Category: Emergency Comms

For years, the amateur radio community relied on the SMSGATE APRS SMS bot to bridge communications between APRS and cellular networks. This service allowed ham radio operators to send text messages to phones from their radio equipment, providing a vital link between digital amateur radio and conventional telecommunications. However, recent regulations aimed at preventing text spam required SMSGATE to cease operations. Fortunately, a new solution has emerged: the APRS SMS Bot. This service maintains the crucial bridge between APRS and SMS, though with one important change – phone numbers must opt-in before they can receive messages.

In the digital age, ham radio continues to evolve with new ways to communicate and share data. While we’ve added new digital modes such as FT8, one of the most versatile methods for sending information across distances without relying on the internet is still packet radio. This technology enables ham radio operators to send and receive digital data packets, offering a reliable form of communication for message relays, emergency use, and experimentation.

As ham radio continues to grow, operators are finding new and innovative ways to communicate and share data without relying on the traditional internet infrastructure. One such innovation is the development of ham radio mesh networks. These networks allow ham operators to build decentralized communication systems, enabling a wide range of uses from emergency communications to local community projects.

This past weekend I experienced first hand how Amateur Radio can be used in an emergency situation when other methods of communications fail. A routine off road trip turned into a rescue situation as I came across a rollover accident on a trail. Special thanks go to the Alford Memorial Radio Club and the participants of the “Turnip Truck Net” on their W4BOC repeater.