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Old 12-14-2007, 10:50 AM   #1
KE5NWT
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SW Texas
Posts: 45
Default Had to use backup generator last night

Got home at 7pm last night to find the power to the whole area had been out for about an hour. No weather problems anywhere and the temp was 54º. But I live out in the country and power outages happen. I have a diesel standby generator set at a transfer switch at the meter pole to feed the house, well, and barn. Fired it up and we had lights and heat (propane central heat but blower is AC). Was even able to check in on our local weekly ARES/RACES net for 30 minutes. My 2m and HF rigs cant tell the difference between generator power and the electric co since the generator feeds the whole house.

Power stayed out nearly four hours total. Sure was nice to have lights, heat, television, and amateur radio working. I still haven't found out the cause of the outage, but being out in the country means the electric coop repair crews are 40 miles away. Any feeder line that goes down, be it weather or physical damage from an accident takes at least an hour for them to just get too it to begin repairs. Something big must have blown last night for it to be out four hours.

The net was impressed that I was transmitting on emergency power.
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.... 73 ... Robert
ARRL VE...General
Texas State RACES 32-463-G
KE5NWT
Uvalde County, Texas
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