Vice Director Famiglio wrote, "Are there any PR opportunities in favor of hams here, BTW?" Our traditional ARES role is post-emergency relief. Police intelligence assistance, as suggested by Director Jairam is an excellent idea. Your average police department has very little insight as to how to monitor tactical frequencies. It is assumed that otherwise scofflaws are legally using FRMS/GRMS frequencies. Some are - but when people are carrying $2,000 worth of weapons and ammunition, a $200 HT is not a problem. An informative video would be to help law enforcement identify radio types and potential use. A "hear something, say something" notice might be helpful, with explicit instructions on how a listener - amateur or unlicensed hobbyist - can scan and listen for activity, then create a report that is valuable to law enforcement. We would need input from Homeland Security as to how they want this reported, and to whom. Finally, let's not forget that some of our members are a part of this movement and that they may be involved in subversive communications plans. Mickey Baker, N4MB Palm Beach Gardens, FL *“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead." Robert K. Greenleaf* On Tue, Jan 12, 2021 at 11:40 AM Bob Famiglio, K3RF via arrl-odv < arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> wrote:
We all likely know the public associates most two-way radio devices, or “walkie-talkies” (if not characterized as police/fire/ems or business from the context) as “hams” or sometimes “CBs”, regardless of actual device. The one in the picture brings to mind the spread spectrum line of 900 MHz encrypted 1 watt license free radios sold by Motorola. They work great, are secure, and have surprising coverage. As Ria suggested, most of the subject activity occurs on FRS/GMRS but the rest is all over the spectrum. The most comms used in the riots, though, are cell phones. Just look at the videos. Text, one-to-many works great.
What I have found over the last several years is lots of activity on the factory loaded test frequencies used by BaoFeng. Take a look at the factory frequencies for a $40 UV5-R, for example, and go listen there on a good, high discone antenna. Near population centers, you will find what likely is sporadic, unlicensed simplex activity- no part 90 call signs and clearly not legit business activity. The tell is when they are on the factory loaded ham frequencies like the CW portion of 2 meters. Load a scanner and let it run all day, particularly weekends, with an auto record function. It’s like fishing. The SDRPlay Duo I have does this out of the box. We have the University of Pennsylvania 20 repeater multistate system N3KZ shut down for the time being because of unlicensed use (preppers) not likely associated with the riots. It covers down to the Washington suburbs and up to NYC.
The danger is that if unknowing news media takes a wrong turn in their reporting, imagine the false impression for “Hams Aid Insurrectionist in Riot”, even though no hams likely participated on a ham frequency. That thought is going to keep me up for a night.
Ham bands are likely the most monitored because, well, we are hams. And of course the Feds have monitoring equipment we would all drool over anyway. We need to put water on any rumor hams are somehow providing communications. I also agree this is not a communications emergency. If it turns out to be, we are all in it deep.
Are there any PR opportunities in favor of hams here, BTW? What we need to say, if anything, to ARES teams needs some thought, but they need to never self-deploy or take any action. When one only has a (communications) hammer, everything looks like a nail.
*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:* Tuesday, January 12, 2021 10:54 AM *To:* Minster, David NA2AA (CEO) <dminster@arrl.org> *Cc:* arrl-odv <arrl-odv@arrl.org> *Subject:* [arrl-odv:31626] Re: IMPORTANT: Inauguration Week social unrest
Hi David
We should not encourage self deployment. If we are asked by local law enforcement then we should be engaged but otherwise it’s best to stay away. We should be actively asking ARES members to stay away unless officially deployed by local law enforcement (which is unlikely as this is not a communications emergency).
Other than that, wideband monitoring and recording of FRS/GMRS comms would help. But I don’t really think we should go publicly asking our members to do this as it could encourage attacks against us.
Actually this would be a perfect assignment for the volunteer monitors to do and coordinate through Riley Hollingsworth. They already have the tools and training. All they have to do is make recordings and keep them in case we are asked to help identify communications involved in this activity.
73
Ria
N2RJ
On Tue, Jan 12, 2021 at 10:31 AM Minster, David NA2AA (CEO) < dminster@arrl.org> wrote:
I know we are all busy preparing for the upcoming board meeting, but this cannot wait.
We have been approached now 5 times by a reporter from CNN who is pushing the narrative that the protest turned violent at the Capitol building was well coordinated using radios, and wants to know if they were amateur radios.
We’ve been in touch with the Maryland-DC Section Manager who has given Bob detailed feedback about how his team used their monitoring of simplex and repeater frequencies for situational awareness of the unrest. Nothing – absolutely nothing – was received on the frequencies monitored.
Bob has provided the CNN reporter with precisely that information: hams were monitoring, situationally aware, and absolutely nothing heard on the amateur bands.
The FBI has now issued warnings about expected protests and potential riots in DC as well as all 50 state capitals next week. Especially on Inauguration Day. Our EmComm served agencies are going to be on alert or on duty.
I believe we have an obligation to give some kind of guidance to our members, especially given the potential widespread geographic impact of these protests.
Would we encourage EmComm (ARES) members to coordinate with their local SEC’s or other leadership to know what local activity is being planned?
Should we be giving guidelines with regard to what we view as being safe and acceptable situational awareness activities?
Should we be encouraging members who are not ARES (or otherwise) trained to stay away from these areas?
Given the high profile that handheld radios have received by the national press (including numerous images on the nightly news networks) over the past few days, I think we must take a proactive position – and keep amateur radio out of the dialog surrounding these protests or, worse, riots.
Comments?
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