Jim, I would have to say that it is your interpretation of history that distorts the facts. Radio amateurs, myself included, have be involved in emergency communications since the beginning of radio. After all the initial impetus for radio was for safety of ships at sea and radio amateurs were involved early on.
The rules and regulations that you refer to have been changed some over the years. If the FCC revisted the principles today, they would likely make further changes and I suspect not to your likeing. The principles dealing with a trained pool of operators and technical expertise is of much lower value today. When CW was discontinued by the government and other organizations, a huge sea change occurred. Public service can and does go beyond strictly emergency communications. For those of us who used to be active in the NTS, participating in public support (parades, competitions, etc.), emergency drills including nuclear plant protection, etc., it is not just emergency communications. But we need to have the equipment and skills and have some kind of structure in place to make things happen when emergencies happen. Because the value of most of the 5 principles is so reduced today, the public service component is one of the few things we have left to justify our frequencies. Ask yourself this basic question: If there was no amateur radio today, how likely is it that governments would agree to set up these enormous blocks of frequencies for a few citizens to play around with as a hobby? 73, Rick, KV9U jgorman01 wrote: > Rick, > > But you can't change history. Amateur Radio was around long before > emcomms was considered an important item, and the rules and > regulations have been developed throughout the 20th century. Just > because you feel that at the current time, emcomms have become most > important doesn't change all that has gone into the rules and regulations. > > Public Service at that point in time, i.e. 1960's was a LOT more than > just emcomms, just as it is today. Giving talks to schools, setting > up portable stations at public events, handling non-emcomms type > traffic, etc. It is sad that emcomms has become the be all and end > all of amateur radio in todays world. > > Jim > WA0LYK > > --- In [email protected], KV9U <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Jim, > > > > Although you are about 5 years younger than me, we were probably > > licensed not too far apart (my original calls were WN9HXP/WA9HXP). > > Things have changed over the years. In my view, it is not reasonable to > > value all of the five principles equally. I do think it is reasonable > > that the items listed first may be considered the most important. I > > consider international goodwill a very minor aspect of amateur radio, > > and it is listed last, but every bit helps. > > > > Back in the 1960's when I was first licensed, we were very much > involved > > with emergency communications. In fact, it was 1965 when I was involved > > in an extended emergency situation in Wisconsin due to severe flooding > > of the Mississippi River that took out most communications between > > portions of the city where I went to college. We used 2 meter AM voice > > for most of the traffic and also some HF mobile with phone patching to > > the Mayor, etc. > > > > If you go back to QST articles in that time frame, you will see that > > "Public Service" was a column in the magazine even then. So this is > > nothing new. Unless you consider 40 years ago to be "new." > > > > In the early days, the ability of the government to have a ready > pool of > > trained operators (especially CW operators) was of national security > > importance. That is no longer the case in today's world. > > > > 73, > > > > Rick, KV9U > > > > > > > > Need a Digital mode QSO? Connect to Telnet://cluster.dynalias.org > > Other areas of interest: > > The MixW Reflector : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup/ > DigiPol: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Digipol (band plan policy > discussion) > > > > > > SPONSORED LINKS > Ham radio > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Ham+radio&w1=Ham+radio&w2=Craft+hobby&w3=Hobby+and+craft+supply&c=3&s=60&.sig=Q3ZWABypJDd5YmYXbzsVzQ> > > Craft hobby > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Craft+hobby&w1=Ham+radio&w2=Craft+hobby&w3=Hobby+and+craft+supply&c=3&s=60&.sig=ZnXBknyULDAnZKOQwnbT0g> > > Hobby and craft supply > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Hobby+and+craft+supply&w1=Ham+radio&w2=Craft+hobby&w3=Hobby+and+craft+supply&c=3&s=60&.sig=fLVuec3_R3javCvFd0735w> > > > > > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > * Visit your group "digitalradio > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio>" on the web. > > * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > * Your use of Yahoo! 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