Ham radio field day preps Seattle for disaster
Seattle's amateur radio buffs are practicing going off-grid this weekend for a disaster prep field day — and you're invited to join.
Why it matters: During earthquakes, power outages, and other disasters, ham radio is often the last, and most reliable, form of communication when power and cell service goes down, Tim Helming, director of Seattle Auxiliary Communications Service, told Axios in an email.
It lets people use their own equipment to talk across town, the world and even into space, according to Ham Radio Prep.
What's happening: The annual Amateur Radio Field Day at South Seattle College on Saturday and Sunday will simulate disaster conditions by relying solely on battery, solar and radio power — no internet, no cell towers, no local grid.
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Ham radio field day preps Seattle for disaster
Seattle's amateur radio buffs are practicing going off-grid this weekend for a disaster prep field day — and you're invited to join. Why it matters: During earthquakes, power outages, and other disasters, ham radio is often the last, and most reliable, form of communication when power and cell service goes down, Tim Helming, director of Seattle Auxiliary Communications Service, told Axios in an email. It lets people use their own equipment to talk across town, the world and even into space, according to Ham Radio Prep. What's happening: The annual Amateur Radio Field Day at South Seattle College on Saturday and Sunday will simulate disaster conditions by relying solely on battery, solar and radio power — no internet, no cell towers, no local grid.
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