Sussex County partners with Rehoboth Beach hotel to host amateur radio equipment

Sussex County is getting a signal boost to its amateur radio network for crisis communications, thanks to a new partnership between the county’s emergency management division and a Rehoboth Beach hotelier.

Owners of the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel in Rehoboth Beach are lending space free of charge to Sussex AuxComm, the county’s volunteer amateur radio group that supports the Emergency Operations Center during activations such as the recent snowstorms, for placement of a radio repeater. That equipment will be used to increase signal range and enhance emergency communications capability along the Delaware coast.

AuxComm is the acronym for auxiliary communication, a program developed and supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, primarily using volunteer amateur radio operators, aka hams, to support the work of government agencies responsible for response and recovery operations.

The newly installed repeater will serve as a vital communication link during emergent situations and AuxComm activations, providing reliable coverage for emergency coordinators, volunteers and amateur radio operators throughout the region, particularly if conventional communications become compromised. The system will also remain available for use by all licensed amateur radio operators.

“This collaboration exemplifies the community partnership that makes Delaware strong,” said Tim Cooper, Sussex County emergency manager. “Thanks to the generosity of the Zerby family, we’re able to expand our communication footprint and improve readiness for any emergency that impacts coastal Sussex County.”

For more information about Sussex County AuxComm or to learn how to become involved in amateur radio emergency communications, go to sussexradio.com.