TO: ALL WEST VIRGINIA ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM WV SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WV ARES BULLETIN NR 08.47 DATE: November 23, 2008
SUBJECT: SEND IT TWICE
How important is the information that you send to someone? Even though today's communications facilities seem to be error free, they are not. Most communication media try to convey their traffic with no problems, but it doesn't always work. For some reason or another letters, words, and sometimes, complete messages get lost somewhere between the sender and the receiver.
Why do we use a check count on a RADIOGRAM? It's to make sure that all of the words in a message are accounted for by the receiver. To make sure the message gets to the receiver, some senders ask for a response back when the message gets delivered.
Most of the digital forms of communications have some kind of built-in error checking means, but errors still exist. Even the internet is not without problems. How many times have you sent an E-Mail to someone, only to find out they didn't receive it?
If you feel the information that you are sending to someone is important, have them respond as soon as they get it. If they don't respond, then one of two things may have happened, either they didn't get it, or when they responded, you didn't get their response. It doesn't hurt to send the information a second or third time if it's important enough. I would rather get important information three times, then to not get it at all.
That's what the delete button is for.
(Bulletin inspired by Fred Herr, WD8AGH)
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator