[Ares-races] Where do we fit (paid or unpaid)

[Rockingham Computer]

Dear Group,

    I would like to take this opportunity (while the topic of the
rules we operate under as amateurs and members of ARES) are being
discussed to offer what I hope is a fresh perspective.  ARES by
itself is somewhat of a lost child if we don't have a useful role
and a partnership with the people who do have the responsibility
for acting.  For this reason I have joined emergency management
and brought radio with me, instead of expecting these parties
to embrace it from outsiders.

    I would like to propose some "potential" solutions.  This is
probably "raw material" and my hope in presenting it is to see
it refined from many other perspectives (as long as it remains
constructive).

a) Exactly what is the original justification for amateur radio
anyhow?  Is there something in that original justification that has
somehow been lost over the years ?  Should we attempt to strengthen
that justification and determine if there a growing or diminishing
need to have a volunteer corps of trained operators with volunteer
equipment.

b) There is a process to change the rules, lets learn what we can
about it and use it to explicitly clarify the rules on the issues we
are debating.  In a work setting I found a set of rule that also
included "rationale" to explain why the rule was adopted.  It
was much harder to write them that way, but when it came time to
apply them and interpret their applicability to each new project
it was much more aparent whether the rule still applied.

Some thgouths might include:

i) adding to the list of specific clases of workers (like the
teachers) that can operate, even when paid.

ii) Define further sections of the rules that activate upon a clear
declaration of a bonified emergency by government officials.

iii) Look for ways to strengthen a relationship between Amateur radio
ARES and whatever RACES has become. (I don't understand them myself).

c) Find someone elsewhere in government to help justify or sponsor a
proposal.  Since we face such uncertain times (homeland security) and
the possible repeat of the type of disaster seen on 9/11, the climate
might be right for change and there might be an advocate out there to
help make change to the current system in the direction you desire.

d) Propose a new radio service, one in which amateurs are
automatically cross licensed, thus putting some expertise behind
establishing a volunteer core (and the equipment, like repeaters for
that matter) and relieving the restrictions that we often find when we
try to work with others like the red cross and public safety.  In this
case we could both be licensed and own equipment for interoperatility.

We would each have our "private bands" and one that we can share with
them.  In the shared service they could be "licenced operators" and we
(amateurs) could be "operators/installers/technician/experts" of the
backup / interoperability communications systems with our licenses.
This would be another justification for our volunteer corps.

Another perspective here is it would let these licensee's on something
like our bands and encourage the mentoring and other cooperative
relationships with these departments, agencies, and service groups.

e) Establish a relationship with the equipment manufactures.  They
might have expertise and lobbying power to offer.  They might like to
sell analog/digital rigs/phones/gps and other highly integrated units
that have the interoperability mentioned in (d) to both parties.  It
would likely double or triple their market opportunities and create
a better feedback path between amateurs and the manufacturers with
respect to experimental projects in hardware and software.

These radio's might be type accepted on their part and (frequency and
mode agile on our parts).

Submitted to stimulate your mind on the
possibilities and / or for your entertaint

/Jim /N1CRZ