Hurricane Lala was a real-world reminder that emergency communications resilience is about much more than having backup batteries, radios, and internet. I operate a VHF Winlink gateway from my home in Kaneohe on the windward side of Oahu. As Hurricane Lala passed Hawaii, Kaneohe experienced some of the stronger winds on Oahu, with a peak gust of approximately 66 mph recorded at Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay.

I had prepared my station for the storm. At home, I have a 300Ah 12-volt battery system capable of providing substantial backup power, along with Starlink as a backup internet connection if our normal service fails. Commercial power at our home was out for approximately 27 hours, and our regular internet service remained down even longer. But power and internet were not ultimately what took my VHF Winlink gateway off the air. It was the antenna.

SUPPORTING THE OAHU EOC

During Hurricane Lala, I was volunteering at the City and County of Honolulu Emergency Operations Center, supporting emergency communications operations. Our amateur radio station at the EOC performed very well, and our volunteers worked extremely well together handling both Winlink digital communications and voice operations during the event. Winlink once again proved to be a valuable way of moving written information during an emergency, while voice radio provided immediate communications when needed.

After approximately a 17-hour volunteer shift at the Oahu EOC, I still wasn't finished. I then headed to Tiki's Grill & Bar in Waikiki, my regular job, where I spent another approximately four hours dealing with storm-related operations and recovery. By the time I finally made it home, I had been going for roughly 21 hours between emergency communications volunteering and work. That was when I discovered what Hurricane Lala had done to my station.

THE DIAMOND X700 WAS DESTROYED

My Diamond X700 VHF/UHF antenna was mounted along the side of the house and was being used by the VHF Winlink gateway. The winds didn't simply bend the antenna. The force on the antenna and mounting system was strong enough to tear the wood away from the side of the house. The antenna came crashing to the ground, smashing and cracking the fiberglass and essentially breaking the antenna in half.

My Diamond X700 was done. So despite having a 300Ah battery bank, Starlink backup internet, and working radio equipment, the gateway wasn't going anywhere. I had power, I had an alternate internet path, and I had the radio. What I didn't have was an antenna.

OFF THE AIR FOR SIX DAYS

The VHF gateway ultimately remained off the air for six days. It wasn't because I couldn't figure out how to get it working again. I simply had too many other priorities immediately following the storm. That may be one of the most important lessons from this event.

In emergency communications planning, we often focus on equipment redundancy: batteries, generators, solar panels, backup internet, spare radios, alternate frequencies, HF, VHF, UHF, and multiple Winlink gateways. All of those things are important, but we sometimes overlook another critical component: the operator.

The person maintaining an emergency communications station may also be the person volunteering at an EOC, supporting RACES operations, helping their community, dealing with damage to their own property, and then going back to their regular job. During a real emergency, repairing your own amateur radio station may not be priority number one. Mine wasn't.

BACK ON THE AIR WITH A ROLL-UP J-POLE

The good news is that my VHF Winlink gateway is currently back on the air. For now, I am using a roll-up J-pole antenna. It's a much simpler antenna than the Diamond X700, but it is working.

Mahalo to everyone who took the time to connect to the gateway and help test it after I brought it back online. Those successful tests confirmed that the VHF gateway is again operational.

There is something fitting about getting an emergency communications gateway back on the air using a simple portable roll-up J-pole. It reinforces another lesson from the storm: the best backup antenna isn't necessarily the biggest or most expensive antenna. It's the antenna you can quickly deploy and get on the air when you need it.

THE BIGGER LESSON

Hurricane Lala reinforced something I believe strongly about emergency communications. We shouldn't build a system that depends on one gateway, one repeater, one antenna, or one operator. If my gateway disappears from the network, another station should be available. If a repeater loses power, operators should know the alternatives. If internet connectivity disappears, we should have alternate paths. If an antenna is destroyed, we should have portable or replacement antennas that can be quickly deployed.

And if one operator is busy working a 17-hour shift at the EOC, other trained operators need to be able to carry the load. That is what a resilient communications network really looks like.

WHAT WORKED

There was also a lot to feel good about after Hurricane Lala. Our amateur radio volunteers at the Oahu EOC performed extremely well. Winlink worked. Voice communications worked. Our volunteers worked together. The systems and training that we had put in place before the storm paid off when they were actually needed.

My home VHF gateway being knocked offline was inconvenient, but emergency communications didn't stop. And that's exactly the point. The goal shouldn't be to build an indestructible station. The goal is to build a resilient network of people and stations where the loss of any single component doesn't take the system down with it.

