05/07/2016
Some 400 pounds of Ham Aid[1] Amateur Radio equipment left ARRL Headquarters
this week, bound for the Guayaquil Radio Club (HC2GRC) in Ecuador. The radio
gear will help to support relief and recovery efforts under way in the wake of
a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the South American nation on April 16.
Valued at more than $7500, the equipment will provide reliable communication in
areas where the telecommunications infrastructure suffered damaged.
"As we've seen before - in Haiti and Nepal - an earthquake can cause long-term
disruptions in infrastructure," said ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike
Corey, KI1U. "An Amateur Radio network fills the communications gaps. It can be
deployed anywhere, run on solar power, and can function without the Internet or
traditional telecommunications infrastructure."
Corey said the recovery process can be lengthy, and radio amateurs in the
affected area need repeaters, antennas, antenna supports, and many other things
to be able to help those disrupted by disaster. "This is what Ham Aid is for,
to enable Amateurs to effectively respond following a disaster to help their
communities through the recovery process," he said.
Most earthquake damage occurred in the Guayaquil (HC2) and Portoviejo/Manta
(HC4) areas. Some structures in Portoviejo and Manta suffered severe damage,
with many victims buried in the rubble of collapsed buildings and homes. In the
immediate aftermath of the disaster, electrical power and commercial
telecommunication systems were either destroyed or disrupted, and many roads
rendered impassable because of earthquake rubble.
Corey noted that while most Ham Aid deployments are stateside, the opportunity
arose for the ARRL to assist with this international disaster relief effort
through the Guayaquil Radio Club.
Five boxes of equipment left ARRL Headquarters on May 4, arriving in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, the next day. ARRL member Kenny Hollenbeck, KD4ZFW, picked
up the items from Southwest Air Cargo for delivery to UTS in Miami for shipping
to Ecuador.
ARRL CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, said, "For more than 100 years, when there is a
need, we use our communications and electronics expertise to give back. Whether
it's here at the national level or anywhere in the country through our
nationwide network of volunteers, Amateur Radio answers the call when and where
we are needed."
[1] http://www.arrl.org/ham-aid
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