Is Amateur Radio Becoming Obsolete for Emergency Communications?
An article in the January 19, 2001, edition of "Amateur Radio Newsline"
said, "One of the reasons that hams are called out in emergencies could
begin to disappear in 2006." The article referred to an FCC directive that
spectrum be made available that
will let disaster relief agencies communicate without the need of third parties.
Public-safety agencies are already doing that by means of cellular and PCS
telephones, Nextel, Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) and Family Radio Service
(FRS), and some frequencies set aside for mutual-aid communications. The new
allocation at 700 MHz would greatly expand such interagency communications.
Radio amateurs must not be discouraged from continued participation in emergency
communications. For example, many RACES organizations have shown that handheld
SSTV equipment is ideal for on-scene video coverage. PACTOR, PSK31, and other
new digital modes are ideal for statewide or interstate communications between
agencies. Nevertheless, the need is for radio amateurs to consider themselves as
part of a reserve communications organization, trained to provide communications
on public-safety frequencies, not just amateur radio frequencies. When
performing their services for emergency-management agencies, these reserve
communicators are actually operating in the expanded Auxiliary Communications
Service (ACS) concept, rather than in the restrictive RACES concept that ties
them to amateur radio frequencies specified in the agency's RACES plan.
To be more specific about the FCC's directive, on January 11, 2001, the
Commission adopted an interoperability standard to ensure effective
public-safety communications between different agencies on designated channels
in the 700-MHz band. "The Commission has long noted that the inability of
different public- safety agencies to efficiently communicate with on another was
a concern for the public-safety community."
The Commission adopted Project 25 Phase I as the voice standard for
communications on the 700-MHz band interoperability channels, which are channels
specifically set aside to allow different public-safety entities to communicate
with one another. The Commission also adopted the data standard incorporated in
the Project 25 suite of standards for data communications on the 700- MHz band
interoperability channels. These channels will allow public-safety entities,
such as police and fire departments, to send status messages or short E-mails to
one another.
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Editor comment: If you see amateur radio EMCOMM only as hams running
around with HT’s providing tactical communications, then this new service
could replace them. And, as long as emergencies and disasters occur only
in fairly localized and geographically flat areas, without any mountains or tall
buildings to block UHF signals, this new service should work just fine.
And as long as satellites, cell phones, and linked repeater systems work as they
are supposed to, and can handle 100 times the traffic they are designed for,
skilled amateur operators probably will not be needed.
But, what about the non-government agencies we serve? Is the Red
Cross, the Salvation Army, and other private relief organizations going to have
all these nifty toys...plus enough volunteers to operate them? Even if
they do, will these operators be skilled observers and trained in traffic
handling? And what about when the need for communications is beyond the
horizon, and the telephone and e-mail lines are KA-PUT?
Anyone who has worked in any recent major disaster has learned that the cell and
satellite communications systems (that are designed to handle an average
normal-day traffic load) become jammed within the first five minutes. Who
will handle the logistical traffic on behalf of both government, and
non-government agencies, at ranges of from 12 to 12,000 miles? TRAINED,
DISCIPLINED, ORGANIZED, AMATEUR RADIO
OPERATORS using Packet, PAKTOR, PSK31, RTTY, SSB, and (yes) CW... that’s
who! Who will handle Health and Welfare messages, local or “DX”,
on behalf of the public and private non-profit “served agencies”?
TRAINED, DISCIPLINED, ORGANIZED, AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS using Packet, PAKTOR,
PSK31, RTTY, SSB, and (yes)...CW ...that’s who!
The threat to amateur radio EMCOMM comes not from without. It comes
from within! Apathy. Lack of cooperation. Disgruntled hams who
“don’t like the ARRL, or: “don’t like the government”, or: “don’t
like the Red Cross”, or: “don’t like this or that”, or any other of a
long list of excuses in an attempt to justify non-participation and
non-cooperation. Some even make fun of, and/or interfere with organized
amateur
EMCOMM efforts.
Personally, I enjoy many different aspects of amateur radio. But, (in my
opinion) ,those few hams (about 5-6%) who actively give back something to
our community and country, are “the life blood” that is keeping our bands
alive --......-- de K6SOJ