LIFELINE: AMATEUR RADIO DURING DISASTERS

LIFELINE: AMATEUR RADIO DURING DISASTERS

HEALTH Magazine, Winter 2025
Published by the Southwest Utah Public Health Foundation

This podcast episode is an AI-generated narration of the HEALTH Magazine article.

The full article text is provided below as the official transcript of this episode.

LIFELINE: AMATEUR RADIO DURING DISASTERS by Brett Pruitt, Utah Section Emergency Coordinator

Narrated by David Heaton using AI-assisted voice.

While food, water, clothing, and medicine are important items for emergency preparedness, I would encourage you to look at your disaster supplies for another critical item that might be missing: a radio.

Although cell phones and the internet have changed how we communicate on a global scale, they require a large amount of physical infrastructure to work, which can become damaged and disabled in disasters. Radios, ham (amateur) radios in particular, only require a battery and an antenna.

Why amateur radio? The two-way radios you can buy at big box stores for $20 are severely limited in their capability. Ham radios have a lot more to offer, although you need to be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to use one.

There are three levels of amateur radio licensing: Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. Additional privileges are granted with each level of license. Obtaining a license requires registering with the FCC and taking a written test. There are study guides available to help you prepare for the test, which can be taken in person or online. Once you pass the test, you’ll be issued your own call sign and allowed to use the amateur radio frequencies assigned to your license.

You’ll be able to communicate reliably at great distances using a standard handheld amateur radio, which is not too cost-prohibitive. You’ll also have a baseline knowledge of devices, antennas, and how radio communications work. Most importantly, you’ll be part of a robust network of other amateur radio operators who can communicate and share information with each other during a disaster when other methods are non-functional. These advantages have allowed ham radio operators to become a reliable part of emergency response efforts.