A ham radio operator caught in the storm in Swannanoa, Buncombe County, NC, has posted reports and photos on his blog. He has solar and a satellite connection. It seems his community is cut off, but making do.
The ham radio technician license exam is pretty easy, and the general license is only slightly more difficult. Technician gives you UHF and VHF privileges; a small handheld radio that can connect with a repeater can communicate around 50 miles. That license also gives you a slice of HF, the 10-meter band. An HF radio about the size of a CB radio can communicate worldwide in the right conditions. The general license opens up a great deal of the HF frequencies and much more flexible communications.
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Pretty good view into a situation like this. Definitely makes the point that radios are uber important, and a halfway decent mountain bike seems like a great idea. I have several bikes, and one cheap mountain bike, but maybe a better one is a good idea...
America Last
The private efforts to aid the citizens of western North Carolina and other areas Helene has ravaged are a wonder to see, even as we grieve the loss of life and awful destruction.
One goal, obviously, is to get power restored as quickly as possible. However, a conservative independent journalist going by the handle Amuse has a story that won’t amuse anyone. According to him, the nation’s stockpile of electrical transformers and switch gear, kept in the ready for disasters such as this, is greatly depleted because the Biden-Harris administration has been sending it to Ukraine.
HURRICANE: Communities across the south are being told to prepare for extended power outages as a result of a massive short of critical electrical equipment. It turns out the Biden-Harris regime hasn't just sent the bulk of our artillery shells to Ukraine – they've also sent them… pic.twitter.com/NEIQFAmEm7
— @amuse (@amuse) October 1, 2024
The Federalist also reminds us that over the last two years, FEMA has siphoned more than a billion dollars from disaster relief funds earmarked for “Shelter and Services Programs” to — as the FEMA website states — “provide humanitarian services to noncitizen migrants following their release by the Department of Homeland Security.”
The federal government has been busy in other ways the past couple of days as well. The feds announced it will soon be releasing $336 million in new humanitarian aid. For western North Carolina, you ask? No. To Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
The feds also announced a gift of $567 million in military support. To help clear out and rebuild areas hit by Helene, you ask? No. For Taiwan.
But don’t worry. Kamala Harris’s “New Way Forward” website states she’s seeking $570 billion in additional funding … for defending Ukraine.
FRS radios don't require a license and are cheap. GMRS radios require a license, but no test -- you just pay for the license and that's it. CB radios still outnumber everything else and of course don't require a license.
Any of those are worth having for short-range communications. I'm thinking about getting a CB just because it is the most common civilian radio in the US.
What ham radio gives you is access to repeaters that can get out 50 miles and access to HF radios that can communicate around the world. Just as important, it gets you into the ham radio community, a bunch of hobbyists who are familiar with setting up communications nets, building antennas, etc., and are happy to help a fellow ham. They have nets up all over on a weekly basis just as part of the hobby.
Within the ham community are ARES / RACES volunteer groups that learn and practice emergency radio communications and which coordinate with local government in emergencies.
Of course, a good mountain bike and reasonable hiking gear are always worthwhile emergency equipment.
I have found the account of "Amuse" to be unreliable, and not infrequently peddling disinfo. Not always, but be cautious and always verify.
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