>>14838023 p/b
>Any anons living near national forests please keep an eye out for vehicles with decals stating (Axiom?) Emergency Communications and/or displaying HF antennas. I didn’t quite catch the name but they had an eagle emblem above the name and there were two civilian-looking vehicles so likely contractors. Pretty sure it’s FEMA since they’d have easy access to setting up comm towers on federal land and I know they weren’t USFS
Was it ARES Emergency Communications?
My ARES jacket is in my car (w/ the ham radio equipment), ARES folk do a variety of things, including working events, like bicycle races in the mountains where there is no cell signal as a community service, but also can be helping find lost people, or respond to a variety of emergency situations.
There are regional and local commands, that fall under FEMA. But it is citizen volunteers.
We use our own vehicles, and some of us have magnetic signs for the sides of our cars. And yes, antennaes. Some have taller than others. I have short and tall, and one I can hoist up a tree if necessary to get a signal out.
We set up comms where there is no cell signal, or when the regular comms are down for some other reason. We have to be prepared to stay on site for extended period of time, and operate off large batteries, and provide our own food/supplies.