Category Archives: Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Communications for the Railroads, 1926

A hundred years ago, this railroad station agent was reviewing a message sent from another station via amateur radio. You need communications to run a radio–before sending a train down a westbound track, you better make sure that there’s not an eastbound train coming toward you. Normally, those orders go out via telegraph, but if the wires were down for any reason, that was a problem.

As late as the 1940s, you see occasional reports of amateur radio operators helping out the railroads with this vital traffic, such as during the 1949 Midwestern blizzard.  It is illustrated here on the cover of QST, May 1926. The accompanying article explains how the ARRL was approached by the Pennsylvania Railroad to set up a reliable backup system. Over the course of 10 weeks, tests were conducted to make sure there would be a smooth transition in case of emergency. All of the cities shown on the map below were represented, in most cases by multiple stations.



1956 Emergency Radio Receivers

Seventy years ago this month, the May 1956 issue of Popular Electronics showed these ideas for an emergency radio receiver. If the power was out, or the radio otherwise out of commission, the emergency adapter was simply placed near the loop antenna. Inductively coupled, it would use the set’s tuning circuit, and you could hear it through headphones. Three versions were shown. The cigar box version had the advantage of furnishing a place to store the headphones. Another one used a loop antenna from a broken radio, and the third variation had the coil taped permanently in place on the outside of the radio.



Family Preparedness, 1951

Seventy-five years ago, this scout, shown in the May 1951 issue of Boys Life, took the scout motto seriously. As a result, his family was prepared for just about anything.  The accompanying article asks “is your family ready,” and offers some pointers for family preparedness.  Here, it notes that a basement shelter can be mighty useful in an emergency.  The type of emergency isn’t specified, but they’re probably thinking of the A-bomb.

They are shown stocking it with food, battery radio, flashlight, alcohol stove, water, candles, blankets, simple furniture, and a few books.



1941 British Wind Generator

Eighty-five years ago, the March 1941 issue of Practical Mechanics showed how to build a wind generator.  It used a propellor left over from the last war, and the axle from a Peugeot.  But with some ingenuity, it was made into a working unit.  The windmill managed 180 RPM, and since most car alternators required 1200 RPM, a 7:1 gear ratio was required.

I think of wind generators as an American phenomenon, since any respectable farm in the last century sported a windmill.  But the wind also blows in Britain, and was capable of being harnessed.

These days, wind generators such as this 1200 watt model are available on Amazon at a surprisingly low price.  Looking at the reviews, this particular one looks like a very good value, although one reviewer points out that the instruction manual is somewhat incomplete.  Our readers, of course, don’t need instruction manuals.  Also, a couple of parts needed some modification to properly mount it, but we have faith that our readers can deal with that issue as well.

Britain was at war when this article was written.  And this article serves as a reminder that wind power might play a role for some in providing electrical power in an emergency.



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1976 Emergency Power Idea

Fifty years ago this month, the CB column in the March 1976 issue of Popular Electronics carried some pointers for CB’ers to be prepared for emergencies. Included was this simple circuit to ensure that the radio could see uninterrupted service in the event of a power outage.

A trickle charger keeps the 12 volt battery ready to do at all times. And the 4PDT relay ensures that switchover is automatic. (If you can’t find the 4PDT, two DPDT relays would work just as well.)

Edit:  I just noticed that the diagram is wrong.  Can you spot the error?  Post a comment below.



Canada to End VHF Weather Broadcasts

In what is, in our opinion, a shortsighted decision, Environment Canada announced recently that its VHF weather broadcasts will go dark starting March 16.  Like in the United States, Weatheradio Canada broadcasts on 162 MHz frequencies from over 200 locations across Canada.  In addition to  weather conditions and forecasts in a computer-generated voice (in English and French), it uses SAME technology to activate alerts on radios.  If there is a weather warning, your receiver will set off an alarm and wake you up.

For many people, this technology is obsolete, since their cell phone can do the same thing.  But, in both the U.S. and Canada, there are many areas where cell phones do not work.  But with an inexpensive receiver, the rather primitive technology employed by weather radios can provide a vital service to most of the continent.  And weather radio can provide service to deaf persons, which might be problematic with other technologies.

Canada doesn’t seem to have a coverage map, and with 200 stations, the coverage probably isn’t quite as good as in the United States, where only a handful of truly remote places lack coverage.  But the vast majority of the population has access to this service, even though many of those people don’t have cell service.  And the cost is nominal.  Each transmitter needs a few hundred watts of electricity to operate.  The weather data is being generated anyway, and the system to broadcast it in two languages is completely automated.

You can read more about how weather radios save lives at our earlier post.  And for specific information about how this technology can serve deaf persons, see this post.  And Mexico also has its SARMEX network, which also includes earthquake warnings.

