Communications

Licensed Amateur Radio operators have access to a wide range of radio bands, operating modes, equipment and knowledge with the ability to setup and operate anywhere, anytime and under any condition

Amateur radio is so useful to emergency communications because it does not depend on any infrastructure.

That means amateur radio does not rely on the electrical power grid or any cabled network.

Although mobile phones and the internet have wireless capability, they are still dependent on fixed masts and cabling which can be severely disrupted by a natural or man-made disaster; so while very useful in an emergency, mobiles and the internet cannot be relied upon completely.

When the phone lines are down and the electricity is off, it is still possible to communicate worldwide with amateur radio using only battery power.

This versatility has saved many lives over decades of amateur radio emergency service.

Amateur radio still gets through when everything else has failed.

Licensed Amateurs can provide a voluntary professional emergency communication support service to both the statutory and volunteer emergency services.