So, this really is nothing new. FEMA already has a great SHARES network on HF. But HF service has been made available to EOCs for more than a decade. Being a member of APCO, I attend their Public safety radio conventions (makes Dayton look small). Intrado introduced this service as turn key to EOCs using their existing infrastructure on a subscription basis. The presenter, an Intrado employee and likely the only other ham in the room of at least one hundred beside me, provided examples of how awful ham communicators are these days and the undisciplined bedlam of the amateur bands even during an emergency. He had examples from Katrina I recall. See this link from 2012 magazine article announcing the service – it is interesting. https://urgentcomm.com/2012/12/20/intrado-inks-deal-for-apocalypse-proof-hf-... My point now is that this is no longer offered as far as I can see. It died off, though I don’t have proof why. I searched it. Maybe satellite service which is almost foolproof. Icom offers wonderful little foolproof PTT walkie talkies demonstrated to me last summer at the APCO show. They use “one to many” semi-duplex PTT using iridium service – not expensive either. So, is it the radio service we are licensed to use or really trained radio volunteers that know both procedure (and I don’t mean how to use the PTT or whatever) and are trained at the technology of radio rather than an appliance operator. Emergency services have plenty of nice radios no matter where in the spectrum. I live in that world almost every day. You might be surprised how much more a reasonably serious and seasoned ham knows about practical radio than a typical trained APCO communicator or ComL does. The individuals that are (active) hams are just better at it all. EOCs and agencies do not generally have enough folks who rise to this call: §97.1 Basis and purpose. . . . (c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of the art. (d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts. Many of the HF SHARES operators are also hams, not surprising. Amateur radio’s first justification in the rules for our spectrum really is: a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications. But as Ria says, there is other value. My love of Amateur radio is the only reason I ended up in electrical engineering in college rather than liberal arts or business or something. It was not Emcomm though I like that aspect now. In the 70’s engineers were not getting jobs easily. Now we are the “STEM” that educators seek. We can do that very well. Some of you have the same story – many do, including Ria I know. So I do not see this blog article as troubling. Dan is a great supporter of amateur radio but his take on this is wrong or he may not know the long range rear view of history. Bob Famiglio, K3RF Vice Director - ARRL Atlantic Division 610-359-7300 www.QRZ.com/db/K3RF From: arrl-odv On Behalf Of rjairam@gmail.com Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 9:18 PM To: John Robert Stratton <N5AUS@n5aus.com> Cc: arrl-odv <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> Subject: [arrl-odv:30429] Re: Urgent Link TL;DR - Emcomm as a reason to keep our spectrum was and is a dead end. Knock, knock, is anyone listening? Emcomm is a noble purpose, part of basis and purpose. But it can’t be the only nor main basket we put our eggs in. And let’s face it - hams are volunteers. Aging volunteers to boot. We will never be equal to trained professionals. Served agencies will avoid hams wherever they can, because we are simply not able to deploy quickly and consistently as needed. We need a plan, yesterday that doesn’t position us solely as the volunteer emergency communications corps. Rather, we need to look at ALL of basis and purpose, and bring that to the community. There is definitely hunger for that sort of thing. Science and education that doesn’t have emcomm as the end goal. Ria N2RJ On Wed, Jun 17, 2020 at 7:24 PM John Robert Stratton <N5AUS@n5aus.com <mailto:N5AUS@n5aus.com> > wrote: See KB6NU's posting on Collins' UrgentLink System https://www.kb6nu.com/collins-driving-another-nail-into-the-amateur-radio-em... -- ______________________________________ John Robert Stratton N5AUS Director West Gulf Division Office: 512-445-6262 Cell: 512-426-2028 P.O. Box 2232 Austin, Texas 78768-2232 ______________________________________ _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org <mailto:arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> https://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv
