Ham radio interconnect with public safety etc?

[WA9SVD]

The word "interconnect" usually involves some sort of hardware, perhaps a crossband repeater, or a direct connection at a dispatch site. These are commonly used on PS channels to permit cross agency communications. Each licensee would stay on their own channel(s), the hardware would make the interconnect.

Such things are currently prohibited by part 97, except in the most dire of circumstances.

Joe

For once I agree entirely with Joe. Such "interconnect" would definitely be in violation of §Part 97. Except in situations involving imminent danger to life or property, we are prohibited from communicating with ANYONE other than licensed Amateurs, even "cross band." The FCC makes only ONE exception; that's the yearly Amateur?MARS crossband test in May of each year, usually on or near Armed Forces Day. Even then, Amateurs are transmitting on published AMATEUR frequencies, and the MARS stations use DoD frequencies close to our Amateur bands.

It would be a travesty to allow such "interconnect," because it violates the principles of Amateur Radio regarding pecuniary interests and our "Amateur," VOLUNTARY existence.

[WA9SVD]

I have heard a story , military and coast guard come on ham frequency to communicate directly with ham, so I assume, it is being done already ? I guess military does not need ham license to transmit in ham band ? or may be some frequency are shared between military and ham ?

That MAY be the case in a situation where life or property (i.e., a sinking boat) are in imminent danger, and an Amateur's cooperation is required because no other means of communication is available with the person or persons in jeopardy. Otherwise, it's just urban legend, and it would be illegal for "OTHER" Amateurs to join into such communications. THAT would be considered intentional interference.

[WA9SVD]

Probably the simplest way to acheive interconnect or interoprability between public safety and Amateur Radio is simple cross band operation. That is, public safety transmits on their frequencies and Amateurs listen there. Then Amateurs transmit on their bands and public safety listens there.

This is same sort of arrangement that is used annually during the Armed Forces Day crossband test.

You too can acheive interoperability by using radios/scanners that you may already have just laying around the house.

Operation in RACES does provide for communications with other radio services administered by the FCC if so authorized:

97.407
(c) A amateur station registered with a civil defense organization may only communicate with the following stations upon authorization of the responsible civil defense official for the organization with which the amateur station is registered:

(1) an amateur station registered with the same or another civil defense organization;
(2) A station in a service regulated by the FCC whenever such communication is authorized by the FCC.


Note that it it specifies that such cross service communication must be authorized by the FCC, not the responsible civil defense official.

Andy - WY5V

You made your own point. ANY "crossband" operation MUST be authorized by the FCC, and that would be on an individual basis in the event of a major emergency, not just when some local official wants it. The FCC makes it clear that the Annual Armed Forces crossband test is the ONLY time there's a blanket authorization for Amateurs to communicate with non-Amateur operators in a non-emergency basis.

[NL7W]

Like usual, Gerry has nailed it. His experience speaks volumes in this area.

And as other have stated, interconnecting radio equipment, via Raytheon ACU-1000 or similar linking equipment is NOT the issue. THAT'S relatively easy to do with a myriad of equipment available today. The issues are first and foremost commonsensical... then organizational, cultural, and potentially "legal" in nature.

And as Gerry has said, the gulf between the "Average Joe" ham and public safety communicators is great. Trained hams, strategically placed at a dispatch or similar "command post" facilities, would act as a filter between ham ops and already busy officials and dispatchers.

Interconnects between different portions of the spectrum are usually accomplished by "black boxes" like the ACU 1000 or other, newer, devices. Having run a public safety communications system as well as being an "emcomm active" ham for over 50 years I would argue strongly against it. First of all what is the need? (in the real world, practically none). Second, it would be extremely confusing. Amateur operations and public safety communications are very dissimilar. Sorry but my observation over the years has been that far too many hams run at the mouth whereas most PS communications are short and to the point.

The best way, IMO, to pass traffic from one service to another is by having a trained, disciplined ham in the public safety dispatch center to relay traffic..

[N8CPA]

Military use of the ham bands is rare, but does happen. The only such event I can remember being reported happened during Hurricane Katrina. I don't remember all of the details, but a military aircraft needed information from the ground station, and came onto the ham bands looking for assistance. The first ham they tried refused to talk to them, because Part 97 says we can only talk to other amateurs! That created a huge stink! The Coast Guard will come into the ham bands if there is a vessel in distress, and that vessel is operating on ham frequencies. I've heard this happen several times on the Maritime Mobile Net on 14.300. The military is secondary on most of our bands, and primary on all of our UHF and higher bands, so no, they don't need a license to be there.

Don't confuse the military with the local police and emergency management people. They are two separate entities, and by law, they are supposed to stay that way.

It happened on the Hurricane Watch Net while I was listening. I don't recall exactly why they called, but I remember thinking at the time that is was a matter of life and death, thus legal.

[N7WR]

Many decades ago I heard a call for assistance on 20 meters, from a sail boat in the Pacific between French Polynesia and Hawaii. The vessel had de-masted injuring several crew and was basically at the mercy of the sea. I responded to the call, made contact, got the pertinent information and called the USCG SAR center in San Francisco. One of the first questions they asked was the radio frequency the vessel was on. Not long thereafter my duty was done as USCG Honolulu came up on frequency and established direct contact with the vessel. Many months later I actually got to meet the ham who put out the distress call when the vessel, repaired in Hawaii, arrived at its home port of Long Beach, CA. That was neat.

[W4PG]

Seems to me in an emergency anything goes. Anyone want to tell someone they can't talk to someone else during an emergency? Is this just silly or what?

............Bob