When disaster disrupts everyday communications, amateur radio can become an important link to the outside world.

When a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on August 10, 2026, followed by numerous aftershocks, amateur radio operators quickly became part of the emergency response. Members of the Colombian Amateur Radio League (LCR) worked alongside the Colombian Red Cross and disaster-management officials as damage assessments and recovery efforts got underway.

For most of us, amateur radio is a hobby. We chase DX, work CW, experiment with antennas, operate portable stations and enjoy talking with other operators around the world. Events like this remind us that the same equipment and skills can have a much more serious purpose.

When Communications Matter Most

Following the earthquake, Colombian amateur radio operators helped keep communications functioning in affected areas. The LCR activated established IARU Region 2 emergency frequencies on HF and VHF, and amateurs elsewhere were asked to keep those frequencies clear so emergency traffic could get through without unnecessary interference.

That request alone illustrates something important about amateur radio: a station hundreds or even thousands of miles away can affect an emergency communications network. Sometimes helping during a disaster simply means listening and staying off frequencies being used for emergency traffic.

The response wasn’t limited to sitting behind radios. Operators from Liga Radio Quindío headed toward Cerro Campanario, a mountain site roughly 3,600 meters above sea level, in an effort to restore strategically important repeaters using solar panels and batteries. Those repeaters support amateur communications as well as local and regional risk-management systems. citeturn0search9

Why Ham Radio Still Matters

Cellular networks, internet connections and commercial communications systems are remarkable—but they depend on infrastructure. Towers need power. Networks need functioning equipment and connections.

Amateur radio can operate differently.

A radio, an antenna and an independent power source can establish communications without relying on the internet or a cellular network. Portable antennas, batteries and solar power can allow operators to establish or restore communications from locations where conventional systems may be damaged or unavailable.

That is exactly why practicing portable operation, learning emergency procedures and understanding how to operate efficiently with limited power are more than just enjoyable parts of the hobby.

More Than a Hobby

The Colombian earthquake offers another reminder of the value of amateur radio.

We may spend most of our time experimenting with radios, building antennas or trying to squeeze another contact out of a few watts. But those same skills teach us how to improvise, communicate and operate independently.

When a major disaster occurs, that knowledge can suddenly become very important.

Sometimes amateur radio is about making the contact. Other times, it’s about making sure someone can make the contact when it matters most.

Sources: ARRL — Colombian Amateurs Help in Earthquake Response · IARU — Amateur Radio Active in Colombian Earthquake

Yes. I found an official earthquake-specific donation appeal, so I would add a short “How You Can Help” section near the end of the article. The IFRC has launched a CHF 25 million emergency appeal to support the Colombian Red Cross, targeting assistance to about 24,000 people. IFRC

How You Can Help

The amateur radio response is only one part of the much larger relief effort underway in Colombia. For readers who would like to help financially, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has established an official emergency appeal specifically for the 2026 Colombia earthquake.

Donations support the Colombian Red Cross as its teams provide search and rescue, medical assistance, emergency shelter, clean water, psychological first aid, family-reunification services and other assistance to communities affected by the earthquake.

Donate to the Colombia Earthquake Emergency Appeal:
IFRC — Colombia Earthquake 2026

Colombian Red Cross:
Cruz Roja Colombiana

Additional Amateur Radio Resources

For amateur radio operators who want to follow the communications side of the response:

ARRL — Colombian Amateurs Help in Earthquake Response
Read the ARRL report

ARRL — Colombian Emergency Network Activated Following Earthquake
Read the emergency network report

These reports are also a good reminder for operators outside the affected region: one of the easiest ways we can help is to listen first and keep designated emergency frequencies clear.

In an emergency, sometimes the most valuable transmission is the one we choose not to make.

I especially like that final line for your article. It connects the donation appeal directly back to amateur radio rather than making the section feel like an unrelated fundraising message.

The IFRC page is the donation link I’d recommend using because it specifically states that donations to this appeal are channeled through the IFRC to support the Colombian Red Cross response and provides accountability for their use. IFRC

Official Colombia Earthquake 2026 Donation Page

Colombian Red Cross

ARRL Amateur Radio Earthquake Response Report

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