Unfortunately, I’m afraid that lives will be lost because of this unfortunate decision.  I hope the United States, with its robust network of NOAA weather radio stations, will not make the same bad decision.



Iran Protests: The Importance of a Shortwave Radio

I know that this site has at least one follower in Iran.  But I’m certain that they are not following us at the moment, because the government of Iran shut down the internet.  International telephone service has also been cut.  When things settle down, they’ll be back, and they can know that they were in our prayers.  But since they obviously have an interest in radio, we hope that they are getting news from the outside world via radio.

If they have Starlink, they can use that.  But it’s unlikely that most people have the hardware just sitting around, since it’s expensive.  And it’s probably illegal.   Satellite TV is apparently popular, but it’s also illegal.  And if the revolutionary guards are running around shooting people, you probably don’t want to have an illegal satellite dish visible on your balcony.

Once again, we are reminded the importance of having even a very inexpensive shortwave or even mediumwave (AM) receiver.  With it, even if due to circumstances outside of your control cause you to lose contact with the outside world, you can still keep yourself informed.

To get some idea of what you would be able to hear on a radio in Iran, I went to one of the closest WebSDR’s I could find, a remote receiver in Kuwait.  The medium wave stations would be different from the ones I would hear in Iran, but the shortwave band would sound about the same.  There were dozens of signals available.  Most were in local languages, but I did hear French, and at least one English station, Radio China International on 9600 kHz.

Undoubtedly, many of the signals I was hearing were in Farsi or Arabic, meaning that local listeners would be able to get news from the outside world, such as from the BBC Persian service from transmitters in Cyprus, Rwanda, and Oman.  During normal times, having an FM receiver is also a good thing.  But in this case, unless you were close enough to a border to hear foreign stations, it wouldn’t provide much useful information.

You needn’t spend a lot of money on a shortwave radio.  And even during normal times, a portable AM/FM radio (since the inexpensive shortwave sets also get AM and FM) can come in handy.

This link will take you to the Amazon search results for inexpensive shortwave radios.  The list is sorted by price, and also includes only products with free shipping available.  So if you have Prime, you pay no shipping.  If you don’t have Prime, then add some items to your order to bring it up to $35.  (My favorites in this category are toilet paper, coffee, or canned goods.)  As you can see, prices start for under $10.  I don’t have experience with these particular models, since they come and go.  But my experience is that most of these cheap receivers perform very well on FM, serve the purpose on AM, and will pull in at least a few strong shortwave stations.

Looking at the reviews, it appears that this one performs adequately, and would get at least some shortwave stations, although the small dial makes it tricky to tune.  It requires AA batteries, so be sure to stock up on them as well.    This one is slightly larger, meaning that it’s easier to tune.  It has a built-in rechargeable battery which charges from a USB.  (See our earlier post on preparing for power outages to make sure you’re prepared to recharge it in an emergency.)

For most of our readers, it’s very unlikely that your government will intentionally put you in the dark.  But even in circumstances as mundane as a power outage, it’s good to know that you can find out what’s going on in the world.  And the price for making this preparation is close to zero.

آزادی، آزادی، آزادی



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It’s The Ham In Them, 1955

Seventy years ago this month, the November 1955 issue of Boys’ Life carried this feature, “It’s The Ham in Them,” giving an overview of Amateur Radio. It noted that there were 120,000 hams in the U.S., with another 50,000 around the world, and that Uncle Sam had gone out of his way to make the hobby enticing to youth.

Among other topics, the article detailed the potential for hams in an emergency, some of which are depicted here. For example, when Hurricane Diane hit the Northeast, three hundred trembling youngsters were stranded in ankle-deep water on an island of the Delaware River. Little attention was given to a car stopped on the far bank. Even had it been noticed, it wouldn’t have been capable of rescue, or so it appeared. But a squadron of helicopters soon appeared. The driver of the car had been a ham, and had put in the call to Civil Defense officials. (The incident appears to be detailed at this link.

In another case, a truck had plunged off a mountain in Arizona, a a rancher brought them to Camp Geronimo, a scout camp. The camp director was a ham (Ed Burkhart, W7SUI) who put in an emergency call to Phoenix, resulting in the dispatch of an ambulance plane.

As in 1955, Amateur Radio is primarily a hobby.  But it can be a source of information and connection with the outside world in case of an emergency.  An excellent example is when Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina in 2024.  Hams, and their neighbors, were in a position to provide vital information, because an ad-hoc network quickly formed, mostly using a repeater just outside the disaster area.  There might have been a few people “rescued” as a result of this communication.  But more importantly, residents had access to current information, such as whether certain roads were open, where stores and gas stations were operating, etc.  Radio also provided the ability to notify friends and family members that someone was safe.  An excellent recounting of these events can be found at this article by K4SWL, who provided this vital communication for his neighbors.



