More amateur radio operators needed on Maui as busy hurricane season expected

KAHULUI (HawaiiNewsNow) – Maui residents are invited to learn more about amateur radio to help keep communities safe.

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The free event will be held at the University of Hawaii Maui College in Kahului on Saturday as Hawaii looks to expand its pool of licensed operators ahead of an expected busy hurricane season.

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is open to all ages. It will include live demonstrations as part of a national exercise involving hundreds of radio operators.

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‘When everything fails, amateur radio steps up’

Amateur radio operators on Maui are activated by the Maui Emergency Management Agency during disasters. They helped with communications following the 2023 wildfires and were active during the March Kona low storms.

Bill Heyde, Maui County Amateur Radio Emergency Services coordinator, has been a licensed ham radio operator for 44 years and is a retired Maui Police Department dispatcher.

“It was just serendipity that I signed up, and I got my license in 1982,” Heyde said. “The very first year, being a new ‘ham’, that’s when Hurricane Iwa struck. “So, we handled a lot of emergency communications during that.”

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“It’s really rewarding when you can help out people,” said Heyde.

Community members encouraged to get licensed

Keisa Liu, a licensed amateur radio operator with the call sign WH6HEJ, said the technology is vital during emergencies.

“People think radio is outdated. But it isn’t. It is resilient. It’s what we use when other communications fail or get overwhelmed, especially during times of emergency,” Liu said.

Liu said she became involved because of a sense of community responsibility.

“I am really interested in being there for my community during times of emergencies, but I live with kupuna and I have keiki, so it’s hard for me to be in the field all the time,” Liu said. “So, I was looking for a way to kind of fulfill that kind of kuleana that we have.”

Liu said her 9-year-old son is currently studying for his technician license and is expected to test in August.

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