[Russ_Boston]

I think V07 gets to the point of Jan's question.

Can TV realistically expect its restrictions to be upheld over the the benefit of having a ham or two within TV?

My opinion would be that in today's world and the advent of wireless phones that we could feel relatively confident that we could do without the security blanket of hams within a community like TV. Now if we had some disaster like the television series Jericho (nukes in USA) then all bets are off except hams. But I'll take my chances that this never happens.

Sorry Jan - my opinion only.
Russ

[redwitch]

Semi-off point. Jan, did you ever get your arrow flying for your antennae?

[Boomer]

--Remember the old days of getting that "all circuits are busy" message on your land line phones? Cell phones jam, too. My guess is in a disaster they would jam pretty quickly because everybody has one, usually at all times. There are a lot of people sharing the same radio frequencies. Hams have access to different frequencies.

And I really would not worry about big antennas and towers suddenly appearing in yards in TV. The TV hams, I am sure, had you covered during the tornado last year. There are setups in place for emergencies.

crap

And please do not worry if Mr. Boomer and I end up moving in next door to you. In a post above I talked about the antenna farm that he so admires when he drives past. The guy even has a ham shack. (I bet his wife makes him live in it.) You should see these antennas. He must be trying to contact ET. But we would never erect an antenna, not here, not there. Hams are resourceful types. They figure it out.

I have been wondering if the TV hams ever take their golf carts out on fox hunts.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by redwitch

Semi-off point. Jan, did you ever get your arrow flying for your antennae?

No, but I did build a giant slinghot that works perfectly. ;D ;D

[tony]

Russ,

Cell phones are the first technology to fail in a widespread emergency. In fact, I am not sure, but I think they can be shut down and allowed to serve only those chosen. Maybe. Somebody who knows more has to inform us here.

The "party line" flavor of ham radio also helps; each point does not have to be contacted individually. One call can go out to all to see who can help. That worked wonders for us in St. Thomas.

There are ways to make antennas and towers inconspicuous, or at least as inobtrusive as possible.

[Russ_Boston]

Tony - Nice to know. I always thought of it as more of a hobby but i can see the use in an emergency.

[tony]

Ohhhhh. Make no mistake. It is a fun, wonderful, geeky hobby. It's like kinda keeping the radio warm between emergencies.

That's when we make fantastic friends from all over the world, and learn a lot about geography.

A buddy of mine turned into best friends with a middle eastern king, including visits back and forth to stay at each other's place.