10/24/04

What is Amateur Radio? The FCC definition of the Amateur Service is "A radio communication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest." Amateur Radio operators, licensed by the FCC, can be found in every corner of the US. They use Amateur Radio as a hobby and contact other Amateur Radio operators halfway around the world or even across town! "Hams", as they are known, are known for their public service activities. Amateurs may not transmit communications on behalf of their employer. Amateur radio operators are a community resource because....when trouble strikes, "HAMS" help your community! Traditionally, trained volunteer Amateur Radio operators have provided communication support services to government and private relief agencies in times of major local and national disaster. Amateur Radio operators are organized through two primary organizations: Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES). In addition to assisting local authorities and emergency relief operations with radio communication services, amateurs also organize "health and welfare" networks to relay messages from victims in the affected area to loved ones in other locations. Amateur Radio emergency communications in the wake of the World Trade Center terrorist strike made the country aware of the emergency communications Amateur Radio operators have been providing for decades. See World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks. Even before the WTC attack, ARRL was already working on preparations for the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Courses which help train Amateur Radio operators as how to best use their skills in emergencies through the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Programs. These courses have trained thousands of amateurs. This is why the Department of Homeland Defense called Amateur Radio operators the "first of the first responders". ARRL is now an official affiliate of the Citizen Corps, an initiative within the Department of Homeland Security to enhance public preparedness and safety. President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, signed the formal Statement of Affiliation between DHS, President Bush's Citizens Corps and ARRL during the ARRL 2003 National Convention June 21. Chief Operating Officer of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate (FEMA) Ron Castleman represented Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response Michael D. Brown at the signing. Citizen Corps Liaison to the White House Liz DiGregorio called ham radio operators the "first of the first responders." Look at this list of major emergencies where amateurs have helped out.....now if you read some of the stories below (click links) and try to imagine the difference in outcomes if HAMS were not on hand to provide assistance, you recognize the value. This service is provided free of charge which also defrays the cost of responding to any incident.... Event Occurred California Fire Disaster October 2003 Hurricane Isabel: North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania September 2003 Amateur Assistance in Hurricane Isabel Relief Amateur Radio Support Winds Down as Isabel Recovery Continues   Some Amateur Radio Assistance Continues during Isabel Relief and Recovery   Amateur Radio Responds Effectively to Hurricane Isabel Hams Confronting Hurricane Isabel Bermuda: Ham Radio Kept Bermuda Connected When All Else Failed September 2003 Montana August 2003 Montana Hams in "Heads-Up" Mode in Wildfires Response Montana Hams Stand Down, Remain on Alert as Montana Wildfires Continue   Things "Heating Up Quickly" in Montana New York, Michigan, Ohio: Power Blackout August 2003 Hams a Bright Spot During Power Blackout Arizona Forest Fires July 2003 Texas: Ham Radio Assists Relief Effort as Claudette Hits Texas Coast July 2003 Southwest Fire Emergency: Arizona, New Mexico June 2003 Florida Flood Emergency June 2003 Oklahoma City Tornado Emergency May 2003 Oklahoma State Tornado Disaster May 2003 Middle America Tornado Disaster: Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee May 2003 Southern and Midwest Deadly Storm Emergency May 2003 Georgia Killer Tornadoes March 2003 New Jersey Propane Explosion March 2003 Pennsylvania Cold Weather Emergency March 2003 Hams Assist in Debris Search after Space Shuttle Explosion February 2003 Eastern US Snow, Flood Activation February 2003 Eastern Texas Shuttle Columbia Debris Search February 2003 Nacogdoches County, Texas Debris Search February 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia Explosion February 2003 Australian Forest Fire Disaster January 2003 Arkansas, Missouri Storm Emergency December 2002 Mississippi Tornado Disaster December 2002 North and South Carolina Ice Storm December 2002 Midwest Tornado Disaster November 2002 Wisconsin Tornado Disaster September 2002 West Virginia Flooding May 2002 Tornado in Maryland May 2002 Flooding in Kentucky March 2002 World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks September 2001 Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia flooding July 2001 Flooding in Texas and Louisiana (Storm Allison) June 2001 Kansas Tornado Disaster April 2001 Earthquake in India January 2001 Earthquake in El Salvador January 2001 Ice storms in Southwest January 2001 Ice storms in Southwest December 2000 Tornado in Alabama December 2000 Coal Sludge Spill in Kentucky October 2000 Tornado in Ohio September 2000 Avalanche in Alaska March 2000 Fires in Los Alamos, New Mexico May 2000 Hurricane Floyd September 1999 Tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kansas May 1999 Colombian Earthquake January 1999 Arkansas/Tennessee tornadoes January 1999 Hurricane Mitch October 1998 Kentucky flooding disaster April 1997 Michigan airline crash January 1997 Pacific NW floods February 1996 Hurricane Luis September 1995 Oklahoma City bombing April 1995 Georgia floods September 1994 Los Angeles earthquake January 1994 Malibu fires November 1993 Great Blizzard of '93 March 1993 Hurricane Iniki September 1992 Hurricane Andrew August 1992 Oakland fire October 1991 San Francisco earthquake October 1989 Hurricane Hugo September 1989   Why the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) supports amateur radio.... "When a disaster strikes...amateur systems assist with relief operations immediately. Often, it is from an amateur...that the world first learns of the disaster."  "Many of our engineers, scientists, astronauts, educators and technicians took their first steps toward their careers when they became amateur operators."  "The concept of broadcasting began when listeners overheard amateur stations exchanging weather reports and baseball scores. The first land mobile systems were built by amateurs. The first hand-held radios were built by amateurs."  "The first satellite station authorized by the FCC was an amateur station. Today, more than 30 [amateur] satellites have been launched."  "This service is ever at the forefront of communications technology."  Remarks by FCC official during an FCC hearing on Amateur Radio issues, 1990   "HAMS" are a national reservoir of new ideas, valuable technology and homeland defense security Since the earliest days of radio, new technology and the activities of Amateur Radio operators have gone hand-in-hand. Driven by scientific curiosity and unconstrained by bureaucracy, self-funded amateur experimenters have found better ways to utilize the radio spectrum. In professional capacities in research organizations, Amateur Radio operators work as engineers and researchers, often motivated by their early enthusiasm as "hams." Among their well-known contributions:  Pioneers in early radio experimentation  Promoted continuous wave modulation instead of "spark gap"  Early explorers of ionospheric propagation for world wide radio  Developed use of frequencies beyond the High Frequency bands  Developed early mobile gear for automobiles and aircraft  Experimented with Single Sideband mode  Built first civilian communications satellite and pioneered use of inexpensive "microsats"  Developed early packet radio networks (wireless LANs)  Developed early linked repeaters (prototype for cellular phone)  Early experiments in digital signal processing  Developed new antenna configurations  Explored new modes of VHF propagation including tropospheric refraction, sporadic-e, auroral, meteor scatter, tropospheric scatter and moonbounce  Development of new digital modes such as PSK 31   There are nearly 700,000 U.S. amateur radio licensees today....follow this link to view amateur licenses by State through February 2001