ARLA/CLUSTER: Reportagem com radioamadores americanos voluntários em Porto Rico

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Ham Radio volunteers in Puerto Rico

The ARRL reports Amateur Radio volunteers on the ground in Puerto Rico
continue to provide assistance in a number of areas
Amateur Radio resources have been reallocated around the island to
better meet communications needs.

Volunteer Valerie Hotzfeld, NV9L, and a FEMA team member were tasked
with calling 68 hospitals and medical facilities. They asked a series
of 12 questions geared toward obtaining a better understanding of each
facility’s communication capabilities, and to see if urgent care
supplies and needs were being met.

Gary Sessums, KC5QCN, the Amateur Radio liaison to the ESF-2
Communications Task Force, coordinated the installation of a VHF
Amateur Radio repeater on a mountain peak in El Yunque National
Forest. The repeater now gives radio coverage to approximately 60% of
Puerto Rico, and also extends radio coverage into the US Virgin
Islands.

Andy Anderson, KEØAYJ, is stationed at the Guajataca Dam, providing
communications support to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority
(Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica) between their control facility and
the dam as the water levels are lowered to prevent the dam from
collapsing.

Safe and Well data collection continues at Red Cross shelters, and in
reunification work that involves going out into areas that have no
communication. Hams are engaged in setting up equipment and entering
data into the Red Cross Safe and Well website. Hams also facilitate
survivors’ access to cell or satellite phones so they can call a loved
one to let them know they are safe.

Read the full ARRL story at
http://www.arrl.org/news/ham-radio-volunteers-in-puerto-rico-install-repeater-work-with-hospitals-and-reunification