And when I say that - I never mean "to the end user" just to officials...

Yeah... same side here buddy. I was only busting the misconception that it was months before a dialtone was available. Often - as is the case in Joplin - hams are the only ones around. But more and more so - telcos respond quickly and there is a reasonable amount of service immediately after the disaster.

LMAO I was just quoting the question I was answering re: quick phone service following the K storm.

Amusing? Nearly every device built with electronics starting in the 40's had a basic schematic included. It wasn't until the late 80's did they (manufacturers) stop including schematics on every device. Still today you can easily obtain service manuals and schematics for amateur gear. There IS however an "old boys club" of sorts regarding TV/LCD panel service stuff. Gotta be in it or pay for it.

Err....not sure where YOU were for Katrina, but certainly this wasn't the case for those of us from New Orleans.

Thats "First Responders" the infrastructure and cell service was available within days for cops and paramedics and rescuers. Normal folk - different story.

The study is speaking of the past 5 years showing an increase in new licensure. The podcast has been on for only a couple months. There have been other less-popular, non-TWIT podcasts (solder smoke being one of the best) showcasing ham radio.

The podcast is seen by a huge number of people, and Bob Heil K9EID is almost the perfect guy to represent our community.

Actually a much larger chunk of new ham activity is most likely due to the code restrictions being removed It's too bad there is such a resistance against no-codes. I passed my 5wpm so I was NEVER a no-code. Ham radio elitists are the most sad group. Just talk people, your piss-poor attitudes will only serve to increase your perception as a crotchety old fart about to die. Noobs are always going to be there, learn to live with them.

AH, now I get what you are talking about. However without practice simply having an amateur radio is completely useless.
Look at the Katrina disaster to get a decent idea of how quickly communications infrastructure come back up. Within 7 days cell was restored for 1st responders, and within 2 weeks there was signal in most of the affected region.

I'm sorry but why are you capitalizing "ham"? You do realize that amateur radio has a much bigger use than that in a disaster right?

Unfortunately you don't seem to understand:

1. The purpose and intent of amateur radio
2. How it is regulated and enforced
3. What it is.

There is nothing citizen regulated about amateur radio. It is regulated by the governments of the amateurs licensed, specifically the FCC in the USA. There is no similarity to FIDONET whatsoever. While crisis-safe - that also isn't its intent. The purpose of amateur radio is to allow amateurs to communicate with each other. A result of that communication is that they often provide emergency communications, and health and welfare type stuff. This is all usually done by the volunteer organizations such as ARES/RACES/REACT etc.

You call CQ, or break in on an existing QSO and join in. You talk. Thats about it. The method in which you communicate (be it voice, data, CW, SSB) is really all that changes. There is a couple things taht you can also do, such as telemetry in a small scale (RC cars, weather stations, etc).

YAY HAM RADIO oops I mean:
bah the junk filter doesn't let me post up CW.

sry 73 de kb8ufp robert

I'm totally missing out on 10m stuff going on - Apt dweller, so prefer to op mobile. Most (all?) of the 10m mobile rigs (that is the "affordable" ones) are quasilegal or converts or incredibly cheaply built (like the RCI-2950). I'd love an HTX-100 but those are harder and harder to find.

You haven't been through a few hurricanes in NYC. Christ you still think taping windows works? Don't you see how unprepared you are??! It just makes the shards stick to you! Don't do that. Put up plywood. Or leave.

Gloria 85, Agnes 72 are the only ones that came close - and agnes 72 was 50ish MPH winds in the city. It's likely to bring 100-120mph winds up there so be ready guys.

We don't. At least not in the lower 4 counties. Live in trailers are few and far between here.

Regardless of what category the storm is as she arrives, the storm surge height will lag far behind. It's expected to bring more than 10-30 feet of water up wherever she lands.

This is actually incorrect. Think of the atmosphere as the surface of a balloon, much like curved space. There are large "mountains" and deep "valleys" (ridges and troughs) - domes of high pressure and bowls of low pressure. When a massive LP system such as a hurricane creates a large dip in the surface, it is steered by (pointed in the direction by) high pressure cells, around the periphery of them, and powered by the general flow of air around them as well.

Low pressure systems are generally attracted to each other - but they are actually steered by the higher pressures around the individual systems. They'll even combine in severe instances.

A low pressure system cannot push ANYTHING around. It will only be moved around by the higher pressures, towards the areas of lower pressures. It doesn't have a mind of its own, and she obeys the laws of physics.

I will agree that it disrupts local weather far inland, as seen this morn in South FL. The first burst of energy that come to the coast sparked a convective line of storms that produced 40kt winds locally and a good amount of rain. The outflow has increased the local temps and humidity, and will likely leave an inversion layer in place as she leaves, thus we'll be hot, miserable, and it won't rain.

I might consider a phone line, esp since we are in hurricane country. However it costs friggin $60 a month!!!!!!