Paso Robles Amateur Radio Club hosts disaster preparedness workshop

On Saturday and Sunday, the American Radio Relay League will be sending signals to states and countries across North America as part of an emergency exercise.

The exercise lasts 24 hours and requires members to take shifts throughout the night and make as many calls as possible by 11 a.m. Sunday.

Bill Wimmer, president of the radio club, said members of the Paso Robles Amateur Radio Club and the community are working under less than ideal conditions – in a field and with backup power to simulate disaster preparedness.

“It’s an emergency drill and its main purpose is to take our equipment to a location where there is no infrastructure, set up antennas and radio stations and communicate with other amateur radio stations across the country that are doing the same thing that day,” said Scott Currie, amateur radio emergency coordinator.

On Saturday, radio coverage extended from the states bordering California to Canada and Mexico, but greater distances were reached during equipment testing prior to the event.

“We can communicate with countries as far away as Italy and Europe,” Wimmer said. “Last night we spoke to a few stations using the computer connected to the radio and communicated with Western Europe.”

The radio club uses satellites in orbit, including the International Space Station, to communicate with each other.

“I have applications here on my computer that allow me to send an email over the radio,” Currie said.

There are more than 775,000 licensed amateur radio operators in the United States. Although he isn’t sure exactly how many are participating this year, Emergency Coordinator Scott Currie said 40,000 amateur radio operators participated in Field Day last year.

“In an emergency or disaster, I can connect my computer to my radio,” Wimmer demonstrated. “If we don’t have local Internet or cell reception, using just my computer, my radio and my antenna at my house, I can send an email to another ham radio operator, say in Texas or Colorado, who has Internet, and they can then forward my message to a family member so I can say, ‘Hey, we’re OK.'”

The club encourages community members to get involved in the event of a wildfire or other natural disaster.

“We offer free training and we provide the tests,” Currie said. “Look us up online and attend our meetings. We’re happy to help you get started.”