SB QST @ ARL $ARLB011
ARLB011 Turkish Amateurs Fill Post-Quake Communication Gap

ZCZC AG11
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 11  ARLB011
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  February 6, 2002
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB011
ARLB011 Turkish Amateurs Fill Post-Quake Communication Gap

Amateur Radio operators in Turkey were among the first responders
following an earthquake in central Turkey February 3. More than 40
deaths and some 170 injuries were reported in the aftermath of the
earthquake, which registered 6.0 on the Richter scale and shook the
province of Afyon.

''Our communication system was used by our members within the Civil
Defense SAR [search-and-rescue] team for communicating with their HQ
in Ankara and within the affected area,'' said Aziz Sasa, TA1E,
president of the Turkish national Amateur Radio organization TRAC.
''I must add that we were the only long and medium-range
communication resource until normal communication facilities were
restored.''

Sasa said normal telecommunications systems in the region were
restored ''very rapidly,'' and that the amateurs were able to wrap up
their response the same evening. Hams were at the scene in Afyon for
about 10 hours. ''HF was utilized only partly, most of the
communication was handled on VHF and UHF with repeaters linked to
each other,'' Sasa said. The terrain allowed wide coverage that
included the capital city of Ankara--some 200 miles away.
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