[Elecraft] Traffic handling, emergency operations, and other defunct modes...

Sat Jun 7 22:00:01 2003

Hi-

I came across this post on another list [Glowbugs] and thought that =
everyone could stand reading it. The author is none other than our own =
Elmer Extraordinaire, Ron AC7AC. I found his words especially poignant. =
There is a reference to the fledgling Elecraft CW net to keep it "on =
topic".

Mychael AA3WF
K2 #1025=20

Subject: Re: Traffic handling, emergency operations, and other defunct =
modes...

This has been an interesting thread, and I'm glad to see it here even =
though
the glow-in-the-dark stuff is only peripherally connected because this
subject speaks to the "history" most of us have had around Amateur
communications, including using our skills for emergency services.=20

I'd like to offer an observation, based on that.=20

Back in the 'teens' when Maxim and Tuska were piecing together this =
thing
called the "American Radio Relay League", there was no awareness that =
"Hams"
had any value whatsoever in providing communications to the general =
public,
emergency or not!

Indeed, it was assumed that such an inept mob of self-centered hobbyists
were a liability, not an asset. That was self-evident, just listening to
them operate!=20

Or are we talking about the Hams today? Have we come "full circle"?=20

Not only are most Hams considered inept (even by the standards of many =
OTHER
hams!), it seems that government agencies see us as marginal if at all =
an
asset to their communications needs. Indeed we don't even have an =
American
Radio Relay League any longer. It is officially just the "ARRL" now, =
having
dropped the historic name since it is no longer applicable today.=20

Maybe they were wrong. Maybe the ARRL is wrong.=20

Now, I'm not taking a thing away from all of the wonderful ARES, MARS, =
RACES
work that is being done, but dang it, just following this thread we seem =
to
be the tail in the dog. Instead of showing how we can wag, we are being
wagged. We are whatever the government agencies think we are and nothing
more. That's not the fault of the government. They don't know any =
better.=20

How about going "back to basics" and showing the experts what we can do
rather than taking on whatever tasks they think we should do?  Sure, =
there's
great value in taking a cup of coffee or a sandwich to a tired Fireman. =
I am
not belittling that effort one bit. But it's NOT what we are all about =
in
this Hobby!=20

Why are we sitting around complaining about FEMA or Homeland Security =
not
calling us? Why aren't we setting out goals to show how, for example, a =
good
CW net can run from batteries for weeks and communicate clear across =
this
land without a single satellite, cell phone, computer, or other
infrastructure, and pass traffic quickly and efficiently?=20

Why aren't we going to FEMA and the other organizations and saying " =
Here is
a resource that continues to work without interruption in a REAL =
emergency
in which the infrastructure needed to support your WAN's, LANs, and =
other
nets are down for the count!"=20

Why can't we do what they did in the 1920's, and initiate a written =
message
in Connecticut, pass it to California, get a receipt, and send the reply
back to Connecticut all in six minutes by CW? Try that with a jammed up
internet or Cell phone system, FEMA!

But it's not for the Government to come ask us, it's for us to show =
them!
Just like Maxim and the crowd did in the teens that caused congress to
recognize and preserve this hobby back then. Had they petitioned the
government for recognition based on what the "could do if asked" this =
hobby
would have died with WWI.=20

Instead they demonstrated what they could do without being asked, and
offered that service to the government.=20

Of course - and I don't want to ruffle any feathers here but it needs to =
be
said - EVERY existing service will say "Yes but..." just like they did =
in
1916. RACES, ARES, ARRL, you name it will say, "No... stay within our
present effort or you'll dilute what we are doing and everyone will be =
worse
off for it."=20

Nonsense.  This is not about competition. This is not about "we are =
better
than them". This is about options. The current emergency services are =
doing
a wonderful job supporting the needs as the various groups understand =
their
needs and the ability of Hams to fulfill them. That should continue.

I'm talking about showing them capabilities they don't know exist. And =
we
don't know it either, until we do it. Are there enough operators around =
who
can step up to the plate?=20

Well, yesterday I tried to check into a NEW CW net. A schedule conflict
prevented that. I wanted to because it was being run by a NEW CW op, and =
a
gang of other NEW CW ops who want to hone their CW skills and their =
ability
to communicate efficiently. This is just a small part of a BIG bunch of =
NEW
Hams who are CW ops because they LOVE CW.=20

Oh, I know,  CW is dying because computers and PSK and Phone are more
"efficient". CW can't compete. Nonsense!! That is NOT the reason CW nets
aren't used any longer. CW is not being used for the same reason we =
don't
ply the oceans with sailing ships or fly in piston-engine airliners. =
Both of
those are more efficient than modern machines - steamships and jet =
planes -
and just as fast over many routes. The change in both cases comes from =
the
cost of labor. It takes labor to run a sailing vessel. Piston engines =
have
to be torn apart every few hours and checked and serviced. Jet engines =
burn
far more fuel but don't need that attention, so it's cheaper to use =
them.=20

And CW isn't used because it takes skilled operators. It takes a LOT =
more
skill than pounding on this keyboard or talking on a mic. I met few (did =
I
meet any?) captains of ships who really liked losing "Sparky". Oh, most =
of
them had bad things to day about Sparky at times, but Sparky took care =
of
the messy business of communications. Sparky went away because he cost
money, not because satellite phones, TOR and INMARSAT is actually =
better.
Indeed, the new systems are simply "good enough" and CHEAPER.=20

Believe it or not, I tell you all that there ARE people out there who =
enjoy
doing things because they take skill and effort. And that includes =
"pounding
brass". As hobbyists, we don't care about the cost of our labor, it's =
the
enjoyment of pursuing the skill and using it to help our community and
country that is important to us!=20

I say, if we want to demonstrate how CW or any other technique can be
valuable to our country, the first step is to organize and DEMONSTRATE =
it,
just like Maxim did back in 1916.

But don't expect the American Radio Relay League to do it. They don't =
exist
any longer. Their successor, the ARRL, has other priorities and =
interests.=20

Ron AC7AC=20

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