K1 Used in Montana Ham Rescue...

[David King-11]

Check out the story at ARRL of how a K1 helped an amateur call for help
when he broke his leg hiking

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/09/23/10348/?nc=1
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[Joseph M. Durnal]

One of these day's I'll finish my K1 :)

Good story though.

73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R

On Wed, Sep 24, 2008 at 6:48 PM, David King <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Check out the story at ARRL of how a K1 helped an amateur call for help when
> he broke his leg hiking
>
> http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/09/23/10348/?nc=1
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[Brett Howard]

And another good bit of news:
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080923/NEWS01/709239926


On Wed, 2008-09-24 at 16:48 -0600, David King wrote:

> Check out the story at ARRL of how a K1 helped an amateur call for help
> when he broke his leg hiking
>
> http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/09/23/10348/?nc=1
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[w7aqk]

Fascinating story, and I'm particularly impressed with all that Mr. Ruby was
able to do (with a broken leg) before even calling for help.  This guy is
really cool under fire!  He lives only about 60 miles from where we are now
finishing up our "summer residency" here on the Oregon coast.  It would be
neat to meet him personally sometime and hear all the nitty gritty details
about his ordeal.  I'm a little surprised though at how long it took for
help to arrive.  I suppose they might have been hard pressed to get to him
before dark on the day of the accident, but armed with his GPS coordinates,
etc., it seems like they could have gotten there earlier the next morning.
Maybe a helicopter rescue was deemed unnecessary?  I'd be worried about
someone with that kind of injury going into shock.

Anyway, this seems like good fodder for a K1 advertisement.  It certainly
emphasizes many of the reasons why I consider HF QRP gear to be a priority
inclusion for backwoods outings like this.  Cell phones and VHF/UHF gear
would very likely be useless in such locations.  This is the kind of thing
you fantasize about--being able to put your ham radio skills to work to help
someone, or yourself, in distress!  Well, I do anyway, and I admit it!
Hopefully Ruby will be given the opportunity to more fully detail this
experience in one of our ham journals.  Since this info appeared on the ARRL
website, perhaps QST is already planning this.  But if not, maybe our new
editor for QRP Quarterly will see fit to take the lead?

Dave W7AQK

----- Original Message -----
From: "David King" <[hidden email]>
To: "elecraft" <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:48 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] K1 Used in Montana Ham Rescue...


> Check out the story at ARRL of how a K1 helped an amateur call for help
> when he broke his leg hiking
>
> http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/09/23/10348/?nc=1
.qth.net/subscribers.htm

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[Ralph Tyrrell]

The use of battery power HF rigs for wilderness travel is a good idea.
I had a TenTec PM2 ?? it was a 40 and 20 M rig and had all sides. Maybe some one can identify the real model number.

I first used this rig when I was OX5BT. (1970-1972) I was there for 2 1/2 years.

Later back in the states I got into wilderness canoe camping in the late 1970's and 80's. I led several two week trips in ME and one in northern Ontario. Having that rig with me gave me and the people with me great comfort. The QSOs that I made on these trips was part of the fun.

73, Ty, W1TF, K1 #1423,  K3 #696





     
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[Ken Kopp-3]

It was indeed a PM-2 ... owned one myself many years ago.

73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
     [hidden email]
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[w7aqk]

It could have been a PM-1 also, which similarly covered 40 and 20.  I have a
PM-3A (original owner), which was the first of a very long series of Ten-Tec
radios I have or still own.  All these PM series rigs looked very much
alike.

Dave W7AQK


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Kopp" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>; <[hidden email]>
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 8:15 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K1 Used in Montana Ham Rescue...

> It was indeed a PM-2 ... owned one myself many years ago.
>
> 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
>     [hidden email]
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[Mike Morrow-3]

Dave wrote:

>Fascinating story

I thought so too.  I've been in a similar situation, but fortunately not
so remote from help.

>I'd be worried about someone with that kind of injury going into shock.

It seems to me that shock is often psychologically induced.  Taking
actions to deal with the situation can prevent being preoccupied with
the injury.  I believe that can greatly reduce shock onset.

In 1998, I was hiking alone in north Alabama's Sipsey Wilderness when
I took a mis-step that resulted in a twist break of both bones in the
lower left leg.  It would have driven me crazy to just wait until
someone showed up, so I began a crawl to the nearest trailhead, which
was only a half-mile away.  When I got there more than an hour later,
some folks had just driven up that were able to deliver me to the nearest
hospital.

The only radio I had was an FT-50R HT, but no ham repeater or cell phone
coverage existed in the low valley elevation where I was.  My HT had the
MARS/CAP mod, I knew the frequencies and PL tones of local law enforcement
and Forest Service repeaters.  I'm sure I could have accessed them.  But I
didn't consider the emergency to be severe enough to unlawfully communicate
through those channels and deal with the resulting flap.  Had the fracture
been compound, maybe I'd have taken that drastic step.

