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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site anasazi.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!noao!terak!mot!anasazi!john
From: john@anasazi.UUCP (John Moore)
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: Re: ham radio emergency procedures and related matters
Message-ID: <318@anasazi.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 22-Oct-85 11:59:13 EDT
Article-I.D.: anasazi.318
Posted: Tue Oct 22 11:59:13 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 25-Oct-85 07:30:27 EDT
References: <2188@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Reply-To: john@anasazi.UUCP (John Moore)
Organization: Anasazi, Phoenix Az.
Lines: 47

In article <2188@brl-tgr.ARPA> jhs@mitre-bedford.ARPA writes:
>Incidentally, I have found that people recognize the term "ham radio" as
>something different than CB, whereas the seemingly more dignified "Amateur
>Radio" is more often confused with CB or perhaps pirate broadcasting.
>I was pleased to note that the newscasters IMMEDIATELY mentioned ham radio
>as a possible link to Mexico City after the recent earthquake.  We are getting
>some serious recognition these days, usually under the name "ham radio".

I strongly agree! We must use the term "ham radio" (or radio afficionados - sp)
if we want the public to know who we are. The term "amateur" is presumably
used to indicate "not an avocation", but most folks interpret it as
"incompetent". So unless we want to be known as "incompetent radio operators"
we should use another term.

>
>A final plug:  All you hams out there in Net-land please consider your
>responsibility to do at least a little public service work from time to time.

Even if you don't get satisfaction out of these activities (and they are
usually lots of fun), you should recognize that our $500 BILLION worth
of spectrum is justified to a large extent by our public service and
emergency activities. Ignoring these responsibilities means that the
next time someone wants to ban our antennas or snatch our frequencies
or impose quiet hours, we don't have much of an argument. DXing or rag-chewing
or experimenting do not by themselves justify the priviledges that we have.

I also recommend that if you participate in these activities, do your best
to get publicity and written thanks for your efforts. These will come in handy 
the next time you get into a fight over your priviledges. Don't be shy or think
that it's crass - just look how hard the Red Cross, Sal Army, etc work to get
publicity for their efforts - they even run advertisements on TV.
They know that without publicity they cannot continue doing their good work. 
We should feel the same way.

I think that the Mexico City disaster showed the best of ham radio, and also
got us more favorable publicity than any event in recent memory. If we want
to be able to continue to help in the future like we did in Mexico, we
need to keep the public aware of our efforts in order to maintain our
priviledges.
		73,

-- 
John Moore (NJ7E/XE1HDO)
{decvax|ihnp4|hao}!noao!terak!anasazi!john
{hao!noao|decvax|ihnp4|seismo}!terak!anasazi!john
(602) 952-8205 (day or evening)
5302 E. Lafayette Blvd, Phoenix, Az, 85018 (home address)