[aprssig] WA8LMF APRS Webserver Back Online After Midwest Ice Storm

[Stephen H. Smith]

The WA8LMF VHF-HF-ISS Satgate APRS igate, UI-webserver and Echolink node was 
off-line, after an electric power outage caused by the massive ice storm that 
hit the US Midwest on the night of Saturday 21 December.  Tens of thousands of 
trees in the area collapsed under the weight of up to a half-inch of ice on 
every branch. For the first 4 or 5 days, one would randomly heard a sound like 
a gunshot and then a small explosion, as another large branch would break off a 
tall tree and crash to the ground.

Even though I had massive battery backup for the hamshack, the collapsing trees 
took out the Comcast cable line cutting off my Internet connection, along with 
the AC power lines. The power was out for 9 days here in the East Lansing, 
Michigan area with nighttime temperatures going as low as 0 F (-17 C).

Consumers Energy,  the utility that serves most of the lower peninsula of 
Michigan, had 200,000 accounts without power in the days immediately after the 
storm.  They brought in over 1,000 workers from neighboring states and as far 
away as Missouri on a mutual-aid response for the recovery effort.    My power 
was finally restored yesterday (Monday 30 December).

The WA8LMF APRS igate and webserver is now back on line and fully functional at

     <http://wa8lmf.net/map> .



--

Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Skype:        WA8LMF
EchoLink:   14400  [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]
Home Page:          http://wa8lmf.net


  Long-Range APRS on 30 Meters HF
     http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/HF_APRS_Notes.htm

High Performance Sound Systems for Soundcard Apps
    http://wa8lmf.net/ham/imic.htm
    http://wa8lmf.net/ham/uca202.htm

"APRS 101"  Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
   http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths