Ham Radio Operators Gather In Montogmery County For Emergency Exercise
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Ham radio operators from Northeast Philadelphia are joining their counterparts from around the country in an emergency exercise designed to test their preparedness.
Members of the Holmesburg Amateur Radio Club are setting up and operating portable amateur radio stations through Sunday afternoon in Avelthorpe Park in Jenkintown.
Bob Josuweit, whose ham radio call sign is WA3PZO, is local coordinator of the Field Day exercise. "Often-times, in an emergency, ham radio is the only way to communicate when other means of communication fail. And this is a test that we can bring our communication systems out into the field, set up a station and test our preparedness in case we would be called upon to help out with communications."
Josuweit says ham operators have responded to help re-establish communications in recent disasters, including the wildfires in the West and the tornadoes that raked Joplin, Missouri.
Reported By Mark Abrams, KYW Newsradio
