Today’s Whimsy
There was a DXer named Sam
Who smuggled a rig to Bhutan.
“I’ll put cards in the mail
When I get out of jail.
Their laws here put me in a jam.”
Perilous Helicopter Trip
Heathkit was located on the Michigan shore of lake Michigan, across from Chicago. It’s about as nice a place as you’ll find in the Midwest, green, with abundant animal life and temperatures moderated by the lake. I spent some happy years there. One of my job requirements was that I had to build and use every new product that I brought out. It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it.
Here in Davis County, we think we know about lake effect snow, and I guess we do. But what we get is small potatoes compared with Lake Michigan lake effect.
Before I arrived at Heathkit, the local hospital had faced a grim situation. A lake effect storm had caused a major power outage in the area and catastrophic failure of communications systems within the hospital. (It was a dark and stormy night…..) Hospitals generally have backup systems, but apparently in this case only enough to provide limited electricity.
The heroes of the day were the local amateur radio operators. Each major station in the hospital was staffed with an operator and an HT. They kept information flowing.
In the midst of this Wayne Wilson had a harrowing job. Outdoors, in the dark, with heavy snow falling, he had the job of directing a helicopter ambulance to a safe landing spot. He could hear the helicopter, and could eventually see its lights, and so ensured that the pilot had confirmation of a safe landing spot.
I suppose that one lesson from this is that in an emergency, the need for communications may be simply from one part of a building to another.
Another lesson is that it pays to be prepared. It’s worth your while to check into the ARES net on Thursdays at 1930 local, on 147.420 simplex. It’s a chance to exercise your station, plus it’s a nice group of people to know.
73 For Now,
Denton
W7DB