I had heard that FEMA shut those guys down who were using drones. I don't have the link to the article since I'm on my phone, but I think the gist of it was that they were up in arms about them using cameras. Sent from my iPhone On Sep 17, 2013, at 8:31 AM, "Howard, W A 9 Y B W" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > The below was from the ARRL. > > Howard #3 > > ARLB021 Amateur Radio Provides Critical Communication in Colorado > Flooding Response > > ZCZC AG21 > QST de W1AW =20 > ARRL Bulletin 21 ARLB021 > From ARRL Headquarters =20 > Newington CT September 16, 2013 > To all radio amateurs=20 > > SB QST ARL ARLB021 > ARLB021 Amateur Radio Provides Critical Communication in Colorado > Flooding Response > > More than five dozen Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) > volunteers have deployed in and around flood-stricken counties of > Colorado, providing critical communication for Red Cross shelters > and state and local emergency operation centers. Recent heavy rains > have caused veritable mountainside tsunamis that have caused rivers > and streams to overflow their banks, ravaged roads and property and > displaced an undetermined number of residents. At least three people > are known to have died. ARRL Colorado Section Manager Jack Ciaccia, > WM0G, says that with power cut off to affected communities and many > cell telephone towers along the Big Thompson River toppled by the > flooding, ham radio is providing medical and health-and-welfare > traffic between evacuation centers and the EOCs. > > "Every EOC is being staffed by ARES people," Ciaccia told ARRL. > "Almost every evacuation center has an ARES communicator, doing > either voice or packet communications between EOCs and shelters." > > The isolated towns of Estes Park, Lyons, and Jamestown were or still > are relying solely on ham radio for contact with the outside. > Jamestown has since been evacuated. "Everybody was huddled into the > high school there," Ciaccia told ARRL. He was in contact with the > mayor there and trying to get the community needed resources as soon > as possible. Hams in Estes Park have been working out of the EOC in > the Town Hall, which is on high ground. "There's no place to go. > Everything's flooded," Ciaccia said. "The only ham in Lyons was > working out of an evacuation center at the local elementary school." > He said the National Guard has been relocating some evacuees, as the > shelter has become overcrowded. > > On Saturday, September 14, US Congressman Cory Gardner (R-4) visited > the state emergency operation center to express his appreciation to > the Amateur Radio operators responding to the historic flooding > disaster. Rep Gardner asked Colorado Section Emergency Coordinator > Robert Wareham, N0ESQ, to extend his thanks to all ARES members > staffing positions in the field as well. > > Boulder County has deployed miniature drone aircraft carrying > Amateur TV cameras to survey the affected, more remote regions, for > now to spot individuals who may need to be rescued. "We're still in > a search-and-rescue mode," Ciaccia said, "not really in a > damage-assessment mode." > > Ciaccia said the drones - a fixed-wing aircraft and a hybrid > gas/electric-powered helicopter - have been transmitting ATV video > via UHF to the ground and simultaneously recording the video on a > memory stick. The helicopter can remain in the air for more than 5 > hours at a clip, recording images for officials at the EOC to > evaluate. Ciaccia said Boulder County Emergency Coordinator Al > Bishop, K0ARK, owns Reference Technology, the company providing the > drones. > > Ciaccia said that during the past year the Boulder County ARES team > created the Mountain Emergency Radio Network (MERN) on its own time > and money and put up two repeaters - one at Allenspark and another > in Gold Hill. "The intent was to start educating people in the > mountain regions to become hams," Ciaccia said. Some 65 individuals > have gotten their licenses, and the team provided each with a radio. > "Those radios and those people - they became the eyes and ears for > their communities," Ciaccia explained. > > As power was lost, the only remaining means of communication were > the two repeaters operating on propane-powered generators. "The > system worked," Ciaccia added, "and we were able to utilize it for > emergency communication purposes." Those communities have since been > evacuated. > > News media accounts citing the state Office of Emergency Management > say 19 Colorado counties remain under a high threat of flooding. > These include Boulder, Arapahoe, Weld, Park, Jefferson, Larimer, > Clear Creek, Adams, Douglas, Broomfield, Gilpin, Denver, Logan, > Morgan, Washington, El Paso, Teller, Pueblo and Elbert. > > State authorities are warning residents in the hard-hit counties to > stay off the road. Interstate 25 from the Wyoming line to Denver has > been closed, along with part of Interstate 70. > NNNN