[KYHAM] tone squelch etc (long)

[Wa4dby at aol.com]

Sir,

  I've had my hand in several repeaters over the years and so I guess I must 
rebut your statement.  The tone you used with regard to the disaster 
communicator is not what I would call well thought. I've been a disaster communicator 
for 25 years. I have seen first hand what does and doesn't work on the disaster 
front. I have seen good people with the willingness to help show up with old 
equipment and new equipment they can't quite master in the programing mode. I 
think you are dead wrong to throw away their efforts by saying they shouldn't 
be there. Without flexibility a disaster communicator won't be productive. And 
if you came with that attitude to any disaster I have worked you might be 
asked to leave. As for PL, if we have to use it then let it be so. I would love 
to see some open FREQ set aside that didn't need to be PL'ed but that's not the 
case. So we work with older equipment upgrades and help operators that may 
not be the best at programing. But we never throw good working communicators 
under the bus because there not repeater owners or can't program. I think all 
hams young and old have a say in this hobby, I must have missed your point, for 
this I apologize.  

Eddie WA4DBY