter band on a handi-talkie. Direct with no repeaters involved.
I was making a joke with a friend who was with me, and some guy from northern CA actually talked to me. LOL!
Surprised us both.
/johnny
To: Uncle Miltie
18
posted on
04/29/2015 10:59:21 AM PDT
by
markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)
To: JRandomFreeper
A random wire is as close to free as one can get!
19
posted on
04/29/2015 11:00:06 AM PDT
by
loungitude
(The truth hurts.)
To: loungitude
And I probably have a few random wires floating around the yard. All I need to do is bring in a terminator.
/johnny
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-79 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson