WELCOME
TO
K2FRD!
The intrepid Labrador Explorer Fred Stevens K2FRD during my first visit in 1997.
WELCOME
TO
K2FRD!
The intrepid Labrador Explorer Fred Stevens K2FRD during my first visit in 1997.
MORE ADVENTURE, HAM RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS: I volunteered for, and on
23 September 2001, was activated for the disaster relief effort in New
York City after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade
Center. Working for the Radio Operations section of the Brooklyn Chapter
of the American Red Cross with my duty station at the newly-opened Respite
One at Ground Zero within the Hot Zone perimeter surrounding the destroyed
Twin Towers' "Pile". I, like most operators, functioned alone for four days
(usual tour of duty) with little sleep with "The Pile" and remaining damaged
buildings less than 100 yards away. Providing messaging capability for
the police, firemen, and other workers at Ground Zero, and back-up communications for the Red Cross, we became redundant when phone service was restored on 26 September and our services were no longer needed. Respite One provided the rest station for all Ground Zero workers, serving them hot meals, cots
for rest, light entertainment, message services, replacement clothing and
equipment, mental health and first aid services, and otherwise serving
as a place to escape grim reality for awhile. Amateur radio operators provided
critical services and gave yeoman efforts during the first two weeks of
the crisis. Technically, this was my third war (Vietnam and Grenada being
the first two) and my mental and physical responses and functions were
automatic due to these previous experiences. I am proud to have been a part
of this operation and I derived a great deal of satisfaction from my service.
If the need arises, I will return to Ground Zero or to anyplace else where we
are threatened.
For a detailed realtime narrative of my experiences
at Ground Zero, click
here.
BOY SCOUTING AND HAM RADIO
As one might conclude, Boy Scouting has been a major activity in my
life. I combine Scouting with ham radio wherever and whenever possible
(see more details below). Recently, a group of ham-Scouters devised a
Scout Camp Calling Protocol (SCCP) in which Scouts at Camp may complete
Radio or Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge requirements, observe
demonstrations, pass NTS traffic back home to their families, or just
ragchew with Scouts at other Camps. The SCCP may be found HERE.
HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF: I volunteered for and was quickly activated by ARRL/ARES
for ham radio emergency communications duty following Hurricane Katrina at the end of August 2005.
On 7 September 2005, I departed the Scout Camp where I worked during the summer and headed for the
South with my Jeep and travel trailer, fully equipped for sustained portable emergency communications
operations in remote areas. (I can operate independently without resupply, commercial
power, nor anything else beyond what I carry with me for two to three weeks.)
Arriving on 9 September, I arrived at the American Red Cross staging area in Montgomery, AL for
subsequent reassignment to the stricken areas of Lousiana and served a Washington Parish hospital for several days until cellphone and commercial power service were restored.
The larger Lousiana, Mississippi, and Alabama areas bordering the Gulf of Mexico beggar description beyond "disaster". Five years later in 2010, the situation still remains abysmal on top of the BP oil disaster.
MORE HIGH ADVENTURE:
2004 Labrador Pictures
2001
Labrador DXpedition photos (2 per page, heavily compressed for fast download)
SEPTEMBER 2004 THROUGH OCTOBER 2010: The Southwest continuously beckons and I have returned to SW Arizona for what is now my 7th season using my desert home as a base for travel and other adventures. Given escalating gas prices and declining health (thanks to Agent Orange), I have to limit my travels, but I get away when I can. My little part of the world, Snowbird West RV Park (SBW = 25 mi ESE of Salome, AZ) park where I have a permanent site, provides access for me to all sorts of new sights and adventures including abandoned gold mines, ghost towns, strange new wildlife and plants, especially reptiles and birds, most or many of which I've never seen before since I had always worked in more northern climes.
(ABOVE) String bogs, like this one adjacent the
Trans-Labrador Highway, are unique but a fairly common sight in northern Quebec and
western and central Labrador, Province of Newfoundland, Canada. My 1997
Adventure to Labrador from Baie Comeau, Quebec to Labrador City, followed
a dirt and gravel road which, for much of its length, was little more than
an improved trail. I arrived in early June to find the lakes still frozen,
a condition which continued throughout the month.
My summer 2001 and 2004 adventures as a full-blown ham radio DXpedition was fulfilling, to say the least. I used the
callsign VO2/K2FRD and made over 3500 contacts in 123 DXCC countries, all 50 States, and most Provinces and Territories.
W. Frederick Stevens
PO BOX 1473
SALOME, AZ 85348
b. 6 November 1945
B.S. 1968. Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY; Major: Wildlife Biology
M.S. 1975. University
of Washington, College of Forest Resources, Seattle, WA;
Major: Wildlife
Biology. Thesis title: Biology of the European Rabbit
Oryctolagus
cuniculus on San Juan Island, Washington.
U.S. Army Signal
Corps RA 1968-1972, USAR 1972-1992. Lieutenant Colonel, Retd.
Misc: widower,
camping, coin collecting, fly-tying and fly fishing, outdoor travel, canoeing, very active
Boy Scouting Volunteer at District and Council level, amateur radio (Amateur
Extra), amateur radio in faraway cold places, HO model craftsman construction, reading, writing, tinkering...
EMAIL
FRED STEVENS K2FRD
I lost Nuisance, my beloved kitten of 14 years in 2006 but in January of 2007, I adopted Earthquake, a Tuxedo kitten as a companion to keep me out of trouble. She is loveable and likely the most photogenic kitty in the world but hasn't yet kept me out of trouble. Rather, she'd prefer to chase desert lizards and has actually caught and brought into the trailer a small diamondback rattlesnake.
Return To Fred K2FRD page
DETAILS of
My Recent Labrador Mini-DXpedition From May to September 2004.
Return
or Go To Otschodela Council Amateur Radio Group KZ2BSA (OCARG) Home site
Go
To Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) page
Go
To Labrador 2001 DXpedition Main Page
2001
Labrador DXpedition pictures (2 per page, heavily compressed for fast download)
Labrador Pictures Page
Two
Labrador Pictures Page
Three
Labrador Pictures Page
Four
Labrador Pictures Page
Five
Labrador Pictures Page
Six
Send
email to Fred K2FRD
