When Ring announced the launch of Ring Two-way radio, Rob from Wakefield in the UK was quick to order one, knowing that it could make a big difference to his life. Having developed a mobility impairment in recent years, Rob has days when answering his GMRS walkie-talkie can be a real challenge. Being able to speak to visitors and buzz them into his building using his smartphone would make things a lot more convenient for him, especially when he was away from home. “I have a mobility impairment, so I’m not always able to answer the door,” said Rob. “I bought Ring Two-way radio to be able to answer the door when I’m either not in the house or confined to my bed.” Having installed Ring radio, Rob found that he was immediately able to make use of the Two-Way Talk and Remote Unlock features to speak to visitors and buzz them in using his smartphone. Recently, Rob was having some adaptations made to his flat. During this time he was able to combine the use of his Ring Two-way radio and Video Doorbell - answering his radio to various tradespeople and then seeing them arrive at the door of his flat before letting them in. Day-to-day, he can let delivery drivers into the building and ask them to leave his packages in a safe place without having to get up from his bed. He can then pick up his deliveries when he is feeling more mobile. As his story demonstrates, Ring Two-way radio is ideal for apartment-dwellers who work away from home, frequent travelers, or anyone who wants to make their everyday a little easier.

In an enthralling convergence of space and literature, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre successfully held the sixth ham radio interaction featuring UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi from the International Space Station (ISS) at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. The educational session was held as a part of the interactive ‘A Call from Space’ series organised by MBRSC, the agency behind the UAE Astronaut Programme. With the ISS in transit over the UAE, the event captivated the enthusiastic audience through their interaction with Al Neyadi. The wireless walkie talkie is a broad-spectrum communication tool that enables connection between individuals and groups, even reaching remote and space areas. Al Rais said: “The sense of wonder and eagerness students exhibit as they decipher the value of such missions to humanity is not just invigorating but truly inspirational. As we draw closer to the end of Sultan’s mission, these encounters will be treasured memories, igniting a lifelong passion for learning. Our conviction is strong that such initiatives cultivate an intensified interest in STEM fields among the nation’s youth, fostering a vibrant culture of scientific curiosity and innovation, vital for propelling the UAE’s ambitious space endeavours.” The space communication unfolded with a glimpse into the works and projects of MBRSC, following a presentation on space stations that provided a vivid image of human endeavours in space, as well as a training session on the workings of ham radio. The UAE Astronaut Programme is one of the projects managed by MBRSC under the UAE’s National Space Programme and funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and promote the country’s integration on the global stage.

Norwegian Cruise Line has quietly addedhandheld 2 way radio to the prohibited items list, meaning guests can no longer bring walkie-talkies of any size onboard. This may be a challenge for some travelers who use inexpensive uhf/vhf radios to keep in touch while on the ship as different family members attend different activities. There is no explanation or clarification of why walkie-talkies are now prohibited, but there could be several reasons. The frequencies of certain walkie-talkies could possibly interfere with other onboard signals, including radios used by crew members or frequencies that need to be kept clear for emergencies. Some walkie-talkies might even interfere with onboard wi-fi service, though this is unlikely. The ban could also be a result of unruly behavior, such as young cruisers playing rowdy games involving walkie-talkies, or possibly throwing the small, hand-held radios and creating disturbances, though no reports of such behaviors have been made public. Some cruise travelers use walkie-talkies as an inexpensive, convenient way to keep in touch with family or group members, especially on larger ships when different individuals want to join in different activities or when parents may be relaxing in an adults-only area while children are at the pool, waterpark, or arcade. Walkie-talkies are especially favored by families who prefer to unplug and put away cell phones while on vacation, or if not everyone in the family has a cell phone to stay in touch onboard. While Norwegian Cruise Line has not offered an explanation about why, specifically, walkie-talkies are now prohibited, there are several other items on the prohibited list that are similar. For example, number 20 on the list is “large batteries” and walkie-talkies and their charging bases may use batteries that aren’t approved.

HOWELL – Avid members of the Ocean-Monmouth Amateur Radio Club (OMARC) forged connections across the map in a thrilling 24-hour event held at Echo Lake Park. For the third year in a row, OMARC chose Howell as the location for its Annual Field Day. The event was part of the “Amateur Radio Relay League Field Day Operation,” coordinated by the National Association for Amateur Radio. Over 40,000 ham radio operators from North America communicated from temporary transmitting stations in public areas during the same designated time period. The gathering united a community of individuals who shared a profound passion for ham radio operations and recognized its crucial significance during times of crisis. Joe Kruszewski, a 20-year veteran ham, said he was initially drawn to the form of communications when he worked for New Jersey Natural Gas. As a member of the company’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Kruszewski participated in exercises with the Office of Emergency Management. “The company had some ham radio equipment,such as DMR portable radio，Frs radio and PoC walkie talkie.” Kruszewski shared. “The guy who bought it was not licensed to use it to the full capability.” When Kruszewski learned that no one was licensed to operate at a high frequency, he decided to study and take the test.“We set up antennas and operate in the rain,” Kruszewski said.“But if there’s thunder and lightning, we have to disconnect everything. A lightning bolt can hit the antennas, come right down the wires, and fry the radio and operator.” From voice transmissions to Morse code and digital modes, ham radio operators have access to diverse communication methods. This versatility enables them to adapt to different situations, such as during emergencies when specific frequencies or modes may be more effective in transmitting vital information. During the event, OMARC members made over 1,000 total connections.

