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Gregg,
Thanks for you knee-jerk
response! Which of your examples used WinLink? Like others, in
your haste to attack, you missed my main point. In emergencies, how
much traffic is passed using WinLink?
Locally, I've been through some
minor emergencies, usually the results of a passing hurricane or tornado.
Not ONCE was Winlink or any other digital mode, including CW, was used to
notify authorities or public utilities. I used my
cellphone. And I can use my telephone when the power is out, but not
my computer or WinLink.
But, we are getting away from the
main issue... you do remember what it is, don't you?
73 Buddy WB4M
All outgoing emails scanned with Norton's Anti-virus.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 5:48
AM
Subject: Re: [digitalradio] Win
Link
Buddy,
Great points you make there. You are
absolutely correct about technology! I mean, they now have cellphones
that don't need towers or electricity to function properly. Cellphones
always work perfect. And telephone service, why the phone systems never
fail!
1. 9/11/2001 - When the WTC collapsed, it took
with it a majority of cellphone, public service, and broadcast transmitters
with it. In the ensuing chaos, the remaining cellphone circuits jammed
within SECONDS rendering cellphone service virtually useless within 10 miles
of ground zero.
2. The date I do not recall, but when a US Air
Boeing 737 crashed while on approach to Pittsburgh International Airport the
crash site was remote-enough that many of the responding fire/rescue/police
units were out of range from their 800mhz trunked systems. In addition,
when they reverted to cellphone use, they found the circuits almost
immediately swamped because of a lack of coverage and everyone trying to use
their phones. Commercial broadcast media urged people to avoid using
cellphones - or even landlines in the area of the accident so that emergency
personnel could communicate. The crash occurred a few miles outside a
fairly good sized city and only 20 miles from Downtown
Pittsburgh.
3. Within the last 2 years, again the exact date
I do not recall, a contractor accidentally cut a fiberoptic cable in a rural
area between Huntington and Charleston, WV. This cut randomly crippled
local and long-distance telephone circuits in both cities for almost 8
hours.
Now, do I advocate a system that sometimes blocks
large chunks of spectrum - absolutely not! But if you truly believe that
ham radio is useless, then please surrender your license to the FCC - you
are needlessly taking-up a callsign assignment that would be used by someone
else.
Gregg Hendry
W8DUQ
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 11:34
PM
Subject: Re: [digitalradio] Re: Win
Link
Great overall post, Dean! Especially this
part:
>
> 1. Ham radio is dying, because modern
communications technology has
> passed
it, and the amateur community, even if totally united
(ha
> ha), doesn't have the resources to
combat it in any meaningful way.
> 2. The attempt to
justify amateur radio by its role in
providing
> emergency and public service
communications is rapidly becoming a
>
joke.
Can someone tell me the last time there was an emergency that
wiped out
"normal" communications, and a bunch of hams got on Winlink
and saved the
day? When a severe emergency happens, like a
tornado, hurricane, or
nuclear war, I think most people are mainly
concerned with saving their
bacon, and not getting on the air.
73
Buddy
WB4M
The K3UK
DIGITAL MODES SPOTTING CLUSTER AT telnet://208.15.25.196/
The K3UK DIGITAL MODES SPOTTING CLUSTER AT telnet://208.15.25.196/
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