Over the last couple of weeks, there’s been a lot of hubbub about what’s going on in California. Apparently, some administrator there has decided that they no longer will give amateur radio repeaters space in their communications centers.
Here’s the YouTube video that may have started this controversy:
An interesting take on this issue was published by an outfit called PJ Media. This report is also a bit on the inflammatory (pun intended) side, but it is interesting because it posits that the reason CalFire wants to get rid of amateur radio repeaters is because they’ve gone whole hog on FirstNet, and even though they’ve spent millions of dollars on FirstNet, its capabilities are not that much greater than the communications capabilities provided by amateur radio operators.
I think what this all boils down to is that amateurs need to get more “professional” when it comes to providing these services to state agencies such as CalFire. Emcomm groups need to keep in contact with those state agencies and make sure that the agencies know what equipment is being housed in served agencies’ facilities and that the groups are providing the services that the agencies need.
This is NOT an easy task. Personnel changes at both the amateur radio and served agency organizations can allow these situations to get out of control. Needless to say, bad things can happen when this occurs.
I believe that there will be a happy ending to this story, as long as the groups operating the repeaters keep in touch with their served agencies. The ARRL article quotes Pacific Division Director Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, as saying:
“The State of California has not made any determination we can find ‘that Ham Radio [is] no longer a benefit…Our contact in the California Office of Emergency Services suggests that, if any affected repeater is in any way involved with local emergency or government support activity, they should ask that agency to engage with CAL FIRE concerning the repeater. If the agency makes the case, there is a good chance that the repeater will be unaffected.”
This is one of the only times I’ve ever never seen partisan political rhetoric really rear its ugly head among our ranks. It makes sense considering the demographic of ham radio, but it’s shocking how obtuse and dense a lot of people have been acting with this news and FUD.
I appreciate you for taking a level headed and optimistic approach and I also think it’ll work itself out.
The California Office of Emergency Services is still actively recruiting hams and other radio volunteers.
“ACS is actively recruiting volunteers with an interest in public service and a background in emergency communications. While many of our members are Amateur Radio operators, an Amateur Radio license is not required to become a member of the ACS Team. Join us!”
https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/public-safety-communications/tactical-communications/cal-oes-auxiliary-communications-service
Report Causes Concern and Confusion in California’s Amateur Radio Ranks
http://www.arrl.org/news/report-causes-concern-and-confusion-in-california-s-amateur-radio-ranks
Executive summary: It’s mostly nonsense.
If people who express an opinion would actually read the documentation they would learn the facts. The ARRL article totally ignored the facts. People appear to be too lazy to actually read documentation. Two repeaters were going to be removed. The statement quoted about “benefit” were the words actually used by Cal Fire, and was causing the removal of repeaters. Cal Fire words had meaning and impact. The repeaters were put in place with permission, were part of the VIP program, and were in place for over 30 years. They didn’t drop out of the sky as the irresponsible video claimed. Also, the dribble in the “no free rack space” video, ignores actual California law concerning the public purpose exception. So as Areas of California are burning, what are you actually doing to help save lives in your community? Removing of critical emergency communications equipment is moronic at best
Look at the Cal OES Mission Statement. That pretty much shuts this whole thing down.
Anything coming from any corrupt gov agency doesn’t shut anything down except maybe privately owned repeaters and other meaningful forms of speech and communications. The U.S. is under attack from enemies both foreign and domestic and it isn’t the powerless poor the big money would like to paint as the threat. Follow the money and I say all roads lead to Rome.