Emergency Traffic in Disaster's Wake

[n8gni]

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/12/27/2/?nc=1

VU2HFR reports that radio amateurs in India are handling hundreds of pieces of health and welfare traffic

VU4RBI/VU4NRO DXpedition team continues to pass traffic and occasionally hand out QSOs

4S7SW, a physician operating from the vicinity of a hospital in Mathara, Sri Lanka, which also was heavily hit by the tsunamis. "He is requesting food, clothing and medicines for relief," Raman reported. "He will be listening 14.195 and 21.295." Telephones are not working there, he said.

VU2MUE, reports two emergency frequencies have been established. VU4NRO, the team at Port Blair, will be QRV on or near 14.190 MHz.

Other emergency traffic frequencies being reported include 14.193 and 14.160 MHz in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 7.050 MHz in South India, 7.055 MHz in Indonesia and 7.075 in Thailand, where stations from 4S7, VU2 and 9M2 were reportedly heard.

 

[Chris-M]

There are so many people out there that think there is no need for Ham Radio since we have 'the internet'. Well folks, when it comes down to the nitty gritty, the Ham Radio volunteers are the ones that end up going to work to provide communications. I've worked tornado disaster relief in NC; typhoon disaster relief on Guam (Paka-1998). When the radio towers are destroyed, the telephone systems, power grid, etc are damaged due to a natural disaster, then it's back to the airwaves. The 9/11 disaster was another big callout for Ham radio ops. The World Trade Centers had huge antennas on top and several radio systems went down that day.
There will always be a need for Ham Radio!

 

[Sparx]

What a farce

There are so many people out there that think there is no need for Ham Radio since we have 'the internet'. Well folks, when it comes down to the nitty gritty, the Ham Radio volunteers are the ones that end up going to work to provide communications. I've worked tornado disaster relief in NC; typhoon disaster relief on Guam (Paka-1998). When the radio towers are destroyed, the telephone systems, power grid, etc are damaged due to a natural disaster, then it's back to the airwaves. The 9/11 disaster was another big callout for Ham radio ops. The World Trade Centers had huge antennas on top and several radio systems went down that day.
There will always be a need for Ham Radio!

Sorry but 9/11 didn't call out hams since they not only had no access to the affected areas but lacked interoperable equipment. Shelters required little support since there were few homeless from office towers.

This phalacy that ham radio is saving lives in the tsunami aftermath is total S[crap].

How many US hams are even on scene at 1 of 1000's of islands? Cell phones are being used to triangulate victims' locations, not hams. You can read about this search method & psunami warning systems at http://www.dailywireless.org

Ham radio is only as good as the on-ground response which is nil in this psunami situation.

 

[KR4BD]

:?: :?: :?: :?:

Sparx:

Why are you so bitter about ham radio?

I have been involved in several disaster communications events in the past and I can tell you, ham radio DOES fill a definite need in times of communication breakdown.

Here is another view on ham radio's current work in the current tsunami/earthquake disaster:

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/12/29/100/?nc=1

 

[KC2LVC]

9/11 was not as big a disaster as the tsunami/earthquake is. On 9/11 you were extremely lucky to actually be able to make a phone call, either from a cell or landline. At least in the NYC area. I was not able to make one call for hours, mostly because lines were too jammed. So, this was without physical lines being down, for the most part, except around the WTC, I'm sure. So, in a disaster such as the tsunami/earthquake, where probably almost all lines are down, I find it hard to believe that hams are not playing a part in the relief. This won't be the last time either.

 

[elk2370bruce]

Having been a direct participant in a number of international disaster relief responses (on the ground - on site) over the years, I will, respectfully disagree with you. Amateur radio is a useful tool, where it is available, in communicating both internally and with the outside world in support of other communications capabilities that either exist or that are brought in by relief forces. Perhaps the examples provided above are the not the best but the "hams" have always been the first ones to offer their help to us - often meeting us at the aircraft when we first arrive. I would suggest a slightly less parochial set of sweeping statements unless you've been out there ankle deep in it with us. No, I am not an amateur radio operator so I have no vested interest or axe to grind. Sparkz needs to change his medication and lose the ****ty attitude in his previous posts toward everyone else here. Getting so no one really wants him or his comments. Add me to that growing list.

 

[Sparx]

Sparx:

Why are you so bitter about ham radio?

I have been involved in several disaster communications events in the past and I can tell you, ham radio DOES fill a definite need in times of communication breakdown.

Bitter? I am actually laughing at this whole self-praise psyndrome hams suffer from. It gets worse everyday. The decline in ability to be of use only makes the claims more outrageous. Ham radio in the US is playing ZERO part in search & rescue in the countries affected. That is a fact...

There is no "communications breakdown" as you cite since most of the countries affected never really had them to start with. The ham's old farce that "cellular always fails" is even dispelled in 3rd world islands like the Maldives whose cell system is back up to 90% using backup generators. I have yet to see one orange vest or an HT geek in any video or picture shown on TV.

Well over 250,000 are dead (they only found 140,000 so far) & US hams' answer to this catastrophe is to sit back in their nice cozy homes patting themselves on the back for absolutely nothing but symbolism over substance. "Traffic" is a joke!

How many traffic nets have activated? Way too many for what little is actually being accomplished, endless blather. Kind of like those hurricane nets where hams talk about rain & wind for hours. Citing ARRL reports of such events is like citing the old Soviet News Agency Provda. Creative propaganda, nothing less.

Whatever makes you feel good but in reality, your ability to actually be involved is highly diminished circa 2005. Keep in mind that many of these countries have very few amateurs, yet cell phones are literally everywhere. They are even being used to track foriegners, post event, to figure out if they may have survived.

 

[KR4BD]

Sparx

You are obviously not paying attention. There are many hams in that part of the world who ARE providing emergency communications. Think what you want. Believe what you want. I know different.

 

[loumaag]

Re: What a farce

Sorry but 9/11 didn't call out hams since they not only had no access to the affected areas but lacked interoperable equipment. Shelters required little support since there were few homeless from office towers.

Another mis-informed, totally inaccurate, statement from someone with an axe to grind (for some unknown reason.) I invite anyone (including you Sparx to take a look at this PDF article which explains amateur radio's role in the 9/11 aftermath.

This phalacy that ham radio is saving lives in the tsunami aftermath is total S[crap].

How many US hams are even on scene at 1 of 1000's of islands? Cell phones are being used to triangulate victims' locations, not hams. You can read about this search method & psunami warning systems at http://www.dailywireless.org

Ham radio is only as good as the on-ground response which is nil in this psunami situation.

Phalacy, what is that? From the root word phallic perhaps? If you meant fallacy, I guess this is another area in that you have limited knowledge. US Hams. why would US Hams be on the scene? What would be wrong with Thai Hams, Indian Hams, Sri Lanka Hams, etc.? Are they on the ground, well they are not in orbit around the earth, so I guess on the ground would be where they are. Take a look at this link that seems to contradict your mis-informed opinions (previously linked by KR4BD.)

Based on your most recent post, I am going to guess that you work in the wireless (read cellular) industry. It is amazing the lengths that this industry (and its minions) will go to denigrate other users of the radio spectrum.

 

[elk2370bruce]

What else can you expect from someone who says he lives in Muck Cross.
Perhaps when he was a kid, he failed his novice test or someone forgot to send him a QSL card or Uncle Sugar caught him running a linear into his Radio Shack CB. Whatever his personal emotional baggage, nothing anyone can say will convince him - even if we use words of less than one syllable. After all, he has a better grip on the realities of the world than anyone else. Just ask him. :roll: He really is no longer worth "communicating" with so let him die on the vine and on the forum.

 

[n8gni]

What this post is about

Just sharing some frequencies! Mainly health and welfare out of the
affected areas! :arrow:

7.050 (EM Net); 7.060; 7.090 - CW or LSB
21.240 - Best Propagation - USB
14.160; 14.190; 14.195; 14. 200; 14.265 - all USB

 

[Chris-M]

Bitter? I am actually laughing at this whole self-praise psyndrome hams suffer from. It gets worse everyday. The decline in ability to be of use only makes the claims more outrageous. Ham radio in the US is playing ZERO part in search & rescue in the countries affected. That is a fact...

Well I was gonna respond but I'd be wasting my time.

'73s to those who give a &#%$@.

 

[Sparx]

Your shallowness of purpose has been exposed to the world

The personal attacks just show your injured egos get the best of you. You can make fun of where I am or assume I don't have a license. I expected such a boilerplate response from egotists.

I read last night on ARRL.org that hams want to pick & choose what messages they handle in the affected areas by only handling outgoing messages? All the years they claimed "health & WELFARE" was the sole reason for training nets tying up frequencies to pass imaginary traffic. Now the "big one" actually arrives & the poor babies are "overwhelmed"? Ham radio is no longer a service or a public service, it is a joke. The definition of service clearly has been lost when you pick & choose your response when actually required. The need is clearly incoming inquiries so I guess families will have to find other alternatives to amateur radio afterall.

Hams knock CB'ers. Hams knock cellular. Hams knock the internet. Hams knock Part 15. Hams even knock WiFi'rs.

