tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3804236350356966310.post4619587244684145355..comments2023-04-16T07:04:16.575-07:00Comments on Jim LaDue view: How did we find out about the Cleveland County, OK fire?Jim LaDuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08750069679505530489noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3804236350356966310.post-27080478242937667622012-08-08T11:17:42.268-07:002012-08-08T11:17:42.268-07:00Thanks for your comment Gilbert. I may consider ad...Thanks for your comment Gilbert. I may consider adding a scanner to my bag.Jim LaDuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08750069679505530489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3804236350356966310.post-43064153326480445862012-08-07T07:54:38.502-07:002012-08-07T07:54:38.502-07:00Jim,
Of all the posts I have seen you make in you...Jim,<br /><br />Of all the posts I have seen you make in your time on the Interwebs, this one is your most shining moment (strictly my opinion, likely to be dead wrong! ;-) ). So revealing, so thoughtful, so insightful as to your train of thought, and so well-documented as to why. Every local government official, EM, and EM wanna-be like me needs to read this. Given that two volunteers did way better than the media and government officials (by your account) in disseminating information is terrible. I'm glad you found Radioreference.com; they are a great source for raw information from volunteers who put their police scanner (and other things) online for free. I have a police scanner myself...actually, two of them...and when the shooting happened at NIU, in my room under the desk hiding, I knew there were at least 3 or 4 fatalities while the media was reporting that there *might* be injuries. Get a scanner that can handle digital...and trunking. This is a requirement in those areas that are getting it installed. Many are getting those new systems with the FCC requirement to narrowband their radios by the end of the year.<br /><br />As for the media, they barely have enough news staff these days due to budget cutbacks to cover even routine things like city council meetings. When you throw a disaster at them, a chopper or a live truck with ONE person goes out. At major market stations, they now have only one person to:<br /><br />1. Drive the live truck<br />2. Hoist the satellite or microwave antenna, and lock the signal to the station's receive antenna<br />3. Get out the camera and lights, hook it up to the video switcher, and turn on all equipment to make it work<br />4. Point the camera correctly, using a monitor (or not)<br />5. Use a cell phone to call into the station so they can hear a live feed from the anchors<br /><br />By that time, a new street can be burning, and oh yes, that's before any actual news is covered! Radio is in far worse shape: most stations are automated after 7 PM; small stations may not have anyone live except in the morning drive, or at all!<br /><br />For those with iPhones, get the "S.R Deluxe" (aka Scanner Radio Deluxe, but search by the initials) in major metro and suburban areas (and some rural areas too!) if you cannot afford a scanner; it's free, but again, remember, if the Internet goes out, so does your scanner feed. A $200 scanner gets you what you need if you are in disaster-prone areas such as Oklahoma (tornadoes, wildfires, fuel explosions). You can even listen in on the power company chatter to see how close they are to you and what they are working on.<br /><br />AM/FM radio always has the edge, if they staff up to handle it. That's the way it was, until cable/satellite hit and radio listenership declined...and then, of course, the Internet hit. They could have shined here. And to answer that question...<br /><br />http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=217065.0<br /><br />Anyway, nice job, Jim...well done!Gilberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05267525662313103148noreply@blogger.com