Simple Ranch Dressing Biscuits

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My wife and daughter came home from Girl Scout camp with a bunch of leftover Ranch dressing, so I Googled to find recipes to use it. One site suggested biscuits, so that was all the inspiration I needed. I figured I could do it with just three ingredients, the ranch dressing, flour, and baking powder. And if I do say so myself, they turned out well.

The batch shown here used about a cup of flour, and about a tablespoon of baking powder. (You could also use self-rising flour or Bisquick, and not bother with the baking powder.) Then, start adding Ranch dressing. Start with too little, mix it together (with a spoon works just fine), and keep adding until it’s the right dough-like consistency.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 Celsius).  Put lumps of dough on a baking sheet as shown at left(it doesn’t need to be greased) and bake for about 15 minutes.  The taste is actually somewhat reminiscent of the biscuits served at Red Lobster, so I hope I didn’t spill any trade secrets.

I don’t know what brand of Ranch dressing this is, but I’m sure other brands would work just fine. It might not be economical to buy Ranch dressing just to make biscuits (although, if you get a cheap enough brand, it just might be). But if you have a bunch of leftover Ranch, it’s a delicious way to use it up. And in the event of an emergency, and that’s what you have in your fridge, it would be a good option.

Bon apetit!



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Weather Radios Save Lives!

Watch for Severe Weather While You Sleep.

The recent flooding in Texas should serve as a reminder that everyone should have a weather radio! In most cases, your cell phone provides accurate up-to-date weather information.  But it has limitations, particularly in an emergency.

It appears that many of the Texas victims were caught unaware of rising flood waters.  The flood happened at night, and even though the information was available on the phone, the victims were asleep and not looking at their phones.  In addition (especially at low-lying areas in a river valley), the phone might not have had service.

But a NOAA weather radio would have awakened sleeping victims, and given enough advance warning so that they could go to higher ground.

According to news accounts, the flood waters hit Camp Mystic at about 4:00 AM on July 4.  And according to news accounts, the first NOAA Weather broadcast would have been at 1:18 PM Thursday, when a flood watch was issued by the National Weather Service in San Antonio.  Since this was a watch, I don’t believe that it would have triggered an alarm from a weather radio.  But it would have been broadcast repeatedly during the day on NOAA Weather Radio, so someone tuning in to check the weather would have heard it.

At 11:41 PM, a Flash Flood Warning was issued for Bandera County, and would have set off the loud siren on any weather radio in the area.  That loud siren would have gone off again at 1:14 AM Friday, with a warning for Bandera and Kerr Counties.  This time, the message would have included that there would be “considerable” flooding.  More warnings continued through the morning hours.

If people had a NOAA Weather Radio, they would have been awakened by the loud siren.  (As we’ve reported earlier, add-ons are available to allow deaf people to be awakened by a weather emergency.)

Unlike cell phone coverage, which can sometimes be spotty, the NOAA Weather Radio transmitters blanket most of the nation.  In the map above, white areas have coverage, and only the beige areas lack coverage.  In this case, transmitters in both San Antonio and Kerrville would have provided warnings.  You can find out if you have coverage at this interactive map.

There are three types of weather radios you can buy.  The cheapest option is a radio like this that allows you to listen to the 24 hour weather broadcast.   That can be very handy, but it doesn’t have an alarm, and it won’t wake you up if there’s a warning.

The best option is a weather radio similar to the one shown here, the Midland WR-120B.  If you ever want to hear the weather, you can push the button and you will hear it.  But more importantly, it sits silently until there is a warning.  At that time, it sets off a loud siren that will wake you.  This model has “SAME” encoding, meaning that you can program it in advance to hear warnings only in certain counties.  This is a useful feature, because it  prevents false alarms for warnings from neighboring counties.  But this feature is not essential.  For example, the radio I have does not have SAME encoding.  I find it useful to know what’s going on in neighboring counties.

This radio also runs off household current, meaning that you can just plug it in and forget it.  It does have battery backup in case the power goes out.

Another radio I own is the one shown at the left, the Midland ER-10VP.  It has a weather radio with the alert feature, so it will wake you up in the middle of the night.  It does not have SAME encoding, so you will hear warnings for neighboring counties.  It has a rechargeable battery, which can be charged from a USB charger just like your cell phone, or from solar or hand crank.  The battery power is both an advantage and disadvantage.  It will work even if the power goes out, but you do have to be mindful and keeping the battery charged.  If you are going to use it at home, I would recommend getting a USB charger and keeping it plugged in all the time.

The hand crank and solar charger could be handy in an emergency, since you can listen to the radio more or less indefinitely without external power.  But charging the battery with an external charger is much more convenient for daily use, especially if you use it for the alert feature and want to just plug it in and forget it.

The cost of these radios is so low that everyone should have one.  But this is particularly true if you are responsible for the safety of other people.  So if you are in charge of a school, a summer camp, or any other place where people gather, you really ought to have one of these.


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