The biggest lie in ham radio

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AK9R

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The only possible perception of "duty", "responsibility", or "obligation", in the case amateur radio licensees under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission comes from Part 97:

§97.1 Basis and purpose.
The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the following principles:

(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.

(b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.

(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of the art.

(d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.

(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to enhance international goodwill.

However, I'm not aware of any rule or law that requires public safety agencies to actually use amateur radio operators in an emergency.
 

trentbob

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The only possible perception of "duty", "responsibility", or "obligation", in the case amateur radio licensees under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission comes from Part 97:



However, I'm not aware of any rule or law that requires public safety agencies to actually use amateur radio operators in an emergency.
Point taken and I never meant that anyone was required to do anything.

It's an individual's interpretation of part a and how they perceive their role.

I remember as a young kid, my father, uncle and older brother in the "Duck and Cover" days and how they saw or should I say perceived their role as ham operators.

Of course things certainly have changed since those days.
 

W5lz

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This is getting deep in the philosophical aspect, where I'm sure not many people are comfortable going. I decided that sort of thing a long time ago. That decision is 'variable' and depends on circumstances and aspects that have to be present and/or absent. It just ain't the same in all cases. There have been times that if I had stopped and thought about what was actually required in certain circumstances I may not do whatever that 'required' thingy was. I figure that's about 'normal'. You ever been in the middle of something and though, "What the hell am I doing?". I'll bet you have. So, your interpretation of 'duty' isn't something you think of very often, sort of. You do what you feel is 'right' and worry about the rest later. In most cases, "right" depends on results.
That's it, end of philosophy lesson for today. I don't "grade" you, YOU do.
 

prcguy

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I don't know how many of you are familiar with the WINsystem, a huge, bloated repeater network with over 100 repeaters all over the US and several countries. Whenever you key up any repeater in the WINsystem they all key up together sometimes hogging over eight different frequency pairs in the same service area where frequency pairs are non existent to others that need them.

Anyway, you would think a huge system like this would be good for emergencies or disaster work but apparently not. There is a recording floating around from this system where it appears a ham started to make an emergency call. The founder and owner of the WINsystem (Shorty) came back asking why anyone would make an emergency call on a large linked system like his and basically said its pointless because the chances of somebody being in the area where help is needed is slim, and to take the emergency traffic somewhere else.

Personally I was appalled when I heard it and in some cases like this, repeater owners get off the track of serving the amateur community and their repeater networks become self serving, only to feed itself and consume frequencies. And to feed the egos of its owners.
 

vagrant

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I personally heard Shorty cut in during an emergency request by someone several years ago. Others were already handling it. Anyways, Shorty had trouble understanding and kept asking the person to repeat as well as dragging the whole thing out. The woman calling for assistance advised that her handheld was low on power, but Shorty persisted to drag it out and taking copious amounts of time, sometimes minutes between, to respond to her. Eventually, someone else cut in and let her know that local authorities had been contacted and provided the information she had conveyed. Shorty then keyed up and had a verbal fit. Shorty then advised the person that came on that he was in control and that no one should do anything unless he authorizes it. His behavior was bizarre. The issue was a missing person in the mountains somewhere and the woman had provided the details at least four times already. Shorty s l o w l y continued, but eventually her transmissions stopped, I presume her battery went out as she had warned.

I immediately removed the local Winsystem repeater freqs from my radios and never listened again. Later on I was relaying what I heard to some local operators and one of them noted that he was also listening during that same incident. Additionally, two repeaters that were part of the Winsystem in this area was taken offline last year. They will not be missed.

Hmm...the VHF & UHF freq's he was using here were uncoordinated with NARCC. Free VHF pair! I need to find some cans and see if Yaesu still has some DR1X repeaters hanging around.
 

prcguy

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The WINsystem and Shorty have a history of cobbling uncoordinated repeaters in places they don't belong, like meeting people who have access to mountain top sites but have no authority to put repeaters in, then getting them to provide access. Once there the new WINsystem repeater just hogs another frequency pair or two and helps to feed the ego of its owners.

Shorty seems to have given up the reins to someone else, but the system still follows the same guidelines. Gobble up frequencies and bloat.

I personally heard Shorty cut in during an emergency request by someone several years ago. Others were already handling it. Anyways, Shorty had trouble understanding and kept asking the person to repeat as well as dragging the whole thing out. The woman calling for assistance advised that her handheld was low on power, but Shorty persisted to drag it out and taking copious amounts of time, sometimes minutes between, to respond to her. Eventually, someone else cut in and let her know that local authorities had been contacted and provided the information she had conveyed. Shorty then keyed up and had a verbal fit. Shorty then advised the person that came on that he was in control and that no one should do anything unless he authorizes it. His behavior was bizarre. The issue was a missing person in the mountains somewhere and the woman had provided the details at least four times already. Shorty s l o w l y continued, but eventually her transmissions stopped, I presume her battery went out as she had warned.

I immediately removed the local Winsystem repeater freqs from my radios and never listened again. Later on I was relaying what I heard to some local operators and one of them noted that he was also listening during that same incident. Additionally, two repeaters that were part of the Winsystem in this area was taken offline last year. They will not be missed.

Hmm...the VHF & UHF freq's he was using here were uncoordinated with NARCC. Free VHF pair! I need to find some cans and see if Yaesu still has some DR1X repeaters hanging around.
 

mancow

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Many Hams just use Emcoms to creat a reason for them to feel important. With all of the fancy titles , AEC , DEC , ect ......

True, which is why I think there should be more aux type groups available to people, similarly to the groups in WWII who looked for subs off the beaches. If people want to help find a way to let them in a constructive manner.
 

ladn

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But there certainly is a faction of amateur radio that really likes the call sign badges, reflective safety vests and blinky lights on their vehicles. That's usually where the problems start.
The same guys who also have 4 Baofengs, a scanner, pepper spray and an 8-D cell Mag light hanging off their basket weave belt.
 

ladn

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The WINsystem and Shorty have a history of cobbling uncoordinated repeaters in places they don't belong, like meeting people who have access to mountain top sites but have no authority to put repeaters in, then getting them to provide access. Once there the new WINsystem repeater just hogs another frequency pair or two and helps to feed the ego of its owners.

Shorty seems to have given up the reins to someone else, but the system still follows the same guidelines. Gobble up frequencies and bloat.
I've noticed the most recent iteration of the WINSYSTEM repeater list has fewer entries than in the past.
 

MTS2000des

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The same guys who also have 4 Baofengs, a scanner, pepper spray and an 8-D cell Mag light hanging off their basket weave belt.
You left out the bootleg programmed trunking radio.
I think harsh truths and opposing opinions are being misinterpreted as hateful.
I've learned that many cannot handle the truth. I'm reminded every day.
 
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