Ham radio operator wins award

A seventeen year-old student from Edward P. Yorke High School has received an award from the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. Darnell Cooper has been fooling around with ham radios for three years, but during hurricane Keith his hobby suddenly became serious when he found himself communicating regularly between the Meteorological Office and the Miami Hurricane Center. He was honoured for his work in providing emergency communications and weather reports from Belize during the hurricane.

Darnell Cooper, Award Winner

“I received this award because during Hurricane Keith, I stood up many nights, many sleepless nights trying to get as much information as I can, weather information to send to the Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida to help make the forecasting much easier. And there were few ham operators on the frequency at the time. I can recall there were three of us, myself reporting weather information from Belize City, Victoria 3-1MX in Caye Caulker, he was reporting damage reports from Caye Caulker and there was also Bruce in Gallon Jug.”

“We are starting this new organisation CARMEN, the Caribbean Amateur Radio Meteorological Emergency Net, whereby hams from all throughout the Caribbean Islands, depending on which island is affected, will have to report vital information to the National Hurricane Center, so they can help to make the forecasting easier.”

Cooper says he would like to pursue a degree in communications. And the ham radio operator from Caye Caulker, Gerald Hoskelis, also known as Victoria 3-1MX will also receive an award from the Hurricane Center for his on the scene damage reports.