[TowerTalk] Re: Importance of Amateur Radio Emergency Comms

[Rick Karlquist]

Jim Lux said:
> Also, the "tower in backyard" has a very tenuous connection to "skilled
> communications operator", unless you're approaching as a sort of quid pro
> quo argument... I'll be available as an operator (something YOU want) in
> exchange for you letting me have an aesthetically undesirable tower
> (something I want).  One could make the argument that you'd be an even

I've long thought we should advance the above argument.  Hams invest a lot
of their own time and money to provide a free-to-the-pubilc communications
infrastructure in time of emergency.  If ham radio were like the "War
Emergency Radio Service (WERS)" during WWII and solely consisted of
emergency drills, the amount of time and money invested would drop
precipitously.  It's similar to the duck hunters investing in duck
habitat to let ducks live so they can then kill the ducks.  Sounds
illogical, but it is perfectly logical.  Why can't they just be
conservationists and not hunt ducks? Answer:  because they are
motivated by hunting, and wouldn't spend their money otherwise.
That's why they belong to hunting clubs, not the audibon society.
A lot of seemingly non-emergency related ham radio activities
contribute to the general infrastructure that is needed in emergencies.

Rick N6RK