Sunday, July 15, 2012

Nothing Like Some Confirmation


I continue to be amazed with what 5 Watts and a wire out a window can do!



Tnx guys, 73 de Rob

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Well Now, Wasn't That Fun?

The big storm left us without power from 1900 Friday till 0430 Wednesday. No ham radio heroics, but the skill set allowed the ginning up of a charging station for electronics-we still had some cell service. Now I know that the rule is you are on your own for the first three days but we never saw FEMA, the National Guard nor the Red Cross. The local Volunteer Fire Department carried the load, emergency medical services, distributing food and water and trying to provide accurate information. Meanwhile NPR and other big outlets were giving infrequent bulletins that sounded like press releases. A local sports/talk radio station improvised a studio and tried to get out and receive information with call ins, local emergency officials and business that had emergency power so they could provide some services. Again no big ticket relief organizations involved. 

I'm no stranger to relief efforts, as a ham in a major flood and data infrastructure reconstruction after Andrew and the big organization and agencies can work but they are hard to get started and aren't too flexible but that was no excuse for their conspicuous absence.

I think I'll take a check to the VFD tomorrow.

Nuttin to do with Ham Radio, 73 de Rob