[BC] Point-to-Multipoint EMCOMM

[WFIFeng@aol.com]

I've changed the title of this thread to better fit the discussion. :)

In a message dated 04/28/2007 3:04:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
glen.kippel at gmail.com writes:

> Well, Kahn may be a bit ascerbic, but he has a point.  If the cell system or
>  landline is overloaded, nobody can get any information.

Indeed! Or when that same system is lost due to the effects of a large 
disaster, like Katrina, or a widespread power outtage, such as happened in the NY 
area. Literally millions of people cannot possibly rely upon land-line or 
cellular phones for information!

>  A few years ago,
>  our valley was rattled by a huge "boom."  Several minutes later, another.
>  Was it an explosion?  Cannon fire?  My wife picked up the phone to call the
>  police, or somebody.  Silence.  No dial tone, nothing.  Everyone else must
>  have picked up their phone about then. 

Most likely. Someone once told me that they actually have enough system 
capacity to handle only about 10% of all telephones being off-hook at the same 
time. So that means once that number is reached, 90% of people will pick up a 
silent phone.

> She turned on a radio.  I grabbed my
>  2-meter HT.  It was the hams, actually, that had the info first.  It was
>  some jet-jockey out of Edwards AFB that decided to go supersonic, thus the
>  sonic boom.  But, any form of non-broadcast communication was totally
>  inoperative.  It was broadcasting (including ham radio) that worked, 
because
>  there is no limit on the amouunt of receivers.

Bingo! Same thing, here. I'll tune in to WICC, which still has an excellent 
News Dept. The next thing I grab is that trusty HT, and punch up some of the 
local repeaters. The chances are VERY high of finding someone on one or more of 
them who knows what is going on. I've already done it at least a handful of 
times in the past decade, usually severe T-storm related. Thankfully, we very 
seldom get tornadoes, but "pop-up" T-storms of considerable intensity can form 
in less than an hour, and wreak some havoc. Having good comms available is 
important. We have a good Skywarn group up here, along with hams at the NWS 
station that serves New England. I consider it invaluable.

>  Now, that doesn't mean that
>  the radio stations don't have automated music and nobody there, or that the
>  hams aren't all in bed asleep.  But from a technological standpoint, it's
>  radio that works when the chips are down.

Exactly. Too bad Mr Kahn (if he really *did* write that) couldn't get someone 
with better writing skills to compose a more professionally-written NPRM that 
might actually be considered by the FCC. This will probably only be 
shrugged-off once it's beyond the receptionists desk... if it even gets that far. He 
does make some good points, but they're buried in drivel... I don't imagine that 
the FCC is going to bother trying to "dig them out".

I've said it before, that analog AM broadcasting should be preserved, 
especially for large-area dissemination of emergency information. A $5 "Flavoradio" 
with a good battery is all one will need to get potentially life-saving 
information. Now they also have those hand-crank genset radios and/or solar powered 
sets for emergencies... but they're all analog!

Willie...







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