[RTTY] RTTY Interference to Hurricane Rita Ops

[sjolin]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Fleming" <john at wa9als.com>
To: <g.m.mcadams at comcast.net>; <rtty at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 25, 2005 9:42 AM
Subject: Re: [RTTY] RTTY Interference to Hurricane Rita Ops


>> 4. They have forgotten that our FCC will have little or no influence on 
>> an
>> international contest.
>
> I would think that our FCC could have considerable effect on US stations
> interfering with emergency communications.

Exactly how is the FCC going to communicate with stations "interferring" 
with the emergency communications during the time the emergency is ongoing? 
Is it going to telephone every licensee who operates within the frequency 
range they have assigned themselves. IF it gets on and operates RTTY  itself 
it will only add to the interfernce.

> I agree that the emergency operators should have a backup plan for QRM
> conditions due to WX etc, but it's sad to think they need a backup plan 
> for
> QRM due to some hams who think their fun should have priority over 
> emergency > operations.

Not only should they have a backup plan, they should have a promotion plan. 
I checked the ARRL website and nothing listed there in the open. If you read 
one of the hurricane articles to the bottom you will find mention of the 
frequencies in connection. I looked at Eham and saw nothing. I even did a 
Google search on one of their names and found nothing. On Satern I found 
there website which talked up their 20 meter frequency and if my memory is 
correct I don't think I saw any listing for any cw frequencies on that 
website. During Katrina I found more distribution of FEMA and other 
emergency frequencies on the ham bands than I have for this important 
emergency net. My point, if they want to avoid interference in the real 
world, they have to let others know they are there in advance.

I knew Rita was going to cause trouble for close to a week. Could it have 
saved these guys some aggravation if they had bothered to use that time to 
tell others what they were going to do?

Would it have been wise for them to check QST or other sources to find out 
what was going to be occurring on the bands at or about the time the 
hurricane was going to reach land so they would know what they would be 
facing?

Do these fellows ever operate other than cw nets so they have some idea of 
what a QRL will buy you on average day when attempting to deal with a 
station operating another mode, much less during a contest? Do these guys 
have any idea of how many operators these days can copy 20 wpm much less the 
30 wpm or more that they are likely operating if they indeed are passing so 
much vital traffic? Do these fellows know what percent of the ham population 
knows what QRL means?

What is wrong with 7025-7035? Or above 7100? That is available to all 
general class hams and at least most of the stations there would be 
operating cw. Why not 30 meters or 80 meters? Is it because their lack of 
preparedness leaves them stuck without radios or antennas usable on those 
frequencies?

For that matter what is the matter with the internet. The power is out for a 
much smaller area than Katrina. Of what necessity is a Michigan traffic net 
to get messages to Texas. Email a member of their network in Dallas and have 
him relay the message by VHF or by picking up the telephone.

I hate to say it but the rigidity and lack of planning and preparedness by 
these guys makes FEMA look good.

73 de Dave, N0IT