Our Future in Emergency Communications

[KA3ZLR]

Hi,

In this months QST old Dave is passing his thoughts on to us. and I quote:

"Dramatic advances in telecommunications technology may suggest a
diminishing role for Amateur Radio in future disaster communications
scenarios, but while our role may change it will not disappear."

Dave Sumner K1ZZ
ARRL Chief Executive Officer

I never went on any disaster events i don't plan on it and I won't miss
it if they boot us out...There are folks that are trained to handle this stuff.
with the right equipment today and the em nets on the HF bands have proven
useless an a waste of Spectrum and Band width we don't need any more
EM Traffic Nets.
Yuk...

73
Jack
KA3ZLR.

[k4kyv]

 

I never went on any disaster events i don't plan on it and I won't miss it if they boot us out...There are folks that are trained to handle this stuff. with the right equipment today and the em nets on the HF bands have proven useless an a waste of Spectrum and Band width we don't need any more EM Traffic Nets.

But if you show up at the disaster scene in your vehicle with flashing light bar blinking, wearing your yellow vest and your belt filled with multiple handi-talkies, you might be able to score of cup of coffee and maybe even a slice of the pizza donated to the emergency crew by Red Cross volunteers.

[KA3ZLR]

Yea,

I always wanted to feel important...


73
Jack
KA3ZLR

[Ed/KB1HYS]

In a real large scale emergency, Like Fukishima for example, would Amateurs be of any help?  What is all this "emergency traffic" that gets talked about?

Even the MARS organization doesn't seem to be useful anymore.  Overseas, all the major FOB's had a "Phone tent" with Satellite phones and Internet connections for all.  We had more trouble keeping the news from reaching home before going through channels than not getting word back.

[KA3ZLR]

Whelp, I'm almost completely positively sure in a Large scale anything the last item
on my list of things to do...is look for an EM Ham Van like that guy in Florida has....
in the article...I have to protect my bodily fluids first...


73
Jack
KA3ZLR

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Yea,

I always wanted to feel important...


73
Jack
KA3ZLR

Create something that will benefit all mankind.

[KA3ZLR]

Yea,

I always wanted to feel important...


73
Jack
KA3ZLR

Create something that will benefit all mankind.







..WHY................


73
Jack
KA3ZLR

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I never went on any disaster events i don't plan on it and I won't miss
it if they boot us out...There are folks that are trained to handle this stuff.
with the right equipment today and the em nets on the HF bands have proven
useless an a waste of Spectrum and Band width we don't need any more
EM Traffic Nets.
Yuk...

73
Jack
KA3ZLR.

"Disaster events" are generally unannounced/unexpected events so it's hard to plan a trip there unless you have a very good crystal ball.

[KA3ZLR]

REALLY...WOW .....I never knew that Geeze... glad ya clued me in there Old Man...

Rolling eyes Petro..


73 LOL
Jack
KA3ZLR

[Opcom]

The few emergencies I have been involved were as a communications NCO in the State Guard first and as a ham second. The scale was small, only Katrina and some others in South Texas.

Most emergency traffic was on behalf of customers like the red cross, on behalf of shelter operators (ourselves or another entity) and were with entities like the sheriff, and occasionally FEMA. Some communications was on ham freq. and others was not. We provided a way to transfer necessary messages from one net to another, easily by writing the message and then delivering it. We only crossconnected the nets once due to a dire need. Most of the traffic was simple but important info. for example evey morning, how many clients are in the shelter? anyone need a doctor? any needs not met by the red cross, or problems (client discipline, food, sanitary)?

The way the TXSG works is that all members are soldiers first then their specialty. A few knowlegeable NCO were dedicated to net control for the mission. Most others would be assigned to any duty from MP to RTO depending what was needed.

When hams showed up to one of the shelters we were assigned, it allowed us to take that radio operator and his relief and use them elsewhere. We worked well with the hams and were certainly glad to have them show up. They worked as hard as anyone else and made no demands. None I ever saw had flashing lights on their cars, or a belt full of radios. Some had vests with a couple of pockets for the spare HT battery and pen and notepad, small flashlight, etc. There was one step van from a ham club that had yellow lights on it but I never saw them in use. The hams used it to keep their own chow and stuff in. The hams also had the local repeaters and linked up a few of them for our unit to use. We also used various unspeakable hackeries to extend this network further and they helped /allowed us to do that. This was important because we had about 10K square miles of area to deal with.

