Back in 2021, I was working with a young ham looking to learn Morse
code. As he was blind, many of the tools commonly used, were not as
useful. I stumbled upon the Morserino-32, a wonderful device from
Willi OE1WKL, I bought a pair of them in kit form, and soon had my young
fella sending and receiving Morse.
Recently a somewhat older ham (about 70 years older than my young
student) mentioned he was having issues transitioning from CW skills
learned on a bug decades ago to modern paddles/keyers. I immediately
though of the “Echo Trainer” mode in the Morserino-32, which had
been boxed up for the past 5 years. Upon examining one of them, I
discovered that the 3.7v LiPo battery had “puffed”. This is a sign
of a failed battery.
Since many ham devices use LiPo batteries, I thought I would remind
folks to beware [of] puffed batteries. It is quite dangerous to attempt to
charge and use them. The photo below shows the puffed battery on the
left (leads cut off since it can’t be used) and a “normal” battery
on the right. If it looks like a pillow, it is time to dispose of it
safely & properly. Both Best Buy and Staples offer battery recycling for
free.
Electricity is a killer. About 150 people die each year at work from
contact with electricity, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation
International. Half of those are from contact with power lines. That
data is just workplace deaths, so recreational and public service
volunteering aren’t even accounted for.
In a recent article, ARRL New Mexico Section Manager Bill Mader, K8TE,
shared safety concerns and processes that can be implemented at ARRL
Field Day sites. I’d like to share a simple phrase that may enhance
your situational awareness: Look up and live.
In TV news, where I spent the first two decades of my professional
career, there was always a deadline and often a tremendous sense of
urgency at the scene of breaking news to get a live shot up first.
Before the days of bonded cellular internet streaming, we used radio —
microwave and satellite — to take viewers to the scene.
No matter the pressure from news managers, safety was paramount. When we
approached a scene, we made sure to park the live truck at least 10 feet
away from overhead wires to comply with regulations. My personal minimum
was two truck-lengths from any lines, ideally a whole mast-length. If
I had a 58-foot mast, I’d try to park at least 58 feet away from the
nearest power line.
Identifying overhead lines was ritualistic: As I arrived, I got out of
the vehicle, walked 20 feet away, looked up and walked around the entire
perimeter of the truck while deliberately searching for overhead lines
and obstructions. This additional 45-second process could feel like an
eternity when news was unfolding dramatically for me to capture and
report — but I couldn’t go live if I was dead.
In pursuit of our amateur radio hobby, we should apply even more
diligence. There’s no pressure to get on for a ham radio activation.
Take your time, walk around, be diligent. Look up and live.
Portable masts, vertical antennas, wire antennas slung up into a tree
— anything you put up can become energized if it contacts an overhead
wire. Do not take chances. Even what appears to be a phone or fiber line
could be carrying lethal voltages. Do not become the path to ground.
One additional tip that I hope never applies to a radio amateur: Should
a vehicle you’re in become energized by a fallen line or a mast
erected into power lines, do not leave it unless it is on fire. Call for
help via phone or ham radio. Yell at any bystanders to not approach your
vehicle. Electricity spreads out from a path to ground in concentric
rings of decreasing voltage. Being in contact with different voltages
is what will kill you. If a fire requires you to exit, carefully jump
clear of the vehicle so as to not contact the vehicle and ground
simultaneously. Be mindful of your movements: “Bunny hop” with your
feet together or shuffle your feet on the ground in small increments
without lifting either of them. Do not provide a path between the
different potentials by walking normally or by falling and catching
yourself with your hands.
Please be careful when erecting portable gear within the wires
environment. Remember: Look up and live.
