Dear cell phone warriors, as evidenced by the unfortunate circumstances
afflicting NY, Detroit, Cleveland, Erie, etc, one can now see why HAM radio is
a necessity.

As these areas have lost power, the cell phone networks have failed.

Some of you that post to this group have suggested that Amateur Radio is a
thing of the past, with world wide communication available to anyone in the
terms of cell phones.

This is why Amateur radio is a must, that the operators should be praised for
their continuing engagement in a hobby that has great potential for the
benefit of our society. Disaster communications is a specialty of HAMs, maybe
not in this circumstance (maybe so), but throughout the history of Amateur
radio this certainly has been true. Hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes,
anything sufficiently destructive to damage or destroy common modes of
communications, such as that used by the cell phone networks, and even the
established communication systems used by the police, fire, etc. Our police
communication system in Pittsburgh is commonly knocked out by lightning. HAMS
have the versatility to create impromptu communication systems second to none.
No one else has the tremendous supply and distribution of radio systems.

I urge people to pursue the hobby of Amateur radio, to become proficient in
it, and to be respectful of it. Besides, it's fun.

Regards to all those in afflicted areas, though you might not be able to read
this at this time.

Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.