Posted on 10/11/2019 6:36:35 AM PDT by AU72
The People’s Republic of California is at it again; through unelected state officials, California is severing ties to ham radio repeater owners throughout the state, jeopardizing the lives of millions of Californians who depend on these repeaters to operate during emergencies.
Last month, repeater operators were sent emails telling them the State would no longer allow them to operate repeaters on public land without paying substantial rental fees. In the letter sent by CAL FIRE, the state claims Ham operators no longer provide a benefit to the state or public safety. They claimed that “constantly changing technological advances” has made Ham radio obsolete during an emergency.
Keep in mind; this is a state that is currently shutting power down in 34 of its counties because its infrastructure cannot handle 20-30 mph winds without risking wildfire breakouts throughout the state.
What is infuriating here is people are going to die because of this decision. It costs the State of California nothing to allow these repeaters on public land; in fact, Ham Radio Operators pay for the equipment and maintain the equipment at their own cost. Ham Radio operators also make nothing from running these radio repeaters; they do so as a service to the public to help ensure the public’s safety during natural disasters and emergencies.
Here is a good explanation of what’s going on from a Ham Radio operator in California
While paying billions of dollars a year to cater to illegal immigrants and welfare bums, California is now targeting hard-working Ham operators who provide critical and vital Disaster Emergency Communications. These people have absolutely lost their minds!
There is a nationwide effort to Kill Ham Radio
My off the grid ham radio
Even most Hams haven’t taken notice, but in 2012 the federal government launched FirstNet, a public safety nationwide broadband network that many in the government think will make Ham radio operators obsolete. In reality, its nothing more than a $47 Billion Federal Cell Phone Network that itself is already obsolete. In fact, it needs LOTS of infrastructure to function, and it creates multiple, single points of failure.
The real story here is Ham Radio is a threat to the government. We make them look stupid! They spend billions on infrastructure that breaks down, while we can literally take a hundred bucks in equipment, some random wires, and in minutes set up a radio system that can communicate with anyone in the world. Hell, I’ve used my kid’s slinky, some Television Coax Cable, and a solar battery system to build a mobile rig that I’ve used to talk to people around the world — You can check out the Radio Rig Here.
They don’t want the public to realize that we can take care of ourselves, and do a much better and cheaper job doing so!
We had a huge slide in OSO in WA State.
The county spent huge money. Massive money, on a digital system. Purchased by a corrupt country EMS official.
It didn’t work, and not every agency could talk to every other.
How’d they get it done?
RACES. Yep, hams.
Nonsense. The NSA may “attempt” to monitor VHF communications that it intercepts... The problem is that most of what it intercepts will be unintelligible garbage. Unlike cell phone communication that is dependent on tappable communication points to relay the signal, VHF radio is supremely suitable to short-distance tactical communication. Even with ad hoc encryption, the resources required to decipher and understand the intent of such signals would very quickly overwhelm the NSA’s available resources.
This is the reason that Amateur Radio has fallen out of favor with the deep state apparatchiks. It’s simply impossible to “hoover up” all of the radio traffic and sort it out... First you have to be where you can receive the signal. That eliminates any chance of 100% monitoring.
Crazifornia should be mocked and derided endlessly for being the bedrock of insanity!
They always have been "open to the public".
It's not that hard, just get a ham license.
Parts of what you will learn when you study for your license are what frequencies and bands you can use, how much power, etc.
Without this knowledge, you can, and probably would create havoc.
Even if the FCC agreed to open up a thin slice of one of these bands, the good old boys would scream and holler because they think these bands and frequencies all belong to them, and that no one is allowed to use them unless they submit to the ownership and pay their dues to the club first.
Just as you probably suspected, Tech Control, 307.
> good old boys
Do you even have a tech class license / or are you studying for one?
You seem really bitter toward the “good old boy club”. Why is that?
I’m a licensed radio amateur, with a bit of a libertarian streak (I hate the very idea of having to petition the government for permission to do as I please), yet I recognize the value of limiting access to some of the radio communication spectrum to those who can show both competence in it’s use and the self-discipline to not violate the privileges of others use.
Spend 5 minutes on CB channel 6 and you’ll see exactly what every slice of the radio spectrum would be like if the “good old boy club” didn’t restrict participation.
Traffic lights are a good thing, even when we’re in a hurry.
This is not directed at you, but dont get too exited over 5W BaoFengs, the range is 3 miles on a good day. Even with line of sight and a separate killer directional antenna dont look for much more.
Also don’t expect to just pack em away and fire them up and communicate in SHTF if you haven’t set them up and done some kind of practicing. It’s not CB where you just dial around a few channels. And they are not that easy to program even if you have the internet up to reference.
Got my General a few months ago . . .
And this havoc would be limited and contained in one thin slice just as it is with Citizen Band now. Limit the radios to only be capable of using this thin slice and the side bands within it just like Citizens Band is now. With side band there would not actually need to be that many frequencies allotted.
Can’t give up just one thin slice of a truly efficient frequency band?
You don’t know that. I do.
“California has gone full Communist.“
Plainly.
BTW, in Europe, AM radio is dead (most towers are gone), and FM is dying. Norway’s going digital only.
And this is exactly the club membership “control” I am talking about, If you don’t have a license, or have not applied for a license, you are forbidden to even discuss the topic or question the club. It’s like saying no one understands how to or can talk about fishing until they take a fishing class and buy a fishing license. :)
“...Ham radio obsolete during an emergency.”
The truth is exactly opposite.
California government is rapidly becoming a domestic enemy of the U.S.
Horseshit. As usual.
And the ARRL just yawns and goes back to sleep.
> If you don’t have a license, or have not applied for a license, you are forbidden to even discuss the topic or question the club
Let me just say kindly that I think you are full of $hit.
People are engaging you here with actual information; you’re just ranting. You don’t seem to have any idea of the history of radio transmitter usage nor ways it is coordinated.
The fact is that you can buy any transceiver and an antenna (if you know what that is) and start transmitting. I don’t know what will happen to you, but I will be that you will feel like a fool rather quickly.
You can go buy an FRS transceiver and just start talking any time. That’s what those are for, starting at about $9 each.
Just asking them to consider giving up a small part of the huge avenue to allow a bicycle lane. Look at 10 meter, it is already screwed and havoc with general illegal use, yet the FCC and the radio clubs just won’t let go of that legal thumb on it. That legal thumb is just an ignored formality at this point anyhow with that band.
I am licensed. My wife having no knowledge took the class taught by our club and passed with flying colors. Go for it!
I understand radio just fine.
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