Hello to all.. **The VoIP Hurricane Net will activate at 1 PM EDT Wednesday Afternoon... 
The morning after Hurricane Helene pummeled the eastern seaboard of the US, Thomas Witherspoon inspected... Across the country, amateur radio operators are lending a hand to emergency responders I guess this would be the best way to say it….
My local “watering hole” puts little gems like the above out on a regular basis. This one just seems to fit. I normally take pics of the good ones
But really… Recently the East coast of the US has been beaten on like a Narc at a biker rally.
.
First with “Hurricane Helene” attacking North Carolina and now with “Hurricane Milton” bearing down on Florida….
Just to make matters worse…. We are having a Major Solar Storm in between the two weather events
This might be a good time to remind you that the Hurricane Watch Net will be operating on 14.325 usb and also 7.268 lsb depending on the propagation (or lack of it) at the time. Please try to give them a clear frequency.
Depending on what time “Milton” arrives in Florida there could/might be some major disruptions to the two bands expected to be in use by the HWN.
As you can tell by the above graphic…. Its not looking too good… Hope it clears up before “Milton” arrives.
73bob
The 2024 Hurricane Season started of slow but boy did it pick up steam. Right now, the country has been rocked by the devastation left by Hurricane Helene and now Florida is bracing for Major Hurricane Milton. There are lots of good people doing lots of good things out there. I want to give a shoutout to AmRRon and Grindstone Ministeries for all the work they are doing in the Tennessee/North Carolina areas. You can find out more about these organizations at https://amrron.com and https://grindstoneministries.com.
I have been blessed in that both of these powerful hurricanes missed me. Helene about 40 miles to my east and Milton several hundred miles to my south. Just because I got lucky doesn’t mean I should sit back and rest upon my laurels. Contrary to popular belief, ham radio operators in the affected area are typically not able to operate after a hurricane passes through. Their number one concern is the safety of their family and the protection of their property. Many have left the area and are holed up in a motel somewhere or are with friends/family. This is the time and the place for those not affected by the storm to lend a hand. With families and property safe and secure, amateur radio operators can travel to, set up and operate their portable stations, relaying valuable information to public safety and/or nervous families wanting to know that their kith and kin are safe.
For those able to deploy, preparations should start long before you leave hearth and home. Radios and coax need to be checked for proper operation, antennas checked for damage? Are all of your batteries charged, generators serviced, and solar panels operating properly? Is your vehicle ready: tires checked, engine serviced, lights work? Do you have enough fuel for your vehicle and your generators? Do you have a place to sleep and something to sleep on? Do you have water and do you have food? Always bring food and always bring water, regardless of what someone promises you.
And what about you? Are you in shape? When was the last time you were to the doctors? Do you have any conditions that may affect you and are they serious enough that not being near an emergency room might kill you?
I’m not young anymore and my days of traveling to a disaster areas are coming to a close. However, I am ready; I keep a running talley on my gear. How? I practice with my gear almost everytime I go to park or a campground. The same gear I use in a park is the same gear I use for a disaster. I know how it works and I know I have what I need. I call this FunComm, which to me, is practice for EmComm. My field radio stays packed and ready to go. My basic kit looks like this.
The top box contains my radio and associated gear.
The bottom box, contains my batteries, power stations and a couple of solar panels. I also have 2 larger solar panels that I would also bring. I do not always bring batteries with me for FunComm but I see that they are charged up several times a year. Two notes. 1) Check your gear. Out in a disaster, you probably won’t be able to get whatever it is you left behind. I recommend that when practicing FunComm, you go at least 20 miles away from home. That is about the distance too far to drive back home again — either make do or call it a bust. 2) Solar power generation is iffy. On a good day, a 100 watt solar panel puts out about 6 amps. Your radio at 100 watts output consumes about 18 amps. That means for every hour of transmitting, it requires 3 hours of solar power generation at max efficiency. Don’t forget, you will have to feed you laptop, lights, cell phone etc. Yes, a cell phone has other uses besides a phone. My battery box looks like this.
You EmComm types may chuff at Parks on the Air (POTA), but they know their gear, because they use it often. Take the time now. Check your gear, get it ready, get yourself ready, sometimes, when they need you, they need you now. My prayers are for those in the paths of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and also for those souls who when the call came were ready. When the call comes, can you cry out “Here am I” 73 and God Bless de Scott
The aftermath seen from hurricane Helene across five states left people without power and cell... I guess this would be the best way to say it….
My local “watering hole” puts little gems like the above out on a regular basis. This one just seems to fit. I normally take pics of the good ones
But really… Recently the East coast of the US has been beaten on like a Narc at a biker rally.
.
First with “Hurricane Helene” attacking North Carolina and now with “Hurricane Milton” bearing down on Florida….
Just to make matters worse…. We are having a Major Solar Storm in between the two weather events
This might be a good time to remind you that the Hurricane Watch Net will be operating on 14.325 usb and also 7.268 lsb depending on the propagation (or lack of it) at the time. Please try to give them a clear frequency.
Depending on what time “Milton” arrives in Florida there could/might be some major disruptions to the two bands expected to be in use by the HWN.
As you can tell by the above graphic…. Its not looking too good… Hope it clears up before “Milton” arrives.
73bob
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