Through Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Amateur Radio Triumphs When All Else Fails
While some residents in hurricane-impacted areas can’t send texts or make calls, #AmateurRadio enthusiasts are helping communicate requests for help and messages between loved ones.
Wired
9 October
"Hurricanes have wreaked havoc on the United States over the past month. More than 200 people have been confirmed dead as a result of #HurricaneHelene and many more have gone missing, making it the most destructive US hurricane since Katrina in 2005. Nearly a week after Helene made landfall, #CellService #DeadZones plagued the Carolinas, leaving thousands of residents unable to reach their friends, families, and even emergency responders. As #HurricaneMilton builds in the Gulf of Mexico this week, radio operators in #Florida are also preparing to launch their net—a group of operators communicating live over the air. Scott Roberts, an amateur radio section manager for northern Florida, said that operators in his area started checking their equipment and making plans to deploy to shelters as of Monday.
"There are more than 1 million licensed radio amateurs in the US like Witherspoon and Roberts, according to a Federal Communications Commission spokesperson who spoke to WIRED last week. Some amateur radio bands are short bands, reaching only small communities of people, while others cover hundreds and even thousands of miles. When #CommunicationInfrastructure fails, like #CellularNetworks during a natural disaster, the FCC allows for amateur radio operators to assist in recovery efforts.
"Gordon Mooneyhan, spokesperson for the American Radio Relay League, said he knows of three main #repeaters being used to convey messages inside the disaster area from Hurricane Helene, including the #MountMitchellRepeater, which is located at the highest point in #NorthCarolina at 6,600 feet and boosts localized radio broadcasts to a wider network. This is where Witherspoon read off supply requests and #RoadClosures."
