Dining on blossoms of a Canada Thistle
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Mike Johnson, Mansfield; N8MBZ above.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS--
in world-class style
Visualize a disaster of epic proportions in your town—a Katrina-like hurricane, for example. Power is out and phone lines and cell towers are destroyed for miles around. Calling for help is impossible.
That’s when the folks in amateur radio step up to the plate with an essential means of public
communication.
Recently Mansfield’s Intercity Amateur Radio Club held a 24 hour field day exercise to maintain razor sharp skills in disaster preparedness.
Members gather in the “disaster” area and establish a base camp of operations. Radio communication gear is hooked to computers and networked to a generator-fed power grid. Assorted antennas snake through neighborhood trees and in this improbable stew of amazing technology, communications can be established—world wide.
This year’s annual event was held at a retreat center on SR 603 and the base camp is organized and manned for 24 straight hours; 2 p.m. to 2 p.m., the following day.
And, this is going on with countless radio clubs at the same time across the US and Canada.
Visitor’s ears are assaulted by a constant crackle of radio static punctuated by the recognizable dialog of electronic communication while the generator rattles the natural quiet of the woods.
By 7 a.m., on the second day Larry Roop of Mansfield, N8RGO, working the 80 meter band, pointed out on his laptop monitor 272 voice contacts already had been made with other amateur radio base camps from Florida to British Columbia.
In a second of five operating stations at their base camp, Mike Hartge of Shelby and John Lehman of Columbus were communicating the old fashioned way—using Morse code and a paddle key connected to their radio transmitter. Mike’s computer which was tracking their contacts showed they were only slightly behind Roop’s voice contact rig.
“We’ll probably catch up before the day is over,” Hartge smiled confidently; exuding a sense of competitive spirit.
Meanwhile, Mike Johnson of Mansfield was manning the group’s digital station in a spacious picnic pavilion. His dipole antennae’s guy wire disappeared into the edge of nearby woods.
In spite of that somewhat crude aerial assembly, Johnson had just concluded a contact with another radio station in Puerto Rico.
Digital, a somewhat recent innovation in amateur radio, codes the signal with public domain software on a personal computer then uses the amateur radio shortwave rig to send that coded message to another digital station where it is decoded and read.
These folks, much like the local volunteer fire department, provide an essential service when life kicks some sand in our face. Fogeyisms salutes them!
John Lehman, Columbus, K8PJ, a 30 year amateur veteran, (above) uses this vast array of equipment on the dashboard of his Jeep to simulate contact with hospitals operating the nation’s eye banks where instant communication in an emergency could be critical. Amateur radio today is the standby for the internet on the Eye Bank Net.
In the small photo above right Mike Hartge, Shelby, WO8R, is working his paddle key to transmit a Morse code message via the amateur radio airwaves.
(The capitalized abbreviations after these four men’s names are their unique call signs assigned by federal licensing officials.)
Links: http://www.iarc.ws/ The Mansfield radio club.
http://www.arrl.org/ The National Association for Amateur Radio
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS--
in world-class style
Visualize a disaster of epic proportions in your town—a Katrina-like hurricane, for example. Power is out and phone lines and cell towers are destroyed for miles around. Calling for help is impossible.
That’s when the folks in amateur radio step up to the plate with an essential means of public
communication.Recently Mansfield’s Intercity Amateur Radio Club held a 24 hour field day exercise to maintain razor sharp skills in disaster preparedness.
Members gather in the “disaster” area and establish a base camp of operations. Radio communication gear is hooked to computers and networked to a generator-fed power grid. Assorted antennas snake through neighborhood trees and in this improbable stew of amazing technology, communications can be established—world wide.
This year’s annual event was held at a retreat center on SR 603 and the base camp is organized and manned for 24 straight hours; 2 p.m. to 2 p.m., the following day.
And, this is going on with countless radio clubs at the same time across the US and Canada.
Visitor’s ears are assaulted by a constant crackle of radio static punctuated by the recognizable dialog of electronic communication while the generator rattles the natural quiet of the woods.
By 7 a.m., on the second day Larry Roop of Mansfield, N8RGO, working the 80 meter band, pointed out on his laptop monitor 272 voice contacts already had been made with other amateur radio base camps from Florida to British Columbia.
In a second of five operating stations at their base camp, Mike Hartge of Shelby and John Lehman of Columbus were communicating the old fashioned way—using Morse code and a paddle key connected to their radio transmitter. Mike’s computer which was tracking their contacts showed they were only slightly behind Roop’s voice contact rig.
“We’ll probably catch up before the day is over,” Hartge smiled confidently; exuding a sense of competitive spirit.
Meanwhile, Mike Johnson of Mansfield was manning the group’s digital station in a spacious picnic pavilion. His dipole antennae’s guy wire disappeared into the edge of nearby woods.
In spite of that somewhat crude aerial assembly, Johnson had just concluded a contact with another radio station in Puerto Rico.
Digital, a somewhat recent innovation in amateur radio, codes the signal with public domain software on a personal computer then uses the amateur radio shortwave rig to send that coded message to another digital station where it is decoded and read.
These folks, much like the local volunteer fire department, provide an essential service when life kicks some sand in our face. Fogeyisms salutes them!
John Lehman, Columbus, K8PJ, a 30 year amateur veteran, (above) uses this vast array of equipment on the dashboard of his Jeep to simulate contact with hospitals operating the nation’s eye banks where instant communication in an emergency could be critical. Amateur radio today is the standby for the internet on the Eye Bank Net.
