April 2009

Skeletool CX and Flood Communications

The power supply for one of our Amateur Radio transceivers failed this morning during Flood Operations. My partner, Richard VE4ESX, used my Skeletool CX and Bit Kit to open up the case of the power supply. He diagnosed a faulty on/off switch as the culprit using a cheap multi-meter we keep at that station. Using my Skeletool CX, he cut the power wires off the switch, stripped them and connected them with a connector that he happened to have in his pocket.

We both had our tools locked in our vehicles and we were operating in a secured Emergency Operations Centre - doing the sign-out, go to the parkade, get the toolkit, get back to the building, sign-in again would have taken way longer than using the Skeletool to achieve a field-expedient repair. We can replace the switch after Flood Operations end.

Jeff D., VE4MBQ
Emergency Coordinator, Winnipeg ARES
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada