When Dave Nicholson, N2AWE, was stranded at sea earlier this month off the Bermuda Triangle, he had no fuel and his 47 foot sailboat had sustained severe damage in a storm. When they learned of his predicament, hams with the Maritime Mobile Service Net (MMSN) helped to coordinate with the US Coast Guard to bring fuel and a tow boat to guide Nicholson safely to port.

On December 1, Nicholson contacted the MMSN seeking weather information, telling the Net Control Station he had sustained damage to his boat during some foul weather the previous night. "His sails were damaged beyond usability, a fuel tank had busted loose and numerous other problems were at hand, including the remaining fuel had been contaminated," Richard Webb, NF5B, told the ARRL. "The net provided him with weather guidance and forecasts for his part of the world -- between Bermuda and the Bahamas -- and he went on his way."

Nicholson again contacted the MMSN each day on the next two days. On December 3, he asked for some weather routing, not just a forecast. "I then ran a phone patch to a recognized weather router in Florida for him," Webb recounted. "We also queried him as to his status, food and water availability and such. He told us his wife, who was with him, was a bit battered and bruised during the storm [that damaged their boat]." The next day, the MMSN arranged for Herb Hilgenberg, VE3LML, a marine weather router, to be on frequency to offer assistance to Nicholson.

Bill Sturridge, KI4MMZ, telephoned Fred Moore, W3ZU, asking for Moore to come on 40 meters to assist with getting the Coast Guard in touch with Nicholson. "We made several phone patches between the US Coast Guard in Miami and Nicholson," Moore said. ""We also established a radio watch to maintain regular communications with the vessel until the band went long, due to the fact that Nicholson was too near Florida." Coast Guard officials spoke with Nicholson, but he still was not ready to declare an emergency. "He just wanted to make the Coast Guard aware of his situation," Moore said.

According to Moore, the Coast Guard asked him to maintain a watch on 2182 kHz until shorter skip returned the next day. "Over Saturday evening, the Coast Guard attempted to have a vessel rendezvous with Nicholson to transfer some fuel, but Nicholson refused to take any fuel, as he wasn't sure if he could store it or utilize it at this point," Webb said. "On Sunday afternoon around 1700 UTC, I conducted a phone patch to the Coast Guard from Nicholson. During this patch, we discussed possible fuel deliveries. The Coast Guard said they would put out a request for nearby commercial vessels to provide some diesel fuel for Nicholson."

Webb said that Nicholson "could only rely on a solar panel to charge his batteries to operate his radio equipment and what other electronics had survived [the storm]. He had no autopilot, no navigational computer, no Winlink or other capability. He had the ham bands and the VHF marine channel 16 available, but with limited battery power."

Because of Nicholson's precarious situation, Webb said that MMSN decided to "guard on 40 and 80 meters for the nighttime hours and we arranged with operators to guard those frequencies. Nicholson did not make any of the nighttime schedules, which followed the regular two hour pattern set up over the previous days. Even if Dave did not make the other daytime schedules, he always made the 1700-1800 time slot on 14300 kHz to get the weather and update us on his position."

On December 7, Webb conducted another phone patch between the Coast Guard and Nicholson. The Coast Guard said they would send out another message for vessels to assist with a fuel delivery. "Later that afternoon," Webb told the ARRL, "we relayed a message to Nicholson from the Coast Guard that a tanker would endeavor to rendezvous with him to transfer some diesel fuel."

Moore said that the Coast Guard had located a Swedish commercial merchant ship that was willing to provide Nicholson some much needed diesel fuel. "In the wee hours of the morning," he said, "the captain of the commercial vessel advised me that he had delivered the fuel but the engine on Nicholson's boat was not functioning, was dead in the water without lights and was, in his words, a 'hazard to navigation.'" Webb relayed that the commercial vessel's captain had advised Nicholson to "abandon [the boat] and turn in a claim to the insurance carrier right away." Later that day, the Coast Guard located a seagoing tug to go on site and meet up with Nicholson. The tug then towed his family and boat to Nassau, arriving 36 hours later, around 2000 UTC.

