On Mar 3, 12:11 pm, (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:
Roadie wrote:
A radio that uses a built-in generator would be much easier to carry
around and keep charged up than your other alternatives. AM, FM and
weather channel coverage is far far more imprtant than shortwave in an
emergency radio.

Only in the U.S.

Geoff.

Do you honestly think that hams will be of any use for providing
emergency or weather information in an emergency? They haven't yet.
And what possible value could there for the victims of a hurricane to
be able to hear BBC or any other international broadcaster on
shortwave. The original poster would be much better off listening to
local MW and FM broadcasts as was done in New Orleans.

You ever watched the Damnation Alley movie before? It comes on the FMC
Radio tb channel tomorrow at 11:30 PM.Objective,Burma movie has just now
started on Radio tb.
cuhulin

Roadie wrote:

On Mar 3, 12:11 pm, (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:

Roadie wrote:

A radio that uses a built-in generator would be much easier to carry
around and keep charged up than your other alternatives. AM, FM and
weather channel coverage is far far more imprtant than shortwave in an
emergency radio.

Only in the U.S.

Geoff.


Do you honestly think that hams will be of any use for providing
emergency or weather information in an emergency? They haven't yet.
And what possible value could there for the victims of a hurricane to
be able to hear BBC or any other international broadcaster on
shortwave. The original poster would be much better off listening to
local MW and FM broadcasts as was done in New Orleans.


Really a good assertion as shortwave is too long distance to really
matter for the most part. So you are pretty much left with AM locally
within 200 miles and then FM in a 75-100 mile radius. For the average
person, unless you are a ham operator you won't be able to find out
certain things. Not to mention cell phone coverage will be spotty in any
disaster area. Ask the people in New Orleans. Most cell towers will rely
on mains power so you're pretty much out of luck. If you can afford the
equipment, a satellite phone would be a good thing to have. At least for
getting your information to loved ones etc.

Another problem I see here is the lack of power and being able to even
hear hams on their bands. Anything such as Baygen or windup radios only
operate AM modulation and the AM/FM/SW bands but not SSB. I wish that
someone would come up with a crank type of radio capable of SSB and
digital readout with a BFO. It would be interesting to see a
manufacturer make some version of an Sangean ATS-818 or something
similar with SSB and capable of being wound up.

The other option you might have is to keep some solar chargers around
with NiMh batteries. Wind generators might be an option as well for
battery recharging as well as solar panels. But in a direct disaster
such as a hurricane or tornado you can say bye-bye to solar, towers, and
wind. It will be a mess in that instance.

Antoher plan would be to put together a wind generator system on your
own out of various components and then being able to erect that in an
emergency. Again that will be out of the reach of most people due to
property restrictions, CCRs, and other zoning stuff.

Roadie wrote:

Do you honestly think that hams will be of any use for providing
emergency or weather information in an emergency? They haven't yet.

Huh?

You obviously missed the very favorable article on the -front page- of
the Wall Street Journal describing the great job the hams were doing
during Katrina.

Look it up...

On Mar 4, 1:09 pm, Carter-k8vt wrote:
Roadie wrote:
Do you honestly think that hams will be of any use for providing
emergency or weather information in an emergency? They haven't yet.

Huh?

You obviously missed the very favorable article on the -front page- of
the Wall Street Journal describing the great job the hams were doing
during Katrina.

Look it up...

I subscribe, so no need to look it up. I read the article when it
first was posted and it came across as faint praise. They really did
nothing of substance. Talk to the emergency responders and ask them
if they have any interest in or ability to communicate with hams.

There was an Airyplane (Katrina) flying around in circles above N'Awlins
broadcasting messages to people in N'Awlins who had their radios turned
on.
cuhulin

Roadie wrote:
On Mar 4, 1:09 pm, Carter-k8vt wrote:
Roadie wrote:
Do you honestly think that hams will be of any use for providing
emergency or weather information in an emergency? They haven't yet.

Huh?

You obviously missed the very favorable article on the -front page- of
the Wall Street Journal describing the great job the hams were doing
during Katrina.

Look it up...

I subscribe, so no need to look it up. I read the article when it
first was posted and it came across as faint praise. They really did
nothing of substance.


Well, I'm glad you read it. In my opinion (your's obviously differs), it
was a little more than "faint" praise (seeing as the author doesn't
understand ham radio and didn't necessarily grasp the concept)...but,
-you- are admitting *praise* none the less.

Furthermore, there is a well documented record of hams giving
communications assistance going back to the big floods and snow storms
of the thirties, Katrina being the latest big example and I'm sure
plenty of documented cases between the 30s and Katrina.

Talk to the emergency responders and ask them
if they have any interest in or ability to communicate with hams.

Well, I have talked to them, thank you very much. I am a Commissioner on
the mayor's Emergency Preparedness Committee (for one of the five
largest cities in the state) which includes many professional emergency
responders. The city purchased and is in the process of installing ham
transceivers in the main fire station, Police Headquarters and the
city's Mobile Command Center. Furthermore, we have ham transceivers in
the Emergency Rooms of 14 or 15 of the major hospitals in the county and
have a very well equipped emergency command center in one of the county
buildings located in the county seat.

So, when you imply "the hams haven't yet" done anything in terms of
emergency communications, you appear to be either a ham "wannabee" with
a grudge, ill-informed or just plain talking out of your ass and looking
to troll...

Finally, to answer your question above, yes, I *DO* think that hams will
be -and have been- of use for providing emergency or weather information
(and can -prove- it with years of documentation and real-life actions).
When you say "hams haven't yet", where have you been for the last 70
years or so?

Carter-k8vt wrote:
Furthermore, there is a well documented record of hams giving
communications assistance going back to the big floods and snow storms
of the thirties, Katrina being the latest big example and I'm sure
plenty of documented cases between the 30s and Katrina.

Talk to the emergency responders and ask them
if they have any interest in or ability to communicate with hams.

Well, I have talked to them, thank you very much. I am a Commissioner on
the mayor's Emergency Preparedness Committee (for one of the five
largest cities in the state) which includes many professional emergency
responders. The city purchased and is in the process of installing ham
transceivers in the main fire station, Police Headquarters and the
city's Mobile Command Center. Furthermore, we have ham transceivers in
the Emergency Rooms of 14 or 15 of the major hospitals in the county and
have a very well equipped emergency command center in one of the county
buildings located in the county seat.

It's more a problem of "old timers" versus younger hams. The hams that help
out in emergencies are hams that are practiced in voice communications.

While digital communications are now becoming more and more involved, the
primary means of assistance by hams is VHF voice, to provide short range
communications and coordination.

Hams who can clearly communicate using their VOICE, are needed and well
appreicated. Hams who don't even own microphones, and have no practice
speaking clearly aren't needed anymore.

Health and welfare messages have been moved to the Internet. It's
faster, cheaper and easier to use non licensed volunteers to send
emails, make VoIP calls, etc. Hams still are needed to get the messages
out of the disaster area and to and from the communications centers with
working Internet access, but that is no longer done with morse code.

That's the real reson why the FCC and everyone else is dropping morse
code as a license requirment. The world has moved on, It's no longer
a skill that emergency services or the millitary need in an emergency.

As fas being visible, a ham with a VHF transciever provinding communications
does not look any different than any other emergency service person.
They may wear a vest that says RADIO or COMMUNICATIONS on it, and wear
a hat with some funny letters on it, or manybe not. They just fit in
and do their jobs, like any other professional.

Reporters simply don't notice that they are hams, or care. They write
what their handlers tell them. Their handlers tell them that everyone
works together and gets the job done. They don't single out hams.

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

VHF Radios was invented in my home State of MISSISSIPPI,over yonder in
MERIDIAN,MISSISSIPPI,about 90/100 miles East of doggy's couch.So were
Aircraft refueling Balves [[Valves,if you aren't Polish,you don't ''get
it'']] in the air (U.S.Air Force likes them Balves) refueling Balves.So
was the Stetson Hats,Dunns Falls,Mississippi.I don't own a Stetson
Hat,those folks over there in Texas stold it.
cuhulin

I read an article before about Ham Radio Operators and Katrina.Ham Radio
Operators can save your Life!
cuhulin