Subject: The Game's Afoot!
From: Radio Amateur KC2HMZ
Date: 6/21/2004 4:53 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:
On 21 Jun 2004 13:33:29 GMT, (Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote:
Yep - Puerto Rico CAP is their correct State Wing callsign. Like
Florida CAP where you are, or WHITE PEAK where I am.
I'm not in Florida.
Hmmm...okay, I stand corrected. I don't know why, but for some reason,
I thought you lived in Florida. shrug
Nope....Other than working situations, have always been in Tennessee
(since joining the forum)
Certain other posters have "insisted" that
those radio services are "major" contributors to "emergency comms".
They have yet to establish any validity for those claims.
I didn't see the original posts on that, but if you've accurately
summarized what was said, then I would also be interested in learning
of the specifics.
Refer to Brain Burke, N0MIND...I mean Brian Burke, N0IMD...He's the
progentiator of that bit of silliness.
I'm personally aware of some areas where there are Neighborhood Watch
groups using FRS radios, and at least one where an ARES group uses
GMRS to communicate with the local NW group on FRS (the first seven
channels are the same freqs).
Yes, those services ARE used...The point here is "major role". Those are
great ancilliary tools for end-users. They do not play a "major role" in
"emergency comms".
I'm also personally aware of instances where FRS radios are used by
ARES/RACES personnel or by government or emergency services personnel.
The only instance I know of FRS/GMRS bveing used by them is as a liasion
with non-Amateur services...quite practical, actually.
I am not personally aware of any instances where the regular users of
FRS, GMRS, MURS, and the other Part 15 services are written into the
disaster plans for a given locality, except in the case of REACT
groups using equipment for those services. In the sense of having
families who use FRS radios at the mall to help keep track of the kids
being written into emergency communications contingency planning, or
folks who use GMRS or MUR for similar purposes, no, I've never seen or
heard of that being done. That of course doesn't mean it hasn't been
done somewhere, just that if it has, I haven't heard of it - I'd like
to hear about it if someone's got specifics on one or more cases where
this has been done, though.
Colorado Wing, Civil Air Patrol logged a rescue of several stranded hikers
last summer who were in a deep, tree covered ravine. One of the hikers made it
to a road, but couldn't retrace his course. The FRS radios were used to
contact them and locate them...Worked like a champ.
73
Steve, K4YZ