Hiker summons help with Morse code - Washington

[paulj]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/380213_hamradio24.html
Hiker near Glacier Peak, Washington, summons help with ham radio

The hiker, who broke his leg, used a low-voltage portable radio and Morse code to send out a call to help.
Six hundred miles away, in Bozeman, Mont., Robert Williams was testing his ham radio Sunday when he heard the call signal, "W-7-A-U."

 

[Paul R]

WOW! That is an amazing story it makes me wish I knew morse code!
​

 

[Rallyroo]

Less and less people know morse code now because of the new licensing structure.

I used to be able to send 20 wpm and receive at 13 wpm. Today, I'm a bit rusty because I don't operate CW.

 

[Carlyle]

I used to be able to do CW, but it's been years. In a pinch I could do it slowly and wish more people could do the same. I guess times change though even though it saved his butt.

 

[Lynn]

I’ve always thought I should learn Morse, just never put myself to it. I had a Tandy practice key way back when, but didn’t get my Ham ticket ‘til they came out with the Tech no-code.

It’s not hard to imagine a scenario where you need help and can’t verbalize: either injury or equipment failure. I don’t remember if it was a true story or in some movie, but I remember years ago a story about an offroader in trouble and with a broken mic on his CB. He ‘hotwired’ the mike to key a distress call in Morse.

Problem is, these days there aren’t many that would recognize your distress call.

Then, of course, there’s the ‘Independence Day’ alien invasion scenario…

 

[Rallyroo]

Problem is, these days there aren’t many that would recognize your distress call.

People will probably recognize S-O-S. Then hope that they'll find someone that understands morse code?

 

[Hltoppr]

Great article! Thanks for the link! It's so cool to see two situations where the injured party was well prepared for the environment they were in, and it just happened to be bad luck that landed them in the situation they're in. In SAR we get so many folks who really have no business being where they are, and make poor, ignorant decisions we have to try and make up for.

As a HAM...makes me realize that these things really do work! It's a good push to study my CW....

-H-

 

[paulj]

More on these rescues on NWHikers forum
http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7970451

 

[paulj]

A few more details on that radio contact via ARRL letter:

http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=426079&highlight=#426079

 

[Accrete]

thx for the links, good reads.

When i got my Tech back in 99 i began studying, and later that year passed the written general. I then spent the next 12 months trying to learn what could have been Klingon to me. Now that they dropped the code i'm going to retake the general so i can have greater reach in the rig since i find myself out in the boonies in areas that have no repeaters.

Thom

 

[HanzoSteel]

Incredible story, glad they made it out all okay.

Thanks for sharing!