While military-ham organizations (MARS)do exist here. the vast majority of US hams do NOT partisipste. in them. no body pays me anything to be a ham or supports my hobby in any fashion. I got started 50 years ago at age 14 because it looked like a fun hobby. I hope no one expects me to march in lock step, or spout a political philosophy proposed by some "official line", if anyone thinks he will command me or my operations, I will quit this hobby and see to it that all my equipment and antennas are disabled and no longer serviceable. MY station is never at the disposal of any branch of goverment. certainly, my neighbors, sould a need arise. but, the police and military have far more resources than I do and can damn well buy threir own radios and hire their own operators. for me, "Volunteer" is just a euphemism for unpaid slave. and it takes away a job from someone else who needs to feed a family.
Harv Nelson n9AI, ai9NL
Washburn, WI
MelTo give you another view of the EMCOMM issue in the USAThe USA is geographically significantly larger than Europe.Our taxation is significantly lower than Europe.So US government, in spite of the Billions $$, they spend on EMCOMM, likely spends a lot less per square mile and per person they need to protect.To make up for this shortfall in funding, the USA very much depends on volunteerism...Unpaid volunteers provide much of the Emergency public services that you in Europe and the UK expect the government to provide.As a result Ham Radio is expected to provide EMCOMM during those times when government services no longer have the capacity to handle the loads.Hence we US hams are very serious about EMCOMM.__________________________________________________________
Howard S. White Ph.D. P. Eng., VE3GFW/K6 ex-AE6SM KY6LA
Website: www.ky6la.com
"No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"
"Ham Antennas Save Lives - Katrina, 2003 San Diego Fires, 911"----- Original Message -----Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 11:12 AMSubject: RE: [digitalradio] The US Ham radio serviceOne reason for using amateur radio is that during "normal" everyday operations the agency/organization uses their radios for normal business. In emergencies, there is generally a need for increased communications both in equipment and trained operators. Agencies and organizations cannot budget for emergency communications personnel to work full time and only be used during an emergency. Thus the reason for auxiliaries springing up during the early part of the 20th century...the assisted agencies and organizations when there was the need for additional personnel.
Thus amateur radio acts an communications auxiliary for many agencies and organizations during emergencies.
Walt/K5YFW
-----Original Message-----
From: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com [ mailto:digitalradio@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Dr. Howard S. White
Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 1:28 AM
To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Fw: [digitalradio] The US Ham radio service
Mel:
As one who has lived and worked in your country and enjoyed the gentlemanly civility of UK and European Amateurs I can understand your attitude. It really was a pleasure using Ham Radio over there.
I do not know if you ever saw the RSGB video on Ham Radio...but their entire EMCOMM section was a replay of US EMCOMM.. as the UK does not have any Natural Diasasters to speak of...
On the other side of this issue, tonite I am teaching an Amateur Radio Licensing class at the USCG Auxiliary. They have decided that as a result of their experience in many natural disasters (which for some lucky reason of geography the UK and Europe rarely have) and especially Katrina that 100% of their members need to get their Amateur Radio Licenses. .... Hard to believe that with the Billions of $$ the government spends on communications, they still had to fall back to Ham Radio as their last line of communications....
So Ham Radio is much more serious stuff over here... We really have a role to play in EMCOMM.
And I guess that is why some of us take it so seriously...
For me, Katrina was intense.. I did not sleep for 3 1/2 days while passing traffic on 20M and 40M...
Frankly I never had so much fun in ham radio and felt so needed as during Katrina...
It even was more intense that our massive 2003 San Diego Fires... where hams were the only communications for about 7 days....
As Andy said, probably only about 10% of us do EMCOMM But I wish there were more...
How do digital modes such as PSK, MFSK and Winlink come into EMCOMM?
.. Well actually they all can be quite useful... Modes such as PSK and MFSK and Olivia can get through when most other mechanisms such as SSB or CW will no longer work... Winlink adds a new dimension to EMCOMM allowing us get help from wide areas through the Internet when no other means are available...
Ham Radio in EMCOMM is there for those time when all else fails... it is not a substitute for commercial or government systems
...but when all else fails, theres always HAM RADIO
... at least in the USA.....
__________________________________________________________
Howard S. White Ph.D. P. Eng., VE3GFW/K6 ex-AE6SM KY6LA
Website: www.ky6la.com
"No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"
"Ham Antennas Save Lives - Katrina, 2003 San Diego Fires, 911"
----- Original Message -----
From: Mel
To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 3:04 PM
Subject: [digitalradio] The US Ham radio service
Hello everyone,
The belief that in the United States of America amateur radio is
regarded like the USN, the USCG,the USAF etc.is pretty widespread
among the amateur radio fraternity. It would be interesting to know
how PSK and other digital modes blend into this service.I believe it would be safe to assume that in the many countries of
Europe, radio amateurs regard talking to their friends or sending PSK
messages on their transmitters to other amateurs as a hobby, a
pleasant pastime. We don't attach the seriousness and intensity to
the hobby as do our American friends, perhaps we are too relaxed with
this attitude. This is reflected in the civility which is shown to
all the users of 80 and 40 metres from the many countries of Europe,,
and this makes amateur radio a pleasure.Mel G0GQK
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