He Loves Me....he loves me not..

This is not really a early spring flower but I thought it would brighten my blog up some. Oh by the way He does love Me!!!!

ARES Drill

Kingsport Lifesaving Crew's Mule
Sullivan County Emergency Management Agency Vehicle
Our Team
Our Set Up; Radios, Back Up Radios, Back Up Power, Pens, Paper, and CAFFEINE!
Sullivan County Emergency Management Agency Team and Set Up, Computers with Internet.

Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes.

A Net is when all operators report to one person in charge, which is called Net Control.

Operation in an emergency net is little different from operation in any other net, requires preparation and training. This includes training in handling of written messages--that is, what is generally known as "traffic handling.

Today I was involved in an ARES Drill. It covered 8 of the North East Counties in Tennessee. A Ham Operator was placed in the ER in every Hospital. They reported on 2 meter radio to ARES Net Control, telling how many ER beds that were available. I was at the Civic Auditorium in Kingsport. Our job was to pass messages that were handed to us, by Sullivan Co Emergency Management Agency. We passed the message by 2 meter simplex ham radio, to another station. This Station had HF capabilities. HF is High Frequency Band for making a long distance communications. They were to pass the message to Nashville. The day before the contact was made. But today the weather changed and different time of the day, so the contact didn't make it.

All in all, they said we did great. This was a Trial Drill, April 30th will be the Big Drill, Wish us LUCK!!!

Iron Lung

Iron lung is an airtight metal tank that encloses all of the body except the head and forces the lungs to inhale and exhale through regulated changes in air pressure.


I saw this today and just had to take a picture of it. Can you even image having to live in this metal tube.

The first modern and practical respirator nicknamed the "iron lung" was invented by Harvard medical researchers Philip Drinker and Louis Agassiz Shaw in 1927. The inventors used an iron box and two vacuum cleaners to build their prototype respirator. Almost the length of a subcompact car, the iron lung exerted a push-pull motion on the chest.

In 1927, the first iron lung was installed at Bellevue hospital in New York City. The first patients of the iron lung were polio sufferers with chest paralysis.

Later, John Emerson improved upon Philip Drinker’s invention and invented an iron lung that cost half as much to manufacture. http://inventors.about.com/od/istartinventions/a/iron_lung.htm

Bays Mountain Park

This was made on the lake several years ago.


Bays Mountain Park is a 3,500 acre natural preserve, established in 1971.
The Park is owned and operated by the City of Kingsport.

There are various facilities including large outdoor animal habitats for wolves, bobcats, otters, deer, and other animals native to this region. It also has a 44 acre lake, and a nature center/museum. There are 25 miles of hiking trails through vast forestland. The nature center houses a planetarium with a 40 foot diameter dome. The park offers public as well as school programs.

Lynn Garden Hardware

This was THE Hardware Store of Lynn Garden. Several years ago it closed. The memories that I have of this place. It was the place I would go with my dad, on Saturday Morning, to get parts for the Lawn Mower. Mom and I would go get canning supplies here. On the way home from school I would walk through to the back door for a cold drink of water out of the fountain.

Making of a J Pole Antenna

Cutting the copper pipe with a pipe cutter.
Assembling the antenna for a perfect fit.
Sweating the fittings together with flux, solder, and a torch.
Attaching the coax to the antenna with clamps.

Testing to see if the antenna is a good match to the Ham Radio with a SWR meter (Standing Wave Ratio).

Skateland

This building has been a home for different businesses. But several years ago the siding was taken off to reveal it's fun past.

Great Blue

While out on a walk on the Greenbelt (www.kingsportgreenbelt.com/) saw this Great Blue Heron looking for his supper. He looked my way as to be posing for a quick photo shoot.

Sorry for such a long break in posting ...internet/modem problems, had a cold, then got out of the habit. I have missed it so I am back.

Pj