Hurricane Milton

[mzmc]

This whole dual hurricane situation is even all over the news in Europe.

What a mess.

[MacWa77ace]

I am not (yet) a HAM, but I do have my GMRS radio monitoring the local 2M repeater. I also have devices that can use Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile networks, as well as satellite messaging if the mobile networks all go down. So not where I'd like to be, but I'm in OK shape.

@airballrad do you have the FL SARNET all programmed in your HAM's?

If you have a HAM radio I'd prioritize programming the SARNET repeaters near you. It's a statewide emergency network that is hardened against power and network outages. Just for listening to news and info if everything else goes down. If you don't have a HAM buy a $20 Baofeng and download CHIRP software and set it up just to listen.

During an emergency its for emergency traffic only, but when there's no emergency civilians can use it so its also a good place to listen for traffic as every repeater on that network connects to every other one so key west can talk to Pensacola and even south Georgia if they can reach those northern repeaters along the I-10 corridor.

You don't have to be a HAM to listen in on traffic and learn.

[airballrad]

That's not a terrible idea. I don't have anything that can receive 70cm band transmissions, but I should probably go ahead and get one of those cheap HTs. My wife has encouraged me to hold off and get a quality unit after I get licensed, but she has seen me buy flashlights, tools, and other gadgets and she is afraid just how many radios I will end up with if I start cheap. 

If you have a HAM radio I'd prioritize programming the SARNET repeaters near you. It's a statewide emergency network that is hardened against power and network outages. Just for listening to news and info if everything else goes down. If you don't have a HAM buy a $20 Baofeng and download CHIRP software and set it up just to listen.

[EBuff75]

The Max Velocity channel on YouTube is doing a live feed right now and he's planning to do another one later this afternoon / evening as it approaches landfall.  He's pulling in some live camera views and live weather map information too.  Currently around 65-70k watchers on the feed!

Edited to add (11:41am on 10/9/24):  Currently there are 5 tornado warnings in FL.
ETA (11:43am ET): A 6th tornado warning just popped up
ETA (11:45am ET): Now a 7th
ETA (11:49am ET): 8th
ETA (11:58am ET): Now up to 11; now close to 85k watchers on the live feed linked above

Cape Coral, FT Myers, Naples, Labelle, Clewston, Okeechobee, all the way over to West Palm Beach have a number of warnings.

If you're in central FL, please get to shelter!

ETA (12:08pm ET): The count is down to 7 active warnings, with several tornados confirmed on the ground west of Lake Okeechobee with one headed toward Lake Placid.  He just switched to a live stream in Cape Coral as what appeared to be a waterspout crossed the bridge where the camera was - that was crazy!
ETA (12:44pm ET): New, large tornado on the ground near Suncoast Estates, FL

ETA (1:58pm ET): I checked back in and there are now 13 active tornado warnings in FL

[NT2C]

That's not a terrible idea. I don't have anything that can receive 70cm band transmissions, but I should probably go ahead and get one of those cheap HTs. My wife has encouraged me to hold off and get a quality unit after I get licensed, but she has seen me buy flashlights, tools, and other gadgets and she is afraid just how many radios I will end up with if I start cheap. 

If you have a HAM radio I'd prioritize programming the SARNET repeaters near you. It's a statewide emergency network that is hardened against power and network outages. Just for listening to news and info if everything else goes down. If you don't have a HAM buy a $20 Baofeng and download CHIRP software and set it up just to listen.

(looks over at the 15 HTs and 37 flashlights just in his office and not counting other rooms in the house and the vehicles)


Yeah, it's not like they're addictive or anything...


(goes back to checking Amazon; UPS; USPS; Fed Ex package delivery time estimates for the day)

[airballrad]

Power out at about 7:30 EST. Generator running like a champ, household at normal operation. Had a nice dinner and enjoying a cold beverage. Local HAMs running emergency comms from county shelters over 2M. $18 Boofywang HT on order from Amazon for the next time.

So far, so good.

[DarkAxel]

I don't think I need to post any links to the hurricane coverage, as It's about the only thing on the news right now.

Just hoping we get a check-in from Airballrad and anybody else in FL.

[MacWa77ace]

I'm good in SE FL. Hardly any rain in WPB.

This was near my work AO yesterday while i was there. Everyone else had left already. A coworker in TAM sent it to me as a hint to shut down.


But my company location in Tampa currently has no power/internet. It's near I-75 so pretty far inland.

[airballrad]

Woke up this morning to no power, no landline internet, no cellular network. It was a little disconcerting. I was able to get some sense of the world by listening to local FM stations that were carrying the audio for local TV news as they usually do during emergencies. I also got some information through the local GMRS repeater, which stayed up during and after the storm. I was also able to send and receive text messages via satellite using my iPhone, which was a nifty option in a pinch.

By around 2:00 this afternoon cell service was restored to my part of town. Still running on generator at this point, but it is performing well through whatever we throw at it. We have been very fortunate with minimal damage to our home. Lots of trees down in the area, but a direct hit from a Cat 3 will do that.

[DarkAxel]

Nice to see you guys made it through ok!

[Optimist]

Sounds like my relatives are fine. No power and can't go anywhere but otherwise okay.

[Z.O.R.G.]

That's not a terrible idea. I don't have anything that can receive 70cm band transmissions, but I should probably go ahead and get one of those cheap HTs. My wife has encouraged me to hold off and get a quality unit after I get licensed, but she has seen me buy flashlights, tools, and other gadgets and she is afraid just how many radios I will end up with if I start cheap. 

