A powerful
earthquake - measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale - struck China's Sichuan
province on the morning of April 20, resulting in nearly 200 deaths, more than
11,000 injuries and an estimated $3 billion in damages. This is the same region
in which a massive quake five years ago killed more than 90,000 people. Ham
radio operators from the Chinese Radio Sports Association and the Chinese Radio
Amateur Club immediately went into action, providing emergency communications
on both HF and VHF, according to WorldRadio Online Newsfront and other
sources. The FM repeater in hard-hit Ya'an City was still functioning after the
quake and carried much of the local radio traffic. Hams were also pressed into
service to provide traffic control to speed the delivery of emergency supplies.
News and information of interest to ham radio operators from CQ Amateur Radio magazine, the world's leading independent ham radio magazine.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Chinese Hams Help After Quake
A powerful
earthquake - measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale - struck China's Sichuan
province on the morning of April 20, resulting in nearly 200 deaths, more than
11,000 injuries and an estimated $3 billion in damages. This is the same region
in which a massive quake five years ago killed more than 90,000 people. Ham
radio operators from the Chinese Radio Sports Association and the Chinese Radio
Amateur Club immediately went into action, providing emergency communications
on both HF and VHF, according to WorldRadio Online Newsfront and other
sources. The FM repeater in hard-hit Ya'an City was still functioning after the
quake and carried much of the local radio traffic. Hams were also pressed into
service to provide traffic control to speed the delivery of emergency supplies.