TO: ALL WEST VIRGINIA ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM WV SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WV ARES BULLETIN NR 10.09 DATE: February 28, 2010
SUBJECT: OPERATION DURING SEVERE WEATHER
As part of a group dedicated to providing emergency communications, we should think hard about building, or buying, and installing, indoor antennas for use with our amateur radio equipment, at least for our 2-meter equipment, for both packet and voice. This will allow us to operate during storms when lightening forces us to disconnect our outside antennas.
Maintaining our communications ability thru the storm is one of our most important goals. If our stations are rendered inoperative during a severe storm, we can no longer provide that much needed service to our community.
In previous bulletins, there's been information about portable antennas which would serve well as indoor antennas. Think strongly about this, and do a little research on the types of antennas that can be easily installed in your attic or somewhere inside your house or near your radio equipment.
There's literature available that will help you build a 1/4 wave ground plane, a rabbit ear portable antenna, a twin lead folded dipole antenna, a twin lead J-Pole antenna, and other emergency type antennas.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator