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September 2nd 05, 05:40 AM

wrote:

Flood conditions high enough to inundate "commercial
infrastructure" equipment will ALSO inundate amateur
equipment and render it useless as well.

FOX30
WAWS
Ham Radio operators provide early communication after storm
Last Update: 8/30/2005 9:45:19 AM

The technology has been around for close to 100 years, and during
natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina, it could be one of the most
reliable forms of communication.

“Ham radio” operators may soon be helping in the recovery effort during
the cleanup phase of Katrina relief. Even after a storm like Katrina,
operators in the gulf states can be back on the air delivering important
information immediately.

Allen Jones is an amateur emergency radio operator in St., Johns County.
While wind and rain can cut other forms of communication, Jones says ham
radio operators can be back on the air in no time. Most have back-up
generators and just need to put antennas back up that have been taken out.

Jones and others like him worked out of shelters during last year’s
hurricanes, making sure messages got out. For Katrina, Jones has already
tried to help a friend who couldn’t get in touch with a family member in
hurricane ravaged Gulfport, Mississippi. Getting that important update
may mean reaching out to several other operators along the way.

“They'll spread the word,” says Jones. “Somebody will know that person,
and they'll find that person.”

Allen says there are 35 ham operators on his emergency communication
team in St. Johns County. He'll soon learn if any of them will be needed
to operate radio equipment where hurricane Katrina struck.

Ham operators hope to get a digital link set up at hospitals and the EOC
in St. Johns County. That way, prescriptions and other important
information can be printed and available to shelters.

WLOX managers suggest the best way to find news of friends and family is
through HAM radio operators. There is a HAM radio operator stationed at
WLOX; call sign is WX5AAA.

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