Tag Archives: emergency communcations

Aug 30 2008

Hurricanes and Emergency Communication Courses

It’s That Time Of Year Again!

Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Ike

With Gustav Hurricane Ike rapidly approaching the Texas coastline, ham radio operators and the ARRL Gulf states leaders are hard at work preparing for the onslaught of monster storms.

To help prepare for these imminent dangers to the US, the ARRL offers on line ham radio Emergency Communications  courses. Among other courses available in September, the ARRL is offering the following:

September 5th:

  • Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1 (EC-001)
  • Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 2 (EC-002)
  • Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 3 (EC-003R2)

Other September 5th courses include:

  • Technician License Course (EC-010)
  • Radio Frequency Interference (EC-006)
  • Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009)
  • Analog Electronics (EC-012)
  • Digital Electronics (EC-013)

And on September 19th:

  • Antenna Modeling (EC-004);
  • HF Digital Communications (EC-005);
  • VHF/UHF — Life Beyond the Repeater (EC-008)
  • Radio Frequency Propagation (EC-011).

If anyone has the chance to take one or more of these courses, why not commentabout your experience with the course material.

Jul 11 2008

Ham radio operation can be more than just a hobby

Ham radio operation can be more than just a hobby

By Gene Still
Friday July 11, 2008

It’s a hobby that can turn very serious when it comes to providing a valuable way of communicating during emergency situations.
That was part of the focus of a nationwide public demonstration of emergency communications by ham radio operators in Carman.
The June 28 demonstration in town, organized by the Prairie Amateur Radio Technical Society, was on the grounds of the Memorial Hall. The day allowed the public the opportunity to meet and talk with local ham radio operators and find out what the Amateur Radio Service is all about.
It was part of the conclusion of what was a week-long Amateur Radio Week across Canada and the U.S. of the latest modes of digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code. It was Sponsored by the RAC and the ARRL, the National Associations for Amateur Radio in Canada and the U.S.
Known as Field Day, and with only emergency power supplies, ham operators recreated emergency stations.
Carman Collegiate’s Jeremy McGill is working towards getting his operator’s license and comes by the skill somewhat naturally – his father Rob is an experienced operator having obtained his license in December 1989.

Full Article: The Valley Leader

Dec 7 2007

Ham(Radio)ing it Up with Solar Power

by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 11.26.07

Although the Canadian engineer behind this solar-powered ham-radio setup uses it for camping and search-and-rescue missions, we can also see this being adopted for broader emergency use, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters that may damage power lines and cellphone towers. Pretty nifty.