If China declares war, these ham radio enthusiasts could be crucial
TAIPEI, Taiwan — On Tuesday nights, BX2AN sits near the Xindian River, motionless but for his thumb and middle finger, rhythmically tapping against two small metal paddles. They emit a sound each time his hand makes contact — from the right, a dit, or dot; from the left, a dah, or dash, the building blocks of the Morse code alphabet.
“Is anyone there?” he taps.
The replies come back in fits and starts: from Japan, then Greece, then Bulgaria. Each time, BX2AN, as he is known on the radio waves, jots down a series of numbers and letters: call signs, names, dates, locations. Then he adjusts a black round knob on his transceiver box, its screens glowing yellow in the dark.
Wearing yellow emergency vests, the operators, aka hams, joined the crowds of attendees to provide general information, give directions, and be the eyes and ears on the street for the county’s mobile command unit. The teams were also able to provide specific festival information, as well as assisting family members to find each other.
For an event as big as Apple Scrapple, these feet on the street allow first responders and event staff to concentrate on other tasks. Using their radios, multiple volunteers can exchange information and quickly coordinate an incident response.
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