The K5WLF Blog

I just got off the phone with the Managing Editor of our local paper. I was telling her about our Simulated Emergency Test (SET) coming up this Saturday. We always notify the newspaper, the two local radio stations and the County SO and City PD dispatchers of our SETs. That serves two purposes. First, it let’s the public know about the event so that when they’re listening on their scanners and hear reports of fire, flood, tornado, gas leak and hazmat spill all within ten minutes, they know it’s a drill (which we keep repeating on-air) and don’t go “War of the Worlds” on us. That’s very important because I never want to see a newspaper headline that reads: “Amateur Radio Operators Practicing for Emergency Cause Citywide Panic”. Let the folks know what you’re doing. The obvious reason for notifying law enforcement is so that they can inform any callers who’ve heard the exercise on scanners it is, indeed, a simulation and there’s no cause for concern.

The other reason for informing the press is to invite the folks to come to the exercise and see what we do and how we do it. We might gain some new hams from the encounter. But, more important, we will make friends for our hobby and enhance the perception of ham radio operators as friendly, intelligent, articulate folks who love what they do and are dedicated to community service. Many times, those who don’t know about our avocation have a pre-conceived notion that we’re some kind of electronically-controlled troglodytes who spend our nights and weekend days hunched over the glowing dials of mysterious machines in redly illuminated basement redoubts. While some of us may aspire to that condition, in reality we’re mostly well-adjusted, out-going folks and we should let the world know that.

We should never miss a chance to make friends for ham radio, and the best way to make a friend is by being one. When someone comes up and show interest or asks questions about your radio gear, always take the time to show them the equipment, answer their questions and get them on the air via third-party traffic if possible.  Invite them to your local club meeting and let them see just how much fun we’re having. Set up a booth (and a portable station) at the Fourth of July event in the park. Enter a float in the various parades held in your town. Offer to speak to local service clubs or other organizations about ham radio. Volunteer to handle the comms for a bike or foot race in town. Just spread the word anyway you can.

We are the only ones responsible for the public perception of the amateur radio service. As we carry on our daily QSOs, check into our nets, hold our SETs and other exercises, let’s make sure that we always leave others with a positive impression of our hobby and that we present ourselves as people who are worthy to take on the task of emergency communications when needed.

73,
ldb
K5WLF

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 1332 and is filed under Amateur Radio. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.