I was wondering as well. When I worked on that forest, we lost a firefighter and it took a week to find him. His bright red ATV was difficult to spot because it was upside down on him. I wondered if something similar happened. Hate to think it was foul play or self-inflicted, but also realize the likelihood of a fatal rollover in a Jeep in the Jemez is less likely than on an ATV. Tragic, no matter the cause.
Urgent help needed - local wheeler missing in the Jemez (1 Viewer)
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I was wondering as well. When I worked on that forest, we lost a firefighter and it took a week to find him. His bright red ATV was difficult to spot because it was upside down on him. I wondered if something similar happened. Hate to think it was foul play or self-inflicted, but also realize the likelihood of a fatal rollover in a Jeep in the Jemez is less likely than on an ATV. Tragic, no matter the cause.
Based on 3rd party hearsay, we believe there was a big fight Sunday and that she was very upset when she went to the Jemez on Monday. She didn't take her dogs, and we would have thought she would have, if she intended to camp. With limited information, several of us concluded that she took her own life. But this is pure speculation.
Glad the search was well organized, did they have prior experience/training? I ask out of curiosity, those things don't usually get well organized by accident. I would speculate comms will always be a challenge, rugged terrain and a statewide shared resource... although to the latter, i'm confident anyone utilizing what they think is a un-utilized shared resource would have been happy for short break in messages as needed, the chatter does give a secondary link state of health indicator for the units moving as well. Do you think a different basecamp antenna could have helped? ie elevated J-pole or something?
For the hurt/broken/danger, but still alert, scenario, it seems hard to beat the SPOT or dedicated emergency locators (PLB). Just depends on what you want.
For the hurt/broken/danger, but still alert, scenario, it seems hard to beat the SPOT or dedicated emergency locators (PLB). Just depends on what you want.
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alia176
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The incident commander is a retired fire fighter so he was extremely helpful in that regard. I wish I had some pics of the staging area, I'll ask around. I agree, a real antenna tower would've been helpful but I don't think the commander is a ham operator himself. I later learned that he was involved in the accidental shooting of one boy by his sibling up north during a campout in the not too distant past. He and his buddy with their kids went camping and the accidental weapon discharge took place.
That chatter on the Megalink was a continuous health indicator as you indicated. Jessica summed it up very well, "Ham radio network is Facebook for old farts".
All in all, this was a good utilization of resources and everyone coming together for a common goal.
Cool, those resources are fortunate to have. My Dad was involved with Search and Rescue back when I was early teen, too long ago for me to remember much but the fact of training exercises.