So before all of the helpful volunteers are fully despised here by those who are as pleased to stay home and mind their own business, consider that it is a caricature that is being despised and those who are doing the despising  are challenged to show that there is a high percentage of truth to the caricature. There are always those unflattering images to be found on the internet to perpetuate the caricature. For each one of those great peacocks at an emergency, are ten regular hams at shelters or at posts in one location or another, inconspicuous by their lack of bright and rattling plumage, but doing a service that outshines and destroys any caricature one might create from webfact.

[KA3ZLR]

Hey don't play me with your Despise helpful crap..and I do Mind my own business. that's exactly right
Ya know I lived on these highways in this country Trucked in all the great citys and I learned one thing in an Emergency situation call for the right help try to stabilize the situation and STAY OUT OF THE WAY WHEN THE FOLKS THAT ARE TRAINED SHOW UP.

I rest my Case "There are folks Trained to handle this stuff" you said "State Guard" there we are we aren't needed any more get over it. Hams just get in the way most times..

[Opcom]

Maybe. If it is hitting the fan and we are streteched thin we will use them but only if they are equipped and able, yes otherwise they could get in the way. We don't chase
em off tho' that's bad juju. The ones that show up have almost all been from ham clubs. So, decently equipped and having a few personnel to do shifts. A lone ham showing up will find himself overworked or not worked at all because a post takes more than one person for 24H. its the clubs that are best for emergencies.

[KA3ZLR]

OK I'm with ya...that's fine but this EM thing I never liked it I don't want it I have no use for it at all..
It's Ok to run offer help no problem I've done that neumorours times in Fatal accidents I've witnessed
on the highways I lived by the No Touch rule for a long time...it werks believe me...No Touch no Law suits..

73
Jack
KA3ZLR

[WA3VJB]

For each one of those great peacocks at an emergency, are ten regular hams at shelters or at posts in one location or another, inconspicuous by their lack of bright and rattling plumage

,

I think the truth in the statistics is somewhere in the middle -- not as many as the stereotype would portray, but more than 1 in 10.

The problem is creating a "mission" where none should exist.  The traditional strength of having a trained corps of licensed radio hobbyists is that they historically learned and refined their communications skills when there was no emergency.

The advent of the "hospital HAM," the paid staffer who is envisioned by the ARRL and others as taking classes to help win accreditation for that health care facility, is far less likely to contribute anything to the hobby unless and until they are being deployed.

They are told to use our allocations if need be to provide a service for their employer; a far different premise than the volunteer, how-may-I-help scenario from which the hobby has greatly benefited.

[KA3ZLR]

Hi Paul.

I'm glad you lent your Calm well written ideas on this Thanks man..

Now onto the point, Who do we know would want to lend their License in lue to
an employer on here when we are not interested in any payment or seek accreditation
for our service but will put themselves in line for any hospital and place themselves in
what I would consider an awkward position dealing with responsibilities that would far
exceed the rules of the service and very possible end up in some Kind of Law suit(s)..
Now I'm Talking about the average Amateur here an Accreditation is not License
enough for me..

It Just rubs me the wrong way Guys and yunns know I'm old school about this...
You think Sumner will come running to your aid you screw up better think again..
Life is C.Y.O.B. it's a shame but it's the truth.

But Keep posting this is interesting.

73
Jack
KA3ZLR

[WA3VJB]

The potential problem is embedded in a ruling by the FCC allowing HAMs who are on the clock for their company to participate in emergency communications drills that their employer wants them to conduct using HAM radio allocations.

The ruling also allows testing ahead of the emergency drill, which makes no sense because that's what the drill is for, right?

Sounded like a nice way for people in the medical field to contribute their hobbyist expertise in an emergency, and not get in trouble for violating the pecuniary interest rule, which said we are not for hire or profit.

Among the filings into the FCC's public record on the regulatory proceeding were the Comments of non-hospital corporations that, like the health care industry, also saw the idea of using HAM radio as a cheap, loosely-regulated, backup emergency communications system.

