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Amateur Radio Braces for Hurricane Isabel

Posted by michael on from the get-a-snorkel dept.

TaxSlave writes "Amateur Radio operators in North Carolina and elsewhere in the projected track of Hurricane Isabel are getting ready for action. ARES has been activated in many areas, and hams are recommended to be ready. NC ARES has an information page for the storm and Hurricane Watch Net has a good info page as well. Even outside the major storm area, hams are posted at shelters which are filling up with storm refugees."

7 of 239 comments (clear)

  1. They'll also be standing by. . . by bplipschitz · · Score: 5, Informative

    around the rest of the country, to relay Health & Welfare traffic during the aftermath.

    Some other frequencies of interest:

    14.265 MHz [USB] Salvation Army SATERN net.
    7.232 MHz [LSB] Tarheel net [daytime]
    3.923 MHz [LSB] Tarheel net [after 7:30 pm]
    3.907 MHz [LSB] Coastal Carolina net.

    The nice thing about radio is, as long as you're only listening, it doesn't suffer from the ./ effect!

  2. Get into amateur radio yourself - here's how ... by wherley · · Score: 5, Informative

    First, here is some background info.

    Second, study up for the 35 question multiple choice exam using the Now You're Talking book.

    Third, take your test.

    Then get some gear - you'll be the one helping out in the next disaster in your area!

    K9JRW

  3. Look at the bands by The+Tyro · · Score: 4, Informative

    Depends on what kind of aerial you're talking about... if you mean 2meter, 440, etc, then yes... a tall tower (typically for a repeater, and that might not survive the hurricaine) facilitates communications, since these bands tend to be line-of-sight.

    However, if you read the article, you'll notice they are using the 80-meter band, which is NOT line-of-sight. Tall antennas are not as critical... you can rig up a dipole with some wire after the storm passes, and get passable reception.

    aerials, schmaerials... a true ham is a master at jury-rigging stuff, including antennas.

    --
    Even if a man chops off your hand with a sword, you still have two nice, sharp bones to stick in his eyes.
  4. Not to be unnecessarily duplicative, but by Spamalamadingdong · · Score: 4, Informative
    How likely is it that their monsterous huge aerials will survive the winds ?
    Doesn't matter to the V/UHF people very much, nor is it crippling to the HF operators. If the beam on the tower comes down, any decent piece of wire and an antenna tuner become a usable "long wire" antenna. Hams have "Field Day" every year where they go off in a field somewhere, operate from tents and trailers and see how many stations they can contact; this is practice for communications during emergencies.
    --
    Scientists restrict study to entire physical universe; creationist
  5. Re:Get into amateur radio yourself - here's how .. by Rorschach1 · · Score: 4, Informative

    And don't let the test scare you off. Any self respecting geek ought to be able to learn the test material in a couple afternoons.

    I got my Novice license at about age 11. I'd stayed with Technician class for years, then they dropped the 20 wpm code requirement for Extra. It took me about 8 hours of studying to prepare for the test and I passed with a 96%.

    If you're reading slashdot, and you already use things like FRS radios, there's no excuse for not getting a license and earning the ability to use REAL equipment.

    Plus, you can run higher power 802.11b. =]

    N1VG

  6. Re:Get into amateur radio yourself - here's how .. by kc9biw · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here is some quick general info I normally hand out.

    There are 4 current classes you could get. To get one, you need to one
    before it, ie if you want general, you need to have tech and tech + morse
    first.

    Technician
    Technician + Plus morse code
    General
    Extra

    The test is only $10 and lasts for 10 years. to renew, you just have
    to fill in some paper work and send it into the FCC.

    The test is 35 multiple choice questions.

    The Technician class Syllabus is here
    http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/tech-syllabus.ht ml

    To find a testing center in your area.
    http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtm l

    Question pool for Technician class (I printed these out and read over them twice and was able to pass the test)

    http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/tech2003.txt
    http:/ /www.arrl.org/arrlvec/2003Technician_graphic s.pdf

    Online Practice test
    http://www.qrz.com/testing.html

  7. Re:These ppl do a nice job... by DF5JT · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Hats off to you people & thanks for the wonderful job you do!"

    Do it as long as you can, because the very existence of ham radio is endangered. Powerline communication uses the entire shortwave spectrum and is being hailed as the only way to ensure a nationwide coverage of internet access. The telco and energy industry pushes the issue with the FCC right now and as things stand, the entire shortwave spectrum will be completely useless for any wireless service, be it ham radio, shortwave broadcast or other emergency service that need the shortwave frequency range.

    Take a look at:

    http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/08/08/2/?n c= 1//

    Same, by the way, in Europe:

    http://europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/ te lecoms/regulatory/publiconsult/powerline_communica tions/text_en.htm

    It's been a nice hobby for me during the last 25 years, but as things stand it won't last another 25 years.

    You might want to inform your congressman about the issue and tell him that in a couple of years hams might be unwilling to provide emergency services when ham radio as a hobby has systematically been sacrificed for the industry's greed for a useless technology.