Media Network correspondent Victor Goonetilleke, 4S7VK, who is president of
the Radio Society of Sri Lanka, believes that "uncomplicated shortwave"
radio saved lives. "Ham radio played an important part and will continue to
do so," he said in an e-mail. Until 28 December the Radio Society of Sri
Lanka operated a shortwave radio link between Hambantota and the Prime
Minister's disaster management office, and government offices in the
stricken area. "We closed the link after the police got a communications
link up in Hambantota," Victor said. "We went in because the District
Secretary's office only had a satellite phone and communications were
difficult." The Hambantota station was operated by Asantha Illesinghe
(4S7AK), Dimuthu Wickremesinghe (4S7DZ) and Kusal Epa (4S7KE). However,
there was one major problem: batteries were running out, and there were no
generators to recharge them.

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