Yet hams now want a "message diode" placed between them & real disaster needs?

Your shallowness of purpose has been exposed for the whole world to see, literally!

Want to see the real ham radio world?

http://www.hamsexy.com

<OUT>

 

[n4voxgill]

For a while sparx was a "colorful" character, good for a laugh. But when you have heard the same joke more than once, it is no longer funny.

Ham radio was here before you arrived and it will be here after you have departed. Frankly I could care less about your opinion about it, and I am sure you feel the same about mine.

People with a lot of experience in dealing with disasters understand why inquiries into the area are held until there is an infrastructure to get them delivered locally. These people do what is required without input from you or me.

People that call Rush Limbaugh start off by saying DiTTO, this saves time instead of saying the same thing over and over. You could save a lot of space, by just typing ditto and we would know what you mean.

 

[KB8UYC]

Re: Your shallowness of purpose has been exposed to the worl

The personal attacks just show your injured egos get the best of you. You can make fun of where I am or assume I don't have a license. I expected such a boilerplate response from egotists.

I read last night on ARRL.org that hams want to pick & choose what messages they handle in the affected areas by only handling outgoing messages? All the years they claimed "health & WELFARE" was the sole reason for training nets tying up frequencies to pass imaginary traffic. Now the "big one" actually arrives & the poor babies are "overwhelmed"? Ham radio is no longer a service or a public service, it is a joke. The definition of service clearly has been lost when you pick & choose your response when actually required. The need is clearly incoming inquiries so I guess families will have to find other alternatives to amateur radio afterall.

Hams knock CB'ers. Hams knock cellular. Hams knock the internet. Hams knock Part 15. Hams even knock WiFi'rs.

Yet hams now want a "message diode" placed between them & real disaster needs?

Your shallowness of purpose has been exposed for the whole world to see, literally!

Want to see the real ham radio world?

http://www.hamsexy.com

<OUT>

You odviously are in a lost little tiny world. The role that Amatuer Radio Operators are playing in the wake of this disaster is priceless. So many hams regardless where they are, are helping.
Question 1- Is there phone service to any of the affected area?
Answer 1-No
Question 2- Is there any type of Internet to the effected area?
Answer 2- I seriously doupt it!
Question 3- Is there Cellular phone service to the effected areas?
Answer 3- probably and very very limited

So how is the relief efforts being carried out if they cannot communicate? Yep you guessed it AMATUER RADIO!!! Perhaps you should get a license and maybe a radio that you can hear the traffic nets(yeah the traffic that you say is crap) and listen how it is passed and what it entails. A lot of the relief that is coming from America was requested through ham radio. After that Tsunami hit, ham radio was there only hope of requesting help

Perhaps you should do some more studying rather than looking at stupid crap like http://www.hamsexy.com

Eric-KB8UYC

 

[n8gni]

Why does Sparx hate hams?

I read last night on ARRL.org that hams want to pick & choose what messages they handle in the affected areas by only handling outgoing messages? All the years they claimed "health & WELFARE" was the sole reason for training nets tying up frequencies to pass imaginary traffic. Now the "big one" actually arrives & the poor babies are "overwhelmed"?

I fail to see any value to the incoming messages! What would they be?

"Can you tell Sally Jones to call us right away"
"Is John Smith ok?"
I'm sure there is plenty of incoming info, but messages of this sort are most of the time unanswerable and a large waste of time and resources.

If you hate ham radio then why do you bother going to read articles on the ARRL site?

Have a happy and safe New Year and pray for the people that can't!
[/quote]

 

[CSL126]

is it possible to hear anything on the frequencies listed above from here in the US? I have a Grundig YB400PE... also, does radioshack sell any type of whip antenna for HF radios? and how would you go about putting one up on a mast? If anyone knows of any other good sites for reference, please send me the links... Thanks in advance!

 

[n8gni]

YB-400 antenna

Doesn't the YB-400 come with a reel type antenna? Reel it out as far as you can, height is great so the higher the antenna is the better it will work.
If you can get the antenna outside it'll work better.
21.240 is the best frequency and works better during daylight hours.

 

[NewbombTurk]

Sparx should have been here when the federal building was blown up.
Then he could have seen first hand what the hams did. I was there.

 

[neonhomer]

What else can you expect from someone who or Uncle Sugar caught him running a linear into his Radio Shack CB.

Hey now.. CB isn't all bad... I still have to use it because I have not been able to get my ticket yet. (I am going for on the 22nd). Granted there are your choice morons on CB who have to have thousands of watts of power and splatter the whole band, but there are a few CB users who are decent.