Hurricane Lala destroyed my Diamond X700 and kept my VHF Winlink gateway off the air for six days. Today, that gateway is back on the air using a roll-up J-pole.

Sometimes resilience is a 300Ah battery bank and Starlink. Sometimes it's a simple piece of wire hanging in the right place.

What matters is getting the message through.

73,

Michael Miller, KH6ML

Field Day 2026 was a full day of operating, learning, and demonstrating the vital role amateur radio plays in emergency communications.

My day began at 7:00 a.m. at the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Emergency Operations Center (EOC).


The Honolulu DEM RACES team—including KH6LT (Mark Kaku), KH7EH, and NH7IT—activated the radio room to support the national ARRL Field Day exercise and a joint simulation with the Maui Emergency Management Agency.



 We successfully established communications with Maui’s team at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, simulating a total loss of internet, cellular, and Starlink connectivity. Throughout the morning, we exchanged voice traffic and Winlink radio emails, proving that amateur radio can bridge the gap when traditional systems fail.

Following the EOC operations, I visited the Emergency Amateur Radio Club of Hawaiʻi (EARCHI) and the Koolau Amateur Radio Club sites at Sand Island. It was a pleasure catching up with friends, reviewing antenna configurations, and watching new operators engage with the hobby.


I concluded the day at my home station in Kāneʻohe, operating under my callsign, KH6ML. Conditions on 20 meters were favorable, and I finished the event with the following results:

2026 Field Day Results

  - Callsign: KH6ML
  - Category: 1D (Commercial Power)
  - Location: Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu
  - Total QSOs: 120 (119 Phone, 1 Digital)
  - Bands Worked: 20m and 40m
  - Overall QSO Rate: 8.1 QSOs/hour (Peak: 51 QSOs/hour)
  - Longest Contact: VY2IRC, Prince Edward Island (8,598 km)
  - Reach: 26 U.S. States, 16 Canadian Stations, 8 Alaska Stations, and 2 Hawaiʻi Stations
  - Total Score: 292 points (including web submission bonus)

Field Day is more than just a contest; it is a critical exercise in resilience. Whether operating from a park, an EOC, or a home station, every participant helps improve our collective readiness for future emergencies.

A big mahalo to the Honolulu DEM RACES team, Maui Emergency Management Agency, EARCHI, and the Koolau Amateur Radio Club for a productive and enjoyable day. I am already looking forward to Field Day 2027 and will continue to refine my station and training in the meantime.

73,

Michael Miller, KH6ML

Holiday DX from Scotland: MM/KH6ML, Paisley ARC, Linburn Farm, and a Little POTA Adventure

Aloha from Scotland!

I’m Michael, KH6ML, from Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. In late May 2026, my wife Lisa and I traveled to Scotland, and of course I had to bring amateur radio into the trip. Some of you I had worked before, and others became new contacts from the road as I operated holiday DX as MM/KH6ML.

Most of my operating was from the Erskine area, near Dargavel Road and Linburn Farm, where Lisa and I stayed during part of the trip. It was a beautiful base for radio, exploring Scotland, and meeting the local amateur radio community.

Linburn Farm and True Radio Hospitality

A very special mahalo goes to Graham, 2M0IJU, and his wife Liz, who hosted us at Linburn Farm for the trip. They made us feel welcome, gave us a great place to stay, and offered the restored farmhouse at a very fair price.

If you are the mellow, easygoing type, they may even be open to renting out the restored farmhouse to you as well. For us, it was the perfect kind of place: quiet, friendly, full of character, and close enough to connect with the local amateur radio community.

The Gear That Made It Happen

The members of the club went above and beyond. They loaned me an Icom IC-7300, a car battery, and a Tactical Delta Loop antenna, also known as the TDL.

The Tactical Delta Loop is a portable HF antenna designed for transportability, quick setup, and a small footprint. For a visiting operator like me, it was exactly the kind of setup that made field operating possible without bringing a full station from Hawaiʻi.

That generosity turned the trip from “maybe I can get on the air” into a real Scotland radio adventure.

Connecting with Paisley Amateur Radio Club

One of the biggest highlights of the trip was connecting with the Paisley Amateur Radio Club.

The club meets at:

Paisley Amateur Radio Club
Ferguslie Sports Centre
106 Blackstoun Road
Paisley, PA3 1EX
Website: https://gm0pym.wixsite.com/paisleyarc

I was lucky enough to attend two club meetings during the trip, and I felt welcomed right away. It is always a privilege to visit another amateur radio club, especially when traveling so far from home. The callsigns, accents, stories, station talk, local knowledge, and shared love of radio all made it feel like I was among friends.

