Let’s say that you had a terrorist attack where a nuclear weapon was exploded in Chicago. (God forbid) Not only would the destruction be almost unimaginable, but the damage to our communications infrastructure would be widespread and severe.
In cities as far away as LA, Miami, and New York, cellular communications networks would be overloaded with people trying to call loved ones, gossip about the attack, or just complain that their favorite show wasn’t on because of all the news coverage. The EMP effects of the blast and damage to Internet backbones would cause widespread outages. Power outages across a lot the Midwest would be common. In this chaotic environment, the motto “Keep it Simple Stupid” would prevail. Every vehicle in the Midwest, including those that might not be able to be moved would still have radios—and a lot those radios would work. AM Radio, especially at night would be able to bring in vital information that would be lifesaving to survivors. In this fictional example, stations like KMOX or WSM would be critical conduits of news from outside the affected area. Here in the South, we’ve seen first hand the impact of the conversion of television from analog to digital. During severe weather season, most of us here depend on television as our primary source of information regarding the weather. Without the benefit of portable, battery powered televisions, access to this vital information has been hard to come by—especially in the wake of tornadoes such as the ones that hit Tuscaloosa in 2011. Hardest hit were the poor, who relied on over-the-air TV for this information, and digital TV doesn’t work nearly as well. Analog isn’t always “crystal clear” but in an environment where you’re seeking timely information, a snowy picture with lifesaving information is much better than no picture at all. Corporate owned and controlled radio has been virtually useless in severe weather coverage. Satellite fed programming, with virtually no local staffing. FM radio is a source of literally zero information during most local emergencies. That’s all thanks to deregulation and corporate greed. AM radio’s future may well depend on being local, community oriented, and staffed. The best examples in that regard are found at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Class A stations and the class C stations. They generally provide the best of local news, coverage, and staffed stations. Big, regional disasters are rare—thankfully. But they do happen. There is something to be said for keeping reliable communication outlets in place, even for just these black swan events. Amateur radio has proven it’s value time and again when more modern systems have failed. The same can be said for AM radio—especially the clear channel stations at night. 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF 121 Mayfair Park Maylene, AL EM63nf Member WTFDA, IRCA, NRC. Former CPC Chairman for NRC & IRCA. Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy SDR, Quantum Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active Whip. _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected]
