Low-tech radios connect some Haitians - CNN.com
Cnn Mentions the role amateur radio played after the Haiti Earthquake.
Cnn Mentions the role amateur radio played after the Haiti Earthquake.
CNN Website Article
- Thread starter ve3zo
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It's a nice article, but I don't think I like them calling it "low-tech." It sounds antiquated, which it is, and that draws some people in by appealing to the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) concept. However, amateur radio is more than AM SSB voice. I've heard non-hams tell me how surprised they were to learn about the technologies we have at our disposal. It wasn't an article about general ham radio, though -- it was all about how hams are passing health and welfare traffic. It's still a pretty positive article for amateur radio, but I wish they hadn't called it "low-tech."
But HF SSB IS low tech, and that's the very thing that helps make it so survivable. Low tech isn't a bad thing, when it's exactly what's needed.
Right, but my point is that it's not necessarily a good thing when the media makes us look antiquated. It's hard enough to fight the stereotype that says ham radio is nothing but a bunch of crusty old men in dark corners of basements talking about their health problems on the radio.
People who read that article and don't understand our hobby might come away with the impression that amateur radio has nothing to bring to the modern world -- except, of course, when "all else fails" and we never have anything to bring to the table in any times of non-emergency. CNN compared amateur radio to Twitter, Facebook, and Skype, making us sound like some post-WWII relic.
Don't get me wrong, it is a nice article, and it does indeed show that HF gets the job done, but I hope the public doesn't get the impression that we're ONLY "low-tech."
I wouldn't pin any hopes on a single article giving a complete and proper impression. The fact is, 90% of the readers aren't going to care one way or the other. Ham radio is MOSTLY low tech, with a few pockets here and there that are on the bleeding edge. But all in all, it was a positive and realistic spin on the way things are.
screenersam
I hate motrbro
thnks for posting the link!
I guess we're relatively low-tech in that we aren't digitalized, and we can communicate point/point as opposed to relays (though we use them when available).
I guess we're relatively low-tech in that we aren't digitalized, and we can communicate point/point as opposed to relays (though we use them when available).
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