How to Beat the BPL Blues !

[kb9ibw]

CQ,CQ,CQ all Radio Amateurs!
A great way to put a positive spotlite on our hobby, and to promote it's growth is through good positive Special Events that allows the media, and public to participate in our hobby. The momentium is there for Military related Special Events as many communities, and media outlets are featuring Military Pride.

Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day is an event that allows amateurs worldwide to team up and display our hobby to large audiences during one event.
By working with our communities, and providing a public service that touches the hearts of those that have loved ones deployed we can bring attention to our hobby, and promote growth. We also would gain support for our cause, and start a cure for BPL Blues!

The communites, and media are behind those that serve. ARMAD allows us to provide real time LIVE contacts to Stateside, overseas, and to our remote military installations, as well as to Readiness groups, and the families of those that serve.

If we work together as Amateurs during such an event we would only help to promote amateur radio, and keep the hobby growing and alive.

A great exmple of this is the opportunity that we have as amateurs to work with the Golden Corral Resturants to link Veteran's and Active Duty personnel together by radio on each Military Appreciation Day held by the resturant chain. The media attention for Amateur Radio would be great for our cause.

To find out more about ARMAD visit http://www.freewebs.com/kb9ibw

Let's work together to keep Ham Radio alive, and to get public support!

[WF7I]

Is this a new group that you're forming, or an existing one you're promoting?

For some reason in the age of cell phones and the internet, linking people up via radio just doesn't have the same aura as it once did. Not to be a wet blanket, but just my opinion.

I do agree with Quote[/b] ]A great way to put a positive spotlite on our hobby, and to promote it's growth is through good positive Special Events that allows the media, and public to participate in our hobby though.

[KT0DD]

Placing emphasis on being independent of man made wire/cable pipelines, and being able to function in times of disaster and power failures may offset the ho hum apathy of those who only put faith in cell phones!http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[WD8OQX]

For years I (& others here) have been trying to educate the public to what ham radio is but there are still those that don't know at all or are mis-informed. Given that, we hams should use every opportunity we have to get the right info out.

I agree that the best way to fight BPL is to let the public know what is in store all the way. Not just what it will do to hams, but everything - broadcast TV & radio as well as other emergency freq., for example.

[n0ov]

Quote[/b] (WF7I @ Nov. 11 2004,17:13)]For some reason in the age of cell phones and the internet, linking people up via radio just doesn't have the same aura as it once did. #Not to be a wet blanket, but just my opinion.
I agree that cell phones and the internet are lot easier.

However, I've been stationed in several places where cell phones and the internet was not available. If I knew about Amateur radio then, many of us could have stayed in contact with our loved ones -- more often and at a lot lower cost (when we could find a phone line)

I guess there will always be a place for Amateur Radio -- it just won't fit into the same mold it did 10 years ago (0r 50)

Good post

[w4khr]

Quote[/b] ]Quote (WF7I @ Nov. 11 2004,17:13)
For some reason in the age of cell phones and the internet, linking people up via radio just doesn't have the same aura as it once did. Not to be a wet blanket, but just my opinion.

I agree that cell phones and the internet are lot easier.

However, I've been stationed in several places where cell phones and the internet was not available. If I knew about Amateur radio then, many of us could have stayed in contact with our loved ones -- more often and at a lot lower cost (when we could find a phone line)

I guess there will always be a place for Amateur Radio -- it just won't fit into the same mold it did 10 years ago (0r 50)



I'd like to point out that cell phones will not be much help in cases of widespread power outages, hurricane or tornado strenght wind conditions, earthquakes and some other catastrophic events. If the cell tower comes down, is out of power, or suffers water damage, emergency service workers will rely strictly on radio communications and as we saw on 9/11, amateur radio can be an invaluable service. And isn't it interesting that interest in amateur radio is highest even the age of the internet, cell phones, and other new communications media. Keep the faith, guys!

73...
Kevin Roberts, W4KHR
Chattanooga, TN

[KI4BBO]

Yeah, I know way too many people that don't have the slighest clue what Amateur Radio really is :P

And sadly BPL is being tested in the county I am living in.. I don't have HF privlages (not yet anyway http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ) so I haven't noticed any difference there, it could be unrelated, but I have notced increased static on two meters.. but I have a feeling thats just because of the current weather conditions.

Josh

[kb7rky]

Quote[/b] (KT0DD @ Nov. 12 2004,19:00)]Placing emphasis on being independent of man made wire/cable pipelines, and being able to function in times of disaster and power failures may offset the ho hum apathy of those who only put faith in cell phones!http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
This just in:

Cell phones don't work "everywhere", ladies and gentlemen, regardless of the "Can you hear me now?" and the "coast to coast" walkie-talkie commercials you see flooding the airwaves.

When was the last time you could change frequencies on your cell phone when the site went down? Or, when your ISP was offline? When was the last time you could talk simplex to another cell phone or computer (without using packet)? I think I can count on one hand the number of times I had to do those when my services weren't available...hmm...lessee...no fingers...

Not only that, but when was the last time you had to pay for the airtime or the monthly access fee to use your local 10m/2m/220/440/900/1200 repeater? Or, how many times have you called CQ on your Whiz Bang 1000 HF Radio and had someone answer your call from across the country?

Try THAT with a cell phone or the Internet...

There are so many modes we as amateur radio operators have at our disposal that most people take for granted, or choose to forget about...until a real crisis arises. Then, they turn to us when the cell phones sites are down and computers are sitting useless in some darkened building after a natural or manmade disaster.

I agree that cell phones and the Internet, while they do have their place, should never be taken for granted, nor should our reliance on technology. The day will come when the only means of communication will be some elmer sitting in his shack with his banks of radios as he acts as the lifeline to the outside world.

Just my 2 cents' worth:

Doug, KB7RKY

[kb7rky]

Quote[/b] (KI4BBO @ Nov. 15 2004,19:04)]Yeah, I know way too many people that don't have the slighest clue what Amateur Radio really is :P
Lemme guess, Josh...you get the blank stares, too, when you say "I'm an amateur radio operator"?

I usually have to explain it in terms that a three-year-old would find insulting...usually when I say "shortwave radio" or "ham radio" do they finally 'get it'...and then it's "Oh, really? How far away have you talked to someone?"

"Well, Sparky," I usually think, "judging from your initial reaction, I'd say you were about to Pluto when you said 'duuuuh...what's amateur radio?'"

...but I usually follow it up with "Oh, to about Seattle...I talk to people in Spokane on a daily basis..."

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

Doug, KB7RKY

[kb9ibw]

Thanks to all the Stations that joined us for Military Appreciation Day - Golden Corral. We had a great time, and the management was impressed! We had qso's with many stations and several other Golden Corral locations.
This is the kind of event that brings new life to Amateur Radio.
Please visit www.freewebs.com/kb9ibw for more information about Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day.

KB9IBW