Well, to a degree, yes. And some of us used to regularly monitor the
emergency channel on Channel 9. I don't even know if anyone listens down
there anymore, or for that matter if people even treat it like an emergency
channel. CB was still kind of civilized in the countryside, but here in
the city, it seems to be inhabited by people whose childhood development
was obviously arrested at the babbling stage, and they have never
progressed any further. I haven't even turned the radio on in about 5
years. I suppose I should find out if it still works. I sold the auto
tuner that I used to use with it to force the 10 meter antenna to load on
11 meters--I obviously wasn't going to waste valuable antenna space on that
band.
73, de Lou K2LKK
At 10:59 AM 11/21/2006 -0700, you wrote:
>I wonder, was there talk like this back in the 70's when 27MHZ CB was
>getting really popular?
>The idea of using a unregulated, unlicensed, free for all band as a way to
>communicate during emergency situations?
>Although, that said, 11M was indeed regulated and licensed back then.
>
>Does anyone remember weather there was a big to do about making CB the next
>line for emergency communications in america back then?
>73
>Colin, V A6BKX
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Russ Kiehne" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2006 9:37 AM
>Subject: How to communicate when disaster strikes
>
>
> > How to communicate when disaster strikes
> > Networks offer breakthroughs in affordable emergency radio
> > Posted: November 21, 2006
> > 1:00 a.m. Eastern
> > By Joseph Farah
> > © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
> > WASHINGTON - What happens when the television signal goes dark, when the
> > electrical
> > grid fails, when regular and cellular phone service won't work and even
>the
> > Internet
> > is not accessible?
> > Communication is one of the critical components of disaster-planning
> > scenarios, as
> > anyone who watches the hit CBS series "Jericho," about the isolation of a
> > small Kansas
> > town after a nuclear attack, can tell you.
> > 'Jericho' on CBS depicts how Americans deal with aftermath of nuclear
> > detonation
> > Apparently, they never heard of Family Radio Service in the town of
>Jericho.
> > Family Radio Service is a very low power, short-range UHF citizens band in
> > the 460
> > MHz band that some civil-defense activists believe offers great promise in
> > worst-case
> > communications disaster scenarios.
> > The hand-held two-way radios sell for as little as $20 and a rapidly
> > developing
> > National SOS Radio Network
> > is aiming to plug in approximately 100 million U.S. users with direct
> > communication
> > with about 700,000 ham operators.
> > (Story continues below)
> > It's the brainchild of Eric Knight, a ham radio veteran of 32 years. He
>says
> > training
> > is essential to the success of the program and statewide and nationwide
> > drills are
> > being prepared to help bring the network to life.
> > The
> > DC Emergency Radio Network
> > is an example of what could be in place soon for much of the nation. If
> > there's
> > a power, telephone, cell-phone or Internet failure, the DC Emergency Radio
> > Network
> > can keep Washington-area residents in touch with neighbors, family and
> > official announcements.
> > DC Emergency Radio Network uses Family Radio Service and General Mobile
> > Radio Service,
> > or GMRS, radios on channel 1, no privacy channel (subchannel 0).
> > Many people in the Washington area already have FRS and GMRS radios. They
> > are the
> > same small handheld walkie-talkie radios that people use to keep in touch
>at
> > parks
> > and on ski slopes. They're sold at Radio Shack, Best Buy, Staples and
> > elsewhere.
> > FRS radios are license-free and have a range of 1/4 to 1 mile; GMRS radios
> > have a
> > range of 5 to 10 miles.
> > "If normal modes of communication go down or become unreliable - because
>of
> > a terrorist
> > attack, power outage, cell-phone network congestion, storm or other
> > problem - the
> > DC Emergency Radio Network is a pre-planned way of communicating and
> > relaying vital
> > information," explains the cooperative.
> > Earlier this year, the
> > Midland Radio Corporation,
> > REACT International,
> > the DC Emergency Radio Network, and NationalSOS.com jointly announced
>their
> > support
> > for the National SOS Radio Network - a free communications network based
>on
> > the estimated
> > 100 million FRS-compatible radios already in the hands of the public, a
> > number growing
> > by up to 12 million radios per year.
> > Born in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, organizers recognized that a
> > major contributing
> > factor to the tragic loss of life was the near total breakdown of
> > communication systems.
> > Once electricity, telephone, and cell-phone services failed, people were
> > unable to
> > let rescuers know of their dire situation - and died as a result.
> > The National SOS Radio Network doesn't require new laws or any new
> > legislation, organizers
> > say. It could be effective immediately. Once the ham and GMRS radio
> > communities are
> > made aware to listen for the public's emergency FRS broadcasts, the
>national
> > network
> > will be up and running.
> > "We are honored to be teaming up with three fantastic organizations in the
> > field
> > of communications," Knight said. "Midland Radio is a long-time pioneer in
> > innovative
> > radio technology. REACT International, Inc. has been at the forefront of
>an
> > all-citizen
> > emergency communications network for nearly 50 years and introduced FRS
> > radio as
> > an important public communications tool in 2000. And the DC Emergency
>Radio
> > Network
> > is a brilliant example of using FRS radios to connect people and
> > neighborhoods in
> > an emergency."
> > Bill Adler, the founder of the DC Emergency Radio Network, DCERN, said he
> > wants to
> > see every household in America with an FRS or GMRS radio.
> > "As we've learned from 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and other disasters,
>without
> > communications
> > nothing else operates effectively," Adler said. "I envision a national
> > network of
> > ordinary Americans with FRS and GMRS radios who can relay information in
>an
> > emergency.
> > When a natural or manmade disaster strikes, the only good communications
> > system is
> > one that will actually work. The idea behind this new emergency network is
> > to have
> > a simple, reliable communications system that doesn't depend on
>electricity
> > or standing
> > cell-phone towers - and that anyone of any age can use."
> > In addition to these private efforts to equip Americans with the
> > communications devices
> > they need for civil defense emergencies, the Department of Homeland
>Security
> > also
> > recently moved to spend $5 million to supply all 97,000 public schools
>with
> > hazard-warning
> > radios activated with a broadcast signal. Originally conceived to deliver
> > weather
> > warnings, the system now covers all hazards, including terrorism and
> > abducted children.
Louis Kim Kline
A.R.S. K2LKK
Home e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Work e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Work Telephone: (585) 697-5753
|