Managing Emergencies with a Ham Radio

Effective communication was a lifeline during a major forest fire while running the Rubicon Trail.

by

Words by Tom Severin

Throughout this past summer, wildfires raged in dozens of locations in the Western U.S. and Canada yet four-wheelers still wanted to enjoy their hobby. Of course, no one would drive into an area knowing a forest fire is blazing nearby, but when one spreads unexpectedly while off-road, how would you learn about it, determine its path and stay informed? Smart devices help so long as you have service but when you’re in a remote area such as the Rubicon Trail ham radio is a lifeline as we learned firsthand.

A recent run on this rugged trail system revealed the true benefits of ham radio and proved how vital it is to have in a 4x4. During this trip, a raging wildfire spread through the vicinity and with limited cell service, we were constantly on the mic listening for updates from local authorities, nearby residents as well as other wheelers who needed recovery assistance on the trail.

The Quick Spreading of a Wildfire

Our five-day trip began as planned on August 16. Even though we were forced to cut it back to three days, we managed to complete the entire trail. However, what is now called the Caldor fire that ignited near Grizzly Flats, CA, and quickly devoured a town just before leaving, spread mostly to the east and north.

The Caldor fire burned for more than two months, destroyed over 89,030 ha (220,000 ac) and just before the publication of this issue, was 98 percent contained. At one point it reached the southern edge of South Lake Tahoe, forcing the evacuation of its 22,000 residents. Whipped by high winds at times, the Caldor fire was really moving. In one day alone, it spread 13 km (8 mi) in one direction and 11 km (7 mi) in the other.

We began our trip in South Lake Tahoe. At the junction of U.S. Route 50 and Ice House Road, we turned north and then proceeded to the trailhead at Loon Lake. Passing the South Gatekeeper, we entered the heart of the Rubicon. We couldn’t see the fire on our first day since it was more than 40 to 48 km (25 to 30 mi) away as the crow flies, but the sky was hazy and I don’t recall ever seeing the sun.

Our destination on the first day was the campsite at Little Sluice and the trip was going according to plan. The second day, however, (August 17) began ominously. That morning, my tent was covered in ash and even though the fire still wasn’t in sight, the sky was still hazy but no one smelled smoke. Over coffee, several in the group asked me if I heard people running by our campsite yelling for help around midnight. No, I had slept through it.

Hearing Vital Information Over the Ham Radio

Normally my ham radio is fairly quiet during a trip on the Rubicon, but on this day it was very active. My first conversation was with a local resident asking if anyone had eyes on an overturned vehicle and to confirm its location. They needed to plan what resources were required to recover it the following day. It suddenly became clear what the cry for help was for the previous night.

When we reached the site of the accident, we used my ham radio to confirm the exact location and other details to the rescue team. They felt they could do the extraction with minimal difficulty. Unfortunately, not long after, another vehicle flipped in the middle of the trail with a winch line deployed, which delayed us for several hours.

Throughout the day there were reports that residents were evacuating the area south of U.S. Route 50. Local ham operators checked in, inquiring about routes, open roads, and the location of evacuation centres. Some operators speculated that the fire would hit the intersection of Ice House Road and U.S Route 50, blocking our return route. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. The fire did cross it further to the east five days later and was eventually closed.

Near the end of our second day, I heard on my ham radio that the local forest service had closed the Eldorado National Forest. About an hour later, Eldorado County closed a county road on the Rubicon Trail that skirts through national lands. A volunteer firefighter and a ham radio operator on the trail behind us estimated we had a few days before the fire would reach our area and he suggested we leave the trail as soon as possible. By that time, we had arrived at our planned campsite at Buck Island.

At this point, we were two days into what was originally scheduled to be a five-day trip. We planned to camp for two nights at the Dirty Dozen campsite at Rubicon Soda Springs before completing the trail. As our friend Bruce said, ‘why would we rush through the trail just to go back to Los Angeles?’

The next morning on August 18, we held a drivers’ meeting. I wanted to make sure everyone was informed of our situation, especially since only half of the people in our group were ham radio operators. As we had more than half of the trail left to run, we all agreed to make a final decision when we reached the Dirty Dozen campground later that day. It was also agreed that if we made good time, we would continue to Cadillac Hill, a very difficult part of the Rubicon.

An hour or so after leaving Buck Island, I received a call on ham radio from a group looking for parts. A Jeep had thrown an idler pulley. Unfortunately, after arriving at the scene, the spare we had for them didn’t work with their setup.

The last major obstacle just before reaching the Dirty Dozen campground involved a small group of wheelers that passed us. As they proceeded, one of the drivers rolled his truck on its side, dumping its contents and completely blocking the trail, which was another hour-long delay during our expedient exit. It turned out they were the same group of people who needed help with a rolled vehicle the first night.

Thankfully, we arrived at Rubicon Soda Springs with at least five hours of daylight before sunset so we pressed on to Cadillac Hill as driving this section at night would be dangerous. Helping our decision was the cool temperature of 21°C (69°F), and the campsite was very hazy.

We arrived in South Lake Tahoe at the end of the day on August 18. While we were tired and a little weary, everyone in the group was proud they had completed the Rubicon Trail and commemorated their journey over well-deserved beer and pizza.

Understanding the Repeater Arrangements

Ham radio operators driving the Rubicon Trail can take advantage of a repeater located near Spider Lake, operating at 444.9875 MHz (+5 MHz offset). When you transmit with a CTCSS (tone code) of 156.7 Hz, you can cover the whole trail system except at the east end of the Barker Meadows OHV Trail. This system is often referred to as the Rubi repeater.

If you flip to a tone of 107.2 Hz, you’ll be operating through Rubi +. Your signal will link to the 2 m (7 ft) 805TAH system serving nearby communities. This option should be used only if you want to talk with someone outside the Rubicon Trail area. It’s an open repeater and ham radios are encouraged to use it while on the trail.

The Rubicon Trail offers many challenges. New off-roaders to the area need to be aware that there is no cell coverage and that at least one driver in a group must be able to communicate outside the area either with a satellite phone or VHF/UHF amateur radio.

Ham radio requires a license to operate but it comes in handy on the Rubicon Trail. Hearing those reports during our trip helped us immensely in our day-to-day travels. I can say unequivocally that my ham radio was an integral part of our adventure.

Tom Severin is a 4x4 coach and teaches four-wheel-drive owners how to confidently and safely use their vehicles to the fullest extent in difficult terrain and adverse driving conditions. Visit www.4x4training.com to develop or improve your driving skills. Connect with Tom Severin on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Badlands4x4Instructor/