Hearing Anything from Japan?

[cockpitbob]

I just read in my ARRL ARES news letter that Japan is asking to keep certain HF frequencies open. Is anyone hearing anything from those poor folks in Japan? With 140,000 people being asked to seal their houses and stay indoors, and many without power, I imagine there must be a lot of HF operators talking.

Every once in a while I think the prepers over in the survival forum go overboard with hoarding food and emergency supplies. Not anymore.

 

[C-pher]

We were talking about this in our Ham Club's meeting last night.

It seems that the frequencies that they are asking to keep clear are the following:

3.525, 7.030, 14.100, 21.200 and 28.200 MHz.


On a side note...I got a popup on my TV last night. Seems that FiOS customers are getting a Japan Channel of some sort for free during these times. AND, it seems that they are also offering ALL phone calls to Japan free until April 10th.

Good on Verizon...I wonder if any other bellcos are doing that?? Or if Comcast offers free calls as well?

 

[n1oty]

Being prepared is not as tin foil as some people make it out to be. Keeping decent stocks of ammunition, food and water ultimately gets used anyway over time. The up front expense now is not wasted, if you properly rotate stocks. To these basics, I've added the ability to generate a modicum of electricity via a couple of methods.

I'm willing to bet that a lot of people in Japan are starving right now and WISH they had some stored food and water.

 

[cockpitbob]

Being prepared is not as tin foil as some people make it out to be. Keeping decent stocks of ammunition, food and water...

Not to change the subject, but there's an amazing thing (not) happening over there that no one is talking about. No looting! Can you imagine what it would be like if that had happened here? There are parts of their culture I don't like, but this adversity is showing us some of the good stuff they are made of.

Back on topic, yup; ammo. Like food and fuel, it will become the new currency around here.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

The Echolink repeaters in Japan are all quite busy. I don't understand Japanese but there are many who speak english fairly well and they have passed on their many Thanks for all the international aid that has been flowing in.

EDIT: I spoke with two people, one in Tokyo and one at Narita Airport, both have said that there is a dire need for food, water and medical supplies in the effected areas. They said that the government is down playing the seriousness of the radioactive contamination and that its worse than is being let on.

They said that ports on the east coast of Japan are damaged by tsunami and or radiation contamination and that aid would have to come by air or in ports on the west coast.

 

[SteelShooter]

Back on topic, yup; ammo. Like food and fuel, it will become the new currency around here.

But what happens if your house and storage area get washed away? Makes me really consider having multiple caches at varying distances.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

But what happens if your house and storage area get washed away? Makes me really consider having multiple caches at varying distances.

Good idea if you live on the coast or in a known flood plain. I'd not keep much located on the coast, I'd have my preps inland in a more high and dry location to be accessed when I evacuated.

 

[n1oty]

Not to change the subject, but there's an amazing thing (not) happening over there that no one is talking about. No looting! Can you imagine what it would be like if that had happened here? There are parts of their culture I don't like, but this adversity is showing us some of the good stuff they are made of.

Back on topic, yup; ammo. Like food and fuel, it will become the new currency around here.

I spent a year in Japan back in the 70's when I was a Marine. The Japanese have a couple of things going for them that we would not have. First, they are a homogenous society. As such, they tend to think and act alike. Second, Japan is crowded, so they tend to go out of their way collectively to give deference and privacy to others. They consider the feelings of others before themselves. That would almost never happen here.

 

[n1oty]

Good idea if you live on the coast or in a known flood plain. I'd not keep much located on the coast, I'd have my preps inland in a more high and dry location to be accessed when I evacuated.

This is simply one more point to be considered in any carefully designed plan.

 

[cockpitbob]

I spent a year in Japan back in the 70's when I was a Marine. The Japanese have a couple of things going for them that we would not have. First, they are a homogenous society. As such, they tend to think and act alike. Second, Japan is crowded, so they tend to go out of their way collectively to give deference and privacy to others. They consider the feelings of others before themselves. That would almost never happen here.

My uncle joined the Marines just before the A-bombs were dropped, so instead of invading, he was part of the occupation. He says it was a non-event. He said when the Emperor tells them to fight to the last man, they do. And when the Emperor tells them to lay down their arms and cooperate, they do. No significant resistance.

ETA: God help them now. They deserved the radiation in 1945, but not now.