HAMSHACK CHATTER

This year has really gone by in a hurry. All the damage to the roads and bridges left by the recent flood has made traveling around the County difficult or taking a longer route to Spencer. All those who were displaced by the flood we hope you have a place to live while you are waiting to return to your home. Its fair time, our annual hamfest and Apple Butter Festival will soon be here.

Early in June, Owen County was beset by unseasonably heavy and persistent rain. Severe flash and riverine flooding moved the County Board of Commissioners to issue a declaration of emergency on June 7th.

Consequent to this declaration, a county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was established at the Owen Valley Volunteer Fire Department by Emergency Management Director Jack White. Emergency operations were to be coordinated from this location for eight days.

Representatives from affected county response units were present, as requested, to lend specific expertise. Also represented was the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), which now includes the Indiana State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

Also supporting the EOC were VFD Chief Pete Hodge, who encouraged EOC use of the station meeting room for operations, and the Monroe-Owen County Red Cross, which provided food and beverages to EOC personnel.

John, WD9BKA, was active in the EOC, ready to call on amateur radio ARES members for communications support of county operations. However, no communications emergency developed. Four communications modes were available to responders and at the EOC: VHF & 800MHz radio, and landline & cellular telephone.

Many people worked very hard, and for long hours, supporting response operations, many of who were volunteers.

A few thoughts in retrospect:

1. Given the problems and the state of our preparations, the response was truly stunning. There was little friction in evidence, and many cases of people helping beyond their areas of responsibility.
2. The country needs a permanent EOC, adequately outfitted.
3. Additional responder training would be helpful.

Our unusual weather has called to mind an article, which was in Hamshack Chatter many years ago. One often hears the remark "I'm brave but not stupid". This could well apply to thunder storms and hopefully too most amateur's view of them. My wife K9INU and I have had a few unpleasant experiences with lightning. Hers is a great tragedy for a 5 year-old when her father was struck and killed by lightning as he worked in his tomato field. She also lost a distant relative at a different time and place due to lightning.

I well remember an incident that took place in the early 1950's. We had recently moved into our new house and a thunderstorm was forming up on this particular day. A new house was under construction directly behind ours. Needless to say a heavy rain began, work on this house stopped. As one of the carpenters ran across the street toward his automobile, he was struck by lightning and killed. He lay on the wet street with steam and smoke coming off the soles of his shoes.

My early involvement in amateur radio made me a respector of lightning. This was in the day of transmitter and receiver rigs. As a beginner in the world of amateur radio, money was scarce. Instead of a relay to switch the antenna from receive to transmit, I used a knife switch to do the switching manually, I always left the blade vertical when I was not on the air. During the first summer a rather violent thunderstorm came through the area while we were home on a weekend. My station was set up in a spare bedroom. During the progress of the storm I heard this loud snapping noise occasionally come from the room my station was in. Going to the room's doorway saw a giant blue spark jump from the upright blade of the switch to the transmitter contact. After this happened I always disconnected my 80-meter dipole when not in use. I was lucky for the next time I used the old Globe Chief it still worked. It may have growled a little louder when being tuned but it still worked. Remember if you hear a loud snap at the end of a lightning flash that sounds like a bullet passing close, it's a warning. It is quite a lot of work but each spring, summer and fall I always disconnect all antenna leads, all power cords and the equipment's common outside ground rod when the station is not being used. Also when we will not be home for a period of time.

K9QZX

We still hold our meetings @ Chambers Restaurant @ 9AM. If you wish breakfast please come earlier. When we have a Guest speaker, we will meet at the Spencer Christian Church @ 9AM. The program and meeting place will be in the News Focus of the Spencer Evening World and also on the KB9MZZ Repeater. We have had guest speakers at several of our monthly club meetings this year. You do not have to be a member of our club to enjoy our activities or attend a meeting just is interested in amateur radio or related activities. September meeting providing Communications for the Apple Butter Festival parade.

We begin collecting dues for the July l, 2008 to June 30, 2009 year in June. The dues are $12.00 for a full membership and $6.00 for associates. The dues help us pay our liability insurance, which enables us to keep the Repeater on the county tower site

Testing will be held again on Nov. 20th. The testing will be held at the Spencer Christian Church, Corner of Market & Montgomery @ 10 AM, and at the annual Hamfest on August 23rd. We have had several candidates for all of our previous sessions. KB9MZZ REPEATER 146.985

The repeater is there for any ham to use. Join us on our regular Wednesday night net @ 7: 3 0PM. The net control is now on a rotation schedule. If you would like to be added to the net control list, check in and let us know. KB9SGN 146.895 repeater is being used the first Wednesday of each month for .he ARES weekly net. This is being done to remind us we have a working backup repeater here in Owen County.

The combined clubs, Bloomington Amateur Radio Club and Owen County Amateur Radio Association will hold their annual hamfest August 23rd.

We have been wondering for a few weeks if we were going to be able to hold our hamfest at the fair grounds. Thanks to all the people who worked to clean up the grounds so they could hold the fair, we will be able to have our hamfest at the fair grounds.

The committee is working hard to provide a better hamfest then we had last year. We will have an air­conditioned building at the fairgrounds. We have also secured a commercial vendor. We will have FOOD, FORUMS, DOOR PRIZE and VE TESTING.

If you have a forum you would like included please contact the committee or call 829 2140.

I know we are told how to take care of our pets in hot and cold weather. What about tornadoes and floods?

When we lived in Indianapolis, We had a dog that was only allowed on our enclosed porch. I went out to bring in my laundry from the line and while I was coming in so did the dog. It soon became windy and rainy so I looked for her behind the chair where she usually laid. She wasn't there. I finally found her at the other end of the house in my bedroom, under the bed next to an inside wall. I tried to get her to come out from under the bed but she wouldn't budge. My husband was watching the funnel shaped cloud, which was to the east of us, and it did touch down. Our dog came out from under the bed after the funnel cloud left our area.

Our pets have occasionally gotten out of our fenced yard. To be sure of their safe return, a collar with pet's name, owners name, address & phone number to insure the safe return. Some owners have a microchip implanted in the pet for identification.

Flood is a different story; I don't know how animals act. I suppose if I had a cat or small dog I would put them in a pet carrier, place it high enough to keep them safe if I would have to be rescued by boat. Hopefully after all the people are rescued I could find someone to go back and get my pet. I don't know what I would do if I had a large dog. They may be to scared to get in a boat. They might just jump out and paddled themselves to shore if the current isn't to strong. The dog maybe one that isn't very friendly, can you be sure they won't bite; so how to you help those? There was a fellow in Spencer rescuing cats and I hope he found their owners.

Does the county have any way of rescuing our pets? Have farmers and horse owners around the county have a place to keep their animals safe during a disaster?

73 de K9INU