{"id":60897,"date":"2024-10-18T08:17:14","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T12:17:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=60897"},"modified":"2024-10-21T07:49:24","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T11:49:24","slug":"post-helene-update-and-the-importance-of-radio-after-a-natural-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/10\/post-helene-update-and-the-importance-of-radio-after-a-natural-disaster\/","title":{"rendered":"Post-Helene Update and the Importance of Radio After a Natural Disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter where you live in the world, everyone should have a battery-powered or self-powered (hand-crank) portable radio in their home.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Recently, the pace of articles here on the SWLing Post<\/em> has slowed down. That\u2019s because I live in Swannanoa, North Carolina\u2014a town that was particularly hard-hit by Hurricane\/Tropical Storm Helene<\/a>, which brought unprecedented rainfall and caused widespread destruction.<\/p>\n

As I\u2019ve mentioned in a previous post, I\u2019ve been chronicling my experiences on my ham radio blog, QRPer.com<\/a>. I\u2019ve also been sharing regular audio updates with supporters on Patreon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In short, our rural mountain community was completely cut off for several days. Our bridge washed out, and a critical section of road crumbled daily.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>At one point, two families had to be helicopter-evacuated for medical reasons, and less than a week after the storm, the Sheriff\u2019s department came door-to-door recommending evacuation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Our amazing community pulled together: we cleared our road of hundreds of downed trees and made sure everyone had food, water, and supplies. We took care of each other.<\/p>\n

Now, things have improved dramatically. After two and a half weeks without power, we\u2019ve been reconnected to the grid. The Kentucky Department of Transportation repaired our road, making it accessible to regular vehicles again. On Tuesday, an arborist crew finally made it up the mountain to remove fallen trees from houses.<\/p>\n

Although things are starting to feel more normal at home, the impact on Swannanoa, Asheville, and surrounding areas has been profound. Entire neighborhoods are gone, numerous businesses have closed, and several grocery stores were severely damaged.<\/p>\n

The Communications Void<\/h1>\n
\"\"<\/a>

The National Guard helped us for a full day at our home. Thank you 5th Battalion 113 Field Artillery!<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s often said that modern communications infrastructure fails us after a disaster.<\/p>\n

I can confirm, first hand, that this is true.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The mobile phone network went offline during the storm, leaving us without service for days. Even now, three weeks after the storm<\/em>, mobile phone service remains unreliable. Calls drop every few minutes.<\/p>\n

Mobile data services at home are still down at time of posting (October 18, 2024). Internet services like cable, fiber, and DSL are mostly still out across the county. Only those with satellite internet have a connection\u2014I\u2019m fortunate to be one of them. Our cell tower still only supports basic voice calls and text messaging, without data or media attachments.<\/p>\n

Radio to the Rescue<\/h1>\n

As many of you know, I\u2019m not just a radio listener, but also a licensed amateur radio operator, and both of these hobbies became essential post-Helene.<\/p>\n

As highlighted in an article by WIRED<\/a>, amateur radio proved to be our lifeline for communication when everything else failed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Using the local repeater (N2GE on Mount Mitchell), I was able to pass wellness checks, coordinate helicopter evacuations, and arrange supply drops for our community. I handed out a few handy talkies to unlicensed neighbors so we could stay in touch.<\/p>\n

My wife and daughter, who are also hams, helped tremendously. While I was out with a chainsaw, clearing driveways, they acted as net control operators on our community\u2019s simplex frequency (147.555 MHz), passing critical messages.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>For that first week especially, amateur radio truly was our community\u2019s connection to the outside world.<\/p>\n

AM\/FM Radio: A Lifesaver<\/h1>\n

Fortunately, our local TV station remained online after the storm, but few people could access it. Many people rely on cable or internet to watch TV, and in areas like ours, the digital transition over a decade ago left many without the ability to pick up over-the-air signals.<\/p>\n

In contrast, FM and AM radio became the most reliable sources of information. Here in Buncombe County, public information and news were broadcast on 99.9 MHz (FM) and 570 kHz (AM). Both stations stayed online throughout the disaster, and the information they provided reached a vast audience. Check out this feature from CBS Evening News:<\/p>\n