Re: [IRCA] Local Radio Is Getting Tuned Out.

[Colin Newell <cafe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Even here in the big smoke of Victoria, B.C. Canada wedged in between the Vancouver
and Seattle markets we have some home grown stations who have remained, in part, unchanged
since earlier days - like CFAX 1070, which during a very, very rare snow storm (hence the reference
of 'Storm of the Century!') became the on-air triage and comms centre for the entire community.
Other syndicate and affiliate stations, CKDA and CJVI (both of whom who have moved on to FM or oblivion...)
never once broke from the network feed to report on the ensuing chaos.

Our own DXer, Dr. Walter Salmaniw, was making house calls around the Victoria area and Oak Bay
ploughing through 4 and 5 foot snow drifts in his Volkswagen van to look after many of his elderly
patients -- as well as a few expectant moms.

The big surprise, in many North American communities, will come when some form of
bad weather or pestilence takes out that single fibre optic cable connecting us
all together - leaving us with no TV, no radio and no means of speaking to each other.

Here on the West Coast of North America we wait for the "big one" - the mega thrust quake
that will most certainly take out all of the digital services; radio, TV, telephone and cell
service for a minimum of 7 to 10 days -- and hopefully when that day comes we will still
have the analog small town stations looking after some small part of the communities
needs.

My emergency kit at home includes a 2-meter VHF hand-held as well as some battery
powered/backed up QRP HF/VHF/UHF equipment... and even a (and I will deny this if asked officially...)
a 1 Watt digitally synthesized stereo FM transmitter capable of operating on any frequency between 88 and 108 Mhz...
which from my perch in one of the highest points in Victoria, would provide music, news and information to
thousands of local residents... if necessary.

Internet radio is a nice supplement to the services that we currently (and often) take for granted.
Putting all of our fragile eggs in this one basket, I feel, is very foolish.


Colin Newell is the editor and creator of Coffeecrew.com, DXer.ca and BobHarris.com Amateur Radio VA7WWV -
Victoria B.C. Canada | Twitter.com/dxerca
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