Comments on: Amateur Radio: Not an Emergency Radio Service http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/ Amateur (ham) radio, VHF/UHF, QRP, mountaintop operating and technical stuff Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:34:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: K0NR http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/comment-page-1/#comment-342 K0NR Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:27:57 +0000 http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/?p=1163#comment-342 Floyd, thanks for the comments. I like the "old car" analogy....needs a little polish. Bob K0NR Floyd, thanks for the comments. I like the “old car” analogy….needs a little polish.

Bob K0NR

]]> By: Floyd, KK3Q http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/comment-page-1/#comment-341 Floyd, KK3Q Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:20:19 +0000 http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/?p=1163#comment-341 I do agree with the narrowness of some ham's outlook on our hobby. Just go to a hamfest and listen as some folks put down some technology, mode, or group simply because they aren't involved in it. I myself get a real kick out of the digital modes having come into them rather late in the game (2006). But there are many that remind me (usually on 2 meters) that PSK isn't "real radio". Guess the real QSL cards don't count either. My point is that the hobby is so huge that there is always something new or different to do. When you get bored with one band/mode/club then there is always something else around the corner. As for 97.1, it is like an old car that could use a little polishing up but not a complete makeover. I do agree with the narrowness of some ham’s outlook on our hobby. Just go to a hamfest and listen as some folks put down some technology, mode, or group simply because they aren’t involved in it. I myself get a real kick out of the digital modes having come into them rather late in the game (2006). But there are many that remind me (usually on 2 meters) that PSK isn’t “real radio”. Guess the real QSL cards don’t count either. My point is that the hobby is so huge that there is always something new or different to do. When you get bored with one band/mode/club then there is always something else around the corner. As for 97.1, it is like an old car that could use a little polishing up but not a complete makeover.

]]> By: Jeff, KE9V http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/comment-page-1/#comment-322 Jeff, KE9V Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:57:31 +0000 http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/?p=1163#comment-322 I think the amateur service can take a lot of the credit for the cellular telephone concept from our late 70s and early 80s FM repeater development. But that may have been the last thing of significance that we have contributed to the advancement of communication technology...? 73 de Jeff I think the amateur service can take a lot of the credit for the cellular telephone concept from our late 70s and early 80s FM repeater development.

But that may have been the last thing of significance that we have contributed to the advancement of communication technology…?

73 de Jeff

]]> By: K0NR http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/comment-page-1/#comment-321 K0NR Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:15:31 +0000 http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/?p=1163#comment-321 W6DWF, good question. I would probably keep 97.1 pretty much the same but update the language a bit. Deserves some more thought. I think the reservoir of talent purpose has shifted. It is clearly not having Morse Code radio operators ready to go to serve the military. I think there is still something valuable here though. The issue I have been pondering is "advancement of the radio art". What major advancements have come directly from the amateur radio service (maybe limit it to post 1950)? Some web searching reveals examples like meteor scatter communications, packet radio and psk31. These all strike me as incremental innovations (not major breakthroughs). More to follow on this topic in another post. 73, Bob K0NR W6DWF, good question. I would probably keep 97.1 pretty much the same but update the language a bit. Deserves some more thought.

I think the reservoir of talent purpose has shifted. It is clearly not having Morse Code radio operators ready to go to serve the military. I think there is still something valuable here though.

The issue I have been pondering is “advancement of the radio art”. What major advancements have come directly from the amateur radio service (maybe limit it to post 1950)? Some web searching reveals examples like meteor scatter communications, packet radio and psk31. These all strike me as incremental innovations (not major breakthroughs). More to follow on this topic in another post.

73, Bob K0NR

]]> By: Jeff, KE9V http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/comment-page-1/#comment-320 Jeff, KE9V Sat, 02 Jan 2010 13:57:58 +0000 http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/?p=1163#comment-320 On reflection, it seems that part of the problem with redefining Part 97.1 is that a new definition would likely be very narrow. Beyond providing emergency communication services in times of need, I am struggling to think of any other value that we add? I don't mean that in a bad way but looking at it from the FCC (gov) position (we possess billions of dollars worth of spectrum), what is it that ham radio brings to the table these days? That "reservoir" of electronics talent was conceived in a time when a war might necessitate conscripting those with Morse code abilities for fast military service - or it might even describe those entrepreneurs who pioneered the *business* of radio and TV which was in its infancy. But it's nearly impossible to imagine in this day and age, the need to conscript radio hams for their Morse skills into the military... Advancing the state of the art might still be in our purview, but it isn't like the WWII days where we would pioneer radar for the military ... I doubt that the Army is adapting much of our work in HF, satellites, SDR or digital modes for their own uses -- though I could be wrong about that. Let's face it, when we tout the fact that "anyone" can get an Extra ticket with just a one weekend cram study session, it becomes nearly impossible to sell the notion that we are a highly trained and valuable pool of electronics engineering talent...without snickering a little. None of that is to say that this hobby isn't a lot of fun, and a lifelong educational opportunity for us all. I encourage everyone to get involved because I enjoy it so much myself that I want to share it. But over time we have become less of a service and more of a hobby. Just because you can fly a model airplane doesn't mean you can land a 747 and while the amateur service has many shiny trophies on the mantle, most of us remain radio 'amateurs'. 73 de Jeff On reflection, it seems that part of the problem with redefining Part 97.1 is that a new definition would likely be very narrow. Beyond providing emergency communication services in times of need, I am struggling to think of any other value that we add?

I don’t mean that in a bad way but looking at it from the FCC (gov) position (we possess billions of dollars worth of spectrum), what is it that ham radio brings to the table these days?

