HAM RADIO IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Having a "ham" or Amateur Radio operator as a neighbor can be a great
advantage - especially in times of crisis. While most hams spend most
of their "on the air" time in their "shacks" or stations enjoying their
hobby, they're also "on call" in times of need. If your town is hit by
a flood, hurricane or other natural disaster, chances are that your neighborhood ham will be part of an emergency communications team,
helping direct rescue officials to where they're needed, helping relief agencies and public safety officials keep in touch with each other.

On a more personal level, if disaster strikes elsewhere, and you have
relatives or friends in the stricken area, your neighborhood ham can
probably sent a message - free of charge - to find out how those people
are doing. You don't need to wait for a disaster to send a "radiogram".
Many hams enjoy relaying and delivering these messages -always free of
charge - all over the United States and to certain foreign countries.
Hams have organized networks to speed the flow of these messages.

Hams also provide "phone patches", particularly for US servicemen
overseas. By hooking their radios and telephones together, hams can let
people at home talk with loved ones for just the cost of a local phone
call.


Posted by VPost v1.7.081019