[KYHAM] Verification of Communications

[Ron Dodson]

We, as amateur radio operators are communicators.  We communicate in
many different ways and modes.  We send messages that range from
friendly chit-chat to life and death importance.

Few amateurs would ever think of originating a radioed request for
assistance without verifying the point of origin and its legitimacy
before the initial message goes out.
On rare occasions this can happen because of a pressing known emergency
such as a tornado or hurricane and thus generates the passing on of
calls for "aid" over the radio or internet.  As we discussed some time
back, any request for amateur radio operators to go to another state,
will certainly need to pass from the jurisdiction wanting help to our
state EOC in Frankfort and then out to myself or the DEC's and EC's in
the state. This chain of command needs to be followed in order for the
responding hams to have workman's comp coverage to protect them and
their families in the event of mishap while activated.

All too often, messages received via the internet provide us with
erroneous information and we pass it on with out a single thought as to
the truth or even legitimate foundation of the e-mail.  

Some of these range from the ludicrous; E-Mail Tax 602P (outright
garbage), to hyperbole; Starbucks and the Marines (misquotes and
exaggerations), Hanoi Jane (extreme embellishment), "Actress" Cindy
Williams (actually a DR. Cindy Williams, not the actress) on military
pay raises etc. to the heart wrenching;  Missing kids, sick kids, you
get the picture!

Point is, the internet is both a great place for research and
communications aids like the KyHam List and others. The internet is also
a place filled with half truths, fables, malicious lies etc.  We all, as
users, have to discern fact from fiction before we act. As with radio
messages of questionable origins, these need to be checked out before
being passed on.

If anyone lowers their guard and passes wrong information via radio or
internet, then we have failed in our duties as communicators.  Yes, it
is easy to get a message from your buddy, whom you trust, who got it
from someone he/she trusts and so on. Everyone in the chain trusting in
the original sender to have their stuff straight.  In the case of
radioed "disaster relief messages" run these by me or someone at the
state EOC before ever responding, especially out of state. No, I don't
mean if Area 7 asks a neighboring Area for help then I have to verify
it! What I mean is in cases where the original source is in serious
question or chain of command seems circumvented, then do some checking
before responding.  

Should you get an e-mail message concerning some alleged request via
e-mail ESPECIALLY IF IT SMELLS LIKE A CHAIN LETTER! DO NOT PASS IT ALONG
UNTIL YOU CHECK IT OUT!  There are several excellent places to do this
BEFORE you hit the FORWARD command.

Break the Chain.org
http://www.breakthechain.org/

Museum of Hoaxes
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/

Urban Legends Reference Pages
http://www.snopes.com/

HoaxBusters
http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/

About Web Hoaxes
http://library.otis.edu/hoaxes.htm

just to name a few.  This will make us more responsible hams as well as
more responsible internet users and hopefully reduce our looking foolish
by passing on drivel by radio or the internet, thus improving our
reliability and reputation as good communicators. This could seriously
reduce the amount of JUNK that slows internet activity if everyone
thought before hitting "Forward" - "SEND"!

73, 
Ron Dodson, KA4MAP
SEC KyARES