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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."

6 of 239 comments (clear)

  1. Go hams go! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My boyfriend is in his 20s and is a ham. People might think hams are a bunch of old farts, but that's not entirely true. When the grid is down, you can always count on hams to be there to help!

  2. Attention Michael by illsorted · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's good to see that the Hams are in action and all, but do you think it's very responsible to be slashdotting the servers of organizations providing emergency services in a disaster?

    Eh?

  3. 14.325 Hurricane net by ch-chuck · · Score: 4, Insightful

    get real time reports on condition in the affected area. Net control is actually in Austin TX.

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  4. Re:Who needs ham radio? by doppleganger871 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Ha. Can you hear me now? Nope? HOw about now? NOpe... da-dit-da-da-etc... Yep, heard that.

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    -- Liberalism is a mental disorder.
  5. Re:Who needs ham radio? by bplipschitz · · Score: 5, Insightful

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    We've got cellphones! Everyone knows how great cellphones work in an emergency. Viva la cellphone!

    Ham radio is antiquated. I can buy 2 FRS radios at Wal-Mart for 30 dollars and will be able to talk a whopping 1/2 mile.
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    And when Isabel destroys many of the cell towers, where will you be then? Unless you have a satphone your Aunt Tilly in Burbank won't know what's become of you. She could get a message relayed via ham radio, with a response to find out that you are ok, although maniacally clutching your cell phone.

    Also, FRS radios and Ham Radio are not the same thing, by a long shot.

  6. Re:Who needs ham radio? by pe1rxq · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Cellphones relly on infrastructure....
    A shortwave radio can communicate with somebody litterally on the other side of the globe without any additional infrastructure.

    Jeroen

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