[ARRL-OK] [ARES-OK] Moving Forward - Public Service Communications

[bjpick at cox.net]

These articles were part of the program discussion at this past week's Tulsa Amateur Radio Club meeting. This was in conjunction with communications service opportunity discussions with the upcoming bicycle rally season in Tulsa presented by ZEC Ben Joplin, WB5VST. In my part of leading the discussion, I presented essentially the view you state below that this represents little more than a name change while our approach to communication support of every kind should keep the word "Service" as the priority. We're seeing new people come out to support these service opportunities. I think this new label allows for an enhanced conversation that will continue to bring out new hams and those that have been on the sidelines previously.

I enjoyed reading your thoughts.

Bart Pickens
N5TWB, AEC-Tulsa County
President, TARC
---- "Mark Conklin n7xyo at yahoo.com [aresoklahoma]" <aresoklahoma at yahoogroups.com> wrote: 
> Oklahoma Section Radio Amateurs,
> I hope you took time to read the Public Service columns of the May and June (2014) QST magazine[1].  Whether you
> already read the columns or not, I ask you to read each of them again –
> together – May first then June. 
> In just a few pages the League (ARRL) was trying to express
> the changes in nomenclature and lables; here’s what you didn’t read.  For most of us nothing has changed.  We’re
> still going to do what we need to do to serve Oklahomans.
> What? Didn’t I read it? It said no more Emergency Communications (AKA EmComm)!  I did read it, and it said no more use of theLABLE EmComm.  Think of it like
> this: using your favorite word processing program and using the FIND/REPLACE
> feature… Find “Emergency Communications”
> or EmComm and Replace with “Public Service Communications”.  Is that overly simple? Maybe, but in the day
> to day activities of most of my fellow Radio Amateurs this nomenclature change will
> have ZERO change to what we are doing to serve the public through ham radio.  
> If you do not have QST magazine or have already recycled you
> copy we have posted a PDF of BOTH the May and June 2014 Public Service columns on www.ARESOK.org  Go to our
> website and click the link on the LEFT sids of page labled “QST PSA”.   Please take
> time to download and read them both together. 
> After you have read both columns, then sit back and ask yourself;
> does this change of labels change what I am willing to do, or does it change
> what I have done to serve the public through Amateur Radio? For me,
> it changes nothing other than I need to update the labels in a few power point
> slides I use. 
> If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to
> contact me.
> Thank you for your service & 73’s,
>  
> Mark Conklin, N7XYO
> Oklahoma Section Emergency Coordinator
> Amateur Radio Emergency Service
> 918.232.8346
> n7xyo at arrl.net
> Follow me on Twitter @N7XYO
> www.ARESOK.org
>  
> [1]QSTis the monthly membership journal of ARRL - the National Association of
> Amateur Radio.