One of the important services of the MOVE project is emergency communications to support Red Cross responders and disaster survivors. Many MOVE volunteers who form the truck crews and support team are amateur radio operators. Using amateur radio is an integral part of the MOVE communications plan. To support MOVE’s mission, a radio club was formed to be an incubator of ideas, techniques, and practices to improve our capabilities in supporting the Red Cross’s mission and, if we are able, the wider amateur radio EmComm community. One “complaint” of amateur operators involved with emergency communications is that they are “never activated”. Disasters in your QTH are infrequent, and if they occur, aren’t so bad, “the pros handled it”. MOVE is very different, we are all volunteers and are a nationwide, soon-to-be multi-national operation. Between Hurricane Season and Fire Season(s), regrettably, our truck crew and support team volunteers are activated multiple times a year. In addition, the trucks and team are active at STEM events across the USA. If you are an IEEE member and an amateur radio operator interested in EmComm, maybe the IMRC is a group you should investigate.

73, Andy Moorwood K3CAQ, IMRC Chair