Andy, We are in violent agreement.
I've been trying to get this across for years. This is not to say that there have not been cases where amateur radio operators using their amateur radio equipment have sent true emergency communications; nor, will it not happen again. However, the vast majority of communications that amateur radio operators send is just as you have described. Again, there are and will be situations where amateur radio operators will be asked and need to send emergency communications. Within the year I have noted this in the fires in the West, flooding in the East and in some instances during hurricane Katrina. I know of a train derailment where the responding fire department's units could not reach their dispatcher but an amateur radio repeater with autopatch capability could. But these are the rather rare exceptions. And I don't believe that in any of the above record traffic was utilized. Only voice (tactical) communications. 73, Walt/K5YFW -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2006 9:40 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [digitalradio] Re: Field Day and PSK31 There are varying versions of just what emergency communications are all about. To some it is the "boat sinking" SOS but to others it is a complex system of message handling with file attachments, etc There are a considerable amounts of well intended hams that have an obscure obsession with playing Firefighter ,Police Officer, EMT, FEMA worker , etc etc. This manifests itself with hams wearing hardhats and using military lingo for "traffic" handling, much like kids playing "cowboys and Indians" decades ago. They have developed very effective software that provides important communications but it is buried within layers of unnecessary terminology designed to make it fit their fantasy of being a legit " first responder". The result is confusion among hams that don't quite "get" the unnecessary jargon, and dismissive criticism of these hams by the jargon camouflaged "emcomm" hams . The desire to be important emergency communicators has produced a system often used as a primary emergency communication system , however DHS asked only for a system that was secondary or "redundant" communications. These are unnecessarily complex system to "join" and, as a result , will likely have limited efficiency when (if?) "ship sinking" "plane crashed" scenarios present themselves. The PACTOR/Packet system will be useful for non-emergency situations, by that I mean " "urgent" but not "emergency". For example: Logistical information to support emergency efforts, supplies/hazardous materials instructions, requests for "push-packs", etc. On 6/29/06, ke7iej <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > -- > > > To sum up: Get on the mike and start hollering. SSB voice will be > > much more likely to be heard and replied to, in my opinion. This > > could change in the future but for now, that's how I see it. > > well in a emergency use any means that works and that will be > noticed the best! ;P > > > -- Andy K3UK Fredonia, New York. Skype Me : callto://andyobrien73 Also available via Echolink [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 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) Yahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Something is new at Yahoo! Groups. Check out the enhanced email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/SISQkA/gOaOAA/yQLSAA/ELTolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 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) Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
