From: "Dee Flint" on Sun 23 Oct 2005 10:19


wrote in message
Cmdr Buzz Corey wrote:
Mike Coslo wrote:

I think the idea is that person 1 transmits to the end of his block,
then person 2 transmits to the end of their block. And so on and so on.
Be just like the olde days when the "relay" meant something in ARRL.
They will need every one of those "millions" of FRS radio owners.

When a kid did you ever play the party game 'pass it on'? You know where
you whisper something in someone's ear, they then pass it on to the next
person, then the next, then the next, ect. By the time it gets to the
last person it isn't anything like the orginal message. You don't need
that when you are trying to get critical information to a destination.

So the "Relay" in ARRL is a useless construct?

Wunnerful in theory, useless in practice?

No it simply means that without a structured format, message training, means
of checking the message (such as word count), etc that the system breaks
down.

Perhaps that is why the first two trans-continental attempts at
early messaging across the USA broke down? They were "sponsored"
by the ARRL. History. The ARRL doesn't like to talk of those
early days much, though, so you have to go to Thomas White's
Early US Radio History site to find out. :-)

The formal message handling systems have these.

Tell us all about it, Dee. I worked in that a mere 52 years ago.
Professionally. On HF. We can compare notes...

Tell us how the GMDSS works and all the "formality" and "word
counts" apply to SOLAS.

The FRS system does not.

The Family Radio Service was NEVER envisioned as some kind of
"message system." :-) The average pair of FRS transceivers
(handheld) sold across the counter will reach out 1 to 5 miles
(depending on terrain, etc.), ideal to keep track of family
members at a large outing. Or a small one. :-)

Did you think FRS handhelds have little "text" screens or
sockets for keyboards, printers, etc.? :-)