Have you ever had a distress call?

[K9CCH]

I was just wondering if you've ever heard a distress call during all the years of your ham careers? Like the kind where you can use any band (even outside the amateur band) and any mode possible to obtain help for the station in distress? Have you ever MADE a distress call?

What were the circumstances? What did you do? What was the outcome?

[N2RJ]

Only very occasionally on 14.300

[K7SGJ]

Not me, at least nothing other than 911 and stuff like that. Although many years ago, I came up on a roll over accident on some mountainous roads in Eastern AZ. The driver was pinned under his vehicle, and badly hurt. I radioed back to Phoenix, simplex, on my two meter rig with the 160 watt amp, and managed to get a guy that had his beam in our direction. He patched me through to DPS and we got the ball rolling. When the Highway Patrol got there, their radios didn't work in the canyon were the wreck was, so the guy in Phoenix phone patched for them on my radio to get additional emergency services on the way, and when ever HQ wanted to talk with one of the officers or visa versa. While they were doing that, I went back to the victim, but unfortunately, he passed while I was holding his hand and telling him more help was close and we'd get him out; but it just never got there in time.

Oddly, he had a Doberman with him, that survived. One foot was trapped between the sunroof and the road, and every time we tried to lift the vehicle enough to get him out, he went nuts trying to bite anything he could get a hold of. We finally ran some tape around his snout, and were able to get him free. He was really a sweet dog. I took him to an animal shelter where they fixed his leg up. I told them the circumstances and told them to notify DPS the dog was there in case someone wanted to claim him. I figured if no one did, I would go back and get him. But a few days later, a family member came and took him home with them.

I can't say radio saved the day, but it did come in handy. Now, of course there are cell phones, and the DPS has much better repeater coverage, so I doubt ham radio plays as much of a role as it once did.

[WØTKX]

Yes. Two meters, Christmas Day, about 6 years ago, on a local repeater.

Somebody drove into a creek on a mountain road, no cell service.
We got 'em out of there before hypothermia set in. Cool beans.

[N8YX]

Had a lot more of them on CB in its heyday than on amateur radio, but if you add the numbers of users up in each service it made sense.

As Ryan pointed out, 14.300 sees an occasional call. Why the maritime mobile crowd turns to that frequency first instead of using satphone or one of the monitored Coast Guard distress channels to call in an emergency is beyond me.

[KC2UGV]

Had a lot more of them on CB in its heyday than on amateur radio, but if you add the numbers of users up in each service it made sense.

As Ryan pointed out, 14.300 sees an occasional call. Why the maritime mobile crowd turns to that frequency first instead of using satphone or one of the monitored Coast Guard distress channels to call in an emergency is beyond me.

... or Maritime Radio, or GMDSS, or AIS...

[KK4AMI]

Had a lot more of them on CB in its heyday than on amateur radio, but if you add the numbers of users up in each service it made sense.

As Ryan pointed out, 14.300 sees an occasional call. Why the maritime mobile crowd turns to that frequency first instead of using satphone or one of the monitored Coast Guard distress channels to call in an emergency is beyond me.

It's tradition, nothing else. 14.300 is a general purpose Maritime frequency. A lot of low budget high seas sailboats only have HF. Does anybody still do phone patches?

[KC2UGV]

It's tradition, nothing else. 14.300 is a general purpose Maritime frequency. A lot of low budget high seas sailboats only have HF. Does anybody still do phone patches?

That sounds like a problem for the sailboats, and not ham radio.

[KK4AMI]

That sounds like a problem for the sailboats, and not ham radio.

But I thought Hams were out to solve everybody's problems? I'm not sure the other stuff you have listed even works on the high seas, except for GMDSS. I think even an Iridium satellite phone has a limited footprint and a $200 a month rental fee.


Edit - I guess Iridium is global now. Satellite Constellation was further financed by the DOD.

[K7SGJ]

... or Maritime Radio, or GMDSS, or AIS...


or sail mail

[W3WN]

I was just wondering if you've ever heard a distress call during all the years of your ham careers? Like the kind where you can use any band (even outside the amateur band) and any mode possible to obtain help for the station in distress? Have you ever MADE a distress call?

What were the circumstances? What did you do? What was the outcome?Many, many years ago, it was my turn to run the Sunday Night ARES net, when I lived up in State College. When I made the pro forma call for "emergency or priority traffic", someone actually did come back to report a traffic accident. I put the net on stand by, activated the auto patch, and called the borough cops.

If you're wondering why no one used a cell phone, this was around 1980-81. No cell phones yet. And, I wasn't home at the time, but standing in a parking lot (long unrelated story), so using the landline was out.

That's the only one that comes to mind.

[W3WN]

That sounds like a problem for the sailboats, and not ham radio.Sure does, "and thank you, Captain Obvious". (Sarcasm is not directed at you, but at the cheapskate sailboat owners)

BTW, a little trivia... why did MMSN move from 14.313 to 14.300? (Besides the obvious futile attempt to get away from the crazies, who merely followed them to the new frequency)

Answer is... the MMSN merged with the old Intercontinental Traffic Net (which was part of the old "alternate non-NTS non-ARRL" traffic handling system), and ICTN was on 14.300.

