Government taking over Ham radio & EMCOMM

[KB7DQT]

Is it just me being paranoid or are the governmental agencies taking over Ham radio and EMCOMM. #

I am a member of Army MARS (which seems to be fading fast) and they are working with TSA to provide HF communications between airports and state DEM's during large events. #It seems that the TSA is having their employees get licensed as hams so they can talk on Ham frequencies to complete this task. #Just look at the cover of QST.

Our local county and city have required many of our health department field and office employees to get licensed as well. #I have talked to some of these folks and they have no interest in Ham radio at all. #Our local fire chief is also getting licensed so he can operate the Ham radios that a homeland security grant provided during a wide spread event to talk to the counties EOC.

I also understand that there are many 220 packet links setup here in Washington State to pass email and messages from EOC to EOC automatically.

I wonder how this is being managed and who is watching over the users of the system.

Anyone else seeing this subtle take over in you area?

The days of volunteers helping out in any major planning and/or training are getting short.

The only good part of this is that when IT does hit the fan I know who will be able to get the systems back up and get on the air, the Amateur radio operators that do it just for fun. #To bad it will take the "3's" (TSA, FCC, HSA, FED,) days to figure this out and put us to good use.

Please help me to understand.......

Tom
KB7DQT
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[kl7aj]

We have a few dedicated whackers in our own ham club who seem to be determined to hijack the hobby. I think they were just deprived of playing cops and robbers in their childhood. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[K7JEM]

Quote[/b] (KB7DQT @ Aug. 30 2007,14:23)]Is it just me being paranoid .....

Tom
KB7DQT
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Yes.

[WA9SVD]

Quote[/b] (K7JEM @ Aug. 30 2007,14:29)]Quote[/b] (KB7DQT @ Aug. 30 2007,14:23)]Is it just me being paranoid .....

Tom
KB7DQT
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Yes.
Yes, it IS you, and you are being paranoid. (The FBI made me say that...) http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

The subject IS being discussed in a couple of current threads here, and no, you are not being paranoid. The whackers and "EMCOMM FIRST, FORMEMOST, AND ONLY reason" mentality for Amateur Radio is spreading.

The fallacy of all this "EMCOMM über alles" thinking is that along with the demise of Amateur Radio as we know it, there could come a time when only EMCOMM operators exist, and when actual TECHNICAL expertise or even knowledge is needed, there will be no one to respond.

So the infrastructure (government) in it's greed to grab anything and everything, will end up entangling the EMCOMM (Amateur) Radio Service in it's own web and it will fail along with the rest of the institutionalized services.

[kb9sxk]

"Is it just me being paranoid or are the governmental agencies taking over Ham radio and EMCOMM. "

Yes, it is you.:p

No take over........Just a chance for hams who enjoy service to serve #No one will force you to help.

[kb9xn]

YES it is you!!!

[ka0gkt]

Remember, even paranoids have people out to get them.

73 DE KAØGKT/7

--Steve

[K0HWY]

A government EMCOMM takeover conspiracy, even if true, would have to take a back seat to the other issues that are eating away at the amateur radio hobby.

[N2RJ]

I think the Government should just get their own radios and stay off the ham bands.

[kc9kow]

We can realistically blame this on the ARRL with their "When all else fails, Amateur Radio" campaign.

Emcomm is a fun and worthwhile thing to do, and those who go get the training, and get regular practice as in drills, etc. are good and fine under proper guidance since they aren't in the EOC / call center for 8 or 12 hours a day.

Amateur radio is first and foremost just a fun, social thing to do. As it is currently, Emcomm done by amateur radio is dwindling here in illinois. The SC21 syatems, and other comms upkeep has really close to eliminated the need for us. That's just our situation here, and I speak just for my own observations of my region.

I swear there needs to be a psych test and psych interview before an amateur is licensed! This buisness with calling or reporting to the EOC with no knowledge of how to program a radio and use it is just a time waster that is better spent on doing the real job.

[N2RJ]

Actually ARRL isn't totally to blame. I would instead blame the Government who made ham radio emcomm activities eligible for homeland security grant money.

[kb9sxk]

Quote[/b] (N2RJ @ Sep. 01 2007,19:50)]I think the Government should just get their own radios and stay off the ham bands.
You mean, like they do now? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[K1CJS]

Yes, it seems that they are doing just that. However, until I'm told I am required to clear off the frequency I'm using to accommodate those 'whackers', I'm just going to continue to use the bands as I normally would.

There is one of those 'deprived' individuals in my area, indeed I know him personally, who once wanted to 'take over' a local two meter repeater and have everyone else clear off of it so he could do so. He was informed--by the repeater trustee--he had no right to do so, so he went and financed his own repeater system in the next town. Almost nobody will use that repeater except for his cronies.

I'm still crying over the loss.......NOT!

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (kb9sxk @ Sep. 02 2007,00:42)]Quote[/b] (N2RJ @ Sep. 01 2007,19:50)]I think the Government should just get their own radios and stay off the ham bands.
You mean, like they do now? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Yep.

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif