HAM For emergency help
 

While I know that a license is required for correct transmissions on an
amateur radio, is there anything that would make it illegal for a
non-licensed individual to use a ham radio to call for help in an
emergency situation? I see over and over the FCC emphasizes that if
you hear a call for help outside your licensed band, you may respond,
also that if you need help you can use any frequency on which you can
get help... What are thoughts on this?

"Matt" wrote in message
...
While I know that a license is required for correct transmissions on an
amateur radio, is there anything that would make it illegal for a
non-licensed individual to use a ham radio to call for help in an
emergency situation? I see over and over the FCC emphasizes that if you
hear a call for help outside your licensed band, you may respond, also
that if you need help you can use any frequency on which you can get
help... What are thoughts on this?

If you need emergency help you can use any frequency to try to
get help.
Ace - WH2T

That includes ANY frequency in or out of the amateur bands. However, one
must be careful with this. Sometimes, things we view as an emergency is not
seen as such by the FCC. "Emergency" usually implies immediate danger to
life, limb, or property.

Wayne-
(KC8UIO)

"Dr.Ace" wrote in message
...

"Matt" wrote in message
...
While I know that a license is required for correct transmissions on an
amateur radio, is there anything that would make it illegal for a
non-licensed individual to use a ham radio to call for help in an
emergency situation? I see over and over the FCC emphasizes that if you
hear a call for help outside your licensed band, you may respond, also
that if you need help you can use any frequency on which you can get
help... What are thoughts on this?

If you need emergency help you can use any frequency to try to
get help.
Ace - WH2T

If you need emergency help you can use any frequency to try to
get help.
Ace - WH2T



Ok.. so we've established that... now here's an interesting twist...
what if I as an unlicensed user am just listening to the ham bands, and
HEAR a request for help? Am I allowed to respond back to the person?

Absolutely! A analogy would be this. A person (who has no driver's license)
hears an elderly person yelling "help!" from their car. It turns out that
this elderly person is having a heart attack. The unlicensed person may
drive the elderly person to the hospital ER without fear of any
consequences.

"Matt" wrote in message
...


If you need emergency help you can use any frequency to try to
get help.
Ace - WH2T

Ok.. so we've established that... now here's an interesting twist... what
if I as an unlicensed user am just listening to the ham bands, and HEAR a
request for help? Am I allowed to respond back to the person?

Sounds good, but somehow I have a feeling that calling for help, no matter how
bad things were, on a Secret Service, or military Strategic Command and Control
channel might not be a particularly good idea.

Dave

"Wayne P. Muckleroy" wrote:

That includes ANY frequency in or out of the amateur bands. However, one
must be careful with this. Sometimes, things we view as an emergency is not
seen as such by the FCC. "Emergency" usually implies immediate danger to
life, limb, or property.

Wayne-
(KC8UIO)

"Dr.Ace" wrote in message
...

"Matt" wrote in message
...
While I know that a license is required for correct transmissions on an
amateur radio, is there anything that would make it illegal for a
non-licensed individual to use a ham radio to call for help in an
emergency situation? I see over and over the FCC emphasizes that if you
hear a call for help outside your licensed band, you may respond, also
that if you need help you can use any frequency on which you can get
help... What are thoughts on this?

If you need emergency help you can use any frequency to try to
get help.
Ace - WH2T

hehehe :)

Dave Holford wrote:
Sounds good, but somehow I have a feeling that calling for help, no matter how
bad things were, on a Secret Service, or military Strategic Command and Control
channel might not be a particularly good idea.

Dave

"Wayne P. Muckleroy" wrote:


That includes ANY frequency in or out of the amateur bands. However, one
must be careful with this. Sometimes, things we view as an emergency is not
seen as such by the FCC. "Emergency" usually implies immediate danger to
life, limb, or property.

Wayne-
(KC8UIO)

"Dr.Ace" wrote in message
. ..

"Matt" wrote in message
...

While I know that a license is required for correct transmissions on an
amateur radio, is there anything that would make it illegal for a
non-licensed individual to use a ham radio to call for help in an
emergency situation? I see over and over the FCC emphasizes that if you
hear a call for help outside your licensed band, you may respond, also
that if you need help you can use any frequency on which you can get
help... What are thoughts on this?

If you need emergency help you can use any frequency to try to
get help.
Ace - WH2T