Major Storm Damage at W3FJJ

[W3GMS]

I just learned that Chuck, W3FJJ suffered major storm damage.  Hearing the details, he is very lucky to be alive.  I have attached a picture showing some of the damage to Chuck's home.  

Here is his current status as he relayed the information to me:

"Well good news is I am ok, and I think the cat is ok, although she hasn't ate or drank anything in days, and I have only seen her twice she scared sh*tless literally.

I'm still living in house, but no running water or bathroom, so probably not for long.  

The Tree crushed  my main radio shack, bedroom, bathroom, work room and  corner of living room.

Lucky to be alive,as i was in bedroom when it happened, if i was in radio room i probably wouldn't be, the main radio shack floor caved in with homebrew rigs plasma generator, DX-100,30s1 Amp, FT1000, 2m rig,  etc..  Not sure if anything survive."  

 

[WA3VJB]

OMFG

[W3GMS]

Here is another shot of the damage to Chuck's-W3FJJ home. 

Joe, W3GMS

[WA3VJB]

Yeah, having been to his place a few times, I can see that this devil came from the hill up behind his house, within striking distance. Your second shot --  that spread of branches -- took out more than a few beams.

We had an old guy killed in my county, tree hit the upper corner of his house where he was. Yet it was just the corner, not a major collapse like Chuck's.

And another place in west Annapolis got hit by a tree on the SAME corner as during a storm about 15 years ago. Newspaper had its original story and photo, alongside the one from the other day. 

Sad, very sad.

[WQ9E]

Wow!  That is terrible.

I have been thinking about having a couple of trees taken out that are a little too close to the house, these photos definitely made me sure they will soon be gone.

[W3RSW]

Very sorry for Chuck.  Fond memories of operating with him at Bowie fester on Frank's 4x1. 

Wonder if we can do something as a group for Chuck?

[W3GMS]

I mentioned getting together a work party to give him some help.  I recommended that the house contents be put in POD storage until the place gets rebuilt.  His house contents sure need to be protected from the weather. 

I have not heard his intentions concerning the next step.  I certainly will keep all informed.  Chuck is only about 30 miles south of me and I can be down to his place at a drop of a hat. 

That is one of the great things about our hobby, helping each other out especially in times when they need it the most.   

Joe, W3GMS 

[w1vtp]

HOLY CR@P!  Glad the sentient beings survived.  I agree Joe.  Need a storage POD ASAP so as to contain damage.  Chuck will be in my prayers

Al

[KM1H]

Ouch, that is terrible and sad.

Dont tell the FD, PD, or anyone else or the town will condemn it and not allow anyone in.

Get the insurance guy in ASAP and then get a qualified crew to lift the roof and get a new one on real fast to get it weather tight.

Might be best to remove the tree immediately if the adjuster OK's and then camoflauge tarp it over to make it semi invisible.

Carl

[W3GMS]

I just got off the phone with Chuck and he is doing amazingly well considering what he is going through.  The adjuster was there today.  Chuck has very good Homeowners Insurance.  They will probably total the place and just build a new house.  They are setting him up in temporary quarters for the duration.  The personal belonging in the house are all well insured so financially he should be fine.  

I told him at the end of the conversation now he can build the Hamshack of his choice since he will be starting all over again.  The radio gear in the dinning room did not get damaged so he has that.  The other stuff was driven through the floor when the tree smashed the house.  That stuff is down in the basement which is full of water.  

Joe, W3GMS  

[Steve - K4HX]

Yikes. Sorry to see and hear of Chuck's misfortune. Glad to hear HE is OK though. With all the big tree surrounding my house I worry about this very thing.

Here's hoping he gets the house rebuilt soon.

[K1JJ]

The other stuff was driven through the floor when the tree smashed the house.  That stuff is down in the basement which is full of water.  

Gads.  The floor gave out and the gear is now in the basement flooded. Talk about worst case. Sorry to hear.

Back in the mid 90's, a bunch of us stayed over at Chuck's after a party. I remember sleeping the night on the floor next to that room. Chuck left the receiver on all night and we all awoke at 7AM to the sounds of Irb on 3885 ringing the chimes and calling CQ...

Quick story: There was a house down the street that got hit by lightning about five years ago. It burned to the ground. No one hurt. The family built a Taj Mahal with the insurance proceeds. It's the most beautiful house on the street.   Point is, even though it is painful now, Chuck will end up with a brand new home that will be designed as he sees fit. In a few years he will look back and probably say it was a wonderful "toke" of good luck, not bad.  It will be a transistion from an old house to a new solid, bigger abode with the new house smell. Great retirement.

Keep thinking good thoughts Chuck, and you will get through this like a trooper - with your own Taj Mahal, new shack, etc.  Time goes by quickly.

T

[W3NE]

Checkout QRZ for a selection of some "before" photos of his most excellent equipment. Makes it all the sadder.

[Opcom]

That was a narrow escape. Too bad about the floor and basement, didn't even think about that as we have no basements in TX. I guess the radios are pretty much ruined? That's a real shame about that. His cat OK now? Hope she's eating gain. At least there wasn't a fire too.

[WA3VJB]

I just got off the phone with Chuck and he is doing amazingly well considering what he is going through.  The adjuster was there today.  Chuck has very good Homeowners Insurance.  
//
Joe, W3GMS  

Thanks Joe.
Pam and I woke up over coffee talking about him before I checked in here.
He's a helluva nice guy and we are sad that such a bad thing happened to him.

I hope he looked up to see this yesterday morning, like I did, glad to be alive.

[K5UJ]

Yikes, I hope the gear in the living room was all garbage gear...MFJ tuners, 2 meter HTs, old ICOMs ... and the good stuff was somewhere else.

[W2VW]

Wow. That could have been any of us.

Glad you were in the right place in the house Chuck!

[W1AEX]

Thanks for the update on Chuck's storm damage Joe. I'm very glad he was not injured and can only imagine what that sounded like as it came crashing down on the house. It looks like it might be a while before we hear the big signal from W3FJJ rolling into New England. Hopefully, his favorite chunks of gear can be brought back to life without too much effort!

Looking at those pictures of Chuck's damage, I think I'm going to put the 100 foot pine tree that sits in my front yard up for sale. Any takers?

Rob W1AEX

[w1zb]

Sorry to hear about Chuck's house damage due to the storm. I'm glad he is OK and not hurt. Good luck with the rebuilding process.

73 Jerry W1ZB

[steve_qix]

Wow, that is really, really bad.  Please relay to Chuck that I'm sure glad he was OK.  Rigs and be replaced.  Life cannot.

Regards,

Steve

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Geez, nothing drives the point home like photos of a fellow AMer's place trashed like that. It's amazing Chuck got out of it unscathed, that is one massive tree and the damage is pretty substantial.

Sad to hear that so much of his gear took the hit. Hopefully he can haul it out once the tree is removed and dry it out. That stuff is pretty resilient, especially the milspec FRT transmitter if that was involved. He'll likely be able to salvage more radio gear than house by the looks.

Thanks for posting the info, Joe. Please add my best wishes to the list as well when you speak with Chuck. If not for the upcoming medical procedure next week I'd be up there with you to give him a hand when the time comes.

[W3FJJ]

Hi Guys, thanks for the concerns, wishes and help. I feel very fortunate to have great bunch of people
willing to help and talk too. Everything is going amazingly well, and I am doing much better than many from this storm,
All the people that got killed, or lost their house totally, people still with out power etc..
I actually have power, but no running water or facilities. Yesterday they got the tree off the house,
 maybe today, I will  be able get some stuff out of the ham shack.  The Stuff on the perimeter, may have survive, not sure how much rain came
down on it, but peering in from window  doesn't look smashed and hadn't fell to cellar yet.  KA3PTX-ED and W3WMD-Walt
are coming over today to help, and I will know more.  I think if i was sitting in my chair in ham shack when this happen, I wouldn't be here typing this message,
talk about luck...
Thanks guys, I miss talking to you all on air.  I think its going to be awhile before I'm TXing again, , but I am going to rig up some kinda RX....
73-Chuck-W3FJJ

[W3RSW]

Great to hear from you Chuck.  Your right; far more are in more dire straights. Hope all goes well on your house rebuild and reclaiming of ham gear.  Whew! You had a close call.

[W3NP]

Wow - Sorry to hear about the damage to your house/gear. Glad you survived though.
73, Dave - W3NP

[W3GMS]

I just received this from one of Chuck's friends, Ed-KA3PTX who was down at Chucks today to lend a hand on the cleanup. 

"Just got back from Chucks.  Managed to savage some radio stuff.  Pictures explain all the carnage.  Especially look at the one titled "Chucks Bed"  that is where he was
when the roof came down on him."

The 4th attachment will be posted in a separate posting. 

Joe, W3GMS