As part of the relief efforts after the earthquake in Haiti, the ARRL -- through its Ham Aid Program -- with the help of IARU Region 2 and the Radio Club Dominicano (RCD), delivered a Vertex VXR-7000 repeater to the Radio Club d’Haiti. This repeater, part of the original equipment sent by the ARRL during the devastating Haitian earthquakes in January 2010, will help with radio communications coverage in that devastated nation. Both the Radio Club Dominicano and the Radio Club d’Haiti are IARU Member-Societies.

The repeater was originally sent by the ARRL to members of the RCD who were helping to provide communications support in Haiti following the earthquake. Earlier this month, Doug Lapin, K1OY, the Dominican Republic’s Ambassador Accredited to the Secretary of State of Foreign Relations, delivered the repeater to Radio Club d’ Haiti President Jean-Robert Gaillard, HH2JR. According to Lapin, the repeater will be linked to other repeaters on the island nation, building a new nationwide Amateur Radio network.

The Ham Aid Fund was created in 2005 in response to the need for equipment and resources to support the Amateur Radio response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Ham Aid equipment is available on loan to Amateur Radio organizations during disaster response when communications equipment is unavailable. The ARRL Ham Aid Fund is supported by businesses, manufacturers and individual financial contributions. If you are interested in contributing to the Ham Aid Fund, please contact ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, via e-mail or by phone at (860) 594-0307.