Montana's Ham Radio Forum

http://www.eham.net/speakout/opinions/499

Take a look and see what you think of this discussion on the E-Ham.net

Well I tried to read it. It was pretty difficult as it runs backwards. Well anyway I assume they are talking about using Ham gear for emergency communication. Which is totally legal, for Hams. All rules still apply In order to use a radio on a given frequency you have to be licensed for it. Except for an emergency. That means when there is no other means you can use what ever radio to get the emergency traffic out. However when planning for emergencies, plans should be made to use each radio service as it was intended and who it was intended by. For example, I think the FCC would have a problem with the Cascade County Sheriff's Office Planning on having Hams come sit in the Dispatch office and dispatch police calls on our Ham repeater, during emergencies. However as a last resort I suppose one could do that legally.

Someone in one of those posts on eham mentioned that police had been using other radio services while on duty. I am not sure what service they used but if was Ham and they were unlicensed then it is illegal. Period!

A very interesting topic though.

I noticed that...and wondered, beings they did not specify. HOPEFULLY, the intended users and operators are the ones doing the communicating on the appropriate bands. But I am thinking they (the original poster) are thinking that is not the case....but as you said, in a REAL emergency......

Anyway...Thought that would be good reading for everyone who is interested...and get some discussion going!

[quote poster=KE7BIN date=1236345540]One thing is that has ben discussed is that if needed because of lack of communications a Ham could ride along with a Cop or Deputy. Some one then would also be a the EOC as well at or of needed at a Joint Field Office (JFO). ARES could handle this with no problem[/quote]

And that is my point. Why would someone need to ride with a cop? The radios in the cars won't stop working! They still have several channel choices which are simplex. If the Main repeater goes down they can still operate simplex. We might as a last resort need to place someone at a higher location to setup a portable type repeater etc. I suppose as a last last last resort (at the end of the list of last resorts) you might have to give them radio on our repeater, but that would be a true emergency anyway. The County and City should, if they don't already, have a plan of setting up portable repeaters with emergency power etc. Should their main repeaters go down for any length of time.

Its about time HAM radio is intergrated into agencies plans. Let them spend the money, sure beats dragging your hundred dollar or thousand dollar radio systems to fullfill their com needs.