Oregon emergency officials praise ham radio

[n7bui]

Quote[/b] ]Oregon emergency officials say ham radio operators the unsung heroes

12/4/2007, 5:39 p.m. PSTBy SARAH SKIDMORE The Associated Press # #

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — When parts of Oregon were overwhelmed by wind and water during the recent storm, vital communication often was lacking, with trees down and across phone lines and cell coverage limited.


Read the rest of the story at:

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsfla....orlocal (http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-22/119681904414390.xml&storylist=orlocal)

Nice job guys!

[n7bui]

Sorry for clipping the subject line.

[KB7GL]

The ARRL has a news item that references that story, as well as some additional info. Sounds like they were pretty busy. It's still a mess in many areas around here. I-5 will likely be closed until Saturday.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/12/05/100/?nc=1

[KD7ZOS]

Kudos to all of the volunteer hams, both working from their home qth's and out in the field in the mud from Tom KD7ZOS. I have had the honor and sincere pleasure to help two local station operators Dick K7KTP of N. Portland,Or and KA7CGG of Vancouver, Wa. who worked tirelessly on the air, before aid agencies could swing into action. I personally heard them relaying info on a 2 meter net, for area hospitals from the North Oregon Coast, EOC Centers, Police and Fire Depts and routing as necessary, including to the Oregon OEM office in Salem,Oregon. I could list many names and call signs, but you guys and gals know who you are, and I don't want to make this a 10 page rant...only a 24 carot Thank You Acknowledgement for your Volunteer Time and Efforts. Much Suffering has occurred in these flood devestated areas, Once again Ham Radio was a"First Responder"...Lead On Gang, Holiday Blessings to all, We are members of a Team to be Proud of. Share the magic of Ham Radio with a friend and neighbor, get training from Red Cross, ARES,ARRL, Cert, and let's be ready for the next ones!!:-) Sincerly, Tom Kelly KD7ZOS, Multnomah County ARES,OES

[N5DUX]

Wow, I just saw this over at Slashdot (http://slashdot.org/articles/07/12/05/2350233.shtml). Way to go Oregon guys, way to let the world know this is still a relevant resource!

[K1MDC]

Don't forget to congratulate the Washington guys, too. Some of the most impressive flooding was up North.

[KD7ZOS]

KiMDC: OOP'S OK, I'll go stand in the corner, Washington Hams,Y'all did a fantistic job as well, please forgive my oversight, certaninly no harm meant, as I and Hamsters arre Clark County Radio Club Members too! We are all pooped, big time, and it ain't over yet, by a long shot. It was difficult trying to moniter 4 VHF and HF at one time, with landlines ringing into the Red Cross communications center, and have a handle what our Ham brothers and sisters were doing on the other side of the creek.(Columbia River,sorry). We were very much aware that you had your hands full, farther up I-5, with the freeway 10 feet underwater! Lead On Gang, Blessings and Stay Safe...One more time 73's Tom KD7ZOS and Family, Merry Christmas...your efforts have indeed saved many from additional pain and suffering, during this trying time for the Pacific NorthWest...Oregon & Wasington! Ok,before I get flamed... you guys & gals in Montana and Idaho, Rock On... you got hit pretty good too, but you're used to it! We're proud of all of your volunteer services too. Stay Safe,God Bless to all Ham's, Families and Friends!!:-)

[ky5u]

Great job to all on both coasts. You guys are people of action in AR.

[ki4rdg]

This is the kind of EMCOMM story I wish we would see more of, instead of stories like " How badly those f***ing hams screwed up the drill" ect.I don't think I have to tell you all that we can be a great resource to our communities if we try to and always remember what EMCOMM is really about, Helping Others! I know this sounds obvious but some hams seem to forget this.

[NN4RH]

Quote[/b] ] . . instead of stories like " How badly those f***ing hams screwed up the drill" ect.

Can you provide a link to such a story? I've never seen one myself.

[kb7uxe]

Thank you W7eme. tnx.

Dan kb7uxe

[LA6IMA]

Quote[/b] (N5DUX @ Dec. 05 2007,22:28)]Wow, I just saw this over at Slashdot (http://slashdot.org/articles/07/12/05/2350233.shtml). Way to go Oregon guys, way to let the world know this is still a relevant resource!
I saw it this morning on /. as well, however it became a rather embarrassing thread, as it turned into a no-code vs code debate.

It seems that some people can't just get over the fact that world has moved on (I'm not dissing CW, its a wonderful mode), argumentations like that won't give the hobby any new members, most likely rather the opposite.

To stay on topic... its no doubt the article is a great advertising for our hobby, kudos to the folks "over there" in Oregon.

[K1JWM]

Finally some praise about Amateur Radio.

Good to hear that the system worked

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

73
Jeff Mungovan
K1JWM

[K0RGR]

Absolutely fantastic!

Bravo!

And none of our self-loathing "whacker whackers" have popped up yet to claim that the hams weren't really needed.

[kg4kww]

Glad to see some good press.

Now, if some of theQRZ posters could clean up their acts and be nice and not nasty to their fellow posters or people in general, this would help to give ham radio yet another positive image.

[K1MDC]

Actually, I was kind of surprised they were activated. What I was reading made it sound like it was just another Winter storm. Vernonia floods every winter, as does Tillamook. The only thing that looked out of the ordinary was the massive flooding up in Chehalis, WA. Apparently things were pretty bad out in the country.

Where I live in the southern Portland area, at the convergence of two major rivers (the Tualatin River and the Willamette River), you wouldn't guess things were that bad. The rivers were high, yes, but not that high. It happens every winter.

Those politicians up in Washington are going to be in trouble when this is all over with. They passed a gas tax up there a few years ago that was earmarked for Levy building, then blew the money on other stuff. Hopefully heads will roll.

[KD6NIG]

There is a thread on DSLreports.com too about it-when I saw it there were zero comments.

A code-no code debate on slashdot, eh? Not a shock http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

The virus is spreading http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[KC7CJO]

Way to go guys!!

I know for a fact that Amateur Radio operators have a special spot in the heart of the folks in Vernonia. Hams coordinated getting vital equipment and supplies into that area during the 1996 flood when the local and County governmental agencies couldn't!

I know very well how hamstrung the local and County governmental agencies communications systems are as I am the radio tech for a local County. Hams can move freely about their own bands to get the job done where as the County and local communications systems are locked in on specific frequencies!

Keep it up guys! This is what Amateur Radio is all about!!!

[kk7ue]

Good job folks! I am proud of your response in a time of need. I appreciate your efforts for rural Oregon and Washington. Keep up the tradition and best wishes from kk7ue, retired EC Multnomah county Oregon http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[KG4RRN]

While the article is well written from a journalists' point of view, the hams whom were actually a part of the solution were not interviewed. The best articles I have seen written by novice newspaper repeorters contained the operators callsign(s), and that is what draws more people into the hobby, and service if they see that they actually have to use them. Too bad a P.I.O. was not available from the ARES group, to explain the technical side of saving communications-- if not lives-- in Oregons' coast.
It's always a disaster that brings out the best in our hobby, and it is the people we serve with whom are
able to use all modes to "get the message through".
73 all~
Bob Rice, KG4RRN
Safety Officer, N.C.S., Fairfax County, VA. ARES Net
N.C.S.,Northern Va. Traffic Net
N.C.S., Jefferson County, WV. ARES Net
Moderator, ICOM V82/U82 Yahoo Group,

NOVA D-STAR Group.

[n5uoa]

[B]This is another example that Deed restricted areas need ham radio operator's and cities need ham radio in Emergencies.Cities today in many emergency EMO'S have abandoned ham radio for cell phones. To those that Have closed ears by denying HAM RADIO IS another example how America is going to the LEFT and a Communist state.

[WA5KRP]

Here's a cool news report from an Oregon TV station:

http://clipsyndicate.com/publish/video/462276?cpt=3&wpid=861



WA5KRP
Texas

[ki4rdg]

Quote[/b] (NN4RH @ Dec. 06 2007,01:20)]Quote[/b] ] . . instead of stories like " How badly those f***ing hams screwed up the drill" ect.

Can you provide a link to such a story? I've never seen one myself.
I saw a story on that "hamsexy" site a while back about an ARES group in Florida that apparently didn't train well enough (or at all) and when they took part in a government emergency drill they couldn't do anything right or so the poster said.

I don't know how much truth there was in that story.