Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (A)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Sep 29 2017 07:20 am
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2083, for Friday, September 29, 2017
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2083, with a release date of
Friday, September 29, 2017, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Hams help Florida with storm recovery. In
California, a ham's killer is sentenced to prison -- and Spain
celebrates the success of young-but-growing regional hamfest. All
this, and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2083, comes your
way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)
**
AMATEURS HELP FLORIDIANS PICK UP THE PIECES
DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with a story of post-storm
recovery efforts. As Floridians rebuild after the most recent
hurricane, hams are there. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, spoke with one
Red Cross volunteer, who also happens to be an amateur involved
with a busy ARES team.
KENT'S REPORT:
MORRIS: I was working Hurricane Harvey in Baton Rouge, repairing
mobile radios, when we were sent back to Florida to prepare for Irma,
and then joined my ARES team, we opened 4 evacuation shelters, and
ran radios 24/7.
KENT: In addition to being involved with ARES, Dave Morris, N4DWM,
is also a Red Cross volunteer.
MORRIS: I hopped in my Red Cross vehicle and came down to the Keys.
I was one of the first Red Cross people, as well as one of the first
hams to come down to the Keys. At that point in time, no one was
allowed into the Keys, unless you were in an emergency vehicle.
When I arrived down here, I worked on generator power, setting up
a satellite system. The preferred technology for the Red Cross is
satellite communications, however, I did put up my Buddipole pole,
and my own ham radio on 40 meters, I did check in with the HF
hurricane net. We started up in some pretty rugged conditions, as
days went by, the power company got it restored, and I was redeployed
with the satellite system to Sugar Loaf Key, which was ground zero,
very rugged conditions, the National Guard was there with us. At that
point, no residents were allowed in that far down. After several days,
the power came back, and they started to get some infrastructure, and
they started to let some of the residents in. One thing I noticed was
cell phones will not stay up during this kind of weather event, and
you have to find other means to communicate.
KENT: Morris emphasized the value amateur radio operators bring to
the Red Cross.
MORRIS: The Red Cross really values the use of amateurs in their
communications systems, now obviously hams don't get to play with
satellite communication much, where in the Red Cross, they use it
extensively. But in the emergency shelters, it was all 2 meters.
We did have HF radio, but it wasn't necessary.
KENT: Morris says there are important lessons learned.
MORRIS: Number one, the Red Cross needs the skills that amateurs have
to make their relief operations work well. And, everything you do on
Field Day you do in this scenario. I know everyone practices every
field day once a year, we all do what we know how to do, believe me
when you end up in this situation, you use those skills.
KENT: And he says the Keys are starting the rebuild.
MORRIS: As the Keys recover, while there is a lot of devastation here,
this is a resilient group of people, and it looks to me like they're
starting to get back on their feet.
For Amateur Radio Neweline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.
**
PRISON FOR CALIFORNIA HAM'S KILLER
DON/ANCHOR: There's justice at last for the killer of David Caouette
(CO-ETT) N6DAC. It arrived at his sentencing in an Orange County,
California courtroom on September 22. Joe Moell (MELL) K-zero-O-V,
has the story.
JOE'S REPORT:
"You emerged as the face of evil in this community." Those were the
words of Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals, as he imposed a
232-year prison sentence on Scott Dekraai. It was back in October,
2011 when Dekraai, heavily armed, and wearing a bulletproof vest,
walked into a Seal Beach hair salon, and shot his ex-wife. He kept
firing at everyone else in sight, and then made his escape. In the
parking lot, he spotted David Caouette, N6DAC, sitting in his truck.
N6DAC was a former star high-school athlete, who loved offroading
in his Land Rover. Thinking he was an undercover officer, Dekraai
shot the 64-year-old ham, making him the eighth fatal victim of his
rampage. Dekraai soon surrendered, but his case dragged on, as
evidence mounted showing widespread misuse of jailhouse informants
by the District Attorney and Sheriff's offices. That led the judge
to rule out capital punishment, even though Dekraai had pleaded
guilty. However, Friday's verdict gave him no chance of parole.
In closing the case, Judge Goethals said that there were no winners
in this case, only losers. The only win, he said, is by the rule of
law. From Orange County, California, this is Joe Moell, K0OV, for
Amateur Radio Newsline.
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