Dan/W4NTI wrote in message
.net...

"TOM" wrote in message
...

Dan/W4NTI wrote in message
ink.net...

[snip]
I wonder how this FRS service with toy radio's is going to talk past
the
end
of their block? Oh with that useless ham stuff? On
Vhf/Uhf.....uh....Oh
I
get it, FRS and V/UHF ham radio will be the emergency channel and then
carrier pigeon will take care of the long haul stuff.

One thing about it....Ya just cain't fix stupid.

Dan/W4NTI

It's already being done... CERT http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/CERT/
communities are using FRS to organize their efforts in reponse to
disaster
preparedness or simply community watch and its working quite well. The
idea
that a ham is needed to supply communications is somewhat
outdated---hams
have out-geeked themselves. If a CERT member has a radio that doesn't
work
just throw it away and get another. What really matters is organization
and
team skills and communities have plenty of indviduals professionally
trained
in all manner of skills besides a token ham or two. Some CERT teams are
guarded about disclosing their capabilities and SOP...

Besides, who's to say that repeaters won't become available to extend
the
range of FRS radios---if there is a need anything is possible. What
about
GMRS? Take a look at what the Aussies have done with their UHF CB
allocations http://www.alphalink.com.au/~parkerp/cb.htm

The issue with the future of FRS-type communications should be carefully
considered. I think that amateur long-haul coms are becoming less
important
compared to short range communications networks---especially within
communties. Considering the ease of getting FRS communications the
amateur
service has little to offer---unless amateurs can re-invent themselves.

Maybe... just maybe... stupid can be fixed.



There is nothing at all wrong with using FRS, GMRS or any of the citizen
accessible radio systems. But there is NO REASON to re-invent the wheel.

Ham radio can and does provide long haul and short haul communications.

Why throw away that capability (HF) to put all the eggs in a repeater
system
that can, does and likely will fail when most needed.

Furthermore I am trying to show you that once communications is
established,
ham, FRS, CB, GMRS, whatever then how is this link sent further down the
line? Such as what happened recently on the Gulf Coast.

I.E. Red Cross requests amateur radio assistance. Hundreds go to their
help. They say we only want you for "shelter communications". VHF will
do
fine. NO WAY TO PASS IT FURTHER DOWN THE LINE as in ....how to get commo
from Montgomery Red Cross to the shelters and back?
Ham Radio High Frequency on the ESTABLISHED ARRL National Traffic System
nets. Which were ready, willing, and able to do so.

It is NOT Amateur radios fault that the Red Cross apparently chose to sit
on
their hands and NOT UTILIZE the system.

Dan/W4NTI

You make valid points... Why is amateur radio so dependent upon the Red
Cross? Heck, looking back over my ham experience seemingly all the Red
Cross provided was a place to put a repeater and have emergency power. To
be honest... the Red Cross screwed us in NO---perhaps we had an image that
was lacking. In that case we ought to provide a service to some other
organization/s. I don't know where the future lies for the amateur service.
The numbers (of hams) just don't stack up against the numbers that can be
equipped with license free radios or radios that require a simple operating
permit. You can be sure if non-hams can get organized and provide a needed
service an important part of what justifies the amateur service will no
longer exist with the consequence that any leadership roles provided by the
amateur service will evaporate.

Perhaps this will happen anyway. We've watched the amateur service slowly
being de-regulated. A time may come where present day Amateur, FRS, MURS,
GMRS... will all become part of, say, the 'citizens communications service'.

You mention HF allocations as being a strong point for the amateur service;
however, I don't think that long haul communications are necessary for the
bulk of emergency communications---these disasters are local in scope. To
my way of thinking if anyone needs to communicate over long distances it
will be primary relief organizations and they can do that over satellite or
their own HF networks, besides, landlines generally remain
intact---providing an access point somewhere. I find the Australian VKS-737
an interesting example of what non-hams (CB) can do with five HF channels
http://www.vks737.on.net/ . Additionally, my experiences in the Caribbean
have made me become aware of how non-hams, who are boaters, can create
highly organized and effective communications networks using the HF maritime
allocations.

Discussion on the topic can hurt.