Radio out bag, follow up
From
Stormin Mormon@cayoung61@hotmail.com to
alt.ham-radio on Sat Jun 13 19:16:45 2015
From Newsgroup: alt.ham-radio
Not sure if I asked, on this list. I had signed up
as a volunteer, at a charity bicycle event.
About a week ago, we had a training session. The radio
boss has been sending out emails with various intructions.
The meeting made sense of a lot of it.
I wasn't sure what to pack along with the event. And
here is what I learned:
==================================================
Friday, it rained hard, with thunder storms, etc. I phoned
and got permission to miss the Friday meeting, which (told
on the phone but not on one of the many emails) was on
changing flat tires. I'd done this when I was a kid, no
worries.
Saturday, I pack my radio out bag, and about 40 water bottles.
Arrive at the radio trailer, and try to call in with Net
Control. The Baofeng handi talkies were useless in the
parking lot where we met, too much electric power and wiring.
With the rubber duckie, I could hear them but they could not
hear me. With roof mount antenna, they could hear me, but I
could not hear them.
Our radio group had borrowed six grab and go mobile two
meter radios, but all the radios were powered by Anderson
power pole quick connects. No one had any Anderson to
lighter socket adapters. The radios had a metal sturdy case.
Which was held shut by knurled screws. Bad idea, the screws
will promptly get lost. Should have been hinged, and some
kind of window latch.
Finally, one of the guys loaned me a radio he had in his
personal vehicle. Thank you.
The scheduler had me arrive, about the time the last of the
riders were going through my assigned sweep route. As such,
he gave me a different route.
Volume and squelch knobs were next to each other. With the
radio laying on the seat, it's hard to tell which is one or
the other. I turned down the squelch, and called net control.
Heard nothing. Finally check the knobs, and then it works.
Helps to turn down the squelch, not the volume.
I stopped to help one woman whose tire had gone flat. My pump
put air in, but the tire promptly went flat again. Easy enough
to pull the handles, pull the wheel out. And then find the tires
we got were Presto valve stems, and my pump is Shrader. Sigh.
Call back to Net Control. She was ready for a ride out, and
asked for a ride.
Stop to help one fellow. He'd cramped, waited a bit, and went on.
Call Net Control. They sent out another sweep vehicle, full of
people but had space for the bike. One other vehicle brought his
bicycle back, and I gave him a ride back, in the back seat of my
truck.
We got back to base, he pulled the handle to get out. No joy. Says
the door is locked. I pressed the electric unlocker. Button came
up, and he promptly pushed it down and tried to open the door.
"uh, up is unlocked, fellow....." not his day?
Asked if I'm one of the ham radio operators helping out. Yes,
that's true.
I was sent back out to run the routes, by that time most of the
bikers had got back to finish line. Stop for one fellow who was
exhausted. Called for a ride, sat and chatted with him for a few
minutee.
Used:
ONE bottle of water, given to the leg cramp rider.
Full power mobile radio with roof mag mount antenna
Not used:
Sun hat bug spray sun screen (I may regret that,
I've got mild case of trucker's arm)
Handi talkie Handi talkie spare battery
handi talkie roof antenna
first aid kit
air compressor
The leg cramp guy wanted to know how far was the finish
line. I ought have wrote down my mileage at start, pickup,
etc. Then I'd have an idea. Well, next year will be better.
Tour De Cure does excellent job of keeping the riders fed,
and watered. I kept my self watered, and bought my own lunch
along the route.
Local street maps are essential. I used my maps several
times.
Overall, I'm very pleased to have been a part of the activity.
I plan to sign up next year.
Christopher A. Young
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From
Stormin Mormon@cayoung61@hotmail.com to
alt.ham-radio on Thu Jun 25 17:00:34 2015
From Newsgroup: alt.ham-radio
On 6/13/2015 7:16 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
Overall, I'm very pleased to have been a part of the activity.
I plan to sign up next year.
Christopher A. Young
We had an after action meeting, which I attended.
Being Mormon, I was one of the very few (maybe one)
persons not drinking alcohol.
We discussed tactics, radio procedure, reported what
we'd done, discussed some of the history of the
event, and what we can do better next year.
They found the six Anderson power pole to lighter
plug adapters. In a bag, in one of the vehicles.
Ought have had one with each radio. Other details
like that were discussed, and written down.
-
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.
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