I wonder if it will not seem too Silo-oriented, to comment that an amateur radio service can provide communications in disaster relief activities?
Personally, I have some limited familiarity with communications systems, as mostly in a digital media - such as Ethernet media, 802.1X wireless media, etc. I do have some experience with radio operations on civil radio networks, as in a context of search and rescue activities, though I was rather a young person in the duration of the experience. I believe I understand something of a theory that amateur radio operators can provide assistance to disaster relief organizations. I’ve read of the work of Team Rubicon in disaster relief, also. Perhaps it may be a kind of a technical topic, in a sense.
In a context of the earthquake in Nepal, the ARRL - the US national association for amateur radio - in an institutional sense, the ARRL being a principal authority about amateur radio activity in the US - the ARRL has commented about the work of amateur radio operators, in assisting in the response to the Nepal quake.[1] The Amateur Radio Society of India (ARSI) is credited as providing assistsnce, in the relief effort, along with the US Military Auxiliary Radio Service (MARS). ARSI itself publishes an article, Ham Radio In Emergencies [2]
I understand that the licensing requirements are extensive, for civil, non-commercial radio operations, in India as well as in the US and elsewhere. Personally, I’ve begun to study about the US FCC’s Technican Class of amateur radio license - an informative endeavor, though candidly, I wonder if I may seem to be overmuch of a “Rogue Scholar” for the culture of amateur radio in the US. Along with the licensing requirements, of course there are the material qualities of radio ownership, radio maintenance, and radio operation on amateur radio networks. Perhaps it could seem obscured, in ways, juxtaposed to the novelty of consumer-grade GSM and CDMA networks for digital communications on the Internet. Amateur radio networks, of course, may function independent of public Internet infrastructure.
I believe there can be a broader understanding developed about amateur radio communications. I wonder if it may be adopted as a topic, here at Edgeryders?
[1] ARRL. Amateur Radio Volunteers in Nepal, India Continue to Aid Earthquake Response
[2] ARSI. Ham Radio In Emergencies