Re: CW/Emergencies

[crmabbott]

You have hit right on the head what  a lot of the folks seem to have missed.  The technology is only as good as the power available.  K series, etc. are a decent fit in those areas [battery/ portable] applications.

During the power outage we had, I cranked up the 2020 and found out the extent of it in about 5 minutes.  While our news media was still looking for the plugs....  During that time we had lost more than half the repeaters in our [SEMI] area.  

It is not about CW testing, lamenting, etc. it is about taking the best method, power available, and getting the job done period.  That is our job as communcators, if SSB works, CW works, packet, etc. or any combination.  You have to extend the batteries.  Elecraft is among the lowest in battery drain out there, so they seem to think they have corner on market ;-)

While we can talk about all the relative merits there is also Icom, Yeseau, SGC, that have rigs in this category.  

Elecraft has a nice line of items that can do this type operation very well..  We just need to kick ideas around to make stepping up to the plate more efficient next time.

In MI there is a training session where your portable station is evaluated, how to setup, and several other things are done.  The lab for the class is to go out in the field, setup station, and operate.  

If there are training sessions available like that in your areas, I would recomend it very highly..  

--
Chuck AA8VS
Meddle not in the Affairs of Dragons, for thou art
Crunchy and Taste Good with BBQ Sauce

> Modern technology renders everything else obsolete only if power is available...
> In the recent past we had a major power outage in the northeast...EVERYTHING was
> out, the radio and TV stations, the cell phones, the cable, the Internet, the
> land line telephones, even our repeaters, rendering my HT just about
> useless...Everything was out for 22 hours!!!...My land line telephone lasted for
> a few hours, then went out for the duration...
>
> IMHO, the CW testing issue is a "one foot in the door",  or, "give them an inch
> and they will take a mile" issue...Once testing is out of the picture, CW will
> become a little more insignificant to the Commission, and the next logical step
> is to expand the phone bands at the expense of CW...True, CW is permitted
> everywhere, but has anyone ever tried to call a CW CQ in the phone bands?...
>
> In my mind, this IS an issue that is relevant on this reflector, the K1's and
> KX1's are CW rigs, and probably half the K-2's are dedicated to CW...Folks who
> are CW only need to be alerted...What better place than on the reflector?...
>
> Jerry, wa2dkg
> K2 # 2549
> KX1 # 839
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