I think there are some folks out there who know us. A few years ago I was
operating in the 10 GHz contest from a parking area in Beverly Shores,
southern edge of Lake Michigan in northern Indiana. I had the parking lot
all to myself at first but a van came up and parked at the other end of the
parking lot. Shortly, a police car came up. He parked next to the van. I saw
them get out and they were pointing at me. Then the police car left. No one
ever approached me.
All I can assume is that the people in the van thought I was suspicious and
called the police, and that the police knew what I was doing and explained
it to the people in the van.
73, Zack W9SZ
On Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 5:46 AM, <pipkin29292@mypacks.net> wrote:
> Concerning inconspicuous rovers, I can offer some comments from experience.
> I have been "interviewed" by the authorities during every contest I have
> been in so far. It has ranged from city police, county deputies, highway
> patrol, a lady MP and even Naval Intelligence in the Florida Keys. ( an ex
> ham - he took pictures ). If you look at my photo on QRZ you will see there
> is no way to be inconspicuous. I run all bands up to 2304 MHZ. All
> interviews turned out well. I just smiled and responded with respect. I did
> add that this was a national exercise to practice emergency communications
> for situations like after a hurricane. In Florida that seems to get
> immediate appreciation. I always operate safely and off the road, but the
> sheriff's deputy offered the comment that a vest and cones would be a good
> addition, although he had no issue with my operation. Another tip, keep a
> copy of your license in the rover. Showing it to the authorities during the
> interview seems to help give an
> official standing. Civilians also seem as curious as the authorizes and I
> have frequently found myself in the ham radio ambassador capacity with
> civilians as well. In any case, it's been fun.
>
> 73's Bob AH8M/R
>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: vhfcontesting-request@contesting.com
> >Sent: Sep 16, 2009 3:00 PM
> >To: vhfcontesting@contesting.com
> >Subject: VHFcontesting Digest, Vol 81, Issue 14
> >
> >Send VHFcontesting mailing list submissions to
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> >
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> >
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> >
> >When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> >than "Re: Contents of VHFcontesting digest..."
> >
> >
> >Today's Topics:
> >
> > 1. Re: Rover/EMCOMM Vehicle Visibility (Eugene Zimmerman)
> >
> >
> >----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >Message: 1
> >Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:10:26 -0400
> >From: "Eugene Zimmerman" <ezimmerm@erols.com>
> >Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Rover/EMCOMM Vehicle Visibility
> >To: "'Les Rayburn'" <les@highnoonfilm.com>
> >Cc: 'VHF Contesting' <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
> >Message-ID: <005e01ca366a$7c559fe0$0f00a8c0@gene>
> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> >
> >Hi Les
> >
> >This is wonderful information for emergency vehicles. But not so good for
> >rovers.
> >
> >Rovers need to obey the law - emergency vehicles sometimes do not. For
> >instance if your rover operates essentially only when it is stopped, or
> even
> >if you are a run and shoot rover who occasionally stops, it is ABSOLUTELY
> >incumbent on you to get your rover off the road as far as you can and in
> any
> >case far enough that NO part of the vehicle or the antennas you use is on
> or
> >over a travelled road. Then there is no reason to worry about being hit
> >unless some drunk runs off the road and hits you. And then no amount of
> >markings will help.
> >
> >Secondly you should make your rover as inconspicuous as possible. That
> can't
> >be the case for a run and shoot rover but a rover that stops and sets up
> can
> >often have the antennas collapsed to the point that from a distance it
> looks
> >like a few bags of oats for the family horse or some fertilzer for the
> >garden. I guarantee you will be hassled by the authorities who know
> nothing
> >of amateur radio or roving. If you are in a car covered with neon stipes
> and
> >you are wearing a yellow safety vest, what are you going to do when you
> are
> >approached by the local sheriff? If you tell him that you are an emergency
> >vehicle he is first going to ask what emergency and then ask for
> >identification - as an emergency vehicle - and second he can't be faulted
> if
> >he thinks you are not playing with a full deck of cards. In the latter he
> is
> >correct as many rovers including me will tell you. I don't know about
> >Alabama and the Florida panhandle but I'll bet law enforcement officers
> are
> >very wary of folks they think are crazy. He may be looking for the target
> on
> >your back. :-)
> >
> >Brian the Rover ND3F/N3IQ is probably the expert on dealing with
> authorities
> >and how to avoid a bad outcome from such encounters. I'd suspect ND2F/5
> >knows more than anyone else about authorities for a run and shoot rover -
> >how to dress, how to pull completely off road, what to say, etc. But
> making
> >the rover vehicle any more conspicuous than it already is and wearing
> >clothing that is - to be nice - odd is probably a good way to get on the
> >wrong side of the authorities.
