The Initiative:
Telecom emergency response
Date(s) and Location(s):
Started in 2020
Goal(s):
To survey amateur radio operators, notably those involved in emergency communications, as to the future of amateur radio and the role of amateur radio operators in disasters.
Pre-facto images:
Below are images associated with the initiative. Click to make them larger.
Ham Census is the initiative of Risk Sciences International Vice-President of Communications and Strategic Initiatives, Cemil ‘Jim’ Alyanak, himself an amateur radio operator and member of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. He is licensed by the FCC in the United States with the call sign K3MRI. The initiative came about as it became apparent that the amateur radio service, especially aspects related to emergency and disaster communications, were faltering with little guidance from either the national association or federal authorities.
The census was made possible by the input provided by RSI experts with the understanding that this was an entirely not-for-profit project which benefited amateur radio operations and operators who, incidentally, are a not-for-profit service as per Part 97 of the FCC which forbids amateur radio operators from generating revenue from the practice.
Amateur radio operators, also known as ‘ham operators’ have been critical to multiple disasters over the past century ranging from hurricanes to 9/11 at the Pentagon to rescue operations after the tsunami in the Indian Ocean. In Fukushima, Japan, amateur radio operators provided the necessary communications infrastructure when all of the cell towers had been knocked down by the tsunami.
Alyanak, K3MRI, regularly participates in drills with the Montgomery County Auxiliary Communications Service and volunteers his amateur radio skills on major events like the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C.