I was happy to have been able to deal with the situation without getting
any governmental agency or rescue squad involved, or getting publicity.
All I got was $30,000 in medical costs.  A year later, while camping again
in the Sipsey Wilderness, I overheard on local law and forest service
frequencies the rescue efforts of a woman who broke her leg on a trail
about ten miles away.  I was sympathetic to her situation.

The main thing I learned was that the possibility of unexpected injury
exists everywhere, even when one is doing nothing risky or stupid.

>Anyway, this seems like good fodder for a K1 advertisement.

IMHO, it's likely the best K1 story ever!  I think the fellow did a
great job.

>It certainly emphasizes many of the reasons why I consider HF QRP gear
>to be a priority inclusion for backwoods outings like this.

With great light-weight, high-capability sets like the K1 and KX1 now
available, it would be inconceivable to me now to go on a backpack
trip without HF QRP gear.  In fact, that's *THE* reason I bought a K1
eight years ago.  If I were going to buy a QRP rig today for backpacking,
it would be yet another K1.

I was amused by the youtube "goathiker" videos that have recently been
cited here.  His FT-817 is pretty heavy, and is extremely power hungry
for a backpack rig, but that ham had those goats to haul the weight.

>Cell phones and VHF/UHF gear would very likely be useless in such
>locations.

Very true.  One of my favorite trail systems is along the Buffalo
National River in the Arkansas Ozarks.  Forget getting a signal out
by anything other than shortwave along most of its 150 mile length.

Mike / KK5F
K1 S/N 175 (November 2000)
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[AC7AC]

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[Rick Dettinger-3]

>
> I wonder if the Ham injured in the mountains knew to use "QRRR"? I  
> wonder
> how many Hams today know what it means?
>
> Perhaps he got lucky hearing that guy tune up and getting an answer  
> to his
> call before he needed it.
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
>
>

I wonder if he would be advised to use "QRRR",  if most hams don't  
know what it means?

Rick Dettinger   K7MW
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[AC7AC]

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[Stephen Brandt]

    A very good idea. I'll bet not very many know about it unless they are
old timers. A lot of people were preoccupied with the Washington State
Salmon Run last weekend. Most activity was on 80 and 75 because of the skip.
I wonder how many would have taken time out to  help if they had been aware
of what was going on. Contesters are good operators. I am one myself. But,
emergenies first. Constesting second.

73,

Steve Brandt N7VS Portland, Oregon

> >
> > I wonder if the Ham injured in the mountains knew to use "QRRR"? I
> > wonder
> > how many Hams today know what it means?
> >
> > Perhaps he got lucky hearing that guy tune up and getting an answer
> > to his
> > call before he needed it.
> >
> > Ron AC7AC
> >
> >
> >
> I wonder if he would be advised to use "QRRR",  if most hams don't
> know what it means?
>
> Rick Dettinger   K7MW

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[hf4me]

Several years ago (10+) during a contest, probably phone sweepstakes, I
heard a marine emergency calling and calling.  I first thought it was
somebody messing around, BAD IDEA.  After I listened for a couple of
minutes, I believed it.  The contesters were ignoring it or not hearing it
and I tried to talk to the guy but couldn't hear him reliably because of the
contest and finally asked several times to please clear the frequency
because of a marine emergency and gladly it happened.  I still had trouble
hearing everything he was saying and asked if anyone else had a better copy
than I did.  One of the big stations came on and took it over, got the
information of his location and that he was dead in the water, called it in,
and went back to him and told him that it had been reported and that "they"
were on the way.  He wasn't using SOS and do not recall if he used anything
else or not as I have never heard of pan pan or QRRR until now.  I am a
"new" ham and it wouldn't have meant a thing to me.  He was just calling for
help, repeatedly, and describing his situation and requesting somebody to
make a call for him.

Just interesting and glad to be involved even though it was just to get
somebody else to actually help him.

73, de Jim KG0KP

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Brandt" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 11:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Rigs in Emergency Service...


>
>
>     A very good idea. I'll bet not very many know about it unless they are
> old timers. A lot of people were preoccupied with the Washington State
> Salmon Run last weekend. Most activity was on 80 and 75 because of the
skip.
> I wonder how many would have taken time out to  help if they had been
aware

> of what was going on. Contesters are good operators. I am one myself. But,
> emergenies first. Constesting second.
>
> 73,
>
> Steve Brandt N7VS Portland, Oregon
>
> > >
> > > I wonder if the Ham injured in the mountains knew to use "QRRR"? I
> > > wonder
> > > how many Hams today know what it means?
> > >
> > > Perhaps he got lucky hearing that guy tune up and getting an answer
> > > to his
> > > call before he needed it.
> > >
> > > Ron AC7AC
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > I wonder if he would be advised to use "QRRR",  if most hams don't
> > know what it means?
> >
> > Rick Dettinger   K7MW
>
>
>
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[AC7AC]

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[Darwin, Keith]

About 15 yrs ago, I traveled up into the mountains in CA with my TenTec
Argonaut for a one man FD operation.  I arrived a bit before the start
of the event and noticed the hillside across the valley from me was
burning.  I placed a "help needed here" call and finally got a person in
the area.  I asked him to contact authorities to report a fire and he
said "OK".  That was it.  I have no idea if the fire got reported or
anything.  It left me feeling very unsatisfied.  I suspect, however the
fire was already known about.

- Keith N1AS -
- K3 711 -

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[AC7AC]

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[Thom LaCosta-2]

At 01:19 PM 09/29/08, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

>I'm deeply sorry to hear about the Amateur operators who clearly couldn't be
>bothered with a distress call until they were asked. They are not qualified
>to be Hams and should have lost their licenses.

I believe that as there is less and less emphasis on the service
aspect of ham radio, and less attention paid to the history of the
hobby, coupled with the ease of obtaining a license, there are/will
be many hams who have no concept of their responsibilities.

I wonder how many of us would continue in the hobby if we had to
certify and give an example of operating in the Public Interest,
Convenience or Necessity ?

Thom k3hrn

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[Paul ZL3IN]

Sri OT at the beginning, but I get back to radio topics at the end.

Mike wrote:

> It seems to me that shock is often psychologically induced.

In emergency medicine the term "shock" usually refers to hypovolaemic shock
which is caused by large volume bleeding. Excessive blood loss reduces the
ability to get oxygen to the cells. The body can compensate for some blood
loss, but past a certain point death will occur within minutes. Typical
situations where hypovolaemic shock may occur include external bleeding, or
internal bleeding secondary to femur or pelvic fractures, or internal
abdominal injury.

Psychological "shock" doesn't refer to a particular medical problem, but is
a combination of imaginary or real symptoms including anxiety, panic,
reaction to pain, natural adrenaline reaction etc, etc. Psychological
"shock" is not particularly relevant in an emergency situation, except when
it causes inappropriate reactions to the emergency. In my limited
experience, most people with serious injuries react in a measured and
sensible way, as did Mike with his leg fracture. As a rule-of-thumb, those
who scream and yell and make a big fuss usually have only minor injuries.

> It certainly emphasizes many of the reasons why I consider HF QRP gear
> to be a priority inclusion for backwoods outings like this.

For those who may be interested, the Canterbury Mountain Radio Service
www.mountainradio.co.nz hires out HF QRP radios to the general public for
hiking, mountaineering, and other back-country travel here in ZL. Main
operating frequency is 3261 kHz USB. There are typically about 12 emergency
calls handled per year. The service works well, providing fairly reliable
coverage of the South Island of New Zealand. Schedules occur daily at 0630
or 0730 UTC with weather reports and message passing. There is also a phone
patch system available. The antennae are of NVIS design, so DX signals will
likely be poor, but any signal reports would be gratefully received.

The main disadvantage of HF radio in an emergency is that you have to put
the antenna up! This can be difficult to do if you have serious injuries.
For this reason HF radio is best suited to those travelling in a group. For
lone hikers a better solution is to carry a 407 MHz personal locator beacon
www.beacons.org.nz. In ZL there will always be a search and rescue response
to a PLB activation. I don't know how well they are supported in other
countries, but it is a global system.

73 Paul ZL3IN

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[Jon Kåre Hellan]

Paul ZL3IN wrote:
  For those who may be interested, the Canterbury Mountain Radio Service
> www.mountainradio.co.nz hires out HF QRP radios to the general public for
> hiking, mountaineering, and other back-country travel here in ZL. Main
> operating frequency is 3261 kHz USB. There are typically about 12 emergency
> calls handled per year. The service works well, providing fairly reliable
> coverage of the South Island of New Zealand. Schedules occur daily at 0630
> or 0730 UTC with weather reports and message passing. There is also a phone
> patch system available. The antennae are of NVIS design, so DX signals will
> likely be poor, but any signal reports would be gratefully received.
>

Will the users typically depend on trees for antennas, or are they carrying some sort of telescopic pole?

Jon LA4RT
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[Ralph Tyrrell]

As I sit at my computer the radio desk is to my back. I heard a burst of static behind me. That was odd since no radios were on.  The only thing on at the radio desk was the desk lamp and a power supply that keeps the batteries charged. Both are plugged into a strip that switches power to them.

I went over to the radio desk and looked at my equipment, both off. Still puzzled I turned on the 2m rig, all normal. Then I turned on the K3. All normal. I turned them off again. The K1 sits by, not connected to anything at this time.

Still puzzled  I sat there wondering if something had happened to my battery bank or one of the batteries.  I have three 26AH batteries in parallel. Each battery is fused before to goes to a fused buss.

Then my nose began to notice the smell we all dread. Something electrical was over heated.  Still I did not noticed a symptom I should have noticed earlier, the desk lamp was off. I touched the top of the lamp and it was very hot.  The bulb, a 13 Watt Florissant had failed. The ceramic base was too hot to touch.

How often do Florissant bulbs fail this way?

I had the feeling that if I were not there a fire may have started.

73, Ty, W1TF, K3 #696, K1 #1423



     
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