If you have a HAM radio I'd prioritize programming the SARNET repeaters near you. It's a statewide emergency network that is hardened against power and network outages. Just for listening to news and info if everything else goes down. If you don't have a HAM buy a $20 Baofeng and download CHIRP software and set it up just to listen.

(looks over at the 15 HTs and 37 flashlights just in his office and not counting other rooms in the house and the vehicles)


Yeah, it's not like they're addictive or anything...


(goes back to checking Amazon; UPS; USPS; Fed Ex package delivery time estimates for the day)

Having too many radios is never a problem, just like you can't have too many pocket knives or flashlights.  I've at least 1 handheld in the car, besides the higher powered vehicle radio(s).  I have them scattered all over the place.  Work backpack - check, hunting backpack - check, coat - check, BOB(s) check.  

I'd suggest getting your license and at least one handheld per family member.  Even if the rest of the family isn't licensed, they can listen.  Baofengs allow you to program NOAA weather, and local (FM) emergency response frequencies so you can monitor them.  

[NT2C]

That's not a terrible idea. I don't have anything that can receive 70cm band transmissions, but I should probably go ahead and get one of those cheap HTs. My wife has encouraged me to hold off and get a quality unit after I get licensed, but she has seen me buy flashlights, tools, and other gadgets and she is afraid just how many radios I will end up with if I start cheap. 

If you have a HAM radio I'd prioritize programming the SARNET repeaters near you. It's a statewide emergency network that is hardened against power and network outages. Just for listening to news and info if everything else goes down. If you don't have a HAM buy a $20 Baofeng and download CHIRP software and set it up just to listen.

(looks over at the 15 HTs and 37 flashlights just in his office and not counting other rooms in the house and the vehicles)


Yeah, it's not like they're addictive or anything...


(goes back to checking Amazon; UPS; USPS; Fed Ex package delivery time estimates for the day)

Having too many radios is never a problem, just like you can't have too many pocket knives or flashlights.  I've at least 1 handheld in the car, besides the higher powered vehicle radio(s).  I have them scattered all over the place.  Work backpack - check, hunting backpack - check, coat - check, BOB(s) check. 

I'd suggest getting your license and at least one handheld per family member.  Even if the rest of the family isn't licensed, they can listen.  Baofengs allow you to program NOAA weather, and local (FM) emergency response frequencies so you can monitor them. 

(looks around his hotel room and starts counting radios (4); flashlights (7); firearms (2); and knives (6))

Well, you know, just in case...

[Z.O.R.G.]

(looks around his hotel room and starts counting radios (4); flashlights (7); firearms (2); and knives (6))

Well, you know, just in case...

[NT2C]

(looks around his hotel room and starts counting radios (4); flashlights (7); firearms (2); and knives (6))

Well, you know, just in case...

Make that 7 knives.  Forgot about my tiny assisted opener clipped to my suspender strap.

[majorhavoc]

We should start a thread for people to post pictures of their knife collections.  I bet it would be quite revealing of who here has a knife problem quite reasonable and necessary assortment to address different needs and applications. 

[airballrad]

Final post-Milton status update: We got landline internet back yesterday, so all services now restored. We were very lucky that damage to our home was minimal and services were restored quickly (and backups meant our downtime was minimal). We had to re-route my son's travel home from college for his Fall break because our local airport had its roof destroyed and they have to make repairs before they can open for commercial air traffic again.

I now have my fancy $18 VHF/UHF HT to monitor local HAM traffic to stay informed. About eight hours of no cellular service was enough to make my wife concede that there may yet be practical value to a HAM radio license, so I will dust off my ARRL study guide and start studying up for Technician. 

[NT2C]

Final post-Milton status update: We got landline internet back yesterday, so all services now restored. We were very lucky that damage to our home was minimal and services were restored quickly (and backups meant our downtime was minimal). We had to re-route my son's travel home from college for his Fall break because our local airport had its roof destroyed and they have to make repairs before they can open for commercial air traffic again.

I now have my fancy $18 VHF/UHF HT to monitor local HAM traffic to stay informed. About eight hours of no cellular service was enough to make my wife concede that there may yet be practical value to a HAM radio license, so I will dust off my ARRL study guide and start studying up for Technician. 

Normally, any member studying for and passing the ham license technician test qualifies for a free HT from me but since you already have one... I'll send you a nice, new mobile rig (antenna is going to be left up to you) for your bug-out buggy. 

(and be sure to let the wife know that, unlike illegal cellphone use while driving, ham radio operators have exemptions from those laws in all 50 states, so she would be able to contact you while you're driving if she gets her license too)

Edit: and the way some of those exemptions are written they can apply to more than ham radio...  Virginia has laws against radar detectors, but the way the ham radio exemption is written it can apply to radar detectors too since we hold a Federal license to operate around those frequencies.

[airballrad]

You are too kind! I guess I am glad I have upfitter switches in my truck to shut all these things down when she climbs in. 

Normally, any member studying for and passing the ham license technician test qualifies for a free HT from me but since you already have one... I'll send you a nice, new mobile rig (antenna is going to be left up to you) for your bug-out buggy. 

(and be sure to let the wife know that, unlike illegal cellphone use while driving, ham radio operators have exemptions from those laws in all 50 states, so she would be able to contact you while you're driving if she gets her license too)

[Z.O.R.G.]

BTW, if either you or your wife is concerned about getting a HAM license out secret weapon for the Field Day contest emergency preparedness event is an 8-year girl with her General.  The question becomes, "are you as smart as a 3rd grader?"