The 46th annual International Amateur Radio Exhibition, HAM RADIO, attracted more than 11,000 visitors to Friedrichshafen, Germany. ARRL ——The National Association for Amateur Radio, which has nearly 7,000 international members, sends a small delegation to the convention each year -- greeting members and friends from the global amateur radio community, and networking with other national radio societies. Messe Friedrichshafen Managing Director Klaus Wellmann and Project Manager Petra Rathgeber were delighted with the success of the event. "HAM RADIO lived up to its reputation as Europe's largest amateur radio exhibition. In cooperation with the German Amateur Radio Club (DARC), the perfect partner for the event, we showed that amateur Two Way Radio plays an important role in society," said Wellmann and Rathgeber. "This year's slogan, 'We're all about STEM!' was brought to full fruition, with many activities focusing on work with young people -- something that really brought in the crowds." A recent press release from HAM RADIO said young attendees were able to tinker and make things under guidance, and they were also able to test their knowledge in the Ham Rally, a technical scavenger hunt featuring 25 stations. Students were encouraged to try sending Morse code, and pass the QSL card quiz, of course using vhf handheld radio is an important part in rhe exhibition. ARRL participated in the Ham Rally, challenging young people to name and identify the US states. "We were really happy with the way this year's exhibition went," said Christian Entsfellner, DL3MBG, Chairman of DARC. A total of 392 participants, including 149 commercial exhibitors and international associations, as well as 243 flea market exhibitors, represented the unique diversity of amateur radio around the world. Plans are already being made for next year's HAM RADIO to be held June 28 - 30, 2024.

When the Evergreen-based Alpine Rescue Team received a call over Memorial Day weekend for a skier who had taken a 1,000-foot fall through a couloir off Torreys Peak, just east of Summit County, the rescuers said the conditions were abysmal. At least one person higher up on the 14,267-foot peak had limited cell service to call for help, but the injured party and those down with him in the couloir had none, Smith said. However, the skiers did have one piece of technology that proved invaluable that day: powerful walkie-talkies. The simple radios proved critical that day. Now, the Colorado Search & Rescue Association is highlighting the potential for family radio service or GMRS （general mobile radio service ） portable radios to save lives in the backcountry. “Having direct communications with rescue subjects can be crucial during emergencies,” Beckman wrote. “Although (search and rescue) teams do not actively monitor any FRS channel, establishing a common go-to channel when (search and rescue) has been activated by other means and are en route can greatly aid rescue operations and ultimately help save lives.” Using long-range radios, rescuers were able to instruct the other skiers on scene to complete basic assessments of the injured skier, giving them a jump start on the medical process before they actually arrived at the skier’s location themselves, Smith said. Then, as rescue team volunteers made their way back down the mountain with the injured skier, the uninjured skiers went ahead of them and continued to use the radios to communicate the best path back, he said. Overall, the radios helped make what could have been a difficult rescue go smoother and more efficiently, Smith said. Moving forward, Alpine Rescue Group mission coordinators will likely ask those in need of rescue at the start of a call whether they have a family radio service or general mobile radio service radio on them, he added. “They’re just great tools to have, because there are so many places where cell phone reception is not possible or not very good or it’s in and out,” DeBattiste said. “And if you’re in a group or a group moving at different paces or with different objectives, it’s a tool for them to stay in contact.”

Chester County ham radio operators from the 985 Repeater Group will hold their annual Field Day event at Lines Self-Storage, 964 Pottstown Pike (Rt. 100), in Chester Springs, PA 19425 from 2 PM Saturday to 2 PM Sunday. They will be operating their temporary stations off-grid as they demonstrate their technical operating skill and emergency communications preparedness. They will have multiple stations set up and will be contacting other stations around the world by morse code, DMR dual band radio, high power walkie talkie and even satellite! The public will be welcomed to see what ham radio is and to get on the air at the event! Amateur (Ham) Radio is a federally licensed service that uses various radio frequencies to exchange non-commercial messages. Licensed operators also conduct radio and electronic experimentation, self-training, private recreation, and engage in on-air contests. Ham radio has been around for over 100 years and has been the foundation for many careers in science and engineering and the source of many technical innovations. Prominent Americans who are licensed amateur radio operators include comedian Tim Allen, former FEMA Director Craig Fugate, Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow, Nobel Prize laureate Joe Taylor, guitarist Joe Walsh of the Eagles, and astronaut Bob Behnken, who is currently aboard the International Space Station and who rode aboard the Dragon SpaceX rocket to get there. Many of the ISS astronauts are licensed ham radio operators. During Field Day, hams demonstrate their readiness to provide emergency communications. Because ham radio functions without the internet, phone systems, and the electric power grid, it is often called upon to provide vital communications during natural and manmade disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires. When all other communications methods fail, ham radio prevails. So, come out to the 985 Repeater Group Field Day event! Learn about and experience ham radio and see what they do and how they serve the community. Field Day is a nationwide event founded and sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) – the National Association for Amateur Radio.

