RadioBanter - View Single Post - If you had to use CW to save someone's life, would that person die?

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wrote:
From: on Fri, Sep 29 2006 9:00 pm

Slow Code wrote:

Lenny, just to help you feel better about morse code, if I ever hear you
are dying and in need of help, I will use CW to get you help. Then you'll
know before you die a ham used morse code to save a life and you can rest
in peace over CW.

Slow, thats IMPOSSIBLE! If you use CW then how can Len die?

Blowcode can, in his small mind's imagination, do all sorts
of things.

Here's a "plain and simple fact" of possible probables in
case of anyone ACTUALLY dying or needing help:

1. By telephone, wired or cell: Dial 911, the universal,
manned 24/7 emergency number. In turn, the 911 operator
will communicate with the appropriate agency by wire
or radio (there are 3 basic radio bands for public
safety radio services in the USA, one more coming).
There is one cell phone for every three citizens in the
USA. Speed as fast as a 911 conversation.

Correction... that's "9 -dash- 1 -dash- 1." Robesin says so.

2. By - gasp - Citizens Band Radio Service transceivers in
urban areas. CB radio users out-number amateurs by 4 to
5 to one. Considering that some radio amateurs have to
work for a living and are not AT their ham radios but
highway truckers are both working and with their CBs,
the virtual ratio is probably double 5:1. Probability
of return to first communication about help is high
considering that many CB transceivers have guard
receivers always tuned to the emergency channel. Speed
of that is variable, may take three times longer than a
conversation with a 911 operator.

3. If flying there are two basic ways to indicate help.
Overland airways routes will have ATCRBS running and a
transponder "77" prefix code will generate a flag on
the ATC beacon display. On civil airways, 121.5 MHz
is the international universal emergency frequency
(243 MHz for military radio). Speed of either is a bit
longer than with 911 operator calling but quite fast.

4. On the water, in inland waterways and harbors, there
is a VHF FM channel for emergencies but common in-use
frequencies would get attention for real calls for
help. GMDSS is available on ships over deep water
as well as an HF radio voice channel for international
maritime distress calls. Since maritmers are noted
for adherence to SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea), the
response would be fast.

5. On land, lacking cell coverage (rare now) but on or
near highways, there is high probability that any
motorist or trucker would have a CB or possibly a
business vehicle with a business radio would be
passing (PLMRS vehicular radios are quite common with
small and large businesses). Any passing public
safety agency vehicle would have a radio transceiver
capable of directly contacting appropriate help.
Farmers are increasing their use of private radios
and might be nearby. FRS and GMRS HTs are also
becoming more common for both private and business
use. Speed of help calling would be variable
depending on location, nearby vehicular traffic.

6. Lacking any of the above, one might look for a non-TV
or non-CB antenna on a house...high probability of
that belonging to a radio amateur. [such a search
could take many hours, though] If the date and time
corresponded to a ham contest time, the ham might not
respond quickly. Even if the ham responded and began
calling, there is no assurance that anyone would hear
or pay attention to some emergency plea; that would
violate the normal conversation that goes on in ham
bands and cause much on-air disputes, further clogging
calls for help. Speed of help calling is variable,
anything from several minutes to many hours. Not that
it matters since the victim already died after trying
to get through all the ragchewing, self-styled radio
police, and general cat-calling by other amateurs.

7. Blow Code is of NO help since he is not verified as a
valid (or invalid) licensed radio amateur.