There's a 90% partial Eclipse coming for the western US on October 14 this year, and a total Eclipse for the Midwest and Northeast on April 8, 2024.

During the total Eclipse in 2017, hundreds of thousands of people flooded rural areas across the country in the relatively narrow ribbon of 'totality' (115 miles, but everyone wanted to be at the center line). They came over the course of hours or even days, but they all left at once when the show was over (and nobody cared about the next 90 minutes of the waning eclipse after they'd seen totality). All that created gridlock on the highways, and overload on the cell system.

The same is expected on April 8 next year, when a total eclipse moves from Texas through the Midwest and on to New England. And that presents an opportunity for hams to lend a hand with communications, if they're organized and prepared. Our guest is JM Rowe N5XFW, Arkansas Section Emergency Coordinator (among many other Emcomm titles). He's working on getting his state's hams ready, and coordinating with neighboring states as well.