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This post is about why I need Winlink and how my Portable Winlink Setup let me contact family and friends when hurricane Milton took out our power and cell service for several days.

Hurricane Milton left us without power for 3 days. I think we are very fortunate because some were without power and cell service for much longer.

I am so grateful that I did not put off building this setup and that I had been testing with it routinely. I am a member of SERC and SRQARES, in Sarasota FL. We routinely run training activities to help us become better EmComm operators and get comfortable with Winlink use.

My setup consists of a Laptop, a digirig mobile, and a Baofeng BF-F8HP HT Radio, and a portable 20Ah LifePo Battery.

This setup allowed me to connect to the winlink gateways in my area using Vara FM.

I was able to send email to family and friends, letting them know we were OK, and what the weather was like.

My family was practically begging us to evacuate, however my QTH is not in a flood zone nor is it in an evacuation zone. It is a very well built Single Family home concrete construction using the latest technology and standards. I am not near the coast, so surge was not a concern. The MSM News Networks, however were talking about the surge and how bad it would be, and that made my family and friends nervous.

I’m not trying to say that people should not evacuate. What I am saying is that you should know your situation and plan accordingly. Based on my circumstances it seemed safer to shelter in place, and ride out the storm rather than add to the congestion on the roads. And there is always the question, if I do evacuate, how long will it take before I can return. With all that traffic on the roads, fuel will be difficult to obtain.

So, all that being said, there we were… It’s 10PM. The wind was calm. We were in the “Eye of the Storm”. We had just gone though the first part of the storm and it felt like the worst was over. But then the wind started picking up, and all of a sudden the power was gone. It was dark. The wind was howling. The gusts were near 100Mph. Up until then I was able to email and talk to family and friends using cell service. After the power went out, the cell service and internet was gone. We felt alone.

In preparation, I had already setup my portable Winlink and was ready to go. I sent off a test message to the family and got a reply. We could communicate. We felt better knowing that loved ones knew our situation and knew that we were OK. And they didn’t have to worry.

Over the course of the next few days I would boot up the laptop and a message or two then power it off to conserve the battery. Operating like this I could run for several days

without depleting the batteries in the laptop or the HT.

On day two, I had a medical appointment and decided to take the HT and laptop and charge them using the inverter in my truck. A little while later and we were back to 100%. While driving, there was a welfare call over the radio. I waiting hoping someone would answer. No one did, so I pulled over into a parking lot, and called the station back. The operator on the other end had no power no cell service and was looking for someone to relay a message. I took the traffic and sent the message him, got a reply, and contacted the operator and responded with the reply. It felt good being able to lend a hand to a fellow operator in need. A few minutes later another request came in. Luckly for me one of my fellow SERC operators answered the call and handled the traffic.

Helping that operator made me feel good. But it also struck me that other hams, especially those in areas that are prone to hurricanes, or other devastating natural disasters, really need to consider adding a portable Winlink setup to their ham radio tool kit. In Ham radio dollars, the cost should not be a limiting factor. It could be, but the budget ham can still get the job done. Many operators already have the HT, and the Laptop, they just need the digirig and some training.

Some will be critical of my use of the Baofeng HT. Why did I use this instead of a mobile radio. Well, because I didn’t need to. I am able to hit my repeaters easily with the HT.

Other stations may very well need more power and more height to get to their gateways.

The bottom line is that you need to do what is right for your scenario and situation.

I hope you found some information here helpful and that the message I am sending is received in the spirit that was intended.

73, Friends. Be Safe and Well

K0MDT Out

In ham radio and other forms of radio communication, “prowords” are specific words or phrases that have standardized meanings and are used to facilitate clear and efficient communication. These prowords are an essential part of radio etiquette and help ensure that messages are transmitted and received accurately. Here’s why prowords are used and some examples:

1. Clarity and Efficiency: Prowords are designed to convey important information quickly and clearly. They help eliminate ambiguity and reduce the risk of misunderstanding during radio communication, especially when dealing with complex or time-sensitive messages.
2. Standardization: Prowords are standardized across radio communication to ensure consistency and uniformity in message handling. This standardization is crucial when communicating with different radio operators, organizations, or agencies, as it ensures that everyone understands the intended meaning of specific prowords.
3. International Communication: Ham radio operators often communicate with people from different countries and regions. Using prowords with standardized meanings helps bridge language barriers and ensures that messages are understood globally.
4. Emergency Situations: In emergency and disaster scenarios, where precise communication is critical, prowords help streamline communication procedures and convey important information efficiently. This is especially important during search and rescue operations or when coordinating response efforts.
5. Professionalism: Prowords contribute to professionalism in radio communication. Using these standardized terms demonstrates a commitment to effective and disciplined communication practices.

Here are some common prowords used in ham radio and their meanings:

“Roger”: Indicates that a message has been received and understood.
“Over”: Indicates the end of your transmission and that you are expecting a response from the other party.
“Out”: Indicates the end of the communication or conversation.
“Say Again”: Requests the other party to repeat their previous transmission.
“Wilco”: Short for “will comply,” meaning that you will comply with the instructions or request.
“Standby”: Requests the other party to wait for a moment without transmitting further.
“Break, Break”: Used to interrupt ongoing transmissions for an emergency or priority message.
“Affirmative” and “Negative”: Indicate “yes” and “no,” respectively.
“CQ”: A general call for any station to respond, often used at the start of a call to initiate contact.

These prowords are just a subset of the standardized terms used in ham radio communication. They play a crucial role in ensuring that information is transmitted accurately, efficiently, and professionally, and they are an integral part of radio communication etiquette.