Via the ARRL: ARDC Grants Will Expand Emergency Capabilities in Haiti and the US Virgin Islands

Grants from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) will benefit amateur radio emergency communication networks in Haiti and the US Virgin Islands (USVI).

The $14,864 grant to the Haiti International Friendship Amateur Radio Club (HIFARC) will enable the club to set up a network of HF stations to provide emergency communications to remote areas cut off by the August 2021 earthquake. The 7.2-magnitude earthquake made evident the urgent need for better emergency communications. The earthquake completely cut off communications to some areas of the country, making emergency responders unable to get information on the extent of the damage caused and what supplies and equipment were needed. The lack of communication capability hindered the ability of responders to deal with the humanitarian crisis.

The HIFARC, in coordination with the Radio Club d’Haiti, plans to set up an HF emergency communications network. Haitian amateurs have identified six potential stations, and HIFARC plans to provide the equipment and personnel to set them up. Grant funds will allow HIFARC to outfit each station with a small generator, an HF transceiver, a power supply, and a wire antenna.

Working closely with the Radio Club d’Haiti, HIFARC helps to train new hams and bolster the emergency communications network there.

Read more – via American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources http://www.arrl.org/news/view/ardc-grants-will-expand-emergency-capabilities-in-haiti-and-the-us-virgin-islands