We also had a field day on the farm with the club, which was one of those radio memories that will stay with me. Good people, good radio, Scotland all around us, and the shared fun of seeing what we could work from the field.

POTA from Scotland

I also worked on some Parks on the Air activity while in Scotland. I did three POTA-related operations or attempts, but I was only able to get and give full credit for two of them.

That is part of portable radio. Sometimes the bands cooperate, sometimes time is short, sometimes logging details need extra cleanup afterward, and sometimes an activation becomes more of a story than a clean scorecard. I still consider it a success because the contacts were real, the learning was real, and the experience was outstanding.

The Scotland log eventually came together with a mix of voice, FT8, and VARA HF contacts. After some cleanup, the QRZ log accepted the contacts, including the VARA HF records that needed extra attention because of mode and band formatting.

Thank You to the Local Operators

A special mahalo to the operators and friends who helped make this trip memorable. I am listing calls and names only:

•  2M0IJU —  Graham

• 2M0NZB — Chris

• GM5RDX — Eric

• MM0XNC — Bob

• MM7OAI — Kris

• GM0NAE — Jim

• MM0PJQ — Pat

• MM1HMZ — Brian

• Craig - Working to earn his call! 

Your hospitality meant a lot to Lisa and me. From the loan of the IC-7300, the battery, and the Tactical Delta Loop, to the farm hospitality, club meetings, field day, local guidance, and good conversation, you helped turn a vacation into a true amateur radio experience.

From Scotland to Hawaiʻi, radio continues to prove that distance is only part of the story. The real magic is the people.

Muckle thanks. Mahalo nui loa. Thank you.

73,
Michael Miller, KH6ML / MM/KH6ML
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

More Photos Later

Holiday DX from Scotland: MM/KH6ML, Paisley ARC, Linburn Farm, and a Little POTA Adventure

Aloha from Scotland!

I’m Michael, KH6ML, from Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. In late May 2026, my wife Lisa and I traveled to Scotland, and of course I had to bring amateur radio into the trip. Some of you I had worked before, and others became new contacts from the road as I operated holiday DX as MM/KH6ML.

Most of my operating was from the Erskine area, near Dargavel Road and Linburn Farm, where Lisa and I stayed during part of the trip. It was a beautiful base for radio, exploring Scotland, and meeting the local amateur radio community.

Linburn Farm and True Radio Hospitality

A very special mahalo goes to Graham, 2M0IJU, and his wife Liz, who hosted us at Linburn Farm for the trip. They made us feel welcome, gave us a great place to stay, and offered the restored farmhouse at a very fair price.

If you are the mellow, easygoing type, they may even be open to renting out the restored farmhouse to you as well. For us, it was the perfect kind of place: quiet, friendly, full of character, and close enough to connect with the local amateur radio community.

The Gear That Made It Happen

The members of the club went above and beyond. They loaned me an Icom IC-7300, a car battery, and a Tactical Delta Loop antenna, also known as the TDL.

The Tactical Delta Loop is a portable HF antenna designed for transportability, quick setup, and a small footprint. For a visiting operator like me, it was exactly the kind of setup that made field operating possible without bringing a full station from Hawaiʻi.

That generosity turned the trip from “maybe I can get on the air” into a real Scotland radio adventure.

Connecting with Paisley Amateur Radio Club

One of the biggest highlights of the trip was connecting with the Paisley Amateur Radio Club.

The club meets at:

Paisley Amateur Radio Club
Ferguslie Sports Centre
106 Blackstoun Road
Paisley, PA3 1EX
Website: https://gm0pym.wixsite.com/paisleyarc

I was lucky enough to attend two club meetings during the trip, and I felt welcomed right away. It is always a privilege to visit another amateur radio club, especially when traveling so far from home. The callsigns, accents, stories, station talk, local knowledge, and shared love of radio all made it feel like I was among friends.

We also had a field day on the farm with the club, which was one of those radio memories that will stay with me. Good people, good radio, Scotland all around us, and the shared fun of seeing what we could work from the field.

POTA from Scotland

I also worked on some Parks on the Air activity while in Scotland. I did three POTA-related operations or attempts, but I was only able to get and give full credit for two of them.

That is part of portable radio. Sometimes the bands cooperate, sometimes time is short, sometimes logging details need extra cleanup afterward, and sometimes an activation becomes more of a story than a clean scorecard. I still consider it a success because the contacts were real, the learning was real, and the experience was outstanding.

The Scotland log eventually came together with a mix of voice, FT8, and VARA HF contacts. After some cleanup, the QRZ log accepted the contacts, including the VARA HF records that needed extra attention because of mode and band formatting.

Thank You to the Local Operators

A special mahalo to the operators and friends who helped make this trip memorable. I am listing calls and names only:

•  2M0IJU —  Graham

• 2M0NZB — Chris

• GM5RDX — Eric

• MM0XNC — Bob

• MM7OAI — Kris

• GM0NAE — Jim

• MM0PJQ — Pat

• MM1HMZ — Brian

• Craig - Working to earn his call! 

Your hospitality meant a lot to Lisa and me. From the loan of the IC-7300, the battery, and the Tactical Delta Loop, to the farm hospitality, club meetings, field day, local guidance, and good conversation, you helped turn a vacation into a true amateur radio experience.

From Scotland to Hawaiʻi, radio continues to prove that distance is only part of the story. The real magic is the people.

Muckle thanks. Mahalo nui loa. Thank you.

73,
Michael Miller, KH6ML / MM/KH6ML
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

More Photos Later

UH Intern at Tiki's to Hawaii Wedding Leader: Celebrating Natalie Christensen

Anthony “AC” Carter is the kind of name that instantly takes UH fans back to the glory days — and this week it was an honor to have him with us at Tiki’s Grill & Bar in Waikīkī ahead of his jersey retirement.

After playing basketball at the University of Hawaiʻi, AC went on to a 13-year NBA career, suiting up for the Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, and Toronto Raptors.

Now here’s the part that tells you who AC is off the court.

This luncheon came together because UH Coach Jackson Wheeler reached out to my partner, Kelly McGill, to set it up. Jackson has known Kelly since Kelly first started playing football at UH, and the two have remained close over the years. It turned into a meaningful gathering of coaches, athletic supporters, and people who’ve been part of AC’s journey — all with an oceanfront view in Waikīkī so they could relax, reconnect, and talk story the way Hawaiʻi does best.

One more connection point that made the day even better: Javan, one of our servers, took basketball as a college course with Coach Jackson Wheeler. When Javan saw him walk in, he immediately greeted Coach Wheeler with a hug. That’s Hawaiʻi right there — the way relationships carry forward across years, across roles, and into moments like this.

At Tiki’s, these are the gatherings we love: UH Athletics + Waikīkī + great food + the ocean. Two of our partners were student-athletes, and all three of us have been long-time UH supporters in many different ways — so welcoming the UH ohana isn’t just business. It’s personal.

If you’re planning a reunion luncheon, team meal, or small private gathering in Waikīkī, Tiki’s Grill & Bar is built for it — iconic views, true aloha service, and a setting that turns a meal into a memory.

Tiki’s Grill & Bar (Waikīkī): https://www.tikisgrill.com/

#TikisGrill #WaikikiDining #UniversityOfHawaii #RainbowWarriors #UHathletics #HonoluluRestaurants #WaikikiBeach  #GroupDining #PrivateEvents #MakeOhanaHappen

Tiki’s Grill & Bar appears on Hawaii News Now to share its island-style Thanksgiving menu. 

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and for anyone looking to skip the hours in the kitchen, Tiki’s Grill & Bar is ready to serve up a holiday feast with all the island flair you love. This week, Chef Ronnie Nasuti and bartender Duke Sneed joined Grace Lee on Hawaii News Now to give viewers a first look at our Thanksgiving menu—and the segment was as delicious as it was fun.
See the full video: https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/video/2025/11/18/tikis-grill-bar-is-serving-thanksgiving-meal-those-wanting-opt-out-cooking/

A Thanksgiving Dinner in Waikiki With All the Fixin’s at Tikis

Chef Ronnie showcased our full Thanksgiving plate, created for guests wanting a memorable holiday meal without the stress of cooking. This year’s menu features:

• Brined Roasted Tom Turkey with all the traditional fixin’s
• Sausage, Apple & Hawaiian ʻUlu Dressing
• Yukon Gold Potato & Tarragon Gratin
• Moloka‘i Potato Purée
• Sage Chardonnay Pan Gravy
• Fresh Cranberry & Star Anise Orange Relish
• Bacon, Macadamia Nut & Pineapple Brussels Sprouts

And for dessert, Chef brought out one of the highlights of the holiday menu—our dreamy Pumpkin Tres Leches topped with Spiced Crème and Dulce de Leche. It’s Thanksgiving indulgence at its finest.

[caption id="attachment_111" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
This is what it's all about! A family enjoying a great meal and a beautiful view. At Tiki's, our ohana welcomes yours, creating a space for great food and even better memories. 

If you’re searching for Thanksgiving dinner in Waikiki, where to eat on Thanksgiving in Honolulu, or restaurants open on Thanksgiving in Hawaii, Tiki’s offers the perfect island-style holiday experience. Plus, our full lunch and dinner menus will also be available.

A Rising Star Behind the Bar: Duke Sneed’s First Morning Show Appearance

The morning show wasn’t just about the food—it was also a milestone moment for our young bartender, Duke Sneed. It was his first time representing Tiki’s Grill & Bar on air, and he absolutely crushed it.

Duke showcased one of our newest fall cocktails, a drink that perfectly captures the cozy flavors of the season while still keeping things tropical.

Caramel Apple Spiced Sour

2 oz Kōloa Kauaʻi Spice Rum
2.5 oz apple juice
1 oz Caramel syrup
.75 oz lemon juice
1 fresh egg white

Method: Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin. Froth with a frother, then dry-shake. Shake with ice and pour into a saloon double old-fashioned glass. Grate fresh cinnamon over the top as the garnish.

Made with local rum from Kaua‘i, this cocktail balances caramel, apple, warm spices, and bright citrus. And the best part? It can be made full strength or as a zero-proof mocktail—perfect for families, designated drivers, or anyone looking to enjoy festive flavors without the alcohol.

His enthusiasm, creativity, and on-camera ease made it clear: we’ll be seeing a lot more of Duke in future Tiki’s segments.

Reserve Your Thanksgiving Plate

Demand is high every year, so reservations are a must for our Thanksgiving special. Whether you're a local looking for a stress-free holiday meal or visiting Waikiki and craving a festive feast with island style, Tiki’s Grill & Bar has your Thanksgiving covered. Tikis.com 

 

Every October, tens of thousands of radio operators around the globe switch on their transceivers for one of the biggest events in amateur radio — the CQ World Wide DX Contest. For one weekend, hams everywhere try to talk to as many other countries (“DX” means long-distance) and zones as possible.
This year, I joined in from Kaneohe, on the island of O‘ahu, using my Icom IC-7300, running 100 watts into a G5RVjr wire antenna strung up between a kukui nut tree and a pool-cleaning pole I found on the side of the road! My station isn’t fancy — just simple gear, a bit of creativity, and a lot of aloha. I log all my contacts on my Mac mini using RUMlogNG, which helps keep track of who I reach and where they are.
The contest runs for 48 hours straight — and during that time, the airwaves are buzzing with voices from every corner of the world. From Japan to Italy, from Brazil to Russia, signals skip across the atmosphere, bouncing off layers of charged particles high above the Earth. It’s like magic — science and nature working together to connect people across oceans and continents.
There’s something special about those moments when a weak signal suddenly becomes clear, and a voice from across the planet says your call sign back to you.
Where in the World Did My Signal Go?
I was able reached operators in 26 different DXCC entities — essentially, 26 countries or territories officially recognized in the ham-radio world. Here’s where my signal landed this year:
🇺🇸 United States (mainland) 🇨🇦 Canada 🇷🇺 Russia 🇮🇹 Italy 🇷🇸 Serbia 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇭🇷 Croatia 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇩🇪 Germany 🇫🇮 Finland 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇪🇪 Estonia 🇵🇹 Portugal (Madeira) 🇬🇷 Greece 🇧🇷 Brazil 🇦🇷 Argentina 🇯🇵 Japan 🇨🇳 China 🇶🇦 Qatar 🇦🇺 Australia 🇳🇨 New Caledonia 🇺🇸 Alaska 🇺🇸 Hawai‘i
        

          

                    

          
        

          
          

            
          
        


Between making contacts, I had to work — so getting on the air was a welcome way to relax and reset. The world come alive through your headphones.
        

          

                    

          
        

          
          

            
          
        

Mahalo to the contest organizers and everyone who made contact with me. If you’re ever visiting Hawai‘i, come by for some radio talk, local food, and maybe a Mai Tai or two. 
Save the dates for next year’s contests 2026: October 24 – 25
Until then — 73 (best regards) from Kaneohe!

– Michael, KH6ML