ZERO BIAS

Hurricane Ian slammed into the west coast of Florida in late September and left behind a trail of death and destruction second only to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The ham radio response during and immediately after the storm was covered in our November news column. But recovery takes a much longer time and hams continue to play a role (although not always withtheir radios). We share two stories withyou here, one ofagroup ofhams from the Miamiarea helping fellow hams in FortMyers, anda first-person story by a member ofthe CQ “family”aboutgetting backon the air after the storm destroyed most of his antennas. – W2VU

Hams Helping Hams

BY PETE VAROUNIS, * NL7XM

Members ofQCWAChapter 147withone ofthe trucks in the 4-vehicle caravan delivering fresh water to hams cut offbyHurricaneIanintheFortMyersarea, 200milesaway. (Photos courtesy of NL7XM andQCWA Chapter 147) Some ofthe 58cases ofbottledwater transportedacross the state of Florida for delivery to hams and their neighbors in Fort Myers and Cape Coral.

Several members of QCWA (Quarter Century Wireless Association) Chapter 147 in the Florida Keys purchased many, many cases of water and loaded them into a caravan of vehicles to deliver to hams in hurricaneaffected Ft. Myers / Cape Coral all at their own expense and mileage. On Sunday, October 2nd , the group — which included chapter President Luis Cruz, KJ4RCD; Secretary-Treasurer Alex Valladares, W7HU, and members Carlos Calzada Montero, KJ4NQA; and Dany Mejias, KM4DY, loaded 58 cases of water into four vehicles and drove 200 miles coast-to-coast from Miami to Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Each driver had Red Cross credentials, so they

Someofthedamageobservedbythe visiting hams.