RadioBanter - View Single Post - HAM RADIO IS SHOWING ITS STUFF NOW !!!!!!

September 5th 05, 04:55 AM

wrote:

Amateur radio is a HOBBY, a personal activity involving
transmission of RF energy communications for recreation as a fun
avocation.

And has been used, from it's beginning, by these "hobbists" to provide
assistance, including the saving of many lives, in times of disaster,
not just in the U.S., but all over the world. A tradition that continues
even as we type. Amateur radio has long been recgonized by government
agencies as well as by the public for their dedicated service in time of
crisis, giving of their time, equipment, all at their own expense to aid
others. Various Presidents have released statements of the service that
ham radio has played in emergency communications. Have they ever
mentioned you or frankieboy?

At times, this personal "hobby" radio has been the *only* communication
into or out of a disaster area, until commercial services could be
restored. Because of ham radio's tradition of providing reliable
emergency communications in disaster situations it is and has long been
included in official emergency plans at the local, state, and federal
levels. Something no other "hobby" radio service can claim.

Ham radio has a lot to brag about, even it it does get up your's,
frankieboy's and an_old_what-ever-he-is noses.

Too bad for you, but that's just the way it is.
It has always been so since the beginning of government
regulated radio 93 years ago. It is called a "service" because
that is the regulatory term used by the FCC for all U.S. civil
radio to denote a type and kind of radio being regulated.

Sending health and welfare messages does NOT supply BASIC NEEDS
to disaster victims, doesn't give them food, shelter, hygiene
facilities, medical aid, or anything else but some slight emotional
sustenance.

And it is often ham radio communications that help coordinate these
BASIC NEEDS. There are professionals, like the Red Cross, who know how
to get these basic needs to victums. Ham radio often aids the Red Cross
and other agencies in doing just that by providing essential
communications when other communication links are not functioning.
Hams never said they were going to rush into a disaster area with a jug
of wine and loaf of bread to feed the 5,000. You must be an idiot (no
your are an idiot) if you think that everything can be put right if
everyone just rushes in without any support from others outside the
affected area. The hams say, "you need communications, we are here to
help", and that's what the do and do it well. Sorry it bytes your butt
so bad, but that's the facts of life lennieboy.

And by the way, those health and welfare messages are very important to
both the victums and the families of a disaster.

Once this snack bite of emotion is satisfied, the
victims are still stuck with BASIC NEEDS that aren't satisfied by
some radio messages. Health and welfare messages do NOT reach into
the disaster center where the majority of victims are. Health and
welfare messages to distant family and friends usually "travels"
on the existing infrastructure of public communications that was
not affected by any disaster. Health and welfare messages don't
transport homeless victims to dry shelter over almost-impassible
flooded roadways. But, some of the carriers of a FEW health and
welfare messages think they are the next thing to those who can
walk on water, those who perform miracles, and other vainglorious
accomplishments.

ORDINARY CITIZENS can do much for disaster victims in their own
way by whatever means work for them. Few ordinary citizens want
"name recognition" for themselves or gratuitous praise heaped on
them for minor assistance efforts. They do it because they are
human and want to help fellow humans victimized by a disaster.
Tens of thousands, perhaps more, are doing that already. They
aren't USING what they do in order to heap praise upon themselves.
They just do it and that's that.

But, in HERE, we've got those who grab the banners of praise and
wrap it around themselves and parrot the feel-good phrases of the
clubs "Ham radio is showing what it's good for!" as if that were
the sole purpose of creation of that radio service. It wasn't.
Public Safety Radio Services were created for that and more and
have been as busy as possible, working without fanfare or big
signs of "look at me, I'm a hero" on their T-shirts.

So, somebody passes some health and welfare messages on a Net.
Clap, clap, mild applause. Their medals and certificates of valor
are in the mail. Not to worry, a big membership organization will
compose the sagas that will become legend in history. All those
Net members are automatic HEROES for passing messages and then
passing gas about their Wonderful Good Works. Clap, clap.

All who call their passing gas as vainglorious are labeled
"haters of ham radio" in order to end any and all discussion.
The HOBBY must remain "heroic." Clap, clap.

Yes it should and will remain "heroic" because of the role it plays in
times of disasters.

Yet you are so quick to brag about all your so-called communications
accomplishments, yet I doubt you could even find the on/off swithc on a
transmitter. Just having once leaned up against an Army communications
van while you were taking a break from picking up cigarette butts on the
base didn't make you the communications expert you seem to think you are
lennieboy. So what have you done for the victums of Katrina?