Once we got to the station, though, we had Starlink. Hooked to a truck, powered by that truck's own diesel engine, the Starlink system worked in the worst hours of the disaster. As long as you were standing by the truck, you could make calls, you could get to the internet. We could communicate with family, and as we opened the roads, we could drive that truck around the district to let people reach out and let their own family know they had survived.
Generously, Starlink is extending its efforts to help in North Carolina, but I am already grateful to them just for providing their normal service. When nothing else worked, they were dependable. It reminded me of Sam's realization, walking through Mordor, that the stars were ever above Sauron's power, untouchable and pure. Likewise Helene could knock down every cell tower, every power line, and so many trees that you could not at first move: but she couldn't touch the stars, nor the satellites.
8 comments:
What's your understanding or experience with FedGov response, particularly w/regard to 'blocking' civilian aid, etc?
The FedGov hasn't made any appearance here, so I haven't had any opportunity to develop an opinion. They haven't blocked anything, but they haven't shown up to do anything either.
We've had a ton of civilian aid, though. The local tiny airport atop the mountain in Cullowhee is jammed up with planes and helicopters. I've been astonished at how much people have donated, including not just food and water but expensive items like generators. So we haven't missed the Federal Government, because the citizenry has done quite enough on its own.
Burn the land, boil the sea
You can't take the sky from me
Sometimes life follows fiction and makes it true.
Eric Hines
Some Florida Men went up there to help out first day. Cleetus McFarland amongst them flying his rehabbed chopper from Venezuela. Ya'll are always in our thoughts & prayers. I love it when we all pull together as Americans. Stay safe, you are not alone.
nmewn
Honestly the Feds typically don't do much, it's supposed to be the state leading SAR and recovery, and initial support (supplies, etc.), and the feds come in to help pay the bills. How are they doing? I don't think I've seen the governor on the national news once, and few mentions of the NG, though it's clear they're out there.
We’ve had as many as two members of the National Guard present on three days. They’re good kids.
The governor can go right to… ah, the unemployment line, by preference.
I kinda went down a rabbit hole on emergency comms w/ all this. Satellite seems to be the thing. Starlink, of course, and also the Garmin InReach w/ subscription and satellite phones.
Ham radio seems very promising, but requires an investment of time to study for the license test, research the right gear, set it up, and get familiar with the band plans and how nets work. For local radio, there are very cheap options, but for good long-range radio you'll spend a chunk of money. If you invest the time and money, though, you can independently communicate both locally and around the world.
GMRS might be the best option (short of satellite) for families or groups that want local radio comms but don't want to invest the time into ham radio. It requires a license, but no test. You just pay the FCC and start operating. GMRS has lower-power repeaters, so it can reach out tens of miles locally. (That said, check before you buy. Your area may not have GMRS repeaters.) From what I've heard, the radios come more-or-less ready to go, unlike ham radios which have to be programmed or you need a list of frequencies for.
CB is still the most common radio in America, but it doesn't have repeaters, so it's restricted to line of sight communications. FRS likewise. Neither of them require licenses.
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