Okanogan County Amateur Radio Club members recently executed a realistic emergency communications deployment exercise in the rugged terrain of North Central Washington. Simulating severe weather damage and mountain pass road closures near Grand Coulee and the North Cascades, volunteer teams established tactical HF and VHF relay links connecting remote valleys with county emergency operations centers.
Equipped with portable radio rigs, cross-band repeaters, and mobile solar generators, operators demonstrated reliable communication capabilities in areas completely lacking cellular coverage. Winlink digital email over HF radio allowed teams to send simulated emergency casualty reports and resource requests directly to state disaster management officials.
Additionally, SKYWARN weather spotters within the group practiced tracking microburst storms and relaying real-time weather observations to the National Weather Service. Section Emergency Coordinator Frank Hutchison commended the Okanogan County team for their technical proficiency and readiness to protect rural Eastern Washington communities during severe weather events and wildfire emergencies.
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