Steve Carpenter, K9UA, told the ARRL that he kept Nicholson's father informed of the rescue via landline, per Nicholson's request: "The father -- who is 88 years young -- was very thankful for all the effort taken by the ham radio operators involved and for the time it took to keep him informed until the final report that his son and family aboard were taken into port safe and sound."

On Monday, December 14, S 1755 -- The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 -- passed the Senate by unanimous consent; the bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. Sponsored by Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), S 1755, if passed, would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to undertake a study on emergency communications. S 1755 points out that "There is a strong Federal interest in the effective performance of Amateur Radio Service stations, and that performance must be given -- (A) support at all levels of government; and (B) protection against unreasonable regulation and impediments to the provision of the valuable communications provided by such stations."

Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee considered S 1755 on December 10. After it passed through Committee, it was placed on the Senate's calendar to be voted on. "We are grateful to Committee Chairman Lieberman and Ranking Member Collins for sponsoring the bill and arranging for its swift consideration and passage by the Senate," said ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ.

Similar in language to HR 2160 (also called The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 that was introduced this past April by Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX-18]), S 1755 calls on DHS to undertake a study on the uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio Service communications in emergencies and disaster relief and then to submit a report to Congress no more than 180 days after the bill becomes law. The study shall:

• Include a review of the importance of Amateur Radio emergency communications in furtherance of homeland security missions relating to disasters, severe weather and other threats to lives and property in the United States, as well as recommendations for enhancements in the voluntary deployment of Amateur Radio licensees in disaster and emergency communications and disaster relief efforts and improved integration of Amateur Radio operators in planning and furtherance of the Department of Homeland Security initiatives.
• Identify impediments to enhanced Amateur Radio Service communications, such as the effects of unreasonable or unnecessary private land use regulations on residential antenna installations; and make recommendations regarding such impediments for consideration by other federal departments, agencies and Congress.

In conducting the study, S 1755 directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to "utilize the expertise of stakeholder entities and organizations, including the Amateur Radio, emergency response and disaster communications communities."

S 1755 makes note of the fact that Section 1 of the Joint Resolution entitled Joint Resolution to Recognize the Achievements of Radio Amateurs, and To Establish Support for Such Amateurs as National Policy -- approved October 22, 1994 (Public Law 103-408) -- included a finding that stated: "Reasonable accommodation should be made for the effective operation of Amateur Radio from residences, private vehicles and public areas, and the regulation at all levels of government should facilitate and encourage amateur radio operations as a public benefit." The bill also pointed out that Section 1805(c) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 757(c)) directs the Regional Emergency Communications Coordinating Working Group of the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate their activities with ham and Amateur Radio operators among the 11 other emergency organizations, such as ambulance services, law enforcement and others.

Study for your new ticket on your Kindle, iPhone or iPod touch!

ARRL is pleased to announce that owners of Kindle -- an electronic book reader sold by Amazon.com -- can now download ARRL's Tech Q&A directly from the online bookseller for use on their Kindle. Kindle is shaped much like a book with a paper-like screen that displays text and pictures. Those who have the Kindle application installed on their Apple iPhone or iPod touch can also download the book for use on these devices. When you download the Tech Q&A, you can gain access quickly and easily, smoothing the path to your first ham radio license. This ideal study tool -- whether you're at home, in the office, traveling or just on the go -- lets you review the questions and answers from the entire Technician question pool so you can pass the 35-question exam. Kindle versions of the General Q&A and the Amateur Extra Q&A will be available sometime in January. All three can be purchased from Amazon.com for $9.99 each.

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Scott Robbins, W4PA, of Knoxville, Tennessee, told the ARRL that he has signed an agreement to purchase The Vibroplex Company, Inc from present owner Felton "Mitch" Mitchell, W4OA, effective December 21, 2009. "Vibroplex represents the great tradition of CW operation in Amateur Radio going back many, many years," Robbins told the ARRL. "I'm tickled to be able to continue the more than 100 years of history that has gone into th is company."

Robbins -- who has been employed with Ten-Tec Inc since 1995 (he has been Product Manager for Ten-Tec's Amateur Radio

equipment line since 1997) -- will leave his position in mid-December to take over full-time management and ownership of Vibroplex. "It's a great opportunity to continue the more than 100 years of tradition that the Vibroplex name represents," Robbins said. "I've known Mitch for quite a few years and it was an important consideration for both of us that Vibroplex continue operation building quality products for Amateur Radio long into the future. Mitch's experience owning the company will be valuable as we proceed with a seamless ownership transition over the next few weeks."

