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Force of Two: In Depth stories from 2 Puerto Rico volunteers on HamRadioNow

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by K4AAQ, Oct 28, 2017.

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  1. AA7EJ

    AA7EJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    "Another theme that comes through is that ham volunteers need to volunteers who know how to operate radios rather than just radio operators."

    You have asked /posted "what can be done differently next time".

    Here are some provoking thoughts.

    The concept of "trained / certified amateur radio ( emergency) operators" is IMHO wrong and that is why the "force X mobilization " failed big time and should not be repeated in the future.


    Unless the ENTIRE amateur radio population in the affected area is UNABLE to provide communication, which we were lead to believe was the case of PR, ANY able bodied and willing amateur radio operator IN THE AFFECTED area should be able to provide communication as requested / needed by LOCAL organizations.

    The key is - as requested / needed by LOCAL organizations.
    IMHO the "force X mobilization " failed to recognize such local needs and was initially tasked with ARC pipe dream of providing "communication" of dubious value by collecting statistical data.

    If we accept our roles as "communicators ONLY " passing either H@W or replacing failed communication system of local fire department - ANY licensed (?) amateur operator should be able to pass required traffic using equipment he / she is familiar with.

    Somehow this whole "emcom" training program is missing the "communication only" concept.
    We are talking about essential emergency communication, not passing 3.5 million H@W messages as was speculated in some other post here.
    The formal "traffic handling training ability " or actual technology used is of no interest to the "customer" as long as the message gets thru.

    Yes, it is beneficial to be CERT , EMT, CPR etc certified - but how local fire department operates should be of no concern of emcom operator as long as HE / SHE can FOLLOW instructions.

    To put it bluntly "we don't need no stinking badges " , but we should be able to "lead , follow or get out of the way " next time . KISS

    73 Shirley
     
    W7ASA likes this.
  2. KG7LEA

    KG7LEA Ham Member QRZ Page

    I don't think that is accurate at all. The deployed group was given different missions and performed each one well despite many limitations. There is nothing to measure their performance against. There were individual failures, but the group delivered as required and, in, some cases, exceeded expectations.
     
  3. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    There wasn't any 'failure'...

    Desiring improvement is not predicated on the previous effort failing in some way...
     
    KG7LEA likes this.
  4. AA7EJ

    AA7EJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    I am really not interested in dragging on the pro / cons discussion about the "force of X" success or failure.

    What I am saying is - amateur radio "emergency" communication should not be limited to selected few and publicity stunts like ARRL/ ARC would not be necessary.

    I am calling it "publicity stunt" because there were active communications going on BEFORE ARRL / ARC "teams" arrived. I got my H@W message request thru ordinary hams. I have not seen any pictures, "talk shows", interviews or any other credits given to those amateur radio operators, nowhere!

    So - here is one from one ham to another -

    THANKS guys for being there, you help was and is much appreciated.

    73 Shirley
     
    K9UR and AI7PM like this.
  5. KG7LEA

    KG7LEA Ham Member QRZ Page

    I have interviewed several Puerto Rico volunteers and I don't think anyone but the Red Cross could have logistically supported volunteers in this situation as well as they were. Perhaps the ARRL or another NGO has food, lodging, transportation, etc. available for out-of-town help. FEMA? They have SHARES. I know that my city and my ARES group does not include plans to support a Force Of Fifty.
     
  6. AA7EJ

    AA7EJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Nonsense.
    During Harvey local service organizations and churches housed and fed many.
    With neighborhood citizens supplied food, clothing , tons of bedding etc.

    That is not newsworthy to entertainment media, so it was not widely broadcast to the rest of the country. I am willing to bet that same went on on PR - locals helping themselves without much publicity. ( Using "community SAT phones" irregardless who supplied them ).

    I have an idea where this expectations that national organizations and government is the ONLY solution. Seen that during Ike.

    But my view would be politically incorrect, so I'll won't tell.

    73 Shirley
     
    AI7PM likes this.
  7. KG7LEA

    KG7LEA Ham Member QRZ Page

    Perhaps this is one logistic solution for volunteer hams deployed out of town. When the ARRL organizes its pool of trained traveling volunteers, it will need to transport and support them somehow or else the volunteers will learn to forage.

    The pool of volunteers will need a name.
     
  8. N0DZQ

    N0DZQ Ham Member QRZ Page


    The ARRL has a name for these people. They are called... CONTESTERS.

    The league had opportunity for years to train people but chose a different path. They selected quantity for the prize instead of traffic handling abilities. Why even now they are promoting their "new and exciting" International Grid Chase. Makes one wonder why they hold onto the name of the American Radio Relay League.

    Emergency Managers and NGOs look for disciplined people who are proficient with Winlink, FLdigi, mechanical aptitude, and can operate for hours unnoticed in a back room. Arriving at an incident in your Icom tee shirt and touting your proficient with uploading to the LoTW doesn't set well with the aforementioned . Until Newington can grasp that... there is no need to worry how to feed and house them.
     
  9. K0IDT

    K0IDT Ham Member QRZ Page

    You are going after the wrong problem, The ARRL is a publishing house that has a membership organization, it doesn't care where the members come from as
    long as they join. It's struggling with declining membership and no clearly defined way to bring in new (younger) hams. I can almost guarantee attracting the
    younger crowd doesn't involve emcomm or traffic handling in any form.
     