That “reservoir” of electronics talent was conceived in a time when a war might necessitate conscripting those with Morse code abilities for fast military service – or it might even describe those entrepreneurs who pioneered the *business* of radio and TV which was in its infancy.

But it’s nearly impossible to imagine in this day and age, the need to conscript radio hams for their Morse skills into the military…

Advancing the state of the art might still be in our purview, but it isn’t like the WWII days where we would pioneer radar for the military … I doubt that the Army is adapting much of our work in HF, satellites, SDR or digital modes for their own uses — though I could be wrong about that.

Let’s face it, when we tout the fact that “anyone” can get an Extra ticket with just a one weekend cram study session, it becomes nearly impossible to sell the notion that we are a highly trained and valuable pool of electronics engineering talent…without snickering a little.

None of that is to say that this hobby isn’t a lot of fun, and a lifelong educational opportunity for us all. I encourage everyone to get involved because I enjoy it so much myself that I want to share it.

But over time we have become less of a service and more of a hobby.

Just because you can fly a model airplane doesn’t mean you can land a 747 and while the amateur service has many shiny trophies on the mantle, most of us remain radio ‘amateurs’.

73 de Jeff

]]> By: Dennis/w6DWF http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/comment-page-1/#comment-319 Dennis/w6DWF Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:23:33 +0000 http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/?p=1163#comment-319 97.1 does seem a bit strained in today's context, though I think hams are providing some good operating experience in digital modes. My question: what would either or both of you propose in lieu of 97.1? Feel free to remove this, since it is likely to pull all the "real hams" who know exactly what's needed out of the woodwork. 72/73 -- dwf 97.1 does seem a bit strained in today’s context, though I think hams are providing some good operating experience in digital modes. My question: what would either or both of you propose in lieu of 97.1?
Feel free to remove this, since it is likely to pull all the “real hams” who know exactly what’s needed out of the woodwork.
72/73 — dwf

]]> By: Jeff, KE9V http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/comment-page-1/#comment-318 Jeff, KE9V Fri, 01 Jan 2010 18:47:39 +0000 http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/?p=1163#comment-318 I'm sure your facts are correct, mine could be suspect. I just don't recall if 97.1, the so-called "basis and purpose" section has ever been changed even once over these many years. I suppose there is little chance that the FCC would ever change it now, but it certainly would help in defining the hobby if we had an up to date mission statement that reflected the many changes that time has had on the service. Having said that, old documents do almost become religious in nature so maybe we would never get hams to go along with changing 97.1 anyway... Thinking outside the box hurts my head. 73, Jeff I’m sure your facts are correct, mine could be suspect. I just don’t recall if 97.1, the so-called “basis and purpose” section has ever been changed even once over these many years. I suppose there is little chance that the FCC would ever change it now, but it certainly would help in defining the hobby if we had an up to date mission statement that reflected the many changes that time has had on the service.

Having said that, old documents do almost become religious in nature so maybe we would never get hams to go along with changing 97.1 anyway…

Thinking outside the box hurts my head.

73, Jeff

]]> By: K0NR http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/comment-page-1/#comment-317 K0NR Fri, 01 Jan 2010 18:16:01 +0000 http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/?p=1163#comment-317 Jeff, Thanks for the comments. I think 97.1 is still valid but I think that is a point worth debating. That is, if we agree on the purpose then we have a shot at agreeing on appropriate action. I do find value in some old documents, such as the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which were written even before Part 97, if I have my history correct :-) 73, Bob K0NR Jeff,
Thanks for the comments.
I think 97.1 is still valid but I think that is a point worth debating. That is, if we agree on the purpose then we have a shot at agreeing on appropriate action.

I do find value in some old documents, such as the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which were written even before Part 97, if I have my history correct :-)

73, Bob K0NR

]]> By: ke9v http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2010/01/amateur-radio-not-an-emergency-radio-service/comment-page-1/#comment-316 ke9v Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:25:30 +0000 http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/?p=1163#comment-316 Perhaps 97.1 has outlived its purpose? It was originally written with the Communications Act of 1934 (I think) and I'm not at all certain that it has been updated even once since? Certainly hams no longer advance the state of the radio art nor are we a reservoir of trained electronics experts! As for enhancing international goodwill, considering that most US radio amateurs are devout followers of Glenn Beck and Lou Dobbs, I cannot see how this could possibly hold up under much actual scrutiny... Yet we cling stoically to this archaic mission statement as though Moses carried it down off the Mount. I agree wholeheartedly with your premise that many of us try to define ham radio too narrowly, but pulling out a hundred year-old parchment of the "rules" such as they were in the days of vacuum tubes and horseless carriages just makes us look silly. And old. And fairly useless. 73, ke9v Perhaps 97.1 has outlived its purpose?

It was originally written with the Communications Act of 1934 (I think) and I’m not at all certain that it has been updated even once since?

Certainly hams no longer advance the state of the radio art nor are we a reservoir of trained electronics experts!

As for enhancing international goodwill, considering that most US radio amateurs are devout followers of Glenn Beck and Lou Dobbs, I cannot see how this could possibly hold up under much actual scrutiny…

Yet we cling stoically to this archaic mission statement as though Moses carried it down off the Mount.

I agree wholeheartedly with your premise that many of us try to define ham radio too narrowly, but pulling out a hundred year-old parchment of the “rules” such as they were in the days of vacuum tubes and horseless carriages just makes us look silly.

And old. And fairly useless.

73, ke9v

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