...and they still don't handle much traffic these days, do they?

[WØTKX]

They do it, "just for the check-ins", same as most NTS nets. :lol:

[W3WN]

They do it, "just for the check-ins", same as most NTS nets. :lol:OK, I should have been more specific.

I meant "traffic" in the sense of actual 3rd party messages, ie formal traffic.

Which is why you don't hear me on any of the NTS nets much anymore. But that's another story.

[kb2vxa]

"Had a lot more of them on CB in its heyday than on amateur radio, but if you add the numbers of users up in each service it made sense."

My only distress call happened in my CB daze, back when REACT actually performed a useful service. For those like Jeff K1NSS who remember the Pigpen... er... Playpen Lounge in Sayerville, NJ and the main road home, Rte. 1&9N over the bridge this reads like one of those don't drink and drive PSAs on TV. I only got really pissed once and slept in the back seat but I digress, I was always one of the last ones out of the lot to avoid the mad dash into traffic. As such I observed a bunch wobbling across the lot, get in the car and ZOOM out and up the bridge, uh oh, I was a quarter mile behind when everything stopped dead. Going nowhere I locked the car and walked up to assess the situation, there they were in a mass of tangled wreckage blocking all 3 lanes. I went back to the car, put out a call on channel 9 and Staten Island (NY) REACT handled the call. I instructed emergency vehicles (via REACT) to head south from Perth Amboy in the northbound lanes as nothing was moving and the roadway clear. They did and not wanting to get in the way I just sat there playing radio for the next hour or so, then we started moving and I finally got home none the worse for wear. I don't know about anyone else's condition, like I said I just stayed out of the way.

I did mention in the phone thread that I did use autopatch to report a TA on Rte. 22 (naturally) but it was minor, nobody hurt, just needed to clear the roadway to expedite traffic. Well, if they REALLY wanted to expedite traffic they'd raze the shops and make the center isle into two more lanes but NOOOooo, money talks and Jean Shepherd knew it. (See quote below.)

[n2ize]

or sail mail

A message in a bottle has been known to work from time to time.

[NQ6U]

A message in a bottle has been known to work from time to time.

http://www.dailywav.com/0105/fanmailflounder.wav

[N2RJ]

Had a lot more of them on CB in its heyday than on amateur radio, but if you add the numbers of users up in each service it made sense.

As Ryan pointed out, 14.300 sees an occasional call. Why the maritime mobile crowd turns to that frequency first instead of using satphone or one of the monitored Coast Guard distress channels to call in an emergency is beyond me.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Cheep cheep!

[kb2vxa]

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

Because I was there.

[KG4NEL]

No, neither heard one nor needed to make one.

The most personally urgent call I've made on a repeater was made while backpacking in the NC mountains - I was heading up Clingman's Peak, after visiting the Mt. Mitchell visitor's center earlier that day (Public bathrooms never look as good as they do after 7 days in the forest, thank you NPS...) I knew the weather was about to go bad quickly, and I was in a completely lightning-unprotected area.

After first being answered by two guys in Georgia, I got someone in his truck at the Mitchell parking lot who told me to basically hang onto my ass, it was heading right for me. To this day, that was the worst lightning I've ever experienced and the only time I've ever felt unsafe in a thunderstorm.

[N7YA]

I was just wondering if you've ever heard a distress call during all the years of your ham careers? Like the kind where you can use any band (even outside the amateur band) and any mode possible to obtain help for the station in distress? Have you ever MADE a distress call?

What were the circumstances? What did you do? What was the outcome?


Back in the 80's in Alaska, quite a few. I heard a few aircraft making emergency landings and a sinking fishing boat. Not sure of the outcome of the boat since they were told by the CG that they had to wait, they informed the dispatch that they had no time and were going in...that was all i heard.


Edit: In 1984, i was already licensed but didnt have my HT with me (also the last time i was on 2m), when my friend and i came across a fully engaged structure fire. All we had was a CB, i was trying to get someone to call the FD, but the frequency was in complete chaos with jammers and A-holes that we just got lost in the noise. The warehouse burned down right in front of me. I was looking in the windows to see if anyone was inside, but it was the middle of the night. All i could do was watch.

This was also the last time i was on CB. I only do HF now.

[kb2vxa]

Sorry you had such a crap experience but then so did I. Pretty much the same thing only this mob was pinpointed as whackers. First a little background, REACT was in its infancy and then affiliated with Civil Defense as was ARES, around the Exxon Bayway refinery were the Elizabeth (NJ), Linden and Rahway chapters. I was thinking of joining as Jack WA2V (SK) and I assisted with installing CB stations in the Linden firehouses, then it happened. On the night of December 5, 1970 a series of powerful explosions occurred at the refinery, resulting in multiple injuries but no fatalities in and around the plant. Windows were shattered as far away as Staten Island, and the explosion was felt more than thirty miles away. As an aside, Jack was with some friends coming home from Staten Island just passing the main CAT converter when it blew them right off the road, I was walking east from my home in Rahway and saw the orange mushroom cloud rising; GEEZ, THEY NUKED NEW YORK! it took a moment to gather my senses, no blinding flash so what the L happened? When I got to the store they had the radio on, Exxon blew up.

When I got home the phone was ringing, several CD units wanted me to try to get through to the new CB mobiles on scene so I turned on channel 9 only to hear chaos. There was a clump of a dozen or so as of yet untrained REACTers clustered at the main gate all babbling at once and there he was, a giant equine rectum I knew all too well with his nonlinear amp on and preamp mike cranked up spreading mud on top of them. Frankly I don't care what the Jabberwock was trying to say being as uncoordinated as the rest, it was such a mess I told the callers to go back to the 2M AM CD Special Gooney Boxes, tried and true, CB that night proved to be the worst idea Linden CD ever came up with.

The windup is this, the po po tried to clear the clot but only a few complied, the rest got arrested and their whackermobiles impounded to keep them out of the way of emergency services. Linden CD removed the CBs from the firehouses, what they did with them I don't know nor do I care. Funny how a few years and a change of venue can make all the difference in the world. Now go back and read what I wrote about Staten Island React and the MVA on the Driscoll Bridge.

[n2ize]

On the night of December 5, 1970 a series of powerful explosions occurred at the refinery, resulting in multiple injuries but no fatalities in and around the plant. Windows were shattered as far away as Staten Island, and the explosion was felt more than thirty miles away. As an aside, Jack was with some friends coming home from Staten Island just passing the main CAT converter when it blew them right off the road, I was walking east from my home in Rahway and saw the orange mushroom cloud rising; GEEZ, THEY NUKED NEW YORK! it took a moment to gather my senses, no blinding flash so what the L happened? When I got to the store they had the radio on, Exxon blew up.


I remember that night. I was 13 years old and in 7th grade. It was a saturday night and I was lying in bed thinking about a very good looking girl in my science class that I was crazy about and how nice it would be if she were lying beside me entwined about me when all of a sudden I heard a sound like someone dropped a boulder on the roof. I turned on my old tube clock radio with the radium dial and heard that New Jersey blew up.

[WØTKX]

I did the Civil Defense and Red Cross thing as a teenager. Civil Defense at that time was very involved with Tornado Watches in my town. We used 6 and 2 meters AM, and then started using 2 meter FM with an early repeater. I got pretty skilled at spotting cloud rotations, and reported a dozen or so funnel clouds in the few years I was involved.

The Red Cross group had some great parties. :yes:

[kb2vxa]

I remember that night. I was 13 years old and in 7th grade. We were all sitting around the camp fire when someone said; hey Johnnie, tell us a story. Better stop here, you know there's no getting to the end of THAT one. Now there you have it, radiation from the radium dial causes hallucinations that lead to hairy palms and sticky bed sheets. Now you know why we blew up New Jersey, we just HAD to stop you from ruining your life!

Oh, you had a radium dial clock radio, I had a radium dial tick tock alarm clock without the radio, that sat next to it in a little Bakelite box.

That's kind of funny in a way, CD never heard of a tornado in Jersey but a couple of decades later Skyporn came along. The W2LID (as we called it) repeater club took it up right away but they never did anything beyond a gabfest, Skywarn wasn't even activated but they went off the deep end anyway whenever the sky darkened. "This is (callsign), a few drops here, nothing else to report." HUH? You wasted our time to tell us NOTHING? Then one day it happened, the then regional now national weather celebrity Al Roker in the Channel 4 weather copter reported in (beating his chest simulating rotor beats) and everybody but the Skyporners cracked up uncontrollably. That was it, few had the capability so the net was moved to the 70cM repeater, Roker the Joker was left behind but I'm sure the luls didn't end there.

KB2VXA reporting in, sound the alarm, it's raining POOP!

[WØTKX]

Mammanto cumulus! Turbulence, Will Robinson!

http://pdxretro.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/bill-and-robot_thumb.jpg

[N7YA]

I remember that night. I was 13 years old and in 7th grade. It was a saturday night and I was lying in bed thinking about a very good looking girl in my science class that I was crazy about and how nice it would be if she were lying beside me entwined about me when all of a sudden I heard a sound like someone dropped a boulder on the roof. I turned on my old tube clock radio with the radium dial and heard that New Jersey blew up.


Uh, yeah...that was probably you blowing up. Gross. Thanks for sharing.

[kb2vxa]

Mammatus or mammatocumulus actually, mammary clouds, but I prefer to call them butt clouds as they have no nipples nor do they resemble... KNOBS. Then there's a stoner band from Santa Cruz, California.

[WØTKX]

I sit corrected, but I know what they are, and why. Bastid. :stickpoke: