About Amateur Radio
What is Amateur Radio
When cell phones, regular phones, the internet and other systems are down or overloaded, Amateur Radio still gets the message through. Radio amateurs, often called “hams,” enjoy radio technology as a hobby. But it's also a service –a vital service that has saved lives when regular communication systems failed (ARRL).
LAXNORTHEAST News
2024 Walk for Kids
Pasadena, April 20, 2024.
ARES LAX Northeast supported the 2024 Walk for Kids!
Our operators provided communications for the First Aid Station, the three Hydration Stations, Tail End Charlie and the Rover. Working closely with our Walk for Kids partners and the Pasadena Fire Department EMT Team we provided situational awareness for the 3 mile route. Our Tail End Charlie Team swept the route watching out for any walkers who might be struggling.
LAXNORTHEAST overcame the propagation challenges posed by the Rose Bowl by using a 2m/70cm crossband repeater and a de-linked DARN repeater.
👏🏻 We were especially thrilled to welcome two new and one soon to be amateur radio operators to the event support team!
Pomona Valley Hospital HamCram
Pasadena, April 7, 2024.
ARES LAX Northeast and Pomona Valley Hospital conducted a successful HamCram on April 6, 2024.
8 people passed the Technician test! Congratulations to the new amateur radio operators!
The "Surria Complex" Exercise
Pasadena, March 30, 2024
The 2024 March 5th Saturday Exercise, called "The Surria Complex" simulated radio operations during a cyberattack on LA County Hospitals. Stations sent traffic and hospital service level updates via PinpointAPRS, Winlink and APRS.
One exercise inject was Winlink being compromised mid-net and asked operators to move to VARA FM Chat. Without missing a step operators sent mission critical bed availability reports and resource requests on VARA Chat using spreadsheets.
The exercise lasted for four hours. Net control coordinated the net on LAX103. Operators sent 89+ peer-to-peer digital messages on the designated digital frequency. 42 of those were mission critical bed availability reports and resource requests, the others were check-ins, check-outs acknowledgements and other tactical traffic.
The net was a smashing success with 100% of intended traffic sent, in spite of challenging weather conditions, harsh exercise injects and mid net transitions of means and traffic type. Kudos to our LAXNORTHEAST operators!
