Posted on 01/10/2008 11:30:21 AM PST by Rick.Donaldson
Romney "Disses" Amateur Radio In Televised Town Meeting Posted on Wednesday 16 November 2005 @ 15:48:10
Governor Mitt Romney dismissed the role of Amateur Radio operators in emergency communications during a televised "town meeting" program last night on WCVB's "When Disaster Strikes: Segment Two." The program featured public safety and volunteer organization officials from across Massachusetts among its audience.
Host and moderator Natalie Jacobson asked an increasingly-agitated Governor Romney questions about communications interoperability, and communication without commercial power. Romney was next asked by Jacobson, "...so does it come down to ham radio?..."
The Governor replied in a disgusted tone, "No, we don't need to deal with ham radio operators..."
Embarrassed public safety officials later tried to put in a good word for Amateur Radio. National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist Glenn Field was prepared to state the importance of Amateur Radio, when Salvation Army Colonel Fred Van Brunt was called upon. Van Brunt remarked about his organization's quest to improve its communications capabilities and how Amateur Radio has aided his organization. "The ham radio situation helps a great deal," he stated.
"I have already written and submitted a letter to the Governor's Office," wrote Eastern MA Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY. "I have also written an email to Natalie Jacobson."
ARRL Section Manager Mike Neilsen, W1MPN sent a section-wide email today to all Eastern MA ARRL members describing the incident along with actions he and his staff were taking to mitigate the situation.
"[Romney's] attitude about us sets an unfortunate tone within the state's executive branch," wrote Neilsen. "As a former military officer, I see this as a failure in leadership. My immediate concern is our working relationship within the [Massachusetts Emergency Management Team] environment." Neilsen intends to address the Governor's comments as "an urgent matter" at a meeting on November 17 with Don Carlton from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
"I was very disturbed about what the Governor stated on the program," wrote Ron Wood, W1PLW, the section's Public Information Coordinator. "It does show that more work is needed by all hams in the section. It's a great idea to write letters explaining the good we do." Wood is attempting to schedule a meeting with the Governor's office tomorrow so that EMA ARRL staffers might discuss the matter further.
Tom Kinahan, N1CPE wrote that Governor Romney's comment has made "a PR problem" for Kinahan in his role as MA State RACES Officer.
"I've got a roster of over 150 Amateur Radio operators that support local communities, and those of us that directly support the state government. There are at least double that in terms of people that are actually out there that I don't have formal paperwork on that support Amateur Radio emergency communications in some organized manner... The Governor has said that he 'certainly doesn't need to rely on ham radio' -- where does that leave the RACES program now?"
"I am ashamed tonight that I am a Republican!" remarked one ham radio viewer. "[Romney] speaks in derogatory tones about hams. He certainly shows an ignorance as to what we do and are capable of. I suggest a grass roots campaign of local hams calling the State House and The Governor's Office to protest."
The television program can be viewed at http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/5334306/detail.html.
Thanks for ur service - 73 es 33 de KX8X
AR SK
First responders know nothing about radios. They are simply handed to them to use, right out of the box. They;re told push the button to talk, release to hear, and the volume control and battery compartment are pointed out. Depending on the class, amateurs know a hell of a lot more, and can build and operate your 10Kw station.
You're pretty snappy with the observations. How do you know RD is not a "professional?" Can you tell if I am? I'd love to hear your response.
There is no Ham club at our level. The major city is over 100 miles to the north.
I suppose if a EMP weapon was used, it would cut us off from the system, but that is what it would take. If that were the case them we would use direct communications via mouth since no power and no radio comm would be likely for some time. There are one or two Ham operators, but they are not very common here. The one I knew well has passed on and the other moved.
We have a small airport and someone is organizing a Air club. But other that that, we would likely have to build something from scratch.
There is no backup that would survive a EMP anymore than a hamm radio would but they would likely be the first to be repaired and up and running should that occur.
Like I said, there is some integration in areas where it is available in any sort of dependable way. Like clubs and such. We don't have any here in my little city that I am aware of. We did several years back, but no longer.
IMO, government would destroy Ham radio if it extends it's reach because of full integration into the Federal and State systems. The business of amateur radio would be sensitive to excess regulation due to cost and inconvenience. The spectrum needs to remain free to survive, and effort to incorporate it on a non voluntary level would most certainly destroy it.
Romney's comment was correct. We don't need to do that. Hamm radio as a assist, or even a replacement if required, will work just fine as it is.
ping
Y’all realize this is from 2005,right??
I went to the trouble of learning code years ago so Romney could dis me and my license. Great.
“There is no backup that would survive a EMP anymore than a hamm radio would”
Tell that to my Halicrafters SX-71, with Johnson Adventurer transmitter...
Yes, I STILL have my first Novice rig, and it was ancient when I got it!!
Is Romney less of a dolt than this today?
A rig that was completely tubes (even the rectifier) and run off of nothing but batteries, would live.
If so, if you don't mind me asking, what type communications are they using to communicate with the citizens? And what type of communications are the citizens using to communicate with your local government during massive shutdowns and big time disasters?
We have a small community. The city is only 30K. The county is about 70k.
So the short answer is you have no means to communicate with the citizens in your region for immediate status reports and other vital information in the event of a major disaster.
OK.
oops, with batteries, don’t need rectifier :-)
New Orleans, where I lived for 11 years, was crippled due to flooding. Generators failed due to flooding and then lack of fuel. They did have a antiquated system with repeaters, but the repeaters needed power from the grid in critical areas, and so it failed badly.
There are few communities that have covered all these simple bases, and I know this!
But that is not why I posted on this ridiculous thread. Romney's quotes do not indicate a disdain for Ham radio or ignorance of same. The poster simply is looking for a way to bash him as dozens, and dozens of threads here on this forum have done. It's all about Fred.
Well......Fred ain't gettin it done, and that is a fact. Attacking Romney is not going to make that better. Romney may well be the nominee, but that will not stop some conservatives from damaging him, or the Republican party.
OK?
What are you suggesting?
Are you advocating that Mitt Romney, as president, should use Federal resources for your State and local communications?
Where in the Constitution does it even suggest that the Federal government should even be interested in what your State of local community does in this regard, or God forbid, fund it!
Why don't you ask Fred the same question. He's a Federalist, like Romney is. I know what the answer will be.
What the hell has happened to conservatives since 9/11???
When is this going to stop???
As chief executive officer of the Federal government, he has no interest in what your State of local community does in regard to communications. It is a State matter.
When did it become a Federal issue? Is that some new Conservative idea???? Does the federal government the new responsible party for fostering the use of Ham radios?
LOL! This is too much.....
And you people call yourselves conservatives......
Yeah, I think I still have a old kit that I built in the mid sixties. Not too much of that stuff around....
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