Again in such huge natural or Man made disasters it is apparent that “HAM RADIO WORKS”. I have been a Ham for longer than I care to admit. I have been involved in several communication needs after some disaster. One would think that it would be less needed now with all the cell phones and other means of communication but the following prove otherwise. A system run and paid for by volunteers that ask for nothing but the right to help when help is needed and ask nothing for their service can always be depended on to provide the essential and immediate needs for communication. – WD0AJG
After Earthquake, Japan’s Radio Amateurs Provide Communications Support:
from The ARRL Letter on March 17, 2011
Website: http://www.arrl.org/
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After Devastating Earthquake, Japan’s Radio Amateurs Provide Communications Support:
After the 8.9 earthquake that struck near Sendai, Japan at 2:46 PM JST (0546 UTC) on Friday, March 11, the island nation is trying to recover. Soon after the earthquake — which the US Geological Survey is calling the largest to hit the island nation in 140 years — Japan has been rocked by tsunamis and power outages caused by trouble at a nuclear power station. Reports from Japan tell of phone and Internet service still up in most parts of the country. Even so, the Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) — that country’s IARU Member-Society — has asked that 7.030 MHz be kept clear for emergency use. Other reports are asking that these additional frequencies be kept clear: 3.525, 7.030, 7.077, 7.087, 7.097, 14.100, 21.200 and 28.200 MHz.
JA1RL, the JARL HQ station — along with other amateurs throughout the island nation — is maintaining the effort to support the disaster relief operation, according to IARU Region 3 Secretary Ken Yamamoto, JA1CJP. "In less damaged areas, the electric power supply is being restored gradually and local amateurs have started to establish stations at shelters," he said. Yamamoto said that JA1RL continues to operate as an emergency traffic center on 7.030 MHz, as well as 2 meters and 70 cm. It is receiving and reporting news from Japanese amateurs who are in the affected area. Using battery power or small generators, Japanese stations are active and are using various frequencies to exchange rescue and disaster relief operation information with JA1RL and others.
"While 3.525, 7.030, 7.043 and 7.075 MHz have been mentioned as in use, it’s wise to keep those — and all of the Center of Emergency frequencies — clear of normal and non-urgent traffic," said IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee Chairman Jim Linton, VK3PC, who added that there is no call for additional foreign radio amateurs in Japan.
For more on how radio amateurs in Japan are providing communications support after earthquake, click herehttp://www.arrl.org/news/radio-amateurs-in-japan-provide-communications-support-after-earthquake. For information on how US amateurs are helping out, click here http://www.arrl.org/news/japan-asks-radio-amateurs-to-keep-frequencies-clear-as-country-goes-into-recovery-mode-after-devasta. For more on how Japan, Hawaii and the Western US dealt with the immediate aftereffects of the earthquake and tsunami, click here http://www.arrl.org/news/massive-earthquake-hits-japan-tsunami-warnings-issued.
Source:
The ARRL Letter
HAM radios are vital connections in disaster situations
BY DARRELL BELLAART, DAILY NEWS MARCH 16, 2011
It may be not be new but ham radio could well be the surest way to reach the outside world if Nanaimo were hit by an earthquake or other calamity.
The Regional District of Nanaimo has two ham radios at its disposal as a communication tool for any major emergency, from a major snowstorm through a forest fire or earthquake.
It proved its worth for a Nanaimo man to reach his son in earthquake-and-tsnunami-ravaged Japan.
That comes as no surprise to amateur radio aficionados, who acknowledge radio waves may not be as glamorous as cellphones, text-messaging or Facebook, but are reliable.
"The best way to look at it, sometimes old technology is proven technology," said Greg Keller, an RDN planner who is a radio hobbyist.
Amateur radio operators must be federally licensed before going on the airwaves. Members of Nanaimo’s active ham radio community would form a lifeline in any emergency.
They would have access to either of the RDN’s two ham radios. A portable unit can be moved to remote locations. A larger unit would serve as a base station.
Ham radio has two advantages over other media: It can operate off the power grid, and higher-frequency radios can reach across vast distances.
"That’s where someone in Nanaimo wanting to reach someone in Japan would do that, using HF radio," Keller said.
Ham radio operators convey messages in "radiograms," by having people write the message down using a form specially designed to protect its accuracy when it gets relayed from one operator to another.
After spending more than a day trying to reach his son Jonathan in Japan last weekend, Trevor Jones got through quickly using ham radio.
If the Red Cross needs to set up a relief centre in the regional district one day, chances are good it will be co-ordinated using ham radio.
"That’s the service we provide," Keller said.
© Copyright (c) Postmedia News
Blogging from Japan
17 March 2011 | by Julian G4ILO | Share | Tweet
Like anyone with an ounce of compassion, Olga and I have been concerned about the welfare of the people of Japan. But it is becoming clear, at least to me, that most of the anxiety we initially felt about a nuclear catastrophe occurring in the country has been caused entirely by irresponsible and sensationalist reporting by the western mass media.
Scrolling news headlines screamed about fear of meltdown even while nuclear experts on the same channels were explaining how, due to the design of the reactors, this wasn’t likely. Fear has been generated over increased radiation levels in Tokyo causing many expatriates to flee home, many on the advice of their own western governments. But whilst reporting these increased levels, the news media have not bothered to put them into context, such as how the amount of radiation compares with that received on the flight home to London or on a holiday in Cornwall in the south west of England, a place where the naturally occurring level of radiation is so high that nuclear plants cannot be built there because they would exceed the legal radiation limits before they even started.
Yesterday, apparently, the Italian relief agency did a test for radiation on the roof of the Italian embassy in Tokyo and got a reading which is lower than the usual reading in Rome! The problems with the Fukushima reactors are almost a non-event compared to the tsunami which has displaced half a million people and wiped whole towns off the map. If the rest of the world wants to help Japan it should get a grip and focus on the real disaster.
In my search to try to find out what is really going on I have found a couple of blogs which I have added to my blogroll. The first is A Brasspounder’s Cafe by Leo, JJ8KGZ. He has just begun to write about his experiences during the earthquake last Friday. The second, The Intercultural, is written by a British academic working in Tokyo. The author is not a ham at all, but the blog is very well written. Finally I have added the blog of Atsu, JE1TRVwhich is called CW4EVER. He hasn’t written much about the disaster and his interests are a bit different than mine but my blog was already in his blogroll which is good enough for me to add his to mine!
Meanwhile we continue to think of the people of northern Japan, and especially the 50 heroes struggling to regain control of the power plants at Fukushima, and hope that things start to get better for the Japanese people very soon.
Julian Moss, G4ILO, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Cumbria, England. Contact him at julian.g4ilo@gmail.com.
Earthquake disaster facts emerge
Date : 15 / 03 / 2011
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC
Japan remains under its worst threat to an ever rising toll, widespread destruction, power, fuel and water shortages follow the massive earthquake, tsunami and failed 40-year old nuclear power station. IARU Region 3 Secretary, Ken Yamamoto JA1CJP said the Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) HQ station JA1RL and other amateur stations are maintaining their effort to support the disaster relief operation.
Ken JA1CJP said, "In less damaged areas, the electric power supply is being restored gradually and local amateur radio club members have started to establish stations at shelters." The information is being coordinated as part of an organised rescue and relief effort. It seems likely to continue for some weeks and months to come. The 8.9 on the Richter scale quake hit off north-eastern Sendai and triggered a ten-metre tsunami on Friday. Ken JA1CJP quoting local news sources said, "The situation is getting worse. On March 15, police announced that 2,414 people have been killed (up from 1,627 24 hours earlier) and 3,118 are reported missing (about double in the
same period).
"Some 55,380 houses/buildings were damaged by the earthquake and 3,000 houses washed away by the tsunami." Rescue teams have arrived and started their activities in the affected areas. They came from many nations including Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, China, USA, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and Russia. In all the Japanese government has received help from 91 nations and territories and nine international organisations. Ken JA1CJP said another worry is leakage of radio-active gasses at the Fukushima nuclear plant which was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami.
A shortage of fuel, disruption to rail and road transport have been reported from many affected areas still recovering from the worst earthquake in 140 years followed by a widespread tsunami that swept away so much. JA1RL continues to operate under instruction to be an emergency traffic centre and increasingly receiving help from JARL members in the affected area. It is using the 7 MHz SSB, 144 MHz SSB/FM and 430 MHz SSB/FM.
Many other stations are active and are using various frequencies including some battery powered and others using small generators to exchange rescue and disaster relief operation information with JA1RL and others. While 3525, 7030, 7043 and 7075 have been mentioned as in use, it’s wise to keep those and all of the Centre of Emergency (CoA) clear of normal and non-urgent traffic. There is no call for additional foreign radio amateurs.
– Jim Linton, VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.