DXing With Buddipole And More

Buddipole Off Center Fed Dipole In Front Of Shackadelic Listening  East

Shackadelic Sky In Shell Beach, California

Buddipole T-Fitting With Feedline

Buddipole At Ground Level With Tapped Coils On 18 Foot Push Up Mast

Buddipole Prior To Stowing For The Next Adventure

Antenna Components Stowed

Good afternoon from the shackadelic #hamr zone and, wow, a sensational day with beach blue sky and a temperature more like summer less like fall going into winter. I'm listening to Sweepstakes off the vertical antenna system while writing this posting. As of yet, I have not completed a signal comparison between the vertical and Buddipole, that's schedule for the future. On the other hand, I wanted to share 'why' like those Elecraft groupies that I have morphed into a Buddipole groupie.

First, the Buddipole antenna system is temporary, easily deployed, and flexible.

Luxury
I watched super storm Sandy from the comfort of my own shack. I enjoyed the civilized luxury of uninterrupted power. I drove a highway between home and work without much disruption. Our petrol stations are operating at full capacity. Our refrigerator is working without interruption and our home is still intact. My wireless set is connected and operating.

Super Storms
The super storm devastation one cannot imagine even with real time media coverage. One has to be in the situation to firmly understand that everything of normalcy on the eastern seaboard between New York and New Jersey is forever changed. Super storm Sandy forced me to think about our living arrangements. Furthermore, it made me face reality, that disaster preparedness is now a part of life.

I did not pay much attention to emergency communications and the need for emergency preparedness until super storm Sandy. Basically, living like this cliche, "It could never happen to me."

Upheaval
For me, it could never happen to me, is a recipe for self disaster especially in a time when basic survival trumps the seemingly important frustrations of 21st Century living.

Whatever one's perspective, something is going on with our climate, it is something major and this change is going to rearrange my self perspective about disaster preparedness. First, having energy and the capacity to deploy energy at the home level is absolutely paramount because energy is everything to survival.

Beginning To Prepare
Our Honda 2,000 watt EU2000i generator is scheduled to arrive on Friday. The salesmen said they shipped over 5,000 units since super storm Sandy. Electricity is not fundamental instead it is a civilized achievement that I can enjoy drying my clothes, cooling our food, and charging my electric razor.

Additionally, I have at least one portable antenna system like the Buddipole capable of meeting wireless needs, if a disaster rearranges my life and that of my neighbor. One might joke about health and welfare checks however the morale of one's neighborhood might depend on knowing family, relatives, and friends are safe and sound as well.

Furthermore, there is one wireless set capable of deployment in the field, my Yaesu FT100 is now stowed in a Pelican case with Bencher paddles. Additionally, support hardware is stored in readily accessible containers, in the event of immediate evacuation.

In Conclusion
I have sat on the fence for a number of years living the cliche, "It could never happen to me."

Perhaps, I may never need emergency energy, emergency communications, or anything related to disaster preparedness. However, super storm Sandy taught me a valuable lesson, I want to be prepared instead of I need to be prepared.

73 from the shackadelic on the beach.