BREAKING: Ham Radio Shuts Down Super Bowl
By K5PO, on the scene
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Details are beginning to emerge as to the cause of the 2013 Super Bowl power outage. The New Orleans Police Department issued the following statement at 4:15 p.m. local time:
“We have evidence that indicates the stadium’s master electrical control unit suffered radio frequency-based damage early in the 3rd quarter, causing the failure of the control unit, and ultimately the power outage. While the investigation continues, we do not anticipate criminal charges to be filed.”
The Bayou Bishop Amateur Radio Club was excited to promote Super Bowl activities for the week with a “special event station,” a common activity in the amateur radio community. Operating as “Whiskey Five Bowl”, the radio club was racking up contacts.
“It was kinda hard to get a good copy through the cheering,” said club president Amos Mason. “But, we were getting quite a pileup going! I was operating with my Yaesu FT-897D on battery power when it happened. At first, all I noticed was that the local QRN dropped from S8 down to nothing, which was awesome! Then I looked around and saw all the lights were off.”
Mason, a resident of nearby Kenner, admits he wasn’t familiar with NFL football when a club member suggested the special event station idea at a recent club meeting. “He said he wanted to see the Ravens play, and I thought he was talking about the Ornithology Club meeting in Avondale. I hadn’t a clue!”
Mason offers his sincere apologies to those that may have been bothered by the power outage. “Clearly the numbskulls running this place need to get some RF shielding on their power control. Given the low power I was running, I’m surprised all the cell phones around here don’t shut the power down too.”
The radio club has been banned from the Super Bowl grounds, but is already planning a special event for next year, to commemorate the day the lights went out at the dome.
### hamhijinks.com
I saw the outage featured on local TV here in VK. How ridiculous to blame the club for the incompetence of the people responsible for the power systems to have some RF immunity in place! Fire them instead!
This *has* to be a joke, right?
Hahahahahahahahahhaha …speechless…it's like…well we need to blame someone, let's blame hamradio! 🙂
That's not an RF issue, that's another issue they want to hide 🙂
It seems that this stadium has electrical equipment that is fairly close to stone age. But even if that is so, it is still hard to believe that this outage would be caused by this HAM Radio traffic. But let's face it, as with any other situation, it's never the big shots that are responsible, it's always something or someone else. And the next thing is that "they need to do something about it, although what they do won't help a thing." Why? Because the actual problem is not being addressed and resolved. In this case, the low quality power equipment. Does this remind anyone of gun control? The guns kill people. The Ham radios kill power equipment. Ban guns. Ban HAM radio. Somebody's got some big screws loose. But the uninformed will believe anything.
Mmmmmmm…..hammmmmmmmm.
Foolish Infidels!!!!!! We take your bacon and McRib sandwich, now your ham with radio…..
Well, you guys are doing a GREAT job……you are fooling folks hook, line and sinker. Well played! You all are the "ONION" of Ham Radio!
Very Funny: I will make a big deal about it at our club here at KI6BOU Hawthorne Ca. (Aircraft factory747-8) Thanks! Super good stuff guys.
Billeaver@aol.com
Good one! As they say …."always read the fine line"!!!
Thanks for the comments! I heard the Bayou Bishop club just confirmed a P5 in LoTW from the special event. All from a rubber ducky on 80m and 100mw!! Very cool stuff! – K5PO
I Was Working U Just As The Lights Went Out-U Were Complaining Abt All The Noise Es QRN,So I turned on the amp.es when I hit the mike key es stood by fer U,You said that when I did,the S mtr.slammed against the pin es the place went DARK!!Hpe they dont send me the bill! Perhaps Ray Nagan shud hv repl.their panel box!! 73,Greg-W2MYA
" Ham Hijinks stories are fictional and intended for satire and humor only."
Very, very funny guys ! !
The entire world now believes a non-existent ham station caused the outage.
That's very, very funny, and some fine press for ham radio.
"The entire world now believes a non-existent ham station caused the outage.
That's very, very funny, and some fine press for ham radio."
There's no such thing a bad press. Bad coffee – maybe, but never bad press.