What is Amateur Radio
Amateur Radio is more than a hobby. It's an important public service that is used during emergencies to transmit vital information and assist emergency services. Also known as Ham Radio, amateur radio is easy to get involved in and will prove invaluable for everyone's security.
You can use amateur radio to talk around town, or around the world. All it takes is an amateur radio license and a radio (although most of us own more than one). Equipment can be as inexpensive as $25 or as expensive as $3500, depending on how much you want to invest. Most operators begin with small inexpensive handheld radios and gradually move up to more expensive mobile radios and then base stations for the home. It all depends on ho much you want to spend and how much you want to be involved.
Once you have your license and you get on the air, you are a member of a unique community of men and women who are dedicated to the cause and willing to assist their communities any way they can.
Morse Code
Years ago, morse code was a requirement. The FCC removed this requirement so morse code is no longer required (although there are still a number of operators who prefer using morse code for long distance communications). Morse code (or CW for Constant Wave) is a great way to increase distances of your signal. This is why many operators still use CW today.
General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)
While this is not the same as amateur radio, it is still worth mentioning here. GMRS has become a very popular form of radio communications. There is no exam to get a license, and repeaters are allowed. While there are not as many repeaters for GMRS as there are for ham radio, there are still many being put up.
GMRS gained popularity through off roaders who outfit their rigs with radios for communications. Many install repeaters on their RVs setup as base camp, enabling wide range communications while they are out off roading. GMRS radios are limited in power and limited to a set number of channels. Many amateur radio operators also have GMRS radios for family setups, camping, and other events. GMRS is also widely used during emergencies because they are easy to license and inexpensive to buy.
GMRS operates in the UHF band 462-467Mhz. This is the top of the 70cm band. Amateur radio operates in the full range of the 70cm band. So while GMRS is limited in power and channels, it is very convenient for local communications especially when communicating with people not licensed on amateur radio.
Amateur Radio and Emergency Services
This is the Johnston County Amateur Radio Society Mobile Communications Center for emergency services support. With radios capable of reaching all over the world, this communications center is designed to support emergency services during a catastrophe.
Amateur radio is capable of reaching all over the world under the right conditions. But when conditions are not perfect, radio operators are trained to relay information over great distances. When catastrophes strike, amateur radio operators grab their gear and go wherever necessary to provide vital communications when nothing else works.
During Helene in the mountains of Western NC, there was no cell service, and emergency service agencies were without radio communications. They had nothing. Their services were no longer operating, taken out by the storm. Amateur radio operators were able to quickly setup their own personal equipment and provide vital communications where needed. GMRS radio was also vital in this role, providing localized short range communications for search and rescue and welfare checks.
Information was relayed off the mountain to operators all over the state who were able to communicate with the temporary stations setup on the mountain, and were able to provide information about loved ones to their families. Amateur radio operators practice for this form of information relay every day in what is known as radio “nets”. To many, the net seems like a bunch of folks “ragging” on about their day, but in reality these nets are vital practice for relaying information to a “controller” for dissemination to emergency services.
This is just one of many examples of how amateur radio is used during emergencies and catastrophes.