Scientists are working together to establish a standardized international scale for measuring and reporting the intensities and impacts of earthquake shaking.
Amateur Radio Helping to Fill Earthquake Report “Donut Holes” 02/25/2021
An
article describing how radio amateurs can help fill the information “donut hole” by providing post-earthquake “did you feel it” (DYFI) reports via
Winlink HF radio email appeared on February 22 in the American Geophysical Union (AGU) magazine
Eos. As the article points out, “Ham radio networks gear up to provide real-time, on-the-ground information about earthquake shaking and damage when other communication pathways are knocked out of commission.” Authors of the article were David J. Wald of the US Geological Survey (USGS), Vincent Quitoriano, and Oliver Dully, K6OLI.
As the article explains, DYFI uses a questionnaire to gather individuals’ experiences and observations, and USGS uses the information to evaluate the shaking intensity at that person’s location. DYFI has been in operation since 1999 in the US and 15 years around the world, during which the USGS has gathered mo