On Wed, 7 May 2008 00:06:21 EDT, AF6AY wrote:

HF on the EM spectrum has far fewer users (other than hams
now than it did four decades ago. The US military uses it now
for backup (with limited traffic handling) as a sort of last-resort
contingency use.

Very much out of the spotlight, states and counties have been setting
up HF networks on "commercial" frequencies for disaster relief, search
and rescue, and other functions where VHF/UHF won't do. I'm involved
with that here. This is in parallel with, not supplanting, the
volunteer services that amateur operators are rendering on HF, VHF,
and UHF through the ARES/RACES organizations. Not surprisingly, most
of the career professional Emergency Communication managers of these
governmental units are hams as well.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net