On Mar 5, 3:05 pm, Carter-k8vt wrote:
Roadie wrote:
All I've read are your generalities...please provide the specific
instances of where they truly did something.

Each month, QST has a column called "Public Service". If you are that
interested, I suggest you read those columns. (Please note that QST is
available on CD all the way back to Volume 1, Number 1). I am not going
to do your homework for you.

Also, you say "hams haven't yet" (implying 'never') and then you admit
to seeing the Wall Street Journal article (the "specific instance" you
are looking for) describing when hams DID help in an emergency. So,
that's not 'never'. You called the WSJ article 'faint praise'---but
*praise* none the less!

If you want to win an argument or make a point, I suggest that you don't
contradict yourself.

Other times I've heard the emergency net repeating nothing more than
old hurricane warnings available on local radio stations and through
NWS.

I would respectfully suggest that it is a (big) assumption on your part
that local radio stations and the NWS will still be on the air. During
Katrina many were not.

Buying equipment to place in your emergency stations is one thing.
Finding a use for it is something entirely different.

Think about what you just said--"Finding a use for it is something
entirely different".

Yes, finding a use is indeed "entirely different". Its -use- is
emergency/disaster communications...and if we *never* have an emergency
or disaster, well, that's just fine with me! So, I'm not sure of your
point--unless you are wishing a disaster on people.

We've chased around this tree long enough. I think (and have 70 years of
QST to back me up) that hams have and can continue to provide
communications in times of need. Maybe not perfect, maybe not
'professional', but there when all else fails. You, on the other hand,
think not just because you haven't heard every incident on every
frequency with your own ears. You are certainly entitled to your opinion.

Discussion over.

73...

All I hear and read are glowing generalities about how the ham radio
operators have saved the day in times of major catastrophe and yet no
examples are ever provided. Yes, I know it feels good to think that
hams will be the ones to establish communications first and point the
way to the city inundated by a hurricane or flattened out by tornado.
But the reality is that the professional emergency responders are the
ones there first and they really get the job done. Hams have in my
experience attempted to set up H&W nets on HF but they fail miserably
because there is no self control - everyone has to be first so nobody
gets through. Heaven forbid they would attempt anything more
complex. There may have been a time directly after WWII when there
were enough trained comm guys to allow the amateur radio service to
perform something useful in a disaster. But that time has long since
passed.