TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
ALL NON-WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATERUS
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WOOD COUNTY BULLETIN NR 12.10 DATE: March 4, 2012
SUBJECT: AMATEUR RADIO, NOT JUST A HOBBY.
A few years ago manufactures of LEOs, or Low Earth Orbiting Satellites were trying to get some, or all, of the Two Meter and 70 Centimeter Amateur bands for their service.
The question was asked, should you consider Amateur Radio as "Just a Hobby?" If Amateur Radio is just a hobby and serves no useful purposes then why not take up Model Airplanes or Model Trains, after all they are "Only Hobbies" to.
If Amateur Radio is just a hobby then why worry about losing a couple of frequency bands. There have been Amateurs who have said that Amateur Radio is just hobby, and they have no time to help with special events or communications during emergencies and disasters. It's this type of Amateur Radio operators who should turn in their Amateur Radio license and get on the Citizens Band Radio, after all it is only a hobby to.
It's up to every Amateur Radio operator to help when communications are needed, whether it's an event like Road Run and Walks, Bike Races, River Regattas, or the real reason that Amateurs have been able to keep their frequencies. Amateur Radio has been able to keep their frequencies because they are needed when Emergencies and Disasters happen, and other communications facilities are overloaded or nonexistent.
Most events such as Runs, Races, and Regattas only last a few hours every other month or so. How often are you talking on your radio, "just because it's a hobby"? If we want to save our frequencies we need to show the world that we can't afford to lose any of them, but it's hard to do if all you can say is "Amateur Radio, it's only a hobby".
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV