{"id":28590,"date":"2017-09-29T19:00:04","date_gmt":"2017-09-29T23:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=28590"},"modified":"2017-09-29T17:02:10","modified_gmt":"2017-09-29T21:02:10","slug":"cnn-ham-radio-operators-are-saving-puerto-rico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/cnn-ham-radio-operators-are-saving-puerto-rico\/","title":{"rendered":"CNN: “Ham radio operators are saving Puerto Rico”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

NASA\/NOAA Satellite imagery showing the impact on Puerto Rico’s electrical infrastructure<\/p><\/div>\n

(Source: CNN<\/a>)<\/p>\n

(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.<\/p>\n

“We need 50 of your best radio operators to go down to Puerto Rico.”
\nIn the days after the worst storm in three generations hit the American island — and for many more to come — public electrical, land-line and cellular communication systems showed few signs of life. And radio networks used routinely by police officers, power company workers and other first responder still were down.<\/p>\n

Yet, a key mode of communication — one not reliant on infrastructure vulnerable to strong winds and flooding — still crackled: the “ham” radio.<\/p>\n

Answering the phone that night in Connecticut was the emergency manager for the American Radio Relay League, the group’s CEO said. For more than a century, this group has served as a hub for amateurs licensed to operate the dependable, if archaic, medium known as ham radio and eager to pitch in when disaster strikes.<\/p>\n

When the Red Cross made its latest appeal for heroes, these were the people it had in mind.<\/p>\n

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

(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 hit the American island — […]<\/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":[599,545,3],"tags":[389,2709,4102,1489,6529,5686,102],"class_list":["post-28590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-emergency-preparedness","category-ham-radio","category-news","tag-amateur-radio","tag-emergency-communications","tag-ham-radio","tag-hurricane","tag-hurricane-maria","tag-puerto-rico","tag-why-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-7r8","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":28590,"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":28509,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/puerto-rico-hurricane-relief-arrl-asks-for-volunteers\/","url_meta":{"origin":28590,"position":1},"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":28588,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/amateur-radio-playing-key-role-in-puerto-rico\/","url_meta":{"origin":28590,"position":2},"title":"Amateur radio: “Playing Key Role in Puerto Rico”","author":"Thomas","date":"September 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 (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\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\/05\/Icom-IC-7300-Front.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Icom-IC-7300-Front.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Icom-IC-7300-Front.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Icom-IC-7300-Front.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":28590,"position":3},"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":28619,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/10\/hurricane-damages-arecibo-radio-telescope\/","url_meta":{"origin":28590,"position":4},"title":"Hurricane Damages Arecibo Radio Telescope","author":"Thomas","date":"October 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: National Geographic via Eric WD8RIF) Hurricane Damages Giant Radio Telescope\u2014Why It Matters\" at National Geographic, written by the daughter of Frank Drake, pioneer SETI investigator: Scientists and ham radio operators have confirmed that the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico\u2014arguably the world\u2019s most iconic radio telescope, which has a dish\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Arecibo_Observatory_Aerial_View-e1484486432239.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Arecibo_Observatory_Aerial_View-e1484486432239.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Arecibo_Observatory_Aerial_View-e1484486432239.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Arecibo_Observatory_Aerial_View-e1484486432239.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":28590,"position":5},"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":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28590","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=28590"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28590\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}