The Manitoulin Amateur Radio Club, led by Allan Boyd, highlights HAM radio as a vital, independent emergency communication tool that functions when cellular and internet networks fail. Details at ve3rmi.org.
MANITOULIN鈥擳hese days, with smartphones, fibre networks and satellites everywhere, many people overlook amateur radio, or HAM radio. But when major emergencies take out modern services, HAM radio remains a dependable backup. Trained operators can keep in touch even if cell networks and the internet stop working.
For instance, last winter a big power outage on Manitoulin Island left many residents without phone or internet for hours. Local amateur radio operators stepped in to relay important updates between township offices and emergency responders. Thanks to them, communities stayed connected and got the information they needed until regular services came back.
Amateur radio began in the early 1900s, not long after wireless telegraphy was invented. At first, radio enthusiasts experimented on their own, but over time, the hobby grew into a global network. Today, licenced operators can talk to each other across long distances without using commercial networks; some even as far as half a world away.
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