Maui County is hustling to bring more licensed amateur radio operators on board before what forecasters expect to be a busy hurricane season, and officials are starting with a free public demonstration and training day at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College on Saturday. Organizers say ham radio can serve as a reliable fallback when phone networks, fiber lines and cellular service are disrupted, a role volunteers have already played in recent local emergencies. The all-ages event runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will include hands-on demonstrations, radio setup displays and guidance on how to get licensed.
According to Hawaii News Now, the free event at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College in Kahului on June 27 is tied to a national exercise that will put hundreds of operators through emergency-communications drills. The station reports the county is hoping the demonstrations and on-site licensing help will grow Maui’s pool of trained volunteers ahead of the storm season.
Bill Heyde, Maui County’s Amateur Radio Emergency Services coordinator, told Hawaii News Now he has been a licensed ham for 44 years and that “it was just serendipity that I signed up” in 1982. Heyde, a retired Maui Police Department dispatcher, now helps activate operators during disasters. Local operator Keisa Liu (WH6HEJ) described radio as “resilient” and said she joined out of a sense of community responsibility. Hawaii News Now also notes her 9-year-old son is studying for his Technician license and expects to test in August.
Field Day Brings Nationwide Practice
The UH Maui demonstrations line up with ARRL Field Day, ham radio’s annual 24-hour “open house” and emergency-communications drill held the fourth weekend in June. ARRL says more than 31,000 radio amateurs take part across the U.S. and Canada, giving clubs and volunteers a chance to test off-grid gear and practice message handling under simulated emergency conditions.
Hams Have Stepped Up When Systems Failed
Amateur operators were pressed into service after the August 2023 Lahaina wildfires when phones and fiber were disrupted, relaying messages and health-and-welfare traffic to responders. “Wildfires have affected phones, internet, and cell services across Maui,” the ARRL reported, and ARES and RACES teams also helped relay situation reports and support Emergency Operations Centers during the back-to-back Kona low storms this March, according to the ARRL Pacific Section blog. ARRL and the ARRL Pacific Section documented those emergency communications roles.
How To Get Involved
Newcomers can study for the Technician exam and often take tests at Field Day sites or at local Volunteer Examiner (VE) sessions. After a successful exam the FCC collects an application fee and VE teams typically charge a small session fee. The FCC confirmed the updated application-fee process and schedule in a public notice, and community guides note VE session fees commonly run around $15 while the FCC application fee is handled online after the exam. For training, testing and local contacts, interested residents can reach out to the Maui Amateur Radio Club or check local VE listings. FCC, RadioRanked and the Maui Amateur Radio Club all offer practical next steps.
