Walt Mayfield

American Radio Relay League – NTX Section Manager & Section Emergency Coordinator
Texas Certified Communications Unit Leader

FCC Amateur Radio Call Sign: KE5SOO
Certified COML
President - Denton County Amateur Radio Association
Section Manager – ARRL North Texas Section
Section Emergency Coordinator – ARRL North Texas Section
Assistant Director - ARRL West Gulf Division, Supervising Club Activities

Presentation

Session 1 – Communications without infrastructure

Today’s telecommunications is totally dependent on networks and infrastructure. Landline, Cell Service, and Internet can fail during unplanned mishaps and disasters. The smallest of disasters can totally cripple the telecommunications in an large area. In large disasters, often Radio Amateurs become the only means of communications. Amateur Radio is a very effective form of communications when all else fails. Amateur radio operators are able to communicate without infrastructure. Even though Amateur radio is a hobby, many federally licensed operators educated themselves through a variety of Amateur programs, to be effective communicators during a communications outage. Using solar power, batteries, and generators Amateur Radio Operators or HAMs can provide emergency communications to their neighborhoods, communities, and local responders. During this presentation we will be discussing the basics of amateur radio and how to become a licensed amateur radio operator, and the equipment needed to communicate during communication emergencies.

Session 2 – Winlink and Digital Communications

We have become very reliant on email for primary communications. When disaster strikes and we lose landline phone service and cell service, we also lose the ability to send emails. Licensed amateur radio operators can use a technology called Winlink to send emails over the radio to internet gateways and reach others that only have regular email capabilities. During this Presentation we will be discussing Winlink technology along with some other forms of digital communications and how they are used during emergencies. We will also briefly cover items from session 1 for those who may have missed that presentation.