Ham radio operators use a unique shorthand language, with historical codes like 73 meaning “best regards” and terms such as CQ and QSL indicating specific communications. This coded communication has evolved from its origins in the 1800s, fostering a sense of belonging among operators while adapting to modern forms of interaction.
Amateur radio operators are dedicated volunteers who serve as a vital communication resource during emergencies and disaster recovery. They engage in activities like storm spotting and search and rescue while also participating in community events. Hamvention, a major gathering, showcases the amateur radio community’s commitment and offers opportunities for learning and networking.
In the most recent edition of ARRL’s On the Air, C. Crane CEO Jessica Crotty underscores the importance of being fully familiar with your equipment long before a disaster occurs. She also highlights the essential role radio plays during emergencies, offering reliable communication when other systems fail and helping communities stay informed and prepared.
The Internet is about 20 years old, yet we depend on it as if it was an amendment under the Bill of Rights. It has given a quantum leap in knowledge to half of the world’s population. Probably each one of us is concerned about content, speed and how it changes all facets of our lives including our jobs. The pace of change seems to be accelerating.
I have taken very small excerpts from the well written articles listed below. They are probably the most frightening articles I have read in 10 years. We can safely presume many more hacks and viruses have made their way into our computers without becoming public knowledge. The full articles below are available on Wired Magazine and the Wall Street Journal online or mobile. Search the title and publisher for the full article (a subscription may be required to view the full articles).
Continue ReadingC. Crane loves radio and are here to make sure you’re informed when something might impact radio in a negative way. The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) has proposed cutting their radio stations (WWV, WWVH, and WWVB) from their budget next year. This is the only reliable source of shortwave to see how band conditions are. This would equate to all three stations being closed down. We’ve heard from our friends in the field that shortwave radio listeners are gutted by the idea of losing WWV and WWVH–both stations are staple references for listeners and hams alike. The loss of WWVB would mean that all of the atomic clock-synchronized time pieces out there in North America (clocks, watches, weather stations, etc.) would stop synchronizing and automatically changing from DST to standard time. We’ve heard conflicting reports as to whether WWVB would be impacted or not.
Our good friend and radio advocate Thomas Witherspoon was recently interviewed by NPR as to what impact this would have and why it matters. You can listen to the full interview here: https://www.npr.org/2018/08/25/641835302/what-closing-a-government-radio-station-would-mean-for-your-clocks. Continue Reading
When logging into PG&E’s (Pacific Gas and Electric) website, the following message appears. WILDFIRE SAFETY – ACTION REQUIRED.
A quick Google search leads to the following information.
Customers were told to be “prepared” for when the alerts go into effect and the power could be abruptly cut off….
PG&E is talking about using these pre-emptive power outages specifically during the threat of wildfires like the ones that destroyed nearly a quarter of a million acres in the north bay last October.
PG&E has now been blamed for some of those fires. 90,000 people were evacuated and more than 40 people died.
Southern California Edison has a similar program in place…. Continue Reading
Single Sideband is a comparatively unknown, interesting and important radio format that takes a special radio for listening and a little time to learn. If we start an hour after sunset, on a weekend, it is easier to pick up your first station. Attach and stretch out your portable shortwave antenna to the CC Skywave […]
A true emergency is something like what happened recently in Oroville and Sacramento Valley area – where an emergency spillway that has never been used in the previous 48 years begins to fail. This failure threatened the lives and livelihood of over 150,000 people and resulted in forced evacuation. Everyone thinks, if they have a […]
September is Emergency Preparedness month. By now, if you don’t already have your emergency kit ready, here are a few tips from the C. Crane Family that may help you out. Make a plan Create a plan for yourself, your family and your pets. Plan how to stay safe and how you will communicate during […]