Ramblings

As if in answer to my complaints on Friday, the ARRL newsletter kindly ran a story about the BPL stuff. But the real jewel I pulled out was this little story:

Ham radio distress call yields help from next state: When 83-year-old Walter Siebert, K3KBR, of Valley Lee, Maryland, started suffering serious chest pains July 15, he called 911. For reasons yet to be determined, no one answered. So Siebert turned to ham radio and put out a cry for help on 75 meters, saying he was having chest pains and needed to go to the hospital. Larry Wheeler, KG4RGN, heard Siebert’s plea in Williamsburg, Virginia. At the time, Wheeler was monitoring a net on 3947 kHz as part of Amateur Radio Emergency Service District 7′s participation in a Surry Nuclear Power Plant VOPEX (Virginia Operations Plan EXercise) drill. He notified the net to clear the frequency and contacted Siebert to get the necessary details. Wheeler then got in touch with the 911 dispatcher in James City County, Virginia. The 911 dispatcher in turn was able to reach the proper authorities in Maryland and get medical help to Siebert, who was hospitalized.

The ARRL Letter
Vol. 22, No. 31
August 8, 2003

Who says Ham radio isn’t good for anything? This guy might have died had it not been for his HF rig.