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:SECT10N 2 - PAGE 4 - PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1978 & xi & •X BREAK ONE-NINE FOR THAT GOPHER BASE Gearjammer ADVICE FROM THE GOPHER HOW TO MAKE AH EMERGENCY CALL ON CHAHHEL9 (OR ANY CHANNEL) 1. StOP AT THE SCENE at a safe spot. Do not obstruct traffic. 2. IDENTIFY YOURSELF using your FCC identification numbers. 3. Ask for a PARTICULAR AREA REACT OR POLICE DEPARTMENT. a. SKIP is an atmospheric condition that could carry a distress call as far as California and a REACT monitor there could receive your call. Some monitors hesitate to answer certain calls, thinking that it may be a SKIP call. 4. CALL SEVERAL TIMES before deciding to switch to another channel. a. Reaction to a call may be slow because no one is monitoring a quiet channel. Monitors may be busy; not iust sitting with their mikes in their hands. 5. If no one answers your call x>n Channel 9 (EMERGENCY CHANNEL), SWITCH TO AftOTHgR CHANNEL. - a. REMEMBER!!!! All channels must give priority to 10-33's(Code Number for emergency). 6. GIVE ALL THE INFORMATION you see and STAY AT THE SCENE until an emergency vehicle has arrived. a. Many times vehicles involved will leave the scene because they do not want the police to investigate. This should be reported so that the call for emergency vehicles can be cancelled, and police can watch for offenders. 7. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GET INVOLVED. Just observe and report any changes until the Police arrive. a. What appears as a minor fender-bender could result in someone going into shock or experiencing a heart attack, and these conditions should be reported immediately. 8. BE PREPARED TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. a. What is the EXACT LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT? b. Are there ANY INJURIES? c. IS TRAFFIC BLOCKED? d. What is a DESCRIPTION OF VEHICLES INVOLVED? (License plate numbers, color of car, make of car) Following these steps will enable emergency calls to be handled fast and efficiently. KBF 9847, This is the gopher, 10-4. Staff Photos By KBDB 0905 "Shu tier bug" Gopher GO WITH THE GOPHER "K-B-F 9-8-4-7 ... You have the Gopher ... Go Ahead." The static of the CB base had been interrupted by a clear crisp voice. "Yea Gopher... This is the Gearjammer... How's that Route Three-One South today? ... Over." A McHenry truck driver had just contacted the McHenry Information Base station on Channel 19 of his Citizen's Band radio. The operator of the base, the Gopher, as she is known to motorists and truckers throughout the area, was glad to oblige. "Yea Gearjammer ... Thirty-One looks good and its wide open ... Over." The gopher had received road condition information earlier in the day from local and state law enforcement agencies and relayed the information to the inquiring Gearjammer. The Gopher is not new to CB air waves, originally being a CB dispatcher for the McHenry Police department at Halloween in 1967, '68 and *69. "If CB patrollers would see something wrong on Halloween, they would contact me," said the gopher, "and I would relate the information to the police. In 1973, she put up her first antenna and installed a CB base in her new home. "X automatically turned to Channel 19 because many truckers and motorists were on 19," said the female operator. The first thing that the Gopher discovered while listening to the chatter of CB'ers suprised her. "It amazed me," she recalled, "that so many CB'ers were giving and receiving erroneous information. The Gopher became so concerned as motorists became lost by following the misleading directions that she decided to do something about it. "I acquired maps of the area from my husband," the gopher recalled, "and began answering requests for information by CB'ers on 19." Although she was more than willing to help, many truckers would not accept her offers of assistance. Why would they refuse the Gopher's help? Because of her sex. "Some truckers couldn't accept the idea that a woman would be able to give information," explained the female monitor. "In fact, a trucker once came over 19 and said, 'A woman can't give directions, so get off the air and do some windows." The Gopher was not easily discouraged. She continued to monitor Channel 19 and offer information and motorists finally caught on to the idea that the gopher was very informative and always helpful. "My big thrill came one day while I was listening to 19, and someone asked for a McHenry Beaver Information base," she exclaimed. (A Beaver is the CB term for a woman). The trucker related to the gopher that word had been passed on to him by other truckers to contact her when he arrived in McHenry. Now, most truckers know that an information base is located in McHenry, although