In the small photo above right Mike Hartge, Shelby, WO8R, is working his paddle key to transmit a Morse code message via the amateur radio airwaves.
(The capitalized abbreviations after these four men’s names are their unique call signs assigned by federal licensing officials.)
Links: http://www.iarc.ws/ The Mansfield radio club.
http://www.arrl.org/ The National Association for Amateur Radio
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Saturday, Fogeyisms visits the Mansfield Intercity Amateur Radio Club’s annual disaster preparedness field day exercise; a 24 hour event where “ham” radio operators polish their skills in establishing emergency radio contact throughout the US and Canada.
Larry Roop, Mansfield, N8RGO, a 20 year veteran of amateur radio, makes the 272nd radio contact of the exercise in the above photo. Please stop by for a peek at this real-world session.
Larry Roop, Mansfield, N8RGO, a 20 year veteran of amateur radio, makes the 272nd radio contact of the exercise in the above photo. Please stop by for a peek at this real-world session.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
TRUMPET IN THE LAND--
...Well, almost
This Saturday's blog was going to be on the outdoor drama Trumpet in the Land staged in New Philadelphia, OH. However amphitheater officials down there prohibit photography of the show citing copy write and actor’s union rules.
It therefore seems fitting to note the attendance at that evening’s show barely exceeded the number of cast members.
Perhaps they should reconsider their denial of photographs intended to promote their production.
Sorry for the absence of this planned blog story.
The fault is theirs, not mine.
...Well, almost
This Saturday's blog was going to be on the outdoor drama Trumpet in the Land staged in New Philadelphia, OH. However amphitheater officials down there prohibit photography of the show citing copy write and actor’s union rules.
It therefore seems fitting to note the attendance at that evening’s show barely exceeded the number of cast members.
Perhaps they should reconsider their denial of photographs intended to promote their production.
Sorry for the absence of this planned blog story.
The fault is theirs, not mine.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA--
We started our celebration early this year with the visit of a colonial statesman...
Ben Franklin stopped by the band shell in Ashland’s Brookside Park one recent evening and thrilled an audience of some 500 historically curious folks with his perspective on colonial America.
He reminded us of his admonition “We must all hang together or, assuredly, we shall all hang separately,” given to his fellow signers of the Declaration of Independence as they participated in that act of revolution against England and her despotic king.
He told us about young Tom Jefferson and his eloquence with words in the halls of debate after the Revolutionary War where the framework of what was to become our nation was hammered into shape. We now know that instrument as the US Constitution.
He often punctuated his delivery with quips like, “Why is it the golden years do not appear to ever be the present years?”
Franklin was actually an actor named Chris Lowell from Colorado Springs who taught French and chaired a language department for 35 years before teaching drama at the University of Colorado.
The notion of taking on an historical presentation came to Lowell a couple of years ago according to a March 2007 article in the Colorado Gazette.
Deciding which historical personage to play was a different matter -- although being of average height, bald and perhaps a little paunchy did point in Franklin's direction Lowell explained.
Lowell concludes his performances by taking questions from the audience.
"The funniest question that I ever got was, 'Dr. Franklin, is it true that you really did chop down the cherry tree?'" Lowell said.
Lowell’s performance was the concluding event in Ashland’s popular, 10th annual Chautauqua series.
Ed. Note: Chautauqua is an annual educational meeting, like one originating in an upstate NY village of the same name in 1874, providing public lectures, concerts, and dramatic performances during the summer months, usually in an outdoor setting.
We started our celebration early this year with the visit of a colonial statesman...
Ben Franklin stopped by the band shell in Ashland’s Brookside Park one recent evening and thrilled an audience of some 500 historically curious folks with his perspective on colonial America.
He reminded us of his admonition “We must all hang together or, assuredly, we shall all hang separately,” given to his fellow signers of the Declaration of Independence as they participated in that act of revolution against England and her despotic king.
He told us about young Tom Jefferson and his eloquence with words in the halls of debate after the Revolutionary War where the framework of what was to become our nation was hammered into shape. We now know that instrument as the US Constitution.
He often punctuated his delivery with quips like, “Why is it the golden years do not appear to ever be the present years?”
Franklin was actually an actor named Chris Lowell from Colorado Springs who taught French and chaired a language department for 35 years before teaching drama at the University of Colorado.
The notion of taking on an historical presentation came to Lowell a couple of years ago according to a March 2007 article in the Colorado Gazette.
Deciding which historical personage to play was a different matter -- although being of average height, bald and perhaps a little paunchy did point in Franklin's direction Lowell explained.
Lowell concludes his performances by taking questions from the audience.
"The funniest question that I ever got was, 'Dr. Franklin, is it true that you really did chop down the cherry tree?'" Lowell said.
Lowell’s performance was the concluding event in Ashland’s popular, 10th annual Chautauqua series.
Ed. Note: Chautauqua is an annual educational meeting, like one originating in an upstate NY village of the same name in 1874, providing public lectures, concerts, and dramatic performances during the summer months, usually in an outdoor setting.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Every town has its colorful characters. We found one of Ashland’s, who described himself as The Mountain Man, at the concluding performance of their recent Chautauqua Series in Brookside Park. A local musical group served as the warm-up to Ben Franklin’s featured spot on the program. This front-row fellow oozed his enjoyment of the music by gently bouncing feet and fingers snapping to the twangy rhythm.
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