Text 557, 79 rader
Skriven 2007-07-05 16:44:46 av Richard Webb (1:116/901.0)
    Kommentar till text 556 av PETER COGGON (1:123/140)
Ärende: announcing the emergcom e
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PETER COGGON wrote in a message to RICHARD WEBB:

PC>   Excuse me for asking for this as it was posted...but I
PC> lost your posting, and I wanted to forward it along to
PC> as many people and clubs as possible in my area.

PC> It was as I read it, a wonderful way to combine so many
PC> different users from many bands.

Echo tag is emergcom and it should be available now through your regular
fidonet backbone feed.

The echo's purpose is to disseminate information and techniques of interest to
emergency/disaster radio communicators, be they professional or volunteers.

Why another fidonet echo?

fIdonet has a few echoes dedicated to radio communications, but most are geared
to other radio activities.  Therefore, I began the emergcom echo to give
interested parties a place to discuss tools and techniques that are beneficial
to emergency and disaster communicators.

Amateur radio, our primary focus:  Amateur radio offers some distinct
advantages for volunteer emergency and disaster
communicators over other services.  First and foremost, we have a wider range
of frequencies and modes available, allowing us to offer worldwide regional or
local communications no matter the time of year or other factors.  When the
infrastructure fails we have the tools available to get the job done.

Though the tools are available many hams do not know how to
properly use them.  Many are not able to originate a radiogram without having
the form in front of them.  even with the form in front of them they don't
understand what the fields in the preamble mean, or why they're important.

ADd to this the inability of many hams licensed within the last decade to send
and receive the international morse code.  Though email by radio type
activities such as winlink are popular they are not going to be widely
available in a disaster.  THe agency you serve is going to still need
communications even when they fail. ADd to this that we as hams are going to be
pressed into service to assist by operating or maintaining other radio service
equipment during a disaster.  Having a grasp of proper techniques is
essential, whether you're operating a public service radio
transmitter, a MURS unit, a cb or gmrs/frs.  KNowing the strengths and
weaknesses of these other services will allow you to better manage the
resources available to you.

EMergcom also welcomes radio dispatchers from public service radio systems such
as police and fire service to participate.  We can gain valuable knowledge from
your perspective, and you will in turn gain from the expertise of nearly a
century of radio operations.

such an example of where the public safety radio service ops will gain is the
knowledge of the international telecommunications union phonetic alphabet.
Though many police departments use another phonetic alphabet, often of their
own devising we find that use of ITU phonetics aids in getting it right the
first time.  ITU
phonetics are designed to be distinctive.  FOr example, the ITU phonetic for
the letter F is "foxtrot" not "fox" and not "Frank." IF you use "fox" and
signal reception is poor the receiving
operator might think you said "golf" or something else.  Using the ITU phonetic
alphabet aids in clarity, allowing the receiving operator to get it right the
first time.  Getting it right
without repeats or fills being necessary saves time, and
time is a resource in short supply during an emergency or
disaster situation.

Please join us regularly on emergcom, and encourage other two- way radio
operators who may be pressed into service during
emergencies or disasters to participate as well.



73 de nf5b

Regards,
           Richard
... Amazing how much tape is on a 10" reel when it's not.
--- timEd 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: Radio REscue net operations BBS       (1:116/901)