On Jan 12, 1:56*pm, wrote:
On Jan 11, 10:35 pm, RHF wrote:
On Jan 11, 4:00 pm, wrote:
On Jan 11, 4:41 pm, SC Dxing wrote:
On Jan 11, 3:23 pm, RHF wrote:
A hurricane/snow storm can easily take out any antenna tower.
So me evidence to back up your claims. I've had multiple towers in
many locations and I've never lost one to a snow storm, ice storm,
hurricane, or tornado. Usually, the tower is the one thing that
survives.
Then you need electricity
Generators are fairly plentiful and run for days on 200 gallons of
propane.
Then you need someone who is going to listen on the
other side.
And hams do listen 24/7, somewhere in the world someone is always
listening. During Katrina, thounsands of traffic messages were passed,
as has many messages been handled during a lot of the ice storms this
season up North.
My wife works for emergency services and not a single
emergency scenario involves using ham radio operators.
Then they are not utilizing all the resources available to them.
Thankfully, my community involves all legitimate parties during every
emergency exercise, including ham radio ops, but CB radio and FRS are
never included because the folks who own FRS want to have a family CB
service, and CB radio ops are too busy trying to play who has the
biggest illegal amplfier. The users of CB and FRS do not have an
interest in emergency coms until something happens, then they show up
untrained, uncoordinated, and become an hinderance to any on going
operations.
If anything, CB radio or mobile UHF/VHF device would be more reliable.
Hams use UHF and VHF, so your point is??? And mobile CB is useless
more than 5-10 miles away unless you are running illegal power.
And a stationary HAM radio can only be used in one location.
And can relay messages locally from roving ops checking on health and
welfare, as well Statewide, Country wide, and World wide. Don't
forget that hams work in coordination with each other, some mobile,
and someone at the base with a tower relaying the information locally
or statewide as necessary.
Not very good, if you are going around house to house checking on people in an
emergency.
But ham radio can be used both portable and base, a repeater statioin
also comes to mind as a coordinated effort that has proven itself time
and time again.
A stationary tower is probably the worst choice for
emergency communications.
Why. Every emergeny service in the US uses stationary stations with
towers as the hub to their operations.
Satellite phone. Never ever goes out as long as you got it charged.
Never.
Most folks are not going to pay the outlandish monthly fees for a
satellite phone + air time. The only reason your sat phone works is
because not many folks have them. Just imagine if everyone had a sat
phone instead of a cell phone. I can tell you from experience that on
September 11, the whole cell phone infrastructure crashed and was not
operable.
If everyone had sat phones, it would overload the capablility of the
sat, and your phone would be worthless.
sounds more like a towering monument to
someone's personal status and ego ~ RHF
.
Agreed. There was a time when a HAM radio operator was a real asset in
a disaster. But with the advances in technology, especially portable
communications, those days have passed.
So where were all of the so called advances when Katrina took out the
Gulf Coast? Or during the recent ice storms up North. Hams have
activiely assisted on both events and every major emergency in
between.
BTW, Which emergency organization does your wife work for, I would
like to find out why they are not adhering to the policies set forth
in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2007 Appropriations Act
(HR 5441). Which indicates that Amateur Radio should be incorperated
into the contingent plans by all communities for emergency and
disaster prepardness.
DL
DL - You are thinking like a HAM : Who Is Prepared :
You may be able to help a few or many -but-What
about the hundreds of 'others' in need of H-E-L-P too ?
But the Average Citizen is NOT prepared : That Has
Got To Change : Putting a FRS, GMRS, and/or CB
Radio in the Hands of American Household can make
it possible to HELP Hundreds of People in Need.
But RHF, why try to reinvent the wheel? *The Amateur Radio Service is
alreday recognized by most emergency organizations as the go to folks
when they need additionally capacity to handle communication duties.
Putting hundreds of thousands of FRS, GMRS, and CB's into the hands
every citizen will cause nothing but jammed frequencies and an
overloaded of panicked citizens all crying out for help at the same
time. Imagine 25,000 cb radios or FRS radios all transmitting at once
crying out for help....What you would have is nothing but a garbled
mess.
The first rule of emergency comms is to have a well defined plan that
consists of already trained folks who know how to use the equipment
they have, and are trained to prioritize the comms in a useful
manner. *In reality, if folks feel that strong about it having the
capability, a ham ticket is easily obtained, and there are hams whoes
only interest in ham radio is emergency comms, training for it, and
support thereof.
Every Citizen a Neighbor and Neightbors Helping
Neighbors in their Local Neighborhoods. ~ RHF
And how are they going to help, who is going to be able to handle the
"all at once" radio traffic that would barrage the EC under your
scenario. *Even at the local level, such at a fire station, there
would not be enough staff to handle the traffic. Imagine 5000 calls
coming in at one time.
DL
DL,
CHOICE : Using the 'few' Technical Experts
-or- Empowering Each and Every US Citizen
To Help Themselves and Each Other in a
Local Emergency : Using the best of Today's
Communication Technology including :
1 - Radio and TV {Internet}
* Emergency AM/FM Radio Crank-Up & Battery
2 - Cellphones and Telephones
3 - FRS + GMRS + CB Radios
4 - If All Else Fails Amateur Radio Operators
Sort of Like the Individual Citizens Right to . . .
Talkie-Talkie {2-Way Radio}
-aka- Right To Bear Arms {Be Prepared}
[Citizen's Self-Defense in a Natural Emergency]
+ 3-Days Safe Water Supply
+ 3-Days Canned Food
+ Emergency First Aid & Survival Kits
http://www.campingsurvival.com/suremkit.html
http://www.campingsurvival.com/suremkit.html
+ Emergency Signal Whistle / Safety Horn
http://www.safetycentral.com/stormwhistle.html
http://www.safetycentral.com/masaplblho.html
+ Emergency AM/FM Radio Crank-Up & Battery
+ Emergency LED Lights Crank-Up & Battery
+ Emergency FRS + GMRS + CB Radios
+ Rain & Cold Weather Gear
+ Extra Blankets
Here are a few Bright Ideas :
* Coleman Storm Beam Dynamo Lantern
http://www.mcsports.com/product/inde...ductId=3030061
* Coleman PerfectFlow Two-Mantle Propane Lantern
http://www.safetycentral.com/copetwprla.html
* Kerosene Hurricane Lantern, 7.5" - 6 Candle Power
http://www.safetycentral.com/hurlan50ser.html
* ACE Camping Lantern
http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...ductId=1787728
i am not anti-hams - just 'pro' active citizenry ~ RHF