Exactly Roger. Being in Telecom as a Regional Ops manager for a wireless
tower company for umpteen years, I hear this everyday
from the public who knows what I do for a living. Even the smarter ones
(they think they are) know about the 8 hour generator backup
rule on cell sites and now think they will work no matter what. Just because
the FCC made them stick a generator at the site.
Well, it's not staying up when the T1 backhaul between the sites go down as
happened here in Florida during the hurricanes. The
generator didn't do much for that. Until ALL carriers have a microwave
backhaul to rely on for redundancy, they need ham radio.
Not to speak about the capacity to handle the traffic on cell systems. Maybe
the FCC's opening up the "white space" frequencies
will spawn something new but I don't think so. THEY STILL NEED HAM RADIO.
Our stuff works when others don't. I thank that our
local Police and government realize that. We have our own room at the EOC.
73 Dave n4zkf
Happy Holidays everyone.
Actually I think the city's approach represents one of the greatest threats
faced by amateur radio. Most of the public, including those in all levels
of government are of the mind set that with cell phones the emergency
services aspect of amateur radio is just overblown until they actually see
an emergency where the power is out and/or there is so much traffic they
can't use their cell phones. Only then does it become evident, at least for
those who can add 2 and 2, that the Amateur Radio Service, really is a
service.
Until then those at the city level (and sometimes state) know with certainty
they can regulate any thing that goes on within or even above their borders
regardless of who tells them they can't. Many are quite willing to push it
through expensive court procedures as they figure the average citizen
doesn't have the will or resources to pursue it to the point where the city
will be forced to comply.
One redeeming feature in this case is them trying to preempt, or rather
usurp the FCC's jealously guarded territory. I think that will get the
FCC's attention more than any one of us could normally manage.
Now it the ham could just get compensation for time, stress, and money spent
from both the city and those who complained. <:-))
73
Roger (K8RI)
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