Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network
Volunteer amateur radio network for Salvation Army emergency communications.
The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) is a volunteer group of amateur radio operators, primarily in North America. Its main role is to establish emergency communications between Salvation Army locations during disasters and to relay health and welfare messages between the organization and the public. The network traces its roots to the 1950s, when the Salvation Army ran the Salvationist Amateur Radio Operators Fellowship (SAROF). By 1958, SAROF members were assisting in emergency communications, and the group continued until 2016. In the 1980s, some SAROF members discussed formalizing this assistance, leading to SATERN’s official founding on June 25, 1988. Its first major test came three months later during Hurricane Gilbert. SATERN is open to amateur radio operators of any license class and any religious faith (or none). It typically operates on VHF and HF ham bands but can use any mode or frequency during an event. During the 2003 Northeast blackout, the group was active in upstate New York and at Salvation Army headquarters in Manhattan. In 2005, SATERN handled over 20,000 health and welfare inquiries during Hurricane Katrina, working alongside Skywarn, the Hurricane Watch Net, and the Waterway Net to provide information to the National Hurricane Center, as well as cooperating with the American Red Cross. On May 5, 2011, during the Joplin Tornado, SATERN participants provided communication between Freeman Hospital and other hospitals for about 12 hours, and its equipment was used by emergency coordinators to contact Red Cross offices until 12:30 AM. In 2018, Ford donated a customized Transit Van to SATERN in Kansas City, Missouri, for mobile communications. In June 2022, SATERN launched an international SSB Net on 14.325 MHz with the Hurricane Watch Net. The network has expanded overseas, with operators in Australia, Bermuda, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and New Zealand.
Quick Facts
- Formation
- 1988
- Abbreviation
- SATERN
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In the 1950s, the Salvation Army ran the Salvationist Amateur Radio Operators Fellowship (SAROF). By 1958, SAROF members were providing help in communications during emergencies, and the group continued until 2016. In the 1980s, several SAROF members discussed how to make this assistance more formal, leading to SATERN's official founding on June 25, 1988. Its first real test came three months later during Hurricane Gilbert.
SATERN is open to amateur radio operators of all license classes and of any (or no) religious faith. It routinely operates on VHF and HF ham bands but may operate any mode on any amateur radio frequency during an event. During the Northeast blackout of 2003, the group was active in upstate New York as well as the Salvation Army headquarters in Manhattan. In 2005, SATERN handled over 20,000 health and welfare inquiries during Hurricane Katrina, and along with Skywarn, Hurricane Watch Net and Waterway Net, provided information to the National Hurricane Center; it also worked with the American Red Cross.
On May 5, 2011, during the 2011 Joplin Tornado, SATERN participants provided communication between Freeman Hospital and other hospitals for approximately 12 hours, and SATERN equipment was used by emergency coordinators to communicate with Red Cross offices until 12:30 AM. In 2018, Ford donated a customized Transit Van to SATERN in Kansas City, Missouri for mobile communications. In June 2022, SATERN launched an international SSB Net on 14.325 MHz with Hurricane Watch Net. SATERN has expanded overseas, with operators based in Australia, Bermuda, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East and New Zealand.
Reader's Guide
SATERN's significance lies in its formalization of amateur radio support for the Salvation Army's disaster response, evolving from the earlier SAROF fellowship into a structured network. Its role during major disasters—such as Hurricane Katrina, where it handled over 20,000 health and welfare inquiries, and the 2011 Joplin Tornado, where it provided hospital communications for 12 hours—demonstrates its capacity to handle large-scale emergencies. The network's collaboration with other organizations like Skywarn, Hurricane Watch Net, Waterway Net, the National Hurricane Center, and the American Red Cross highlights its integration into broader disaster communications. SATERN's openness to operators of any religious faith and all license classes broadens its volunteer base. Its expansion overseas, with operators in multiple continents, and the launch of an international SSB net in 2022, indicate ongoing growth. The 2018 donation of a mobile communications van by Ford further enhanced its operational capabilities. SATERN's legacy is as a dedicated, faith-affiliated but inclusive amateur radio network that provides critical communication links between the Salvation Army and the public during crises.
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