Rubicon Trail Ham radio info

I'm borrowing some words from Rubicon Trail Foundation Ham Radio Page please visit the site to read all the info but the two paragraphs below I'm borrowing explain exactly why I"m a huge believer in HAM radio for off road and it's exactly reasons like this I preach the usefulness and the need for more HAMs in the group and on the trails. HAM radio can mean the difference between life and death when everything goes south in the back country. 

From The Rubicon Trail Foundation 

The Story behind RTF and Ham Radio Use in the Rubicon

On July 7, 2007 a local Jeep club made their annual run on the Rubicon Trail. During that run, on their second day, on the way from Rubicon Springs to the Ellis Creek area, they were running Big Sluice in the uphill direction. In this difficult section, one of the vehicles rolled onto its right side, injuring the passenger. He was complaining of neck pain and chest pain and it was obvious to those nearby that  he needed medical help. The club members and others on the trail tried futilely to summon help via CB and cell phone. The range on the CB’s was too short and no cell sites were available.

As the victim’s condition worsened it became clear that he needed to be flown out immediately, and it was decided to send hikers in each direction to try to find help. One was sent towards Rubicon Springs, the other towards Buck Island Lake. Fortunately, a small FOTR volunteer work crew had just finished a trail project at Buck Island Lake. One of those volunteers was a paramedic, but most importantly, he and his wife had access to amateur radio: a license and a radio. They had soon summoned a medical helicopter via amateur radio, secured a helispot at Buck Island, and begun treating the patient.

  Read the whole article at Rubicon Trail Foundation Ham Radio Page