FCC May Revise Rules Concerning Disruption to Comms During Disasters

Do they want more volunteers or "hamster communicators"? The American Red Cross is always looking for volunteers, but not hamsters so much because they have their comms covered for the most part. Remember, hams are supposed to be the backup to the backup, not the communications arm for some agency or NGO.

So, what do the EMA's want and why?

 

I'm not sure what "hamsters" are. Is that what you call your brother and sister hams? Sorry, but that's a new one on me.

They want radio amateurs to volunteer for work at EOCs and shelters, including and especially with communications. How do I know that? Because when the local EMA folks want to meet with us to work through plans for the Season, etc. I go. That's how.

 

Rodney, is your local EMA a county organization, or state, or municipal, etc? I think Martin had a local EMA in his parish in LA, which is like a county in 48 states, or a borough in Alaska. I always wonder how people join and what the local requirements might be.

 

It sure is what I call other hams. Try it in context, you meet another random ham in a parking lot, identified by their ham call license plates, and you greet him/her with "Hi, I see you're also a hamster." Usually it provokes a little laughter and good conversation, unless said random ham is one of the humorless, perpetually outraged crowd. Now a term of derision might be "whacker" or something similar -- never, never, make contact with random "whackers" in a parking lot.
They have absolutely no sense of humor and are full of self-importance.

Okay, it looks like you and your group have fallen into the trap Bill Cross warned about. Why do the EMA's need auxiliary comms if "all else hasn't failed"?
(Thanks to N1FM)
Bill Cross, FCC, Dayton, 2009, said that "Section 97.113 is in the rules for two reasons: It meets a statutory requirement and it is there to protect your frequencies from becoming the business radio alternative voice overflow, or 'BRAVO Service.' Because your spectrum is so valuable, if you let users such as businesses, TV stations, the National Weather Service or other users -- be they for-profit or non-profit -- use your frequencies to meet their communications needs, your frequencies will become their frequencies. All it takes is an allocation proceeding with the FCC, and your spectrum is gone. And you will be left whining about it in Internet chat rooms."

 

If your 911 call is routed from Dallas through Atlanta, then Chicago, then back to a 911 center five miles from you there's bound to be all kinds of things that could go wrong. Then there's the 911 centers that are grossly understaffed and under-equipped. Some calls take 5 minutes to answer and you hear about 20 minute waits just to talk to an operator. Welcome to the new age of communications. Emergencies are not of interest to investors and even municipalities often give them low priority in budgets. It sounds like the Commission is asking if it needs to nudge telecom and local governments with more oversight.

 

I skipped the article!

 

A good number of times I've come across fellow hams with 2 meter mobile and "call sign license" plates tooling down the road. I've pulled beside them and sent a Morse code "hello om"with my SUV horn and every time the hams looked at me like I was crazy because they didn't know code.

 

Do you blame them? Give a few untrained and self important types even a tiny bit of authority and all hell breaks loose.

 

If a County doesn't have Phase 2 for cellular locating by now, there is a problem. If that County has an encrypted P25 phase 2 radio system and no Phase 2 locating services, someone needs to be losing their jobs and stripped of pensions over that decision.

 

Forget the popcorn. Hamsters run on donuts......

Why CNR, and not hams? Think about it. In a true emergency, you want to be able to communicate to as many as possible, near and far. Boots on the ground with Handie Talkies in hand. License-free FRS or the “on steroids” version, GMRS for a few bucks every 10 years. They do the same thing we can and no licenses needed that require exams.

How does ARRL address “communicating with as many as possible?” Insistence on using HF Winlink, instead of HF SSB. That’s right. Limit the assistance cadre to only Winlinkers and not the “great sea” of hams out there willing to listen and help out. And, those doing their Winlink thing end up sending picture files back and forth among themselves. Great.

Then, so many of us are repeater addicts and don’t know the potential and limitations of simplex operation. Fixed infrastructure gets damaged and loses power. How many clubs have trailers with crankup towers and portable repeaters? Few, except perhaps “Cadillac Style” Dayton ARA. Was its huge, well-outfitted bobtail truck and gear driven to NO? Nope. Maybe Newington ought to establish a support fund to encourage and support its deployment. If for nothing else, to show off a really classy setup.

Oh, but in the case of Hurricane Ida, only a few 4G and 5G cell sites in NO were operable with genset power. Uh, and even those made Winlink setups look like vintage can and string fumbling; and were totally unnecessary space-takers. Cell phone texting saved the day.....again. And, within 24 hours, add to the mix FEMA satellite link trucks with onboard power were on scene. And, now with Satlink slip-on cellphone adapters, direct via satellite and no extra umbilical cords. Slick.

Why/how is CNR effective? Boots on the ground in the field. In the muddy water. Not sitting in some comfy Emcom room on high ground dunking donuts, while others are out getting their boots wet and helping people. All the while ARRL counsels us: “don’t deploy.” Wait til your Section Emcom Guru says “go.” Those that want to help already are and don’t mind getting wet.

 

In a nutshell, are there any further inquiries as to why "the Amateur Radio Service" is being charged a fee for licensing/renewal?

Face it boys and girls. We ARE simply nothing more than hobbyists, even to those WE ONCE SERVED.

Oh, well. We had a good run.

 

Yet another encroachment on the American citizen from a corrupt government.

 

My local EOC

Our emergency management for the County uses our team often. We even get activated by our EOC for the NWS office during major snow events and phone/ internet outages

 

Yes, that was definitely the reason.