(CNN) When cell phone coverage and Internet failed, some Haitians turned to amateur radio to communicate. Jean-Robert Gaillard used a neighbor's generator to power up his radio and connect to a handful of amateur radio enthusiasts in the United States.
Low-Tech Radios Connect Haitians
Delicious Reddit

JANUARY 20, 2010
John D. Sutter, CNN

Much has been made about the role flashier technologies like Twitter, Skype and text messaging have played in helping disaster victims find loved ones and communicate with international aid workers. But it is worth noting that, when all else fails, the low-tech hum of a radio frequency is sometimes the only line of communication that's open.
Read the story by John D. Sutter: www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/20/haiti.amateur.radio