It's A Service:

I'm partly ashamed to say that I did indeed read this ENTIRE article and had absolutlly no idea what any of this meant but that might be becauase I'm a new ham or because I'm only 13 but many, many, many of the replies had absolutly nothing to do with the origanal topic so now I have a question burning on my mind...     Whats an "elmer"?

 

Dear KD7QQO,

Welcome to Amateur Radio. And your perceptions about many of the comments having nothing to do with the topic is quite to the point.

To answer your question as to what an "elmer" is...it's an antiquated term refering to an experienced ham operator who acts a mentor or provider of information to newer amateur radio operators.

I use the term "antiquated" only due to the fact that technology has advanced to the state these days that the need to build one's own equipment and such has become rather passe.

73s and best wishes,

Chuck
AA1MN

 

In your fourth paragraph, you have somehow misinterpreted the meaning of "service".

You wrote, "Thus, it sought to establish and maintain a cadre of noncommercial, wireless communications volunteers that helps others. This service angle cannot be overemphasized."

When "service" is used with the word "public" in front of it, then it's easy to define "public service" as 'acts performed in the interests of the public', or in other words, 'helping the public'. But as a word by itself, it has many meanings: a set of articles for a particular use, as in 'dinner service'; a form of worship in a religious ceremony, as in a 'burial service'. I don't think the FCC meant for the Amateur Radio Service to be a burial service. By the same token, I don't agree with your statement I quoted above.

In the context of the FCC rules, the word 'service' means 'an administrative division', as in 'civil service', and other radio services, such as "Citizen Band Radio Service", "Cellular Radiotelephone Service", "Commercial Paging Service", "Personal Communications Service", "General Mobile Radio Service", "Family Radio Service". By your definition, then, every radio "service" was created for the operators to "help others", as you say, merely because the word "service" is part of the name of that service. No, I don't agree. These other 'services' are merely administrative divisions for various bands of frequencies set aside for various purposes. Nothing more.

And actually, in all of 97.1, the word "service" is never used to define a "service" to the public. It's always used to identify an "administrative division". If you read it carefully, you'll see the word "service" used as part of the phrase "amateur radio service" or "amateur service", never as a service to the public.

I can use the word "service" twice in one sentence, and have it mean two different things: "Operators in the Amateur Radio Service may volunteer their time to provide a service to the public."

By defining the word incorrectly, you proceeded to expound based on a partly faulty premise. Now don't get me wrong. I'm active in several groups that perform a service to the public, using the authorization I have to use frequencies in the Amateur Radio Service. So you won't get any objection that we shouldn't participate in public service. But I do not agree that the ARS was necessarily created exclusively to serve the public, nor should it be made mandatory that all amateurs perform public service. Some are in it for self-satisfaction, others are in it for service to the public. Nothing wrong with either of those.

 

Lets all remember the FCC Just doesn't give out Sections of bands for us to waste it with JUST rag chewing. The reason we lose bands is because we have a tendancy to do very little for the FCC versus a commercial operation which would. So we must get involved in as much Emergency and Disater Releif communication. Lastly we must look somewhat Profesional (in all ways - appearance, training, Frequency cordination)

 

hmmmm? I'm sorry but I am trying to get all this and would like to know what the term "Rag Chewing" Refers to It would be a great help to me as I learn more about our wonderful hobby more and more each day

 

Lets define "Public Service". After a 20+ year hiatus from amature radio friends talked me into returning to the hobby. I found the same old ambulance chasers chomping at the bit waiting for the "Big One" to strut their stuff. I go to the emergency radio group meeting and find out the last time they were activated was in 1996 - but by gosh they are training and waiting.

Then I go to another meeting of a group of hams who help out at local functions providing communications for walk-a-thons, community fairs, etc. They give their time and out of pocket expenses and help out all most monthly. They too train for disasters as an adjunct, not main focus.

Guess which group I joined?

As for Elmers, almost all of our VE's offered any assistance they could give when getting set up and running - they have invited me to their informal lunch meetings, say hello when they hear my call sign, and make me feel welcome.

The ultimate for me came when my neighbor saw me setting up my tower. She came over not to complain that I would be interfering with her tv or phone - she wanted to let me know her father was also a Ham who lived in a community about 100 miles away. I made arrangements for her two children (6 and 10) to come over and talk with their grandpa on a repeater we can both hit. The kids were thrilled to get to talk with their grandpa on the radio.

By the way, the 10 year old and his father currently have my ARRL now your talking book...

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (n7lv @ April 09 2002,13:23)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">In the context of the FCC rules, the word 'service' means 'an administrative division', as in 'civil service', and other radio services, such as "Citizen Band Radio Service", "Cellular Radiotelephone Service", "Commercial Paging Service", "Personal Communications Service", "General Mobile Radio Service", "Family Radio Service".  By your definition, then, every radio "service" was created for the operators to "help others", as you say, merely because the word "service" is part of the name of that service.  No, I don't agree.  These other 'services' are merely administrative divisions for various bands of frequencies set aside for various purposes.  Nothing more.

And actually, in all of 97.1, the word "service" is never used to define a "service" to the public.  It's always used to identify an "administrative division".  If you read it carefully, you'll see the word "service" used as part of the phrase "amateur radio service" or "amateur service", never as a service to the public.

