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By Byron Kirkwood Byron@baproducts.com 1-918-696-5998 |
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For a short time after Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai, Hawaii
(Sept 11, 1992), the only communications link between Kauai
and Oahu was by amateur radio (ref QST Feb 1993 p 19). Kauai
had been completely "cutoff" by other forms of "modern day" communications (cellular telephone, satellite links, etc).
Amateur radio emergency communications also played an
important role in and after Hurricane Andrew hit Southern
Florida the month before (August 1992). Hams (amateur radio
operators) provided emergency communications during the
storm of the century (on the East Coast), the flood of the
century (in the Central US), and other numerous disasters
since then.
Getting your amateur (ham) radio license has never been
easier to get than it is now. The entry level into ham radio doesn't even require that you learn the Morse Code. This
entry point is called the "No-Code" Technician License. To
get this license involves studying and taking a written
test, administrated by fellow hams. These hams are qualified
as VE's (Volunteer Examiners) and are certified by the ARRL
(American Radio Relay League) and conform to FCC (Federal
Communications Commission) regulations. The No-Code Tech
license has limited privileges, but is an excellent way to
get started. To advance to higher classifications of
licenses with more privileges will involve learning the
code, if you so choose.
If you are interested in preparing for the No-Code Tech
license there are several good books available that will
help you. Probably the most accessible ones are available at
Radio Shack and are "Now You're Talking" and the No-Code license manual by Gordon West (see the ad on the back of this newsletter). Either one is adequate for learning the
questions and answers to the tests and informing you on how
to contact the testing centers in your area.
When you have committed to getting your license, you may
want to contact and join the local ham club. Nearly every
area has some sort of ham club. As an example, in Dallas I
was a member of the Dallas Amateur Radio Club (DARC). Here
in Northeastern Oklahoma, I'm a member of the Tahlequah
Amateur Radio Club (TARC). Often the clubs hold classes for
getting your license. Fellow hams are willing to help a
newcomer: to get started, advance, help locate license
testing sites, and often in selecting or recommending
equipment.
When you get your license, you may want to get involved with
the SKYWARN activities. This is an organized radio net(work)
to watch and warn about weather related activities and other
emergency activities. They are handled by either the RACES
(Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) or a similar group
ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service). This involves
joining the group and participate in training and when
qualified, participate in severe weather watches and
emergency situations. It is a good way to get formally
involved in and experience emergency situations.
Amateur radio equipment can be expensive or relatively
inexpensive. As a no-code tech you have privileges on the
amateur "band" known as 2-meters (same as the 144-Mhz
frequency). One of the best buys on new equipment for
2-meters is the Radio Shack HT-202 hand-held (walkie-talkie)
rig for $199. The range on this unit is fairly limited (1 to
10 miles) by itself, but when used with an existing "repeater" can cover a relatively large local area
(sometimes up to 60 miles or more). Besides hand-held rigs,
there are mobile rigs that are designed to install in your
car and work off the car's 12 volts DC. And then there are
base station rigs that are rated anywhere from 100 watts
(the power of a 100 watt light bulb) up to 1500 watts. The
base station rigs typically run off 120 VAC (or 12 VDC and a
power supply to work with 120 VAC) and under some conditions
(when atmospheric conditions permit), can talk all over the
world. As an example, with my ICOM 725 transceiver running
100 watts, I have talked to England, South America, Hawaii
and all over the US. My rig cost about $1000, but you can
spend much more if you have the money and desire to have a
really good station.
When you start looking at ham equipment, you will want to do
several things. First, you will want to see if there are any
ham stores in your area, and if so, visit them. You can
usually find these in the yellow pages under "Radio
Equipment." Also there are a number of good ham radio
magazines, these include: QST, CQ Magazine and 73 Magazine.
Check out the ads in these to locate mail-order equipment
suppliers. Another possibility is used equipment. The ham
club is the best way to locate used equipment. In some
locations there are electronic or ham flea markets or at
times you may see equipment listed in the classified
sections of the newspaper.
And for those with Internet access, you can find amateur
radio equipment suppliers, used equipment, discussion
groups, sample test programs, and even local ham club web
pages.
Finally in closing I want to recognize that there is another
option, but not nearly as good as amateur radio for
emergency communications, and that is CB (Citizens Band)
radio. The disadvantages to CB communications is that it is
usually very disorganized when trying to communicate, and is
(legally) limited to 5-watts output power with which to
operate. The advantages are that it doesn't require a
license and equipment is more readily available and
comparatively inexpensive.
I hope this little primer provides you with information that will help you get your ham license. If you do get your
license, give me a call, either on the land-line (telephone)
or on the air.
Sincerely -- Byron KJ5DB
In my Survival Guide for the New Millennium, I mentioned
that I feel that "independent radio communications will be
very important in the future." When emergencies happen, you
may not be able to pick up a phone and dial 911 and have the
paramedics show up.
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Whoa! With all the gangs, cliques and the increasing violence in our schools,what in the world is happening with our kids today? Let's see...I think it started when Madeline Murray O'Hare complained that she didn't want any prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you had better not read the Bible in school -- the Bible that says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said, OK.
Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem. And we said, an expert should know what he's talking about so we won't spank them anymore.
Then someone said that teachers and principals better not discipline our children when they misbehave. And the school administrators said no faculty member in this school better touch a student when they misbehave
because we don't want any bad publicity, and we surely don't want to be sued. And we accepted their reasoning.
Then someone said, let's let our daughters have abortions if they want,and they won't even have to tell their parents. And we said, that's a grand idea.
Then some wise school board member said, since boys will be boys and they're going to "do it" anyway, let's give our sons all the condoms they want, so they can have all the "fun" they desire, and we won't have
to tell their parents they got them at school. And we said, that's another great idea.And then some of our top elected officials said that it doesn't matterwhat we do in private as long as we do our jobs. And agreeing with them,we said it doesn't matter to me what anyone, including the President,does in private as long as I have a job and the economy is good.
And then someone said let's print magazines with pictures of nude women and call it wholesome down-to-earth appreciation for the beauty of the female body. And we said we have no problem with that. And someone else took that appreciation a step further and published pictures of nude children and then stepped further still by making them available on the
internet. And we said they're entitled to their free speech.
And the entertainment industry said, let's make TV shows and movies that promote profanity, violence, and illicit sex. And let's record music that encourages homosexuality, rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes. And we said it's just entertainment, it has no adverse effect,and nobody takes it seriously anyway, so go right ahead.
Therefore, now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with... "we reap what we sow."
This was passed on by a man named Clarence Schultz, who wrote down some of his thoughts. He is a minister and retired Navy chaplain - lots to think about!
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!!
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