Kuala lumpur: More than 300 amateur radio operators nationwide participated in the Malaysian Emergency Simulation Test (MySET) 2026, an exercise designed to test the country's preparedness for a 'Black Sky' scenario, a situation involving a complete breakdown of communication systems.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters' Society (MARTS) deputy president Zanirul Akhmal Zanirun stated that 87 injection scenarios were introduced during the exercise to simulate various emergencies. MySET 2026 was assessed as successful, with six stations demonstrating the ability to respond within the stipulated time frame in accordance with established standard operating procedures (SOPs).
He reported that the exercise successfully recorded the transmission and receipt of various emergency messages and situation reports via the amateur radio network. All messages were documented for further analysis, including content accuracy, format compliance, and transmission and reception times.
Zanirul, who is also MySET 2026 director, noted that the exercise achieved wide geographical coverage, involving two-way communications between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak. However, communication with stations in Sabah faced several challenges, particularly inconsistent long-distance radio wave propagation, geographical constraints, and operational limitations at certain locations. These challenges affected signal stability and response times but provided valuable input for improving future communication planning.
Elaborating further, Zanirul explained that MySET 2026 was conducted to assess the resilience of amateur radio communications in the event of a total failure of modern infrastructure. It also served as a continuous training platform for amateur radio operators in handling various equipment and radio bands, including high frequency (HF), very high frequency (VHF), ultra-high frequency (UHF), Long Range (LoRa), and others.
The simulation also evaluated operators' capabilities in transmitting formal messages such as radiograms, digital data via the Winlink and Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS), as well as visual images using Slow Scan Television (SSTV). Among the most challenging aspects was the stress test, where the Network Controller (NCS) was tested with simultaneous calls from several stations across the country. This situation was crucial to assess traffic density on the frequencies used and to measure the level of NCS skills in managing messages and emergency calls quickly and accurately.
Zanirul emphasized that MySET 2026 proved amateur radio is not just a hobby but a strategic asset for the country in dealing with disasters. He highlighted the importance of amateur radio communication in situations where a communication tower collapses, floods hit, and the power source is cut off, as it can still function without relying on the telco provider's infrastructure.