Communication is vital

Most River Reflection readers live in or near the McKenzie River Basin. We prefer to use our local expression, ‘valley’, as indeed it beautifully is. This valley we call home stretches from McKenzie Bridge westward nearly 44 miles to the east ridge of Thurston.

But the river we cherish is a longer story. It alternatively plummets and soothes downward from Clear Lake to the Willamette River- a waterway of over 90 miles!

Our valley is attached to 1,300 square miles of surrounding timberland. Much of it is rugged, and at times seemingly primeval to those who disappear within feet of their vehicle into an aromatic, shaded universe both mysterious and timeless. 96% of the basin is timber, 4% is agricultural, and in the midst of this adventure novel is where most of us live.

But this book freezes, floods, and burns. Within these ever changing pages of our story we depend upon each other when the unreasonable happens- and it does, with a rhythm that we are just starting to acknowledge, but that the original Peoples knew so well.

Of the many qualities we take for granted probably communication is the most vital. We connect daily with family, friends, job, education, healthcare, market, and leisure. This routine enables us to pursue our lives in a fashion and rhythm that in most part is safe and healthy.

We also have access to 9-1-1 services when emergencies turn us to a different page.

The loss of communication in our valley at the least results in the immediate reduction of our vitality and at most can be of a devastating nature. Add to this rubric the possibility of extended communication loss and long term isolation from all we consider vital is a signal that a solution is necessary.

For several years communities within our valley have grouped together with two-way radios. Some groups broadcast on low-power, non-license Family Radio Service channels.

Designated members of the group relay messages on high power channels-which require a General Mobile Radio Service license- to networks that have amateur radio operators. In turn, these ham’s can forward communication outside the valley.

Our valley now has a unified and functioning repeating network enabling isolated people to talk together. We are the McKenzie Community Communications Net (MCC). Each Thursday at 6:00 pm the upper MCC section broadcasts, and at 6:30 pm the lower MCC section follows. When valley phones are down this GMRS radio network is activated.

Here’s an index to increasing your safety and well being through communications.

Statistics: Wikipedia.org/water/McKenzie_River