The operative scenario I suppose is whether the corporation has what could be called an "emergency" mission, which is not defined very well in the proposal the FCC has approved. If you say you're a whacker, and your company says you're a paid whacker, then you're good to go.

So, for example, a big defense contractor could easily buy a HAM radio infrastructure, populate it with people who took HAM radio class while on the clock (as part of an employer mandate or other incentive), and have them all run to the nearest ICOM when an earthquake hits California so that the company can stay in touch with itself.

There could be one at every desk, huh-HA !  RF beats the internet when the pipe is broke.

[KA3ZLR]

Hi

Ya know this hits me as a bastard way of defeating the pecuniary interest rule..

They're Smart man Smarter than me...I'm slow I know...


73
Jack
KA3ZLR

[k4kyv]

The potential problem is embedded in a ruling by the FCC allowing HAMs who are on the clock for their company to participate in emergency communications drills that their employer wants them to conduct using HAM radio allocations... also saw the idea of using HAM radio as a cheap, loosely-regulated, backup emergency communications system...

So, for example, a big defense contractor could easily buy a HAM radio infrastructure, populate it with people who took HAM radio class while on the clock (as part of an employer mandate or other incentive), and have them all run to the nearest ICOM when an earthquake hits California so that the company can stay in touch with itself.

With all these discussions currently going on about how the HAMS will use the HAM radio infrastructure and HAM radio allocations these days, we hams need to be concerned about how all this will affect our ham radio infrastructure and our ham allocations.

[Opcom]

Yeah, doing ham radio for their employer. Its hard to have it both ways. A good job if you can get it. An a/c'd office and little actual work until needed, until it hits the fan. I do not like the 'paid' part of this, subject to corruption. Ought to be voluntary as always has been..


emergencies - There is 100% nothing wrong with not participating, just try to avoid being a shelter client or a victim.




below: My MEMS badge -military emergency management system.
NIMS is the civvy counterpart offered to all by FEMA. Beware, lots of study..

[KA3ZLR]

Good day,

I look at it this way make contact in your Hometown with all the Emergency People
let them know who you are and you are available in any Disaster event with communications
that they might need.. your Available...Simple.. an leave them alone if they need
ya they'll call.

I'm going to say myself here and not say we that's not a good thing.
I don't think I need any accreditation to jump in with Emergency Personnel an play EMT.
This is an idea cooked up by the League foundering this EM Internet connection thing.
I don't understand it all competely I admit that, I don't need to because I don't think it's
in the best Interest my understanding of Amateur Radio.

But "they" I said They up in Newington Have other ideas and fish to kill.


73
Jack
KA3ZLR
 

[k4kyv]

And remember, amateur radio will never likely serve any time in the foreseeable future, in the manner that it did during the great flood of 1937, particularly using the HF bands.

[KL7OF]

So if someone drops a nuke, will it really wipe out ALL solid state devices?...Will K4KYV be the only station capable of transmitting??  (grin)

[WD8KDG]

From my little corner of the world this is how I see the future.

Oregon's Gov Kitzhaber pulled the $$ rug out from under OWIN (Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network). So for years to come our police, fire depts, emt, etc will not be able to use their radio systems if fecal matter hits the rotating element.

With current RFI levels already bad & getting worse, "pissweakers" can't be hear on the ham bands.

The suggestion from this part of Oygun is for those in need of future help; install large transmitters in their homes with large generators for backup power. Cause I can't hear ya!

Craig,

[k4kyv]

So if someone drops a nuke, will it really wipe out ALL solid state devices?...Will K4KYV be the only station capable of transmitting??  (grin)

My peak limiter and synchronous detector be wiped out, but I could work round those. I also have solid state PS rectifiers in the Gates rig I use on 160m. The station T/R sequencing unit, and bias supply in the 8005/805, use SS diodes in the rectifiers, and there are SS reverse-current diodes across some of the relays. I don't have a diesel or gas generator, but I'm sure any newer model (probably made-in-China) would contain some solid state circuitry. But since the infrastructure would likely be completely down, in any case it would run only until the fuel ran out.

[KB2WIG]

'  it would run only until the fuel ran out '

D,

You've got the land. Thars always the miracle of brewers yeast, and a few hop rhizomes for encouragement. Then you could run the generator, and be the bacon of hope....


klc