[HCRA] KB6NU's August Column: Is Amateur Radio Too Focused on EmComm?

[Rick Lindquist]

The September QST is the annual emergency communication issue, hence the focus. Hams have always tended to specialize, whether it's DXing, contesting, ragchewing, VHF-UHF, QRP or emcomm. Amateur Radio's embrace of emergency communication tightened and participation ballooned following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and such subsequent emergencies as Hurricane Katrina. My $0.02. 

Hope everyone's staying cool. Even Maine has been too warm (wahm) for me. 

73, Rick, WW3DE/1 

-----Original Message-----
From: hcra-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:hcra-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Larry Krainson
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 10:59 AM
To: HCRA Email List
Subject: [HCRA] KB6NU's August Column: Is Amateur Radio Too Focused on EmComm?

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Something to read:

73 and stay cool today,

Larry, WB1DBY

Hi, all--

The KB6NU column is back from its summer vacation. I hope you all had a good vacation. I certainly did.

73!

Dan KB6NU


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Is Amateur Radio Too Focused on EmComm?

By Dan Romanchik, KB6NU

On the HamRadioHelpGroup, a Yahoo Group mailing list for anyone looking for help with anything related to amateur radio, one ham asked "Over lunch today I read the September issue of QST, which is heavily EmComm oriented. The articles were interesting, but the op-ed piece on page 98 seemed a little over the top to me...Has this focus of this intensity always been a part of ham radio and I just wasn’t expecting it?  How has it evolved over the years?"

To answer the question, another replied by posting Section 97.1, namely the principles behind the amateur radio service:

Sec. 97.1  Basis and purpose.

The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the following
principles:

(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.
(b) Continuation and extension of the amateur’s proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.
(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of the art.
(d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.
(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur’s unique ability to enhance international goodwill.

He went on to say, "I think that 97.1(a) addresses your question."

I like that reply a lot. First, it shows that providing emergency and public-service communications has been a part of amateur radio since its beginnings. Some hams are extremely focused on this, and I applaud them. In my opinion, the piece referred to in the latest QST was not over the top.

I think, however, that some hams do sometimes go overboard on emcomm, and act as if it’s the only reason that ham radio exists. It’s not. As you can see, the rules describe five different “purposes” for amateur radio. Emcomm might be the first, but it’s only one of five. We need to keep in mind the other four as well. I personally like (e), and would like to see amateur radio actually do more to promote international good will.

What do you think?

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When he's not pondering the place of emergency communications in amateur radio, Dan, KB6NU, writes books about ham radio. He is currently feverishly trying to finish the No-Nonsense Extra Class License Guide. You can read excerpts from this upcoming book on his website, http://www.kb6nu.com/. You can e-mail him with comments, questions, compliments, or brickbats at cwgeek at kb6nu.com.

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