American Red Cross Asks ARRL’s Assistance with Puerto Rico Relief Effort

Thread Starter

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,081
http://www.arrl.org/news/american-red-cross-asks-arrl-s-assistance-with-puerto-rico-relief-effort
The American Red Cross (ARC) has asked the ARRL for assistance with relief efforts in Puerto Rico. ARC needs up to 50 radio amateurs who can help record, enter, and submit disaster-survivor information into the ARC Safe and Well system. In the nearly 75-year relationship between ARRL and ARC, this is the first time such a request for assistance on this scale has been made. ARRL now is looking for radio amateurs who can step up and volunteer to help our friends in Puerto Rico.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Ham radio operators have served in disaster relief capacities as long as I can remember. The ARRL is the American Radio Relay League for those who may not be familiar with it. It connects hams around the US together with current ham news and events.

Ron
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Ham radio operators have served in disaster relief capacities as long as I can remember. The ARRL is the American Radio Relay League for those who may not be familiar with it. It connects hams around the US together with current ham news and events.

Ron

Ham never interested me. I always figured, what's the point of the whole thing? I guess I never thought about this very good reason to be involved.
 

Thread Starter

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,081
Ham never interested me. I always figured, what's the point of the whole thing? I guess I never thought about this very good reason to be involved.
I agree about the lack of interest. In my case it was like a baker in a donut shop not being thrilled with eating donuts. I ran the MARS (NAR) station a few times in the Keys. Back then there was a NAVCOMMSTA in Puerto Rico with a station they could patch into for HF 'cheap' calls to the states on our local telephone lines.

A few didn't like us being in PR back then but most were very nice.
http://www.navycthistory.com/sabana_seca_bus_tragedy_1979_1.html
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/0...hat-killed-two-us-sailors-in-puerto-rico.html
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
MARS ( Military Auxiliary Radio System) served a good purpose years ago. Today our military personnel remain pretty well connected to family and loved ones because of the technology. Before I saw Vietnam I was in Iwa Kuni Japan (Marine Corps Air Station) and getting in touch with family was no easy chore, this was 1971. We used the MARS station for our overseas phone calls. I was involved with the MARS station on base. Typically when conditions were good setting up a phone call took about 30 min or so. Funny part was after you spoke you said "over" and the other party would speak and say "over". There was static and there was noise but at least you could get a few words in to loved ones. Mail through the FPO (Fleet Post Office) typically took a week or more. For myself the MARS station served as something to do when I wasn't visiting the bars in "the ville". :)

Years passed an my ham radio interest faded but from the day I learned the code and got my first license I did enjoy the hobby. I still have an old R392 (Korean war era) receiver upstairs on the bench. Haven't fired it up in years but it was a real classic surplus receiver.

Ron
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Ham never interested me. I always figured, what's the point of the whole thing? I guess I never thought about this very good reason to be involved.
Yeah, ham radio operators get involved in all sorts of civic and community minded stuff. Over the years my interest faded and I was busy with other things but I really did enjoy the hobby during my younger days.

Ron
 

Thread Starter

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,081
MARS ( Military Auxiliary Radio System) served a good purpose years ago.
I was on the USS Okinawa in the far east so I've been to most of those horrid USMC bases.:D Most of our family messages at sea were sent via class E "easy" messages over the normal classified encrypted 100 WPM teletype circuits with special message headers for WU Telegram local delivery. Most unfortunately were bad news about family sicknesses/deaths or 'Dear John' messages we read, shook our heads at, intercepted and handed to the Chaplin first so some poor sailor wouldn't freak because his woman was leaving him.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Saw that when I was on the USS Eisenhower we could send the Class E messages. Then there was the COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery) for mail when we got it. Those were my DoD days after the Marine Corps. The two best duty stations were the one you just left and the one you were going to. :)

Ron
 

gerty

Joined Aug 30, 2007
1,305
In TN every hospital has to have a ham radio and a list of volunteer operators. The power supply has to be one of the loads connected to emergency generator, and the antenna has to bee a roof mount.
This info comes from a hospital administrator that came to visit my class one day. He said his secretary sends out letters every couple of years to see if anyone wants out, and if so can they name a replacement.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
In TN every hospital has to have a ham radio and a list of volunteer operators. The power supply has to be one of the loads connected to emergency generator, and the antenna has to bee a roof mount.
This info comes from a hospital administrator that came to visit my class one day. He said his secretary sends out letters every couple of years to see if anyone wants out, and if so can they name a replacement.
Well, if the hospital is tall the roof would make for a nice triband antenna. That along with other antennas. :)

Actually I have an old CB set laying in the truck. I drag it out when I travel. This way when I find myself at a dead stop on an Interstate Highway I can generally know why.

Ron
 
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