Robbins told the ARRL that he will move Vibroplex from its present location in Mobile, Alabama to Knoxville, Tennessee during the last two weeks of December, with a planned opening date of January 5, 2010. Vibroplex's toll-free sales line (800) 840-8873, Web site and e-mail contact addresses will remain in continuous operation under the new ownership, he said.

"M y first Vi broplex paddle was given to me in 1980 by my father, W2DR; when I left hom e to attend the University of North Carolina in 1988, a rig, some wire and the key went with me," Robbins said. "Close to 30 years later, it's still on the table -- along with two Vibroplex products I've purchased. I used a Vibroplex chrome iambic to win the 2006 ARRL DX CW contest from Barbados as 8P9PA and I will certainly be using one at the WRTC 2010 competition in Russia this July."

Robbins told the ARRL that he has enjoyed his 14 year career at Ten-Tec, calling it his first "real job" when he was fresh out of college: "I have met literally thousands of hams over the years because of Ten-Tec -- all those exciting years when we were designing new rigs and I was writing the manuals for the Omni-VII and Orion; I'm really proud of what has been accomplished there. I am sure that Ten-Tec and Vibroplex will have some common ground in the future -- both companies already did one commemorative key together back in 2002. Another one would be great! "

Vibroplex is the oldest operating business in the Amateur Radio industry and has been in continuous service to the hobby since founder Horace Martin invented the "bug" semi-automatic Morse co de key in 1904.

On December 2, this dairy truck crashed and rolled into the Logan River in Utah. Brent Yeates, KA7FAP, was able to help rescue the driver and call for help on his handheld transceiver. [Photo courtesy of KSL TV Channel 5]

In areas where cell phone signals just won't work, Amateur Radio gets through. That's what happened when Brent Yeates, KA7FAP, of North Logan, Utah, found out just before noon on Wednesday, December 2 when he came across a dairy truck that had crashed and rolled over in the Logan River as he drove on Route 89 through Logan Canyon.

As 38,000 gallons of dairy products were spilling into the Logan River, Yeates waded through the cold river to help get the driver out of the truck's cab and then put out a call on his handheld transceiver. Another ham, Brent Carruth, AD7VF, of Logan, was monitoring the repeater and heard Yeates make the call. Carruth listened as Yeates give a first-hand account of the condition of the driver and the seriousness of the crash and then called 911. According to The Herald Journal, Utah Highway Patrol officials originally reported that the call for help came from a motorist who traveled to a cell phone reception area before dialing 911.

"What happened Wednesday, where a radio operator happened upon an accident, was not an isolated incident," Carruth told the newspaper. "It happens more frequently than one might suppose." Yeates, who owns property in the canyon and travels it weekly, agreed saying he says he helps a crash victim at least once a year: "When you pull up on an accident, your first concern is to make sure the driver or passengers are okay. I grabbed my fire extinguisher because there was smoke coming from the truck and I could hear the driver talking and he said he was okay."

This is not the first time a radio amateur was on hand to help out in Logan Canyon: In March 2008, Eldon Kearl, K7OGM, of Fish Haven, Idaho, was driving in the Logan Canyon, Utah area when he came upon a driver who lost control of her truck in the snow. Her truck fell more than 100 feet over a cliff, and two of the three passengers were thrown from the truck. Using his handheld transceiver, Kearl was able to contact Roger Ellis, KE7HTE, of Logan through the local repeater to ask for help.

Carruth explained that a radio operator virtually anywhere in the mountains of Cache or Rich County can broadcast a signal to the repeater that sits atop Logan Peak in the Bear River Mountains east of Logan. The cluster of communication equipment rises about 5200 feet above the valley floor, giving gives the spot a strong vantage point over much of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The Logan River rises in the Bear River Mountains in Idaho and flows south, then southwest through Logan Canyon and the Wasatch-Cache National Forest to the city of Logan in the Cache Valley. It then joins the Little Bear River a few kilometers west of Logan and about eight kilometers upstream from where the Little Bear River joins the Bear River. -- Information provided by The Herald Journal

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