I can use the word "service" twice in one sentence, and have it mean two different things:  "Operators in the Amateur Radio Service may volunteer their time to provide a service to the public."[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
It is a hobby that permits us to perform a service if we so desire.  Like if I wish, I may use my car and drive my shut-in neighbor (fictitious - I don't have one) to the store.  But I don't "Have" to.  I can volunteer to take him to the doctor.  I don't 'have' to.   I can volunteer to send a radiogram for him to his son in Okinawa.  I don't 'have' to.  

And remember when the Class D Citizens' Radio Service was established?  Yes, "Service."  But it was restricted to no more than 8 units, under the same license (Base, Mobile 1, etc) and they were not to talk to units of other licensees.  Service?  Only to themselves, under the rules.  But it was the Citizens' Radio Service, later to be known as Citizens' Band.  

Now we have cell phones.  The Cellular Radiotelephone Service.  Am I therefore obligated to use my cell phone to serve others?  "I don't think so, Tim."    But I can if I so wish, and many times I do, to help a stranded motorist, report an accident, assist in directions.  But I don't 'have' to.  

The quoted passage says it properly.  I'm glad I'm in a hobby that allows me, permits me, to perform a service if I wish, provided I don't try to recoup my expenses or make a profit.  That would be hard to do with model railroading.  (But not impossible&#33  Not real easy with golf, either.   But fairly easy with the hobby of ham radio!  Yep, our good old hobby!

 

Thanks for the great comments! What a fine, fast ride, eh?

Looks like the fierce independence of our forebearers is alive and well - thank goodness!

I had good intentions when suggesting the service aspect as a way to demonstrably improve operating practices, even though I know most hams operate their stations in accordance with good engineering and good amateur practice. Having read all the posts, though, it seems that those who oppose my suggestion are not opposed to the THINGS I want to change; rather, they oppose the METHOD I suggested, that is, more regulation that effectively mandates volunteerism. Well, come to think of it, I'm opposed to that, too. In fact, it sounds like most of you are already helping people when you can; are unsure of how to support homeland security; want the public to have a positive view of amateur radio; want more people in amateur radio who will enjoy it; and are tolerant of poor practices as a necessary evil of public communication.

Pro and con alike, you've affirmed my trust in hams. So if you're making a difference with our "art" (and most of us are just by getting on the air regularly), keep it up! And if you're not - how can we help you? 73s ...

KD7PQA

 

Out West we have citizens that like to ride dirt bikes and tear up the countryside, damaging the environment, perhaps irreparably.  Do they have a "right" to pursue this hobby?  Should they, or do they, have to perform some public "service" to be able to do this?  The answer is No, and No.  Instead, through the court of public opinion and through politics, they have obtained access to certain areas of the environment set aside for them for this purpose.  They have convinced the government (of the people) that it is reasonable for them to have a share of a limited resource for their hobby.  Are they saints?  No, they are citizens that recognize they have the ability and the "right" to negotiate a piece of the pie for themselves.  I doubt if they think they are performing a public service.  I imagine, however, they think they are developing themselves and their skills ... and perhaps they are.

I submit that the amateur radio service has a better chance of survival by exercising the political will and strength of its members than by holding out public service as some sort of payback.  The opposite of public service .... bad operating practices ... can surely hurt the chances of survival.  But I doubt that there are enough real public service opportunities to raise the chances significantly.  We deserve the opportunity to pursue our chosen hobby just as much as a group like dirt bikers.  We may soon have to stop patting ourselves on the back about how great we are (public service) and donate a little more to ARRL action funds.  We may have to write letters and lobby.  Our opponents are faceless telecomm companies that don't give a hoot about our public service, and that can readily convince people that it is negligible and inevitably getting more negligible.  

Nothing in this country that isn't in the bill of rights is a right.  It's negotiated.  

 

What some people overlook when they speak of "service" is that our very existance as a resource pool is a form of service even if we never actually are called upon to do anything (as will probably be true for most people). We don't have to specifically go out and perform any particular services.

Those who state that "it is only a hobby" are shortchanging themselves and other amateurs. If this concept becomes widespread, it could provide ammunition to those who want to take parts of our bands for other uses since "amateur radio is just a hobby." We need to focus on the training, experimentation, and acting as a pool of trained operators (i.e. pay more attention to the purpose of amateur radio as defined by the FCC) to continue to be able to justify the allocation of frequencies for our use so that we can continue to enjoy amateur radio in its various facets.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ab8ig @ April 06 2002,08:11)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Radio amateurs were on the air for over thirty years before the FCC was instituted. The verbage used in the regulations was to protect our access to the spectrum which was coveted by commercial interests (sound familiar?). By virtue of our ability we have all contributed to public service even in such mundane situations as helping a lost motorist.
  BTW, our benevolent government does not grant any privelages. It only provides reasonable(?) regulations on our access to public resources.
  Jim[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Please check out and read the book "200 Meters and Down". The first regulations were issued to attempt to force amateurs off the air by banishing them to wavelengths shorter than 200 meters. The early regulations were NOT to protect amateurs from commercial interests. It was just the opposite. I.e. to protect commercial and government interests from the amateurs.

At the time, it was believed that only the longer wavelengths were useful. So amateurs were allocated privileges in the "useless" shortwave bands. But amateurs being what they are, they figured out how to make good use of them.

The FCC is not in the business of protecting amateurs. They are in the business of managing spectrum allocations. Each group that wants it, such as the amateurs, must continually justify their allocation or risk losing it.