[South Florida DX Association] Ham Radio vs Cel Phone

[Bill Marx]

(Jul 24, 2003) -- The San Diego Union Tribune's SignOnSanDiego.com Web
news service reports that a hiker in the El Capitan open space preserve
suffering apparent heat exhaustion was rescued July 19 after his hiking
companion used ham radio to relay a message to authorities. ARRL member
Rod Dinkins, AC6V, of Oceanside picked up the distress call from Tim
Slaby, KG6QPL, of Spring Valley and alerted the San Diego County
Sheriff's Department's Santee station. Slaby resorted to his handheld
transceiver after discovering that his cellphone wouldn't work in the
wilderness. KG6QPL was able to raise the Palomar Amateur Radio Club
repeater some 40 miles away, however. Slaby, who also carried a GPS
unit, was able to provide the pair's precise location. A sheriff's
helicopter crew rescued the exhausted hiker--identified as Thomas
Sayer--and airlifted him to an ambulance, which transported him to a
hospital, authorities said. He was treated for dehydration and released
about four hours. "For hikers in need of help, Amateur Radio worked
where their cell phone didn't," said ARRL Vice President (and former
Southwestern Division Director) Fried Heyn, WA6WZO. (-30-)