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By Sgt. Tony Hawkins
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti—With so many moving pieces involved in relief efforts across Haiti, information about how local civilians can receive aid is crucial. That's where U.S. Army Special Operations Command Soldiers operating the Special Operations Media System-Broadcast step into action.
The mission of the SOMS-B is to provide shortwave FM and AM radio support in the form of popular American and Haitian music, public service announcements and live radio programs.
"Really, we're providing any kind of radio support needed," said Sgt. Robert, the SOMS-B team leader. "The locals really do enjoy the music, but the most important piece is probably the PSAs. They typically tell the local civilians where USAID, the World Food Program and coalition forces will be to distribute food, water and other humanitarian aid."
The PSAs also include information regarding health and sanitation, or any other issue that the information support teams working with the doctors and other agencies determine should be addressed. By broadcasting the PSAs every 10-12 minutes, it ensures the messages will be heard by the local civilians while still providing them with plenty of music, from reggae and reggaeton to American music that is popular in Haiti.
At the heart of this fully-functional mobile radio station is the 120-foot telescopic antenna, which takes about a full day to set up. The antenna, which was specifically built for this system, has a maximum range of about 45 kilometers; though in the low terrain of Port-au-Prince the station currently has about a 20-kilometer range.
"From our current location, we're able to cover most of the affected area of the city by ourselves," the sergeant said. "We broadcast on 93.3 FM, which is the same frequency as Commando Solo, so we operate whenever they are down. That way the entire city is covered."
Using the PSAs to provide much needed information to the populace in Port-au-Prince is key to ensuring the humanitarian effort is successful and that people receive aid. As long as these ARSOF soldiers continue operating the SOMS-B, people will know where to go to receive help.
"Radio is our best source of getting information out right now," he said. "It's the most receptive medium and has the most credibility. For news, information and entertainment sources, radio is definitely the primary source for Haitians right now."
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2010 16:10 |
| Story ID: | 45022 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 160 |
| Downloads: | 136 |
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