Recently, I had the opportunity to make contact via HAM radio with another HAM in Virginia. Our conversation turned to the recent Hurricane and the response from local HAMs. I was told the local paper had carried a story of the NWS who apparently failed to adequately activate the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) I understand the system was activated 2 hours before the landfall of the storm and deactivated shortly thereafter for safety. He also said the local Christian Broadcasting Station kept playing music on the FM dial and two AM stations were airing talkshows throughout the storm. I exchanged a couple more contacts to find out more, but haven't raised him since. With all of the recent posting and a post I made about radios etc. I have a couple of questions? Did anyone in the storm area experience this? Is there really a need for the portable radio in our survival gear?

The U.S. airways ( commercial radio and television) are theoretically owned by the people under the old legal concept of 'the Commons.' The commerical interests are legally obligated to provide free return airtime for community use. The ever shrinking owners of the media do anything but. It is disheartening to hear the NWS and commercial radio fell short.

If you wish reliable communications during a crisis get a HAM lisence, a vhf / uhf mobile rig and a 10 meter HF rig. There is really no better. When TSHTF (large or small) the HAM Heros will activate a flury of chatter even if they are not directly called into the situation. Often they are called upon to support emergency services comms which are as disrupted as much as others are. Police Fire and EMS services operate on their specific frequencies and via land and cell phone. These will get overloaded in an emergency of any reasonable scale. They always have. HAM operators operate on Wide swaths of frequencies and have repeaters running on back up power and hundreds of mobile and fixed stations willing able and available to relay traffic over short and long distances. There are standing memo's between the ARC and ARES, ARES and local and national emergency services. etc.. By having the gear you will be able to listen to this chatter and stay informed on exactly what is happening. When an emergency aid worker picks up the mike and speaks it isn't "some digested editorial of the situation being palavered out hours later by Mr. Enthusiastic with perfect hair with added sensationalization for effect", it is an individual in need asking for specific help. You will really know what is going on by monitoring the HAM frequencies. If you get your lisence and participate you may be able to be instrumental in getting that help delivered to where it is needed when it is needed.

What part of Virginia was he in? I wasn't really switching back and forth between stations, I just set the radio to the AM station where I usually listen to news, and they had coverage at least from Thursday to Sunday. All the local TV stations had storm coverage up until we lost power on Thursday. Friday evening was the first time I switched over to FM and they were playing music, but by then the storm was gone. So I don't think there was a lack of information to be had, although I'm sure that some stations never stopped playing music.

Not sure if any of that answers your question, but I hope it does.

Chris.

I believe the gentleman said he was in King George? As I understand it he said the local stations (TV) were telling people to listen to the radio if they needed to evacuate and that message never came. As it turned out he did participate in RACES with his local HAM group. I wish I could recall his call sign, but such limitations do not always occur with IRLP.
When I studied for my HAM license, I recall there being a section in my book on the history of ARES and RACES. There was mention of the importance of these services to the office of Civil Defense (now FEMA) The history of AM radio was also mentioned. The funding for most communities came directly from the office of Civil Defense to build AM stations as a means to disemminate information about fallout etc. etc. I was surprised to find this information out. It would seem in this era of homeland security we should have better support from the media, but perhaps Chris is correct.

Hmmm, King George is far enough south of me that we don't necessarily have the same TV and radio stations, but usually when there's closings or something in King George we hear about it on the radio here, and I don't recall hearing an evacuation order for that area. I'm suprised that they were supposed to be evacuated, unles he's right on the river, which is a real possibility iin that area. That's a big problem though if they were supposed to be evacuated and were never told (I can now claim the DUH statement of the month award) I'll look into that tomorrow when I have some free time.

I have several friends down in Norfolk that were evacuated safely, but I'm not sure how they got that order.

Chris.