The Eastern Shore Amateur Radio Club will participate in a national emergency communications preparedness exercise on June 24-25.  The exercise, known as Field Day, involves setting up and operating emergency radio or bugout radio communications using amateur walkie talkie to communicate with similar operations throughout the country. The club will conduct its 2023 Field Day operations at the Accomack County Emergency Operations Center, 28598 Beacon Road, Melfa (near the airport). Operations will include digital messaging, as well as voice and Morse Code communications. The Eastern Shore club members will demonstrate the “magic” of ham radio by contacting hams across the country while using wire antennas, vhf two-way radios and emergency power. The public is invited to come and see modern amateur radio technology in action and learn about this exciting hobby.  Club members will be available to answer questions, provide literature, and help visitors get on the air.  Best visiting times are 12 – 4 p.m. Saturday.  We will have a special station, just for unlicensed people who would like to “get on the air.” Field Day is sponsored by ARRL, the national association for amateur radio, and has been an annual event since 1933.  This year’s operations are expected to involve more than 40,000 ham radio operators from across North America. Often using only emergency power, ham operators construct and operate emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools, and backyards around the country. Their slogan, “When All Else Fails, Ham Radio Works,” is demonstrated by hams who can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, Internet, or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis. The event combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills. Modern amateur radio is a fast-growing hobby, and there are now more than 750,000 licensed operators in the United States, and more than 2.5 million worldwide.  Through ARRL’s Amateur Radio Emergency Services program, volunteers provide emergency communication for thousands of state and local emergency response agencies and non-emergency communications services to a wide variety of community and civic organizations, all without cost to the public.

When the devastating Tubbs Fire tore through Sonoma County in 2017, Cazadero resident Tony Goodwin found himself unable to communicate with his wife. The terrifying experience inspired Goodwin to equip his home with General Mobile Radio Service （GMRS）and help his neighbors and surrounding communities join the network. As emergency preparedness came to dominate Sonoma County's discourse, the radio network designed for short-range, portable and rugged two-way radio communication grew. Goodwin has helped set up radio boxes using the GMRS system for locations around the county including at a new communications tower in Cloverdale. County's first public-private comms tower Located on Schellenger Road east of Cloverdale, the communications tower comes equipped with fire cameras, radio service and a fail-safe digital communications network. Upon completion, the solar-powered tower will also include a weather station that can measure meteorological conditions including wind speed and report it out in real time. "It's turning out to be a really, really cool project," said Johannes Hoevertsz, Sonoma County's public infrastructure director. The county teamed up with Northern Sonoma County Community Emergency Response Team and radio volunteers on the project, making it the county's first public-private communications tower. The communications systems were put to use earlier this year when Cazadero lost power during the winter storms. "We at one point were trapped, all our exits were blocked by trees," said Goodwin. "We had no communication via cellular phone or landline but our uhf handheld radios, our infrastructure we put in for radios worked."

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre today announced that two ham radio sessions with astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi from the International Space Station (ISS), under the ‘A Call from Space’ event were successfully completed over the course of two days, in collaboration with the Emirates Amateur Radio Society (EARS) and Emirates Literature Foundation (ELF). Ham radio, or amateur radio, uses a broad spectrum of frequencies to communicate between individuals, groups, and even remote regions and space, making it a valuable communication tool. Adnan AlRais, Mission Manager, UAE Astronaut Programme, said, "Through these ham radio sessions with Sultan, we strive to ignite a passion for space and science in the next generation. At MBRSC, we firmly believe that such initiatives stimulate curiosity and foster a deep understanding of the vast potential that space exploration holds. Our ultimate goal is to inspire young minds to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, contributing to the UAE's vision of becoming a leading nation in the fields of science and space.” As part of the sessions, the students were first introduced to MBRSC and their latest projects, followed by a tour of the facility, which gave them a glimpse into the labs, workstations, and state-of-the-art technologies employed at the Centre. Furthermore, a presentation about space stations provided the attendees with a broad view of human endeavours in space. The students also received comprehensive training on ham radio, such as digital walkie-talkie, long-range two way radio, unravelling the complexities of the critical communication tool used since the 20th century. The highlight of the programme was the live interaction with astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi. The unique opportunity allowed enthusiastic participants from schools across the UAE the chance to ask AlNeyadi questions about living in microgravity, communicating with family and friends, scientific experiments being conducted on the ISS currently, how they keep track of time in space, life on the ISS, challenges of living in space and staying fit, among other space related activities. In the interactive session lasting 10 minutes on both days, AlNeyadi left the young audience spellbound by providing valuable insights into life in space and the science associated with the mission. His engaging explanations sparked the curiosity of the attendees, encouraging the students to delve deeper into the space and STEM subjects in particular.