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.6 <br />c <br />E;. <br />0 <br />Amateur Radio, often called "ham radio," has consistently been the <br />most reliable means of communications in emergencies when other <br />systems failed or were overloaded. <br />Simply Put —Ham Radio Works! <br />Most of the time, things work fine. But despite <br />the development of very complex systems <br />—or maybe because they ARE so complex — <br />ham radio has been called into action again <br />and again to provide communications when <br />it really matters. <br />Why Ham Radio Works So Well. <br />Telephones, cell phones, Internet, trunk lines, <br />satellite phone —to get a message out they <br />all have to go through many vulnerable choke <br />points and need electric power. Even if the <br />system is functioning, these systems can be <br />overwhelmed by the number of cries for <br />help and families seeking information. <br />Ham Radio is Different. <br />While hams MAY use the Internet or a <br />repeater system, they do not HAVE to <br />do so! Hams can "go direct" and talk <br />straight through to each other because <br />each station is fully independent. Hams <br />can operate just fine without other <br />infrastructure. By selecting the right <br />frequencies, hams can talk across town <br />or around the world. <br />In an emergency, when your family's lives <br />may be at risk, which communications <br />system would YOU want to have? <br />Hams meet on the air and in person. <br />There are about 630,000 hams in the USA <br />with ham radio clubs and gatherings all <br />over the country. <br />L <br />r <br />Central <br />Facility <br />- <br />Multiple <br />Relays <br />Tower or <br />Switchboard <br />J <br />"Normal" communications have many <br />vulnerable choke points <br />Tower or <br />Switchboard <br />You <br />Repeater <br />Amateur Radio <br />Communications <br />JJ <br />JJ <br />J <br />> Recipient <br />Ham radio MAY use a repeater, but can talk directly too. <br />Hams communicate using microphones, <br />telegraph or Morse code keys, computers, <br />TV cameras and even their own satellites. <br />Ham radio operators provided emergency communications during these recent events: <br />Earthquake in Hawaii-2006 <br />Flooding in Northeastern States-2006 <br />Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita-2005 <br />Wildfires in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico-2005 <br />Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne-2004 <br />Tsunami in Asia-2004 <br />Earthquake in Central California-2003 <br />Hurricane Isabel-2003 <br />Northeast Blackout-2003 <br />Shuttle Columbia Recovery Effort-2003 <br />Wildfires in Colorado-2002 <br />Flooding in Kentucky-2002 <br />World Trade Center, Pentagon and Western <br />Pennsylvania Terrorist Attacks-2001 <br />Tropical Storm Allison-2001 <br />Fires in Los Alamos, New Mexico-2000 <br />Hurricane Floyd-1999 <br />Flooding in Texas-1998 <br />Hurricane Georges-1998 <br />"500-Year Flood" in N.D. and Minn.-1997 <br />Western U.S. Floods-1997 <br />Hurricane Fran-1996 <br />TWA Plane Crash-1996 <br />Oklahoma City Bombing-1995 <br />