Here on the Oregon coast where hurricane force winds are a regular event several times each winter, our community emergency team relies on Amateur radio, CB and "Family Radio" for communications.
However, I'd not want to combine them into one rig. That would prevent simultaneous use by several people, some of whom may not be Ham licensees. The "family radio" units provide family-to-family communications throughout our community of between 50 and 100 homes. The range - a few houses in each direction in this heavily wooded area a few hundred feet from the Pacific Ocean - is perfect to avoid excessive QRM and confusion but enough to check on neighbors and relay a call for help if needed. Those same radios take to the streets in the hands of members of the community take to guide fire, ambulance or other emergency vehicles to their destination along our winding roads at any time, or if we're cut off to road access and have an emergency, to coordinate setting up the markers for Coast Guard helicopter landing area. CB units in vehicles back up the family radios if more range. My HF and VHF Ham rigs are an essential back up in case all phone service is lost. The Ham rigs focus on that need, leaving CB and family radio units for local chores. Serving alongside non-ham neighbors with their CBs and family radios gives me a chance to show off Ham radio to new recruits who are already interested in communications technology. Ron AC7AC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
