On the occasion of marking the anniversary of the devastating earthquake that struck Banja Luka on 27 October 1969, we invite citizens to join us on 26 October 2024 at Trg Krajine, starting at 09:00. This event offers a unique opportunity to learn more, through the perspective of radio amateurs and their equipment from that period, about how citizens and humanitarian organizations established communication and provided assistance to the affected residents.
Radio amateurs were crucial in the first days after the earthquake, when the communication infrastructure of that time collapsed. Without their skills and equipment, much information about conditions on the ground would not have reached emergency services, and assistance would have been delayed. Our team from the local radio club will display, on site, authentic radio equipment used at that time, including radio devices that were decisive in establishing the first lines of communication.
As part of the display, visitors will have the opportunity to see old and new radio devices and to try establishing a radio contact first-hand. The exhibited photographs and documents will tell the story of the radio club's work from its founding, through the period of the earthquake, up to the present day. Our team will also demonstrate modern equipment and show how radio technology has developed, and what the advantages of today's technology are in crisis situations.
The goal of the event is to raise awareness of the importance of radio amateurs – both in the past and today, when natural disasters or crises can lead to the loss of conventional means of communication. Radio amateurs are able to establish contact immediately even under the most difficult conditions, thus providing a reliable channel for coordinating assistance and support.