[CoARES-D10] Re: Amber Alerts

Thu, 01 Aug 2002 19:11:51 -0400

I think the idea is a good one... However there are a number of
considerations... #1 ARES here in D-10 owns no repeaters... #2 if you know
anything about the EAS system... the recievers are very expensive and take
control of the transmitter by design...#3 One would need necessarily to find a
receptive owner/group that owns  a repeater to be willing to take EAS alerts
as there can be several an there is no current way to localize them to a given
geographical area... I.E. we would get every EAS alert for not only AMber
alert situations... but for tests of the EAS system as well as any disaster
anywhere else in the coverage area, which is considerable from the Denver
office of Emergency Management... If such a donor were found... I think it
would be important to limit it to one repeater and let the people who wish to
listen to that kind of traffic, listen to it and not intrude on the other on
air activities.

 DO I think kids are important , YES!!!!

 At the same time the EAS system offers some down sides for us as amatuers...
one being if you purchase their reciever, you lose control of your transmitter
audio whenever they opt to test or use the system... If we have essential
communications going on in support of some event or local emergency...
including but not limited to auto accidents, fires, floods etc...... we lose
our repeater till the folks at EAS are finished... Their recievers are also
controllers... its an all or nothing proposition at this point in terms of
whats available to monitor them and have them broadcast their 
information/broadcsts... Something to be considered, other than the
considerable insignificant traffic that come via that system.

Just food for thought.

Thanks and 73,

Randy, W0AVV

On Tue, 30 Jul 2002 16:54:39 -0600 Joshua <[email protected]> wrote:

> A plan is now in effect in many states that
> will issue "Amber Alerts" 
> when a child is reported missing or abducted. 
> This system is activated 
> via state authorities using the EAS (Emergency
> Alert System) equipment 
> that TV and Radio broadcasting stations have as
> part of the system that 
> replaced the old EBS that was to be activated
> as part of local or 
> national emergencies.  What a great idea!  I am
> wondering if it would be 
> possible to have some sort of Amateur radio
> participation, especially on 
> the 2 meter and 440 mhz repeater bands when an
> alert of this sort goes 
> out.  As Amateurs, we are usually highly mobile
> and out and about and 
> could be of great public assistance by
> disemmination of these alerts to 
> a bunch of folks who can be on the lookout for
> vehicles, perpetrators 
> and the children who match the descriptions
> when these alerts are 
> activated.  Maybe we could even take this a
> step further by implementing 
> some sort of decoding reciever into primary
> coverage and usage 
> repeaters.  Of course, there are recievers
> built that broadcast stations 
> use for the EBS that can be programmed for
> certain alerts, be it severe 
> weather, different emergencies covering certain
> counties, or a statewide 
> Amber Alert, that can be inserted into audio
> lines.  At the very least, 
> lets all be aware of the system and when an
> alert is broadcast, keep our 
> eyes open, microphones ready, and be ready to
> put forth this extremely 
> worthwhile service to the community.  Who
> knows, it might help save a 
> childs life someday.  As a father, this is
> something that I think about 
> daily, even several or more times.
> 
> For more information check out this site.
> 
> http://www.missingkids.com/html/amberplan.html
> 
> Whats more important than the kids?
> 73' de KE0VH
> 
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