When a major emergency or disaster event occurs, normal modes of communications are frequently disrupted or overloaded. Storms can disrupt power grids and destroy cellular and microwave antennas. A major emergency can easily gridlock wire-line and cellular phones for an extended period.

Amateur ("Ham") Radio has provided a dependable communications pathway for many decades simply because each Ham radio station is designed to be totally self-contained and fully independent. And it has proven its value in every major emergency, including September 11, 2001, up to the present day.

As part of a grant from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to HealthCare Association of Hawaii, HealthComm Hawaii, a sub-group of HAH, was asked to design, build and deploy a number of portable amateur radio communications kits for use in both healthcare facilities and field sites to ensure adequate communications during emergencies.

HealthComm is pleased to introduce and demonstrate the Rapid Deployment Communications Kit, a complete self-contained and independent radio station.

The kit is housed in a waterproof, International Orange Pelican case and contains:

Kenwood TM-V7A radio designed for the VHF and UHF bands (local communications)
Astron power supply
Portable dual-band whip antenna
125 feet of coaxial cable to connect the radio to the antenna
25 feet AC power extension cord
10 feet battery cord to power the radio from a car battery
Manuals, documentation, forms, etc.
Various small tools and parts.

 

The kit can be transported by foot, car, boat or plane as needed, and arrive ready to use at any time, any place.

Each kit costs approximately $1,000 and was constructed by volunteer Amateur Radio operators from HealthComm Hawaii and the ham radio community on Oahu

 

8/2003 JY

home