With the weather bringing disasters to many parts of the Asia/Oceania Regions, we should reflect on the importance of our hobby in a greater scheme.
Going by news reports, there is severe flooding in southern India and the Phillipines, earth quake damage in Sumatra and tsunami devestation in Samoa and Tonga with such immense human costs.
According to Jim Linton, VK3PC, on the WIA web site, local radio amateurs are definitely involved in support roles in Indonesia and the Phillipines.
It is to meet the demands of such crises that the Global Amateur Radio Emergency Conferences have been convened. These annual meetings have drawn on the previous S.E. Asian tsunami and the Chinese earthquakes and the outcomes are being reviewed through at least two United Nations Agencies.
The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) has a committee developing a basic training course for emergency communications which will provide a consistent level of skills to those completing the course satisfactorily.
What this means is that as all grades of licence in Australia have access to HF frequencies and even with poor sun spot numbers, some of the countries affected by natural disaster are closer to northern VK-land than our major cities are to each other, we radio amateurs can assist in message handling and support.
The reality is that our hobby is international in reach.
Can we touch another, in time of need?
Geoff Emery VK4ZPP
Source: http://www.southgatearc.org/
