I read a few articles the last few days in QST and several e-newsletters I have the privilege to receive due to the “EC job”. So this time I will take a break from our usual storm season discussions and look at the bigger picture.

In thinking about our hobby, we have been given privileges to operate communications equipment on the various amateur bands via various modes. This privilege is granted here in the U.S. by dear old Uncle Sam who assigns the spectrum to various uses via the FCC. Back in the day when I gave my kids privileges there was an expectation we all understood that something had or would be done to receive that privilege. It appears to me there are the same expectations with Amateur Radio. That’s where you come in.

As operators, whether we are DX’rs, ragchewers, digipeople, or contesters, we can be and should be involved in our community representing Amateur Radio. Those activities are a fun part of the hobby and offer a great deal of enjoyment for us, but they also offer a proving ground to develop skills and abilities. You can be a part of community involvement even if you’re not in ARES, RACES or the other alphabet organizations. The articles lead me to think we all should be involved. You can represent our art to those you meet by being a good operator and neighbor. Offer to use your portable generator the help a neighbor when the power goes out; you have way to charge phones, laptops, batteries, and some ops even have inverters to run a few appliances off a battery. You have the capability to send and receive messages for your neighborhood. Share that knowledge where you live. Offer to plan ahead so people around you have an understanding of what you can help them with in an emergency, and also learn what skills they may have such as medical or construction. It might just create an environment that will lead others to our hobby, or at the very least allow a better understanding of what Amateur Radio is. If you are a CERT member, have you shared that with those around you? It could be an important bit of information to help others decide how or what actions they take when disaster strikes.

With all that said, let’s look at our ARES group. If you take the prior thoughts seriously, then we must be excellent communicators. As one article stated: “probably the most important training an operator can have for participation in ARES would be informal and directed net procedures; the ability to receive, send, and relay messages; the international phonetic alphabet; and use of plain language. Net Control stations need to know how to run an informal net and a directed net. An operator who is unable to fulfill these basic functions is a liability.” Wow, that’s a pretty strong statement. I don’t think anyone wants to be a liability, especially when the chips are down. As a good operator we need to understand our equipment, how it works and its capabilities or limitations. We must develop good practices through our ongoing training.

Another article discussed our ability to serve the medical community, hospitals, clinics and so forth. We may have operators “out there” reporting medical needs or requesting assistance. Once again, it’s critical we communicate well. In support of a hospital one author said: “Information must be conveyed with 100% accuracy, or patient safety is put at risk. Some protocols to follow as communicators include: re-transmitting (reading) orders and labs back to confirm accuracy.”

So it’s happened, and you are at ground zero. The utilities are out, damage has been done, and your neighbors need you. Are your ready to communicate? Assess your station, antennas and supply of power. Look at the needs of those around you… can you help in some way? Can you ask for help via radio? Where are the resources available to meet the needs of those around you? Can you be a part of solving the issues at hand? As an Amateur Radio operator you can be involved to help your community. Every operator can be an asset to the community. Each of you has been given a privilege to operate and enjoy our hobby. I think with the privilege comes a responsibility to be involved.

Our ARES team has grown a great deal over the past several years. It’s because we are involved, we do train, and we do offer to help others.

If you feel Amateur Radio is a privilege, and if you want to find a way to respond to that thru our weather spotting, emergency communications planning, assistance with served organizations and the community as a whole, or even if it’s just helping your neighbors, then we look forward to seeing you get involved.

73
Rick
K5ECX