Radio hams uniquely prepared

The Bangkok Post have featured Amateur Radio and the roll in the Tsunami in a recent edition, written by Tony Waltham

Pointing out how amateur radio operators are frequently unsung heroes when disaster strikes and with the tsunami this proved again to be no exception with VoIP technology linked to VHF and short-wave radio playing a big role in
relaying information from the South to concerned relatives and friends around the world.

Bangkok businessman Phatandit Kulaphaichitra HS1WFK operated an EchoLink gateway between the Internet and the 2-metre (VHF) amateur band and started to monitor emergency traffic on 144.725 MHz VHF on Dec 26, after learning of the disaster.

HS1WFK, designated his EchoLink node as a "News and Information update" and during the next 6 days handled over 3,800 connections from 57 countries. A director of Thailand's national amateur radio society, he explained how many amateur radio operators had offered to help in any way they could, such as Damri Namphaya who provided air surveillance using a private plane.

What's next? The setting up of a Thailand Amateur Radio Emergency Service that will interoperate with other agencies and he and other directors of the radio society have met members of the National Telecommunications Commission
to discuss this.

Source: Wireless Institute of Australia

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