Comments on: Emergency planning http://blog.rac.ca/?p=416 All about ham radio in Canada - Tous pour la radioamateur au Canada Sun, 12 May 2013 22:59:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Keith Baker http://blog.rac.ca/?p=416&cpage=1#comment-148 Keith Baker Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:42:44 +0000 http://racblog.wordpress.com/?p=416#comment-148 I have to wonder if the operators of the ARES vehicles "mustered" for this event were all using a "hands free" devices to communicate as our now in-force Ontario motor vehicle law demands? Or were they still operating under our stupid three year "exemption"? I find it comical that, on the one hand, the FEDERAL Auditor General points out a glaring communications interoperability disconnect among first responders nationwide all the while our PROVINCIAL MPPs are busy enacting needlessly sweeping motor vehicle laws that throw roadblocks in the way of a radio service (ours) that might help to mitigate the problem. All of which simply underscores the notion that MPs and MPPs are much like diapers. They need to be changed often and for the same reason. I have to wonder if the operators of the ARES vehicles “mustered” for this event were all using a “hands free” devices to communicate as our now in-force Ontario motor vehicle law demands? Or were they still operating under our stupid three year “exemption”?

I find it comical that, on the one hand, the FEDERAL Auditor General points out a glaring communications interoperability disconnect among first responders nationwide all the while our PROVINCIAL MPPs are busy enacting needlessly sweeping motor vehicle laws that throw roadblocks in the way of a radio service (ours) that might help to mitigate the problem.

All of which simply underscores the notion that MPs and MPPs are much like diapers.

They need to be changed often and for the same reason.

]]> By: Peter Gamble http://blog.rac.ca/?p=416&cpage=1#comment-147 Peter Gamble Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:25:25 +0000 http://racblog.wordpress.com/?p=416#comment-147 Hi One of the first issues is understanding that Amateur radio is typically involved in the humanitarian side of emergencies and not the Police, Fire, Paramedic. If you present the role of Amateur radio as supporting humanitarian relief efforts you will get great support from Government. If you try to tell them that a few hams with HTs will replace their multi site, multi channel trunking system, then you may get a few laughs, or just a cold stare. Public Safety turns to their commercial providers when things fail. Motorola built a trunking switch in 36 hours after 911. The Police and Fire already have portable and mobile radios, so they want infrastructure to make them work, not a bunch of volunteers. It is better for them to focus on getting a temporary repeater on the air. The concept of Interoperability is not about holding two HTs or holding a VHF and UHF radio. Public Safety is aware of these concepts and already uses them. The interoperability they are working on is how to bring 1000 Police officers from 3 different jurisdictions into an area and have them communicate with each other when they are no longer in range of their own repeater infrastructure. The capacity and function they are looking for is not something Amateur radio can provide. It is also important to understand that Interoperability is not about having Police and Fire all talking to each other. They do that at a command level face to face and then send messages on their respective radio systems. The challenge is how to expand the Police, or Fire service using outsiders who bring their own radios. Trunking is a great help and a great problem in this issue. Trunking brough the efficient use of spectrum, but it is propriatry solutions, so they don't work together. I agree that Amateur radio needs to work on our plan and the starting point is for local Amateurs to joing their local Emergency Communications Group. It might be ARES, it might be REACT, it might be something else, but get involved. Peter - VE3BQP Hi

One of the first issues is understanding that Amateur radio is typically involved in the humanitarian side of emergencies and not the Police, Fire, Paramedic. If you present the role of Amateur radio as supporting humanitarian relief efforts you will get great support from Government.

If you try to tell them that a few hams with HTs will replace their multi site, multi channel trunking system, then you may get a few laughs, or just a cold stare. Public Safety turns to their commercial providers when things fail. Motorola built a trunking switch in 36 hours after 911. The Police and Fire already have portable and mobile radios, so they want infrastructure to make them work, not a bunch of volunteers. It is better for them to focus on getting a temporary repeater on the air.

The concept of Interoperability is not about holding two HTs or holding a VHF and UHF radio. Public Safety is aware of these concepts and already uses them. The interoperability they are working on is how to bring 1000 Police officers from 3 different jurisdictions into an area and have them communicate with each other when they are no longer in range of their own repeater infrastructure. The capacity and function they are looking for is not something Amateur radio can provide.

It is also important to understand that Interoperability is not about having Police and Fire all talking to each other. They do that at a command level face to face and then send messages on their respective radio systems. The challenge is how to expand the Police, or Fire service using outsiders who bring their own radios.

Trunking is a great help and a great problem in this issue. Trunking brough the efficient use of spectrum, but it is propriatry solutions, so they don’t work together.

I agree that Amateur radio needs to work on our plan and the starting point is for local Amateurs to joing their local Emergency Communications Group. It might be ARES, it might be REACT, it might be something else, but get involved.

Peter – VE3BQP

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