Until the batteries ran down...



On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 18:15:33 +1030, "Stephen Newlyn"
wrote:

From an E-mail to the ARDXC

Here is Victor's reply...to us all......in the ARDXC our special member in
Sri Lanka...
Johno.........you will also note I have informed the ACA, (take note the
effect of power line interference if you have a natural disaster and
have to reply on HF)! and a few other bodies..........

Thank you very much for your concern and sympathy. Excuse this general note
because with so much to do I will take long to get back to you, so treat
this as a temporary message/reply. It makes you comforted to hear from
people saying they are releaved we are safe.

The situation is terrible. I feel more than 50,000 may have perished. I am a
Radio Amateur/Ham, the President of the National Organization of Radio
Hams. We set up emergency communications via HF and VHF with 2 teams going
into very bad disaster areas and gave the Sri Lanka's Prime Minister's
Office communications with the coordinating Government Officer, which had
NO communication until we went in to establish HF links.. Our control centre
was inside the Prime Minister's Official house in his operational room. Will
show how they valued our services.

The moment we got a message there was a team to handle the request for
Medicine, Doctors and so many things. We will continue until such time as
the PM needs our help. After that we will try humanitarian help, like
tracing missing people in hospitals and setting up communication centres in
disaster areas where there is no land lines working and mobile towers,
repeaters are down. Even Satellite phone failed and only HF link was
possible. Our batteries were running out and no generators to charge, no
electricity, lights etc. in those regions where Telephone exchanges,
powerlines and everything for communications was down. Even satellite phone
let down. No way to charge batteries was another problem. Just plain
uncomplicated Short Wave saved lives. Ham Radio played an important part and
will continue to do so. Pray for the People of South and S.East Asia.

Thanks again.

Victor


Regards John Wright Australian Radio Dx club inc vic.