WEATHERFORD – Despite the Internet, cell phones, email and modern communications, every year whole regions find themselves in the dark.
Tornadoes, fires, storms, ice and even the occasional cutting of fiber optic cables leave people without the means to communicate. In these cases, the one consistent service that has never failed has been amateur radio. These radio operators, often called "hams," provide backup communications for everything from the American Red Cross to FEMA, to CERT, and even for the International Space Station. When trouble is brewing, amateur radio people are often the first to provide rescuers with critical information and communications.
Parker and Palo Pinto County "hams" will join with thousands of other amateur radio operators showing their emergency capabilities this weekend. This Saturday and Sunday, the public will have a chance to meet and talk with ham radio operators from Parker and Palo Pinto counties to see for themselves what the amateur radio service is about as hams across the USA will be holding public demonstrations of emergency communications abilities. The public will also be invited to operate the stations.
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