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Amateur Radio Braces for Hurricane Isabel
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."
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!
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?
That's all very well, but what about vegetarians? Are we going to just let them starve to death?
If I seem short sighted, it is because I stand on the shoulders of midgets
Even though we have had so many advances in technology over the years, its the good ole HAMs that come to our rescue during times of trouble or disaster. Even during the recent blackouts in NYC, they kept in touch & relayed messages back & forth. Often there's just one link who keeps the messages going up & down.
Hats off to you people & thanks for the wonderful job you do!
get real time reports on condition in the affected area. Net control is actually in Austin TX.
try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
Ha. Can you hear me now? Nope? HOw about now? NOpe... da-dit-da-da-etc... Yep, heard that.
-- Liberalism is a mental disorder.
around the rest of the country, to relay Health & Welfare traffic during the aftermath.
./ effect!
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
Atleast they're the amateur model..When I was young I always wished my braces could play the radio. Now a stinkin hurricane gets radio braces. Feh!
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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.
Cellphones relly on infrastructure....
A shortwave radio can communicate with somebody litterally on the other side of the globe without any additional infrastructure.
Jeroen
Secure messaging: http://quickmsg.vreeken.net/
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
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.
Scientists restrict study to entire physical universe; creationist
You ever notice when disaster strikes(weather, blackouts, etc), those ham radio people are always there? Hmmm..
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
Here is some quick general info I normally hand out.
t ml
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/ /www.arrl.org/arrlvec/2003Technician_graphic s.pdf
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.h
To find a testing center in your area.
http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.pht
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:
Online Practice test
http://www.qrz.com/testing.html
Depends on your definition of pr0n I suppose. If you mean nekkid wimmin, well, yeah. If you mean images so vile that they go against the morals of a decent and civil society, then Pictures from the Dayton hamfest surely qualify.
Think 22,000 sweaty, smelly, unbathed, short, fat, old, bald white guys.
On second though, Don't.
Still one of my guilty pleasures even though it's become a real dive in the past 10 years or so.
Cheers, Peter, W2IRT