A ham from Maryland who activated every available National Park
Service (NPS) site in the Washington, DC area for last year's National Parks on the Air (NPOTA)
program was invited to help the park service with communications during
January's presidential inauguration and the Women's March on Washington the following day.
The ARRL Letter reports that Jeff Dahn, KB3ZUK, who is a former law
enforcement officer, was invited to serve as a volunteer communications officer
at the NPS Incident Command Post during both events. Dahn is also president of
the HacDC Amateur Radio Club, whose W3HAC club station served as net control for
hams helping those arriving for the march on January 21. At several points,
Dahn reported, amateur radio was "the only working communication link
between organizers, marshals, volunteers and marchers."
NPS Eastern
Incident Management Team Communications Officer Gary Shipley, N5GQD, said Dahn
"provided timely and valuable assistance" during both events and that
"his participation was key to the success of the misson."