> >
> >73 Gene W3ZZ
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >
> >From: Les Rayburn [ <mailto:les@highnoonfilm.com>
> >mailto:les@highnoonfilm.com]
> >
> >Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 3:39 PM
> >
> >To: Sean, KX9X Kutzko; K1CE@cfl.rr.com; VHF Contesting Reflector; DEC
> Region
> >
> >2 WX4AL
> >
> >Subject: [VHFcontesting] Rover/EMCOMM Vehicle Visibility
> >
> >Amateurs who operate "Rover" in VHF/UHF Contests, and those who operate
> >mobile response vehicles for emergency communications deployments should
> pay
> >particular attention to their safety while on the road. For some great
> >suggestions on how to improve your chances of not being involved in an
> >accident, you may want to read a new study just released by the United
> >States Fire Administration (USFA), in partnership with the International
> >Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA), and supported by the US
> >Department of Justice.
> >
> >Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Study (PDF, 2.2 Mb).
> >
> >According to the study, numerous law enforcement officers, firefighters,
> and
> >emergency medical services (EMS) workers have been injured or killed along
> >roadways throughout the US over the past decade. While I'm not aware of
> any
> >serious injuries to amateur radio operators, most of us who operate mobile
> >can share stories of many "close calls". The study discusses the
> importance
> >of addressing emergency vehicle characteristics and human factors to
> reduce
> >
> >injuries and deaths.
> >
> >The key findings of the study were:
> >
> >. Retro reflective materials hold greater promise for enhancing the
> >
> >conspicuity of emergency vehicles.
> >
> >. Being visible and recognizable are important facets of emergency
> >
> >vehicle conspicuity.
> >
> >. Contrasting colors can assist drivers with locating a hazard amid
> >
> >the visual clutter of the roadway.
> >
> >. Fluorescent colors offer higher visibility during daylight hours.
> >
> >The following are the key recommendations of the study:
> >
> >. Outline vehicle boundaries with "contour markings," using retro
> >
> >reflective material.
> >
> >. Concentrate retro reflective material on lower half of emergency
> >
> >vehicles.
> >
> >. Use fluorescent retro reflective materials in applications where a
> >
> >high degree of day/night time visibility is desired.
> >
> >. Use retro reflective material on law enforcement vehicles on rear
> >
> >to maintain stealth when facing traffic or patrolling.
> >
> >. Apply distinctive logos or emblems with retro reflective material
> >
> >to improve emergency vehicle visibility and recognition.
> >
> >To that, I'd add another suggestion. When operating rover, I always wear a
> >bright yellow "safety vest" sold at Lowes, Home Depot and similar stores.
> It
> >includes the highly reflective 3M materials that seem to almost "glow"
> under
> >headlights. I wear this vest even when parked...so that if I suddenly exit
> >the vehicle during the action of a contest, I don't have to remember to
> put
> >it on.
> >
> >I consider myself a very safe operator/driver, but recognize that I get
> >caught up in the furor of operating and might make a mistake. I've also
> got
> >a set of yellow flashing "caution lights" that I use on the truck whenever
> >I'm storm spotting, or driving in poor weather conditions.
> >
> >Thanks to the EMR-ISAC for summarizing the report, most of the content of
> >this e-mail is theirs. The study is well worth reading, and might save
> your
> >life.
> >
> >73,
> >
> >Les Rayburn, N1LF
> >
> >EM63nf
> >
> >121 Mayfair Park
> >
> >Maylene, AL 35114
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >------------------------------
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >VHFcontesting mailing list
> >VHFcontesting@contesting.com
> >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
> >
> >
> >End of VHFcontesting Digest, Vol 81, Issue 14
> >*********************************************
>
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