{"id":28588,"date":"2017-09-29T18:30:27","date_gmt":"2017-09-29T22:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=28588"},"modified":"2017-09-29T16:55:15","modified_gmt":"2017-09-29T20:55:15","slug":"amateur-radio-playing-key-role-in-puerto-rico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/amateur-radio-playing-key-role-in-puerto-rico\/","title":{"rendered":"Amateur radio: “Playing Key Role in Puerto Rico”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(Source: NBC News<\/a>)<\/p>\n

When things went dark and quiet in Puerto Rico, a cadre of amateur radio operators became a lifeline on the island.<\/p>\n

About two dozen amateur radio operators on the island helped police and first responders communicate when their radio networks failed completely. Some of the radio operators, or hams traveled on trucks to provide communications to the power company, PREPA.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a less than ideal solution, but it works and that\u2019s the essence of amateur radio \u2013 make it work,\u201d said Tom Gallagher, CEO of the American Radio Relay League, the national association for amateur radio.<\/p>\n

Now the ranks of operator are about to get reinforcements.<\/p>\n

At the request of the Red Cross, the league planned to send 50 radio operators into Puerto Rico with \u201cenormous\u201d radio gear in water proof containers, their own power supplies, new generators and solar arrays. The crew and equipment were to leave Thursday from Atlanta.<\/p>\n

Their job, once set up and in place, will be to be the communication pipeline for the Red Cross Safe and Well program, helping people on the mainland trying to connect with loved ones on the island or get news of their status.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can relieve a lot of misery by telling people their relatives are okay,\u201d said Gallagher, whose call sign is NY2RF.[…]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Continue reading the full article at NBC News…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  (Source: NBC News) When things went dark and quiet in Puerto Rico, a cadre of amateur radio operators became a lifeline on the island. About two dozen amateur radio operators on the island helped police and first responders communicate when their radio networks failed completely. Some of the radio operators, or hams traveled on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[545,3,553],"tags":[389,2709,4102,1489,6529,5672],"class_list":["post-28588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ham-radio","category-news","category-preparedness","tag-amateur-radio","tag-emergency-communications","tag-ham-radio","tag-hurricane","tag-hurricane-maria","tag-nbc"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-7r6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":28593,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/npr-amateur-radio-operators-stepped-in-to-help-communications-with-puerto-rico\/","url_meta":{"origin":28588,"position":0},"title":"NPR: Amateur Radio Operators Stepped In To Help Communications With Puerto Rico","author":"Thomas","date":"September 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: NPR via Eric, WD8RIF) Volunteer HAM operators have set up informal radio networks to connect family and friends with their loved ones in Puerto Rico. NPR's Kelly McEvers talks to one of those volunteers, Greg Dober. Click here to listen via NPR.","rel":"","context":"In "Emergency Preparedness"","block_context":{"text":"Emergency Preparedness","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/emergency-preparedness\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Hurricane-Maria-Puerto-Rico.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Hurricane-Maria-Puerto-Rico.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Hurricane-Maria-Puerto-Rico.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Hurricane-Maria-Puerto-Rico.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28527,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/puerto-rico-amateur-radio-operators-fill-red-cross-request-for-deployment-within-24-hours\/","url_meta":{"origin":28588,"position":1},"title":"Puerto Rico: Amateur Radio operators fill Red Cross request for deployment within 24 hours","author":"Thomas","date":"September 27, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A follow-up from our post yesterday. Most impressive response from the amateur radio community--incredible... (Source: ARRL News via Eric, WD8RIF) Fifty of the nation\u2019s most accomplished Amateur Radio operators responded within 24 hours to the call of the American Red Cross to deploy to Puerto Rico and provide emergency communications.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/ARRL.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/ARRL.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/ARRL.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28590,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/cnn-ham-radio-operators-are-saving-puerto-rico\/","url_meta":{"origin":28588,"position":2},"title":"CNN: “Ham radio operators are saving Puerto Rico”","author":"Thomas","date":"September 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: CNN) (CNN)The phone call from the Red Cross came in late Friday night, just as the full scale of Hurricane Maria's calamity began taking shape. \"We need 50 of your best radio operators to go down to Puerto Rico.\" In the days after the worst storm in three generations\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Emergency Preparedness"","block_context":{"text":"Emergency Preparedness","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/emergency-preparedness\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Puerto-Rico-Post-Maria.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Puerto-Rico-Post-Maria.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Puerto-Rico-Post-Maria.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Puerto-Rico-Post-Maria.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28509,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/puerto-rico-hurricane-relief-arrl-asks-for-volunteers\/","url_meta":{"origin":28588,"position":3},"title":"Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief: ARRL asks for volunteers","author":"Thomas","date":"September 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning, I received a message from a friend. Knowing that I'm an amateur radio operator, she asked if I could contact someone in Puerto Rico and verify that her friends' family are safe--no one has heard from them since Hurricane Maria hit the island. The situation in Puerto Rico\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Fullscreen-capture-9262017-124528-PM.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Fullscreen-capture-9262017-124528-PM.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Fullscreen-capture-9262017-124528-PM.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Fullscreen-capture-9262017-124528-PM.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":29419,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/etow-distributes-radios-to-hurricane-ravaged-puerto-rico-through-amateur-radio-network\/","url_meta":{"origin":28588,"position":4},"title":"ETOW distributes radios to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico through amateur radio network","author":"Thomas","date":"January 11, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In November, we posted an update on the Ears To Our World website with information about our most recent work in Puerto Rico. After Hurricane Maria left the majority of Puerto Rico without power and basic services, at ETOW we waited for the right opportunity (after food, water and medical\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Puerto-Rico-ETOW.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Puerto-Rico-ETOW.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Puerto-Rico-ETOW.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Puerto-Rico-ETOW.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21423,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/the-ham-radio-parity-act-passes-u-s-house-of-representatives\/","url_meta":{"origin":28588,"position":5},"title":"The Ham Radio Parity Act passes U.S. House of Representatives","author":"Thomas","date":"September 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, A. Black, who shares the following article from Slashdot: This week the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed \"The Ham Radio Parity Act\" -- a huge victory for grass-roots advocates of amateur radio. Slashdot readerbobbied reports: This will allow for the reasonable accommodation of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"SX-99-Dial","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SX-99-Dial-1024x192.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SX-99-Dial-1024x192.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SX-99-Dial-1024x192.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28588"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28588\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}