{"id":28615,"date":"2017-10-02T18:34:59","date_gmt":"2017-10-02T22:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=28615"},"modified":"2017-10-02T18:34:59","modified_gmt":"2017-10-02T22:34:59","slug":"wapa-radio-radio-voice-of-calm-in-the-storm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/10\/wapa-radio-radio-voice-of-calm-in-the-storm\/","title":{"rendered":"WAPA Radio: “Radio Voice of Calm in the Storm”"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

\"\"<\/a>SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) – News anchorman Luis Penchi has slept about three hours a night since Hurricane Maria turned his radio station into one of the few sources of public information on this battered island.<\/p>\n

Working more than 25 hours straight during the height of the devastating storm, the lay Franciscan friar and grandfather has emerged as a light in the darkness for Puerto Rican listeners trapped in a virtual telecommunications blackout.<\/p>\n

The powerful storm knocked out electricity, internet, television and cell service for the U.S. territory’s 3.4 million people. When other radio stations went dark, WAPA 680 kept plugging, delivering a 24-hour stream of news, advice, messages and pleas for assistance from listeners desperate to connect with loved ones.<\/p>\n

Barefoot and wearing shorts and a wooden crucifix at the San Juan station on Wednesday, the bright-eyed Penchi credited retro technology for helping WAPA power through the maelstrom, along with some divine intervention.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe it was an act of God. This is the chosen station,\u201d the 62-year-old said with laugh.<\/p>\n

In the days and hours since the storm broke, the Spanish-language station has become a cornerstone of news, sending out bulletins across the devastated U.S. territory about relief efforts, road conditions and missing people. In the words of one of its owners, Carmen Blanco, WAPA turned into the unofficial \u201cvoice of the government\u201d about the hurricane.<\/p>\n

[…]Inside are echoes of an earlier age that for now is the norm in Puerto Rico. With power limited to the station’s generator, there is no air conditioning. Electronic frills have been reduced to the minimum. At the reception area, a woman wrote messages for broadcast on a typewriter.<\/p>\n

Anchor Penchi credits such old-school resourcefulness for the station’s durability. He said WAPA stayed on the air because it had maintained its old analogue broadcasting capacity alongside its digital equipment.<\/p>\n

Payam Heydari, an expert in radio technology at the University of California, Irvine, said basic analogue equipment tends to provide robust transmission over long distances. In comparison, he said, digital technology is highly dependent on electricity to power the relays needed to carry a signal.<\/p>\n

“Therefore as soon as power goes down, so do the relays” on a digital signal, Heydari said.[…]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Continue reading this full article at US News and World Report…<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Source: US News) SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) – News anchorman Luis Penchi has slept about three hours a night since Hurricane Maria turned his radio station into one of the few sources of public information on this battered island. Working more than 25 hours straight during the height of the devastating storm, the lay […]<\/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":[56,3],"tags":[1489,6529,5686,6549,6548,102],"class_list":["post-28615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-news","tag-hurricane","tag-hurricane-maria","tag-puerto-rico","tag-us-news-and-world-report","tag-wapa","tag-why-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-7rx","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31750,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/puerto-rico-am-radio-makes-a-comeback-post-hurricane\/","url_meta":{"origin":28615,"position":0},"title":"Puerto Rico: AM Radio makes a comeback post-hurricane","author":"Thomas","date":"April 23, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Columbia Journalism Review) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2017\u2014the day before Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico\u2014the evening news team at WORA-TV in the coastal city of Mayag\u00fcez broadcast its final program before shutting down the station ahead of the storm. \u201cIf Maria was going to be the monster everyone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/AM-Radio-Tower-Dark.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/AM-Radio-Tower-Dark.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/AM-Radio-Tower-Dark.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/AM-Radio-Tower-Dark.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28590,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/cnn-ham-radio-operators-are-saving-puerto-rico\/","url_meta":{"origin":28615,"position":1},"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":28593,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/npr-amateur-radio-operators-stepped-in-to-help-communications-with-puerto-rico\/","url_meta":{"origin":28615,"position":2},"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":28615,"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":29073,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/11\/nab-delivers-radios-to-hurricane-ravished-puerto-rico\/","url_meta":{"origin":28615,"position":4},"title":"NAB Delivers Radios to Hurricane-Ravished Puerto Rico","author":"Thomas","date":"November 10, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: NAB Blog via Richard Langley) https:\/\/youtu.be\/NtOpsVDnJzM I recently had the opportunity of a lifetime. I was asked by my employer \u2013 the National Association of Broadcasters \u2013 to travel to Puerto Rico to help distribute 10,000 battery-operated radios to people in hurricane-ravaged island and the Virgin Islands. The idea\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\/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":28615,"position":5},"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":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28615","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=28615"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28615\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}