MARTS TO CONDUCT MYSET 2026 EMERGENCY DRILL TO SIMULATE ‘BLACK SKY’ SCENARIO

MELAKA, Jan 27  (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters’ Society (MARTS) will conduct a major national emergency drill, the Malaysian Emergency Simulated Test (MySET) 2026, on Jan 31 to simulate a 'Black Sky' scenario.

A 'Black Sky' scenario denotes a catastrophic failure of all critical infrastructure, such as cellular networks, the internet, and power grid, triggered by a natural disaster or large-scale systemic failure.

MARTS president Mohd Aris Bernawi said the simulation will involve approximately 300 amateur radio operators nationwide.

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It is a collaborative effort with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), and National Planetarium, designed to test the country's backup communications systems during a total communications blackout.

"In such a crisis, amateur radio operators act as a professional, reliable, and infrastructure-independent auxiliary communications service," he explained in a statement today.

MySET 2026 will employ a suite of hybrid communication covering both long and short ranges. Long-distance, cross-regional communication will be handled via High Frequency (HF) bands using NVIS techniques, while short-range tactical and digital data operations will use Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF). 

"A unique feature of MySET 2026 is the expanded use of digital technologies, such as the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) and Long Range (LoRa), to enable the sharing of text data and location coordinates without an internet connection.

"Every participating amateur radio operator nationwide must adhere to the Apparatus Assignment (AA) conditions issued by the MCMC. Non-compliance risks causing radio spectrum interference during the drill," he said.

To authentically simulate the 'Black Sky' scenario, he said all stations must operate solely on battery or solar power, completely independent of the national grid.

"Participants must be fully prepared technically and mentally, as operational commands will be issued at short notice via emergency frequencies on the day. This is designed to test their response speed under pressure," he added. 

He concluded that the goal of the exercise, which would be coordinated from the Main Control Station at the National Planetarium, is to solidify the strategic partnership between the amateur radio community and government agencies.

"This collaboration is vital to developing a resilient national communications asset for future crisis management," he emphasised. 

-- BERNAMA