  10. N0DZQ

    N0DZQ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Exactly the problem. They have become irrelevant because of their own shortsightedness. And I agree, when all else fails there is beer. ;)
     
  11. W0PV

    W0PV Ham Member QRZ Page

    I think you're not taking a shot at contesters and contesting (?) so much as at the current rules of most contests, ie, emphasis on quantity of QSO's per unit time versus other qualities of the contest experience that could be more aligned with an EMCOMM training analogy.

    Contesting teaches fundamental radio operating very very well, and in the Maria storm EMCOMM situation, many contesters and their stations were instrumental on HF as NCS, keeping channels clear of QRM, and doing hands-on message passing.

    That being said I agree that present contests are long overdue to be modified to serve as an EMCOMM training vehicle.

    This doesn't need to be done with all contests. For example, leave the DX contests alone. (VHF too)

    But do something with the "domestic" events, ie, FD , QSO Parties, and especially Sweepstakes; the latter ironically becoming excessively irrelevant and boring.

    They don't need to be scrapped or wholesale changed. Just an incremental addition. Make a rule that enables BONUS POINTS for each QSO that includes some sort of OPTIONAL longer "traffic" message data embedded in or appended to the usual QSO exchange.

    An example is the long running Worked All Europe contest that employs a concept called passing QTC's. Those are sets of dynamic data derived from the actual contest log. An example for FD or SS could be something else, like FCC ULS station address or some other unique data of a minimum character length.

    Competitors could choose to use the expanded exchange, or not. But those who do choose to try passing the extra traffic get more points per successful data character exchanged. Casual ops can keep it simple, but I know which way serious contesters will choose!

    That could be a win-win for revitalizing some contests, training those fundamentals, yet also helping to prepare for the EMCOMM experience.

    The problem with getting that accomplished seems to be an ARRL BOD / Programs and Services Committee preoccupied with policy opaqueness and other power-play drama, like avoiding elections, and promoting their own personal agendas.

    73 de John - WØPV

    PS - their new idea, International Grid Chase, like NPOTA, are NOT contests :rolleyes:. Just low intensity enticements to do anything that gets OTA, which IMO is just fine.
     
    W4POT and K0IDT like this.
  12. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Well, an example: Valerie, NV9L, is a contester. It is silly to imply that she was poorly trained for the tasks in Puerto Rico.
     
  13. W0PV

    W0PV Ham Member QRZ Page

    Yes, Val does quite well OTA in contests; Jerry WB9Z is a great station builder, role model and mentor. Bill K4XS was also on "The Force"; check out his 2017 CQWW SSB SOSB(A)20 score!

    Radio-sport fundamentals are great for EMCOMM operators too, but not quite as useful as other skills are off-the-air behind the scenes. So those with contesting skills are probably more useful staying on-the-air, not attending meetings or producing publicity anecdotes.

    It's alarming to hear or read that more then one field assigned Force op or indigenous KP4 reported the HQ NCS station K1M was apparently at times left unattended. Important calls were made to it that were unanswered. That doesn't happen in a competent contest operation.

    {Unless its a raw rookie playing around with SO2R and not paying enough attention! :mad:}
     
    Last edited: Nov 14, 2017
  14. N0DZQ

    N0DZQ Ham Member QRZ Page

     
  15. AA7EJ

    AA7EJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    "The concept of "trained / certified amateur radio ( emergency) operators" is IMHO wrong and that is why the "force X mobilization " failed big time and should not be repeated in the future."


    Apparently I did not get my point across.

    I strongly feel that ANY amateur radio operator should be able to assist as necessary.
    Irregardless of perceived or required certification / experience etc.
    Relying on organized ( which PR mobilization was not ) and certified selected few is conceptually wrong.
    I am still talking about passing short, simple and small quantity of messages.

    It has been done before and "documented".
    Here is a proof, Google translator MAY convince you.
    And here is the important part from the link.

    Solidarita a charita. Bylo mně devět roků, když jsem poslouchal v rádiu hru podle filmu „Kdyby všichni chlapi světa“. Francouzský film byl o záchraně rybářské lodi „Lutéca“, jejíž posádka na moři u Norska večer těžce onemocní a hrozí jí smrt otravou botulinem, nedostane-li ráno před osmou hodinou sérum.

    Kapitán volá krátkovlnnou amatérskou vysílačkou o pomoc. Hlášení zachytne amatér v severní Africe. SOS vysílané z Toga zachytí radioamatér v Paříži, jemuž se podaří získat sérum a poslat ho do Berlína. Zásluhou amerického vojáka a sovětského policejního důstojníka se lék dostane včas do Norska a je shozen do moře u lodi, vytáhne ho na palubu jediný zdravý – Arab Muhammad, co nejedl vepřiové maso, a vyléčí jím na poslední chvíli ostatní. Drama se šťastným koncem o solidaritě lidí různých národností, kteří zachrání deset neznámých námořníků, mě dojal. Ani mě v mé dětské naivnosti nenapadlo, jestli byli ti mořští vlci pojištění, a kdo to sérum za ně zaplatil…?


    http://olser.cz/2710/kdyby-vsichni-chlapi-sveta-aneb-solidarita-co-chybi-dr-cvachum…/

    I did not look for the movie, but it may be somewhere on the net.

    73 Shirley
     

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