From: tweek@netcom.com (Michael D. Maxfield)
Subject: Re: San Francisco Earthquake 89
Organization: Movement to Ban or Re-Regulate the CABLE MONOPOLIES
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 07:09:20 GMT

In article <1992Nov12.090903.2701@mdcbbs.com> rivero@mdcbbs.com (Michael Rivero) writes:
>In article <1dt5e6INNqqt@news.aero.org>, helfman@aero.org (Robert S. Helfman) writes:
>|> 
>|> Oddly enough, I felt the Loma Prieta earthquake here in L.A.
>
>  It's not that odd. Many people who are real sensative (read paranoid) 
>about quake activity felt it in Los Angeles. I was editing a commercial 
>for Canadian TV on the 4th floor of an older wooden building in Hollywood, and
>felt the sway come through. Like you I noticed the very long period to
>the swaying motion, which is why it stood out from the normal shakes and
>shivers the place was prone to.
>
Not that Odd at all... I live in Moraga (about 8 miles east of Oakland and 
18 miles east of SF) and when the Big Bear quakes hit LA earlier this year,
I felt one of them.  Another one, while I did not feel it, I did see the 
effects.  I was watching a retransmission of an LA TV station, and a bit 
after an aftershock hit there, although I tried to be still to feel it but
did not, I did look over at a macrame plant hanger I had and it was
swaying quite a bit.... Must have been a low frequency shake by the time
it reached here.

(I guess I'll answer the original question while I'm posting)

During the 1989 quake (or should it be Quake? <grin>) I had gotten off work
at four and had arrived home and was about to microwave some bacon for a BLT.
As I was rolling a few squares of paper towels off the roll, I felt the start
of some ground motion... I think the best way to describe my reaction
would be to simply say it was something like this...

"Oh, a quake......

"Oh, a good one.......

"Oh sh**, a really good on (heading towards the doorway)

NOTE: The doorway above is between the kitchen and living room and lacks
an actual door.  It is now (correct me if I am wrong) considered bad to seek
shelter in a doorway with a door unless you are sure that you have blocked
the door from slamming shut on your fingers.

A few seconds after the quake, the power went out, and then returned with
about 60-70 volts on only one phase of the circuits.  Unless you had a very
forgiving TV set, the power was not enough to power it. 

About15 minutes later, quite a few people in my apartment complex could be
seen gathered around my car where I had a portable TV set on top, a
police/fire scanner inside, a AM Broadcast radio (or two) operating, and
me monitorint my two meter HAM HT in case communications assistance was needed
in Contra Costa County.  I am happy to say that it was not, and damage on 
this side of the Oakland Hills was down to a minimum.

The next day, was almost business as usual so I had to work, but since
business was down due to a lot of clients cancelling events, I was able to
bring in my Ham Packet station to work and handle much of the NTS welfare
traffic which was flooding the area and starting to overload the packet
system.  

Sad to say, If another BIG (sorry) QUAKE were to hit tonite (or anytime soon)
it would take me about a half an hour to set up my vehicle again as a ....?...
communications/information gathering post since most of the circuits were
pulled out when I though I would be scrapping the vehicle....... Thak God for
Cigarrette lighter plugs... otherwise it might be an hour or so.

(missing from sig         N6QYA)
       tweek@netcom.com  tweek@tweekco.uucp  WWIVNet 5@5058  4@5056 
          I'd rather get my cable service from the phone company,
                than my phone service from the cable company.