Hurricane Preparedness Fair, June 2002

Hurricane Preparedness Fair - June 29, 2002

The Triangle Chapter of the American Red Cross partnered with Lowes Home Improvement Warehouse to present the Wake County Hurricane Preparedness Fair on Saturday, June 29, at the Lowes store on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh.

Wake County ARES was invited to set up a demonstration, and lots of RARS members helped out.

We decided to set up a Field Day type station. And we had to start early - the fair opened at 9 AM. Here, at sunrise, Andy NI4S reels in the end of the 80 meter dipole that we strung between light poles in the parking lot after Gary KN4AQ scored two bulls-eye shots over the poles with his sling-shot.

Just as we got the dipole strung, CP&L arrived with their exhibit - this bucket truck that went up and towered over the dipole! You can see the twin-lead feedline dropping down in the upper right of the picture. If we had only brought that beam . . . The CP&L guys were fascintated by the slingshot. It might become standard-issue on power company field trucks. Or not.

We got on the air with time to spare for Mark N4MQU to call the North Carolina Morning Net on 3927 kHz at 7:45 AM. The net went well, despite the S-9 noise level we had. When the parking lot lights were turned off, the noise dropped to S-5. In the background you can see one of the other displays, Husqvarna power equipment, setting up.

We set up two displays. In the screen tent are three operating stations. And under the canopy behind it, Bob KG4IZA set up a table soliciting NTS message traffic. Bob K1RCB built the two easel signboards, and printed the signs that Gary KN4AQ created, explaining Amateur Radio to the public. You can see what they look like by downloading this PDF File .

Inside the operations tent is a VHF/UHF FM station on the left, manned by Eric KG4CXW, and the HF station in the back, with Andy NI4S at the knobs. Maury AG4QZ on the right set up a digital demo with APRS and PSK-31. That's Russ Nixon KF4WXD in the stiped shirt on the left, supervising.

Bob KG4IZA prepared traffic forms and asked people stopping by if they'd like to send a free message, and help hams practice sending message traffic. We sent a total of 12 pieces of traffic. This mom and son walked next door and watched as Maury AG4QZ fired the traffic off to Jeff AC4ZO. Maury is a recent graduate of the RARS license class (zooming up to Extra before the end of the class) and the area on-air Traffic Training. Jeff said he did a flawless job sending the message.

Eric KG4CXW used the VHF/UHF station to check into the Orange County ARES net at 9:30 AM, on their 442.15 repeater. Then at 10, he switched to the Durham 145.45 machine and called the new Durham ARES net from the fair. Durham will have their own fair at the end of July.

We attracted the attention of several people who were interested in Amateur Radio. In the top left picture, Joyce, who already is a new ham but had yet to make her first contact, got on the air with Andy NI4S and helped work out the mic-fright. In the background of this picture is the Salvation Army's truck.

Below left, Rajani had heard we would be there and came looking to meet some hams. He found John KG4SWI (left) and Dick KD4ISC (center). Rajani is an engineering Grad student at NC State. We think he'll be able to pass his ham ticket just fine.

And what's that huge thing hanging from John's belt? No, it's not a 1960's vintage handy-talky. It's his Radio Shack HT and a battery system he built himself. Enough power to last a month. Who says hams don't build anything anymore?

Dick W8HYD took his turn at the HF station. We counted more than 20 hams who stopped by to visit or operate. The only disappointing aspect of the event was public attendance. The Lowes store was bustling, but not very many people wandered to the side of the parking lot with the fair, as you can see in the picture below of one aisle past the SKYWARN table. The 90+ degree day might have played a part in that. aisle

Still, we got our message out to a good number of people, and now they know a little more about Amateur Radio. Who knows, maybe one of them is your neighbor.