Trials & Errors #66: High Water -- Amateur Radio and the 2004 Tsunami

This is the forum for the article #66, about the Indian Ocean tsunami of late 2004/2005. In a disaster that killed nearly a quarter of a million people, Amateur Radio stood out as having had an important role. Please see the article at this link, and drop your comments and questions in the forum below. Thank you! Dave, W7DGJ

 

It just shows how important Ham Radio is still needed in an age where almost everyone thinks that their cell phones will work in a disaster! Cell towers go down and that fancy new phone is nothing but an expensive paper weight. Good thing most of us have a "Ham Radio go bag" usually used for POTA but during an emergency it's a life saving tool!
NT0TT

 

Thanks Gunner. That's right . . . on Sri Lanka and in Indonesia, there were hams grabbing their go-bags to get to the disaster scene quickly. We all need to be prepared for situations as they occur, as this is a major part of our charter. 73, Dave

 

Just playing devil's advocate and having been through several major regional disasters where the power grid and communications systems like the cellular networks were disrupted, I have to ask a few questions:
#1. Just who, other than perhaps other amateurs, do you think you will be able to communicate with?
#2. Just how will amateur radio allow for communications with emergency response agencies?
#3. Just how, even if communications of conditions and needs to emergency responders is possible, will any meaningful assistance be possible when those entities are overwhelmed?
#4. Once YOUR source of power for your equipment is exhausted how to you plan to stay on the air?

Based on experience my priorities in preparation for a major disaster are:
* water
* food
* essential medications
* temporary shelter
Yes I will have a communications capability via ham radio but I have no realistic expectation that it will contribute to anyone's survival.

 

Jerry, I'm sure that for most of us, the first priority will be to save our own life and those of our family. So, much of what you say is true, BUT there will still be an opportunity for amateurs to jump into any sort of solution they see, just as those in my examples did. A DXpedition in one case, and some random guys with go bags in another. Dave

 

I'm in the same boat MAYBE I can help someone.