‰  NOW 25 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM SEPTEMBER 2012 QST  PAGE 76‰

SEEK OPERATORS WHO COULD DEPLOY TO NEW YORK CITY AND PROVIDE COMMUNICATIONS
FOR THE RED CROSS.  SEVERAL EXPERIENCED OPERATORS WOULD RESPOND TO THE
REQUEST AND I WAS ONE OF THOSE DEPLOYED.  WHEN THE TWIN TOWERS FELL, SO DID
THE MANY ANTENNAS FOR RADIOS FROM VARIED AGENCIES RESULTING IN A CRITICAL
LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS AT A TIME WHEN THEY WERE VITAL.  I CONSULTED WITH A
FEW VETERAN EMERGENCY OPERATORS AND MET THEM AT THE ISLIP TRAIN STATION.  I
BROUGHT MY EXTENDED DUTY GO KIT ALONG WITH MY DUAL BAND 50 W VHF/UHF RADIO,
A LIGHTWEIGHT SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY AND A MAGNETIC MOUNT DUAL BAND
ANTENNA.  I ALSO BROUGHT MY HANDHELD TRANSCEIVER AND A CHARGER.  OUR TRAIN
RIDE INTO MANHATTAN WAS SOMBER.  WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT LAY AHEAD FOR US.  I
WAS AFRAID THAT I WASNT QUALIFIED FOR THE TASK AT HAND.  WHEN WE ARRIVED IN
MANHATTAN, PENN STATION WAS SUBDUED.  EVERYONE SEEMED TO BE MOVING AS IF IN
A TRANCE.  THEIR FACES REVEALED A WIDE RANGE OF DARK EMOTIONS.  SOME WERE
‰  END OF 25 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