many other motorists do not know about the Gopher. Besides giving information to i$otoristsasking help, the gopher also alerts motorists when emergency vehicles will be traveling in the area. "After I am notified of an emergency call, I broadcast over Channel 19 that there will be emergency volunteers driving in the area heading toward the fire or rescue squad stations," said the informant. "I try to make the motorists aware of the volunteers so that they will get out of their way, allowing them to proceed to the station as quickly as possible." "Break One-Nine for McHenry Information ... Over." Someone wanted to talk to the gopher. "K-B-F 9-8-4-7 ... You've got the Gopher ... Go Ahead." The gopher starts every conversation with her Federal Communication commission identification numbers. According to the gopher, "Every transmission should include both parties call numbers, so CB'ers can be easily identified." "Yea Gopher ... I'm looking for Johnsburg ... Can you help me out? ... Over." It was just a routine request for directions. Gopher gets them all the time. Two years ago, a trucker from Indiana contacted her, asking for directions. "He said that while he was in Indiana talking to other truckers, he mentioned that he was going to McHenry and two truckers told him to get in contact with me," beamed the proud Gopher. "What is your Ten-Twenty? ... Over." The gopher needed to know the inquisitive motorist's location at the present time. Due to the many maps she has and her own personal knowledge of the surrounding area, the Gopher is able to give information for any location within the 60050 zip code. Travelers can contact the Information base if they are within its area of reception. "I can reach as far as Lakemoor on the east, Thompson road on the west, Johnsburg road to the north, and High Point road to the south," explained the base operator. "Yea Gopher ... I'm eastbound on Route One- Two-Oh ... heading out of McHenry ... Over." The gopher doesn't spend all her time listening to Channel 19, however. A few years ago, when the state police installed CB radios in their patrol cars, they were in need of base stations that would be able to relay messages to the district headquarters in Elgin. State troopers who had heard the Gopher on the air, asked if she would be the civilian monitor for the area. "I was glad to accept and I am the only state police monitor in the area," said the volunteer who receives no compensation for the time she puts in monitoring Channel 9 (Emergency channel) for the state. The FCC prohibits payment for CB broadcasters. "Continue east on One-Two-Oh ... until you reach Chapel Hill road ..." Back to the business at hand, the Gopher was going to direct the motorist into Johnsburg. "Turn north on Chapel Hill road... Continue north until dead-ending at Johnsburg road ... Over." The Gopher always directs in terms of north, south, east or west, rather than left or right. "Some people from out of the area confuse the pronunciation of left or right with other words, so directions must be used," she explained. Although she is the only official state police monitor in the area, there is a group of volunteer CB radio operators known as REACT who are organized to monitor the emergency channel 9. The Gopher is not a member of REACT, but she has high regard for the organization. "These are top-notch private citizens who donate their time and do a fantastic job assisting motorists in distress." McHenry County Emergency REACT is an international group incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. REACT members must pay annual dues to be a volunteer with the group. It was REACT who assisted the police and the McHenry Rescue squad in helping a heart attack victim who was in his car on Draper road during the Jan. 26 blizzard. According to the Gopher, the man placed a distress call on Channel 9 of his CB and the distress call was heard by a REACT monitor. "By staying in contact with the ailing man and contacting emergency personnel," explained the Gopher, "REACT was most instrumental in saving the man's life by directing rescuers to his location in the blinding snow. The blizzard kept the CB monitor extremely busy. "I was giving road reports every fifteen minutes or as requested," recalled the Gopher. "By giving road reports, people could listen to me instead of swamping the police department with calls, which keeps the phone lines open for emergency calls." "Yea ... Thanks Gopher... They told me you'd be able to direct me right to the front door ... Over." The Gopher had proved her worth again. Satisfied motorists and truckers are the only payment she receives. "Have a fine day... And motor with care!" "K-B-F 9-8-4-7 ... This is the Gopher... Clear." 1 i 1 I $: •x ¥3 I X; 8 I S :S S I I •X: I $ t i • ' ™ -- • , ' • •