BenDoubleU

When disaster strikes, and conventional communication systems fail, amateur ham radio operators step in to bridge the gap, providing a crucial link between those in affected areas and the outside world.

While some residents in hurricane-impacted areas can’t send texts or make calls, amateur radio enthusiasts are helping communicate requests for help and messages between loved ones.

With communication still limited after Helene devastated western North Carolina, ham radio operators in the Triangle and other areas are trying to help people connect with loved ones unable to make calls or evacuate.

Production line stops on May 17th. This also means its other brands will be gone soon too:

• Ameritron
• Hy-Gain
• Cushcraft
• Mirage
• Vectronics
• MDS-HAM

As the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, draws closer, a vibrant community of enthusiastic amateur radio operators, known as “hams,” is gearing up for an exciting project

Before there was an Internet, before there were Cellphones, before there was Zoom or WebEx or Skype or anyone of a number of Voice over the Internet (VOIP); there was Ham Radio. The promise of talking to people not just in our own community but all over the world made the idea of Ham Radio exciting.

This event is normally held the first full weekend in August. Again this year, we will add two bonus days to the Colorado 14er Event. The main two days remain Saturday and Sunday (5-6 August), while the bonus days are Friday 4th August 2023 and Monday 7th August 2023, for those SOTA enthusiasts that need more than two days of SOTA fun!

I have a few different variations depending one what mode or antenna I want to try.

Usually though:

• IC-705
• Endfedz 10/20/40 Trail Friendly
• paddle or mic
• 20' collapsible mast
• log book (rite in the rain)
• in-ear headphones

Of course a water dish and treats if my dog, Nora, is traveling with me.

I'll keep all of that in a Maxpedition 12-Inch X 5-Inch Bottle Holder

Backpack if I'm able to really minimize is the Nathan Trail 12-liter

There's a few extras in the pic that I may bring, like a coffee thermos for short hikes on cold days, YAKTRAX spikes in case it's icey, and a headlamp.

What do you SOTA with?

The MRHS in cooperation with our good friends at the Cipher History Museum will send a coded message in 5-letter groups via the facilities of coast stations KPH on Saturday July 22, 2023 Pacific time. The message will be encrypted using the famous Enigma code machine and is an authentic message sent by a U-boat in the North Atlantic in 1942.