[Ares-races] VHF Marine Band question

[Mike Miller]

I just completed the ARRL CEP EmComm Level 1 course and it 
seemed to imply that any frequency in an emergency is okay, but 
only if no other means is available. Maybe that needs 
clarification in the course material. Of course if your own life 
is at stake, the old " It's better to be judged by 12 than 
carried by 6" rule applies.

Below is quote from Lesson 19 Alternate Communications Systems 
and Methods. 

> Legal Considerations
> 
> Licenses: 
> 
> Some radio services require licenses, and others do not. However, in a
> true emergency as defined by the FCC, this may not be a problem. FCC rules
> give everyone special permission to use "any means necessary" to
> communicate in order to protect life and property -- but only when no
> other normal means of communication is possible. Please do not assume that
> this means you can just modify your radio and call for help on the local
> police frequency the next time you see a car crash on the highway. Hams
> who have called for "help" on police frequencies have been convicted of
> "interfering with a policy agency" under state and local laws, even though
> the FCC had taken no enforcement action. In one case, the judge ruled that
> by modifying his radio in advance, an Amateur had committed
> "pre-meditated" interference, a serious charge. If you are in a position
> to save someone's life or property, be sure you are ready to defend your
> actions -- and possibly lose -- before pressing the mic button.

Mike kc9doa





On 10 Nov 2003 at 9:46, N4AOF wrote:

> The idea of "Any frequency anywhere is ok in emergency" is a common ham
> operator misreading of the emergency operations provision in Part 97 -- 
> a more accurate reading would be "Any Ham Frequency, by Any Licensed Ham
> Operator of Any Class, Anywhere Regulated by the FCC" -- NOTHING in Part
> 97 applies to any non-ham frequency.