eHam.net News

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Field Day in Port George a Fun Way to Learn, Prepare for Emergencies:

Posted: 11 Jun 2016 05:02 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36948


CB (citizens band) radio became popular in the early 1970s and Penney and
his father got their licences at that time. A couple years later, Penney
and his father took an amateur radio course offered by the federal
Department of Communications, now Industry Canada, and were licenced in
1977. When asked what he loves most about it, Penney said, "It's what I
like to call the magic of radio." "You're listening to a signal originating
half a world away with about the power a 100 watt light bulb would use,"
Penney said. He enjoys the technical challenge involved and points out that
sometimes amateur operators "take the difficult route just to see if it can
be done." This could involve bouncing a signal off the moon, trails left by
meteors or even the International Space Station.


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Rehearsing for the 'Big One':

Posted: 11 Jun 2016 05:01 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36947


Friday was a great day for an earthquake -- even if it was merely a
drill. "Bring it on," said said Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
member Dave Kuehn, looking up to the still, blue sky. Scores of ham radio
operators, Coos Forest Protective Association firefighters, CERT and Red
Cross members, the Curry County Medical Reserve, law enforcement and others
gathered in Gold Beach to set up a mock emergency situation in anticipation
of the day when the Cascadia subduction zone rips. It was part of a
statewide Cascadia Rising exercise to practice -- and find glitches -- for
the response that will be needed in a large quake and its subsequent
tsunami. The Cascadia subduction zone is located about 30 miles off the
coast, from Northern California to Alaska, and is long overdue to release
built-up stress. Earthquake experts don't know when it will rip -- only
that it will. Emergency service personnel want to be prepared. "Everyone is
cognizant that we're doing this to help the people in Curry County," said
ham radio operator Paul Carlin. "That's the only reason we're here. It is
fun; you meet people, have a good time with it. It's a hobby, but a hobby
that can do a lot of good." "This is for all organizations, for us," said
Beth Hidalgo, a CERT trainer.