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During Blackout, Ham Radio Shined

Posted by timothy on from the breaker-breaker dept.

Mark Cantrell writes "An interesting bit on AP through Yahoo today. Seems that ham radio (which recently had a bit of backlash here on Slashdot from a few people thinking it was useless, outdated technology), really shined through during the blackouts. When the power went, ham radio operators, using battery backup power, were able to help coordinate emergency workers while the cell phone networks were overloaded. For anyone wondering why interference due to power line broadband is considered a bad thing, well, there ya go."

17 of 476 comments (clear)

  1. FP? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    maybe

  2. FP! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    First useless, outdated post, fools!

  3. Speaking of blackouts.. (offtopic) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Anyone having trouble getting online with Cox HSI? About an hour ago a download of mine went down to 0kbps, aim disconnected and no sites worked. I reset the modem and it wouldnt reconnect, eventually it did and my router was able to obtain an IP but nothing works. I cant access sites, cant sign on aim, cant ping anything. I'm on dialup now.

  4. I wonder... by Black+Parrot · · Score: -1, Offtopic


    > When the power went, ham radio operators, using battery backup power, were able to help coordinate emergancy workers

    Now that that emergancy is over, maybe they can pitch in and help with Slashdot's spelling emergancy.

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  5. Re:I listened to alot of stations. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    wtf?
    My eyes.. my eyes... they burn

  6. Re:I listened to alot of stations. by Billly+Gates · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    Do they really?. Now I think they do.

    --
    http://saveie6.com/
  7. Signal cruelty by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    When will you people learn that vegetarianism is the only way?

    1. Re:Signal cruelty by ddimas · · Score: 0, Offtopic
      When will you people learn that vegetarianism is the only way?

      Dear Eater of Grass,

      When we run out of prey.

      Sincerely,

      Carnivore

    2. Re:Signal cruelty by drwho · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      >> When will you people learn that vegetarianism is the only way?

      >Dear Eater of Grass,

      >When we run out of prey.

      >Sincerely,

      >Carnivore

      Ah, luckily yhe vegetarians were smart enough to invent mad cow disease, and other such things you've never heard of!

      Go ahead, munch on your cattle entrails, don't think about where they came from. When you're gone, there will be more room for me.

    3. Re:Signal cruelty by ddimas · · Score: 0, Offtopic
      Two words.

      Immune System.

      Also mad cow disease is at least as bad for the cow. Answer, Dont' eat sick animals. Are you sure you aren't a cow. Maybe I should slice a steak off of you to make sure?

      Avoid eating plants, they practice chemical warfare.

  8. WARNING: SPELLING NAZI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    emergancy != emergency

    that is all

  9. I imagine it was alot like this . . . by igbrown · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Radio: [speaking foreign language] I have a ham radio.


    [9F11] Selma's Choice

  10. Re:As if /.'ers care by sg_oneill · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Being a slashdotter means never having to say you're sorry when you ostracize a seemingly archaic, yet dependable, technology that shows its worth when all else fails.

    Now you leave Ms-DOS out of this ya hear!

    --
    Excuse the Unicode crap in my posts. That's an apostrophe, and slashdot is busted.
  11. Jesus christ, Robbie again. by _KiTA_ · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Dude, you really, really have to stop posting to slashdot while drunk. I mean, honestly. It can't be healthy.

    WE CARE ABOUT YOU ANONYMOUS COWARD! We don't want to see you hurt yourself! *sob sob*

  12. Segway Fag by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Busted

  13. Have I readed this wrong? by The+Famous+Druid · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Or have you writed it wrong?

    We English speakers would tend to say 'shone'.

    --
    Quidquid Latine dictum sit, altum videtur (anything said in Latin sounds important)
    1. Re:Have I readed this wrong